Producer Gas Fuel.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 118, 17 April 1940, Page 6

Producer Gas Fuel.

More Ilian 50 motor-vehicles have recently been converted in Auckland to run on producer gas instead of petrol. School’s War Effort. From old materials provided by the pupils, the day dressmaking classes at the Palmerston North Technical School are making various articles which the St. John Ambulance will forward for hospital comforts for the troops. New Artificial Lake. Another lake, 15 miles long, will be created on the Waikato River by the dam which is to be for hydro-electric power purposes at Karapiro, four miles from Cambridge. One hundred feet deep at the flam, it will run west and south practically to the A rap uni Gorge. Collection of Metals. The proposal that school children in New Zealand should collect non ferrous metals for patriotic purposes was received in a circular letter ai the meeting of the Palmerston North High Schools’ Board of Governors last night. The chairman (Mr At. 11. Oram) said he felt that the board could very well approve the scheme and lea.ve it to the three principals of the board’s schools to put the collection into effect. This was agreed to. Import License Delay. 'The issue of import licenses had been held up because two members of live staff of the Department of Industries and Commerce, to whom every Customs Department decision affecting industry and commerce—and some which diil not appear to—was referred, were overworked, said the president (Mr U. H. Nimmo) at last night’s meeting of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. Those two men were asked to take the whole responsibility and were grossly overloaded with work.

Austrian Refugees. That there could be very little conception among New Zealanders of tho sufferings of refugees in oppressed countries was mentioned by Lieuten-ant-Commissioner J. Kvan Smith, new Territorial Commander of the Salvation Army in Now Zealand, wnen replying to the civic welcome given him on his visit to Palmerston North. He said that some Austrian refugees were on the boat on which he had crossed the Atlantic. The stories they told of their dreadful experiences in concentration camps were too dreadful to relate. They had experienced the fullest depths of suffering, ignominy, shame and wretchedness.

Central District Enlistments. To date 11,536 men in the Central Military District have volunteered for service overseas, 7157 of those examined have been classed fit, and 4996 sent to camp. Women Hockey Players. An increased membership among the 24 affiliated associations is recorded in the annual report of the New Zealand Women's Hockey Association. Of a total of 4690 players, the Mann wain contributes 48. Fcilding 17, lloro whenua 11, and Ruahine 44. Truby King Memorial. The executive of the Dominion Council of the Plunkct Society has received advice from the Prime Minister that, the Government has approved ol a grant of .€2OOO to the fund for establishing a national memorial to the hite ( Sir Trilby King, founder of the society. Tho Patriotic Fund. Donations to the National Patriotic Fund now total €83.453, including a further £373 from (he New Zealand biscuit and confectionery maiiulaoturers (making a total contribution of £648). The total expenditure to date is £44,525. Donations to.the St. John and lied Cross Sick and \\ oundod Fund have reached £2256. River Plate Medal. On the suggestion of the King, a special medal is to be struck to celebrate tho victory in the River Plate battle of the three British cruisers over the Graf Spec. Tho medal is to be bestowed on all officers and men of the Exeter, Ajax and Achilles, and will be presented to the noxt-01-kiu of those who fell in the action. Standard of Living. “Wo cannot continue to cnjo.v in this country a higher standard of living than we produce for ourselves,” said Mr T. O. Bishop at the annual meeting of the Wanganui Employers Association. The people of New Zealand, lie said, had never had to work as hard as people in other countries; tlie struggle for existence was not so keen. Baseless Rumour. When the “news” that one of the world’s largest liners had arrived in Wellington was received, at least three carloads of people left Waipawa, Hawke’s Bay, on Sunday for Wellington to satisfy their curiosity. The visitors included Waipawa business men and a well-known Central Hawke’s Bay doctor, but the result of their trip was a great disappointment. Wartime Sacrifices. “The employers would certainly endure tb'‘ restrictions more cheerfully if the Government would only assure them that the so-called war measures are to exist- for the war period only,” said the annual report of the Wanganui Employers’ Association. Sacrifices bv all sections of the community would be gladly borne in an effort to win the war against the evil doctrines of Nazism and Communism. Farewell to Soldiers. Teachers may receive a day’s leave on full’ pay to bid farewell to soldier relatives or friends, under conditions specified, according to advice received at tho meeting of the Palmerston North High Schools’ Board of Governors, last evening. In addition to the five days’ leave on full pay previously granted for attendance at- Territorial military camps, teachers may now receive an extra two days on full pay for this purpose. Care of Crippled Children. Special efforts to bring the work of tlie New Zealand Crippled Children Society under the notice of the Maori people were discussed at a meeting ot the society’s Dominion executive in Wellington. Suggestions for the establishment of travelling clinics were stated to have been submitted to the Di-rector-General of Health with tho object of reaching all 'children who are in need of orthopaedic care and to arouse the public to its duty toward crippled children. Extreme Heat in Melbourne. While his home district ot Manawatu was experiencing the end of what was generally admitted to be one of the worst summers for some time as far ns weather was concerned, Mr W. G'. Shannon, of Newbury Line, who has recently returned, was sweltering in Melbourne in heat which was well above the average. For six days the temperature was more Ilian 100 degrees, and went up to 109 degrees one day. This was much greater than the usual March heat in Melbourne. Young Salvationists. Impressions of tho Salvation .Army conference at Wellington—ho was a visitor to the city at the time —were mentioned by Mr NY. 11. Hopcroft, chairman of the Kniranga County Council, at a civic welcome yesterday to Lieutenant-Commissioner J. Evan Smith. Mr Hopcroft said he had been surprised at the number of- young men and women attending the conference, and the expression of earnestness in tlie atmosphere of the proceedings was most noticeable. Hundreds ol children were also there, and they gave one of the brightest children’s I concerts he had ever attended.

Advantage With Boarders. » “As in other secondary schools, the girls more or less conform to type.” stated the principal of Napier Girls’ High School (Miss E. McCarthy) in a report to the Napier Secondary Education Board. “Some of them are attending entertainments at night, too much noise in the home —for instance, a continuous wireless —is _ affecting their nervous system, and in general they are suffering from insufficient rest. It is pleasing to find that the standard is higher among the boarders.”

Salvation Army Bands. Among those who have a high opinion of Salvation Army bands is the Presbyterian minister in Palmerston North, Rev. .1. Hubbard. Speaking at the civic welcome yesterday to Lieuten-ant-Commissioner J. Evan Smith, now Territorial Commander, Mr Hubbard admitted that he was frankly envious of the bands. “I could never feel dull with a Salvation Army band behind me,” he said. “The band is a wonderful thing, and the old General was very wise, and had a touch of genius about him, when he brought the bands into being.’' Destinations of Pupi’s.

A report on the destination of pupils leaving school during, or at the end of, last year was the subject of a report by the director of the Palmerston North Technical School (Mr H. M. Scott) at a meeting of the High Schools’ Board last evening. This showed that trades and industries, and shops and warehouses, were mostpopular. Of the 103 boys who left. 24 went in for fanning, 22 entered shops and warehouses. 34 followed various trades and industries. II entered Government or local l>ody service. five took up engineering, surveying or architecture, two entered the legal .and five flic commercial profession. Of the 125 girls who left Ihe school, one went to the University, one went in for hanking or insurance, two took up nursing, four entered the legal profession, five found positions in Government or local body service, 15 entered various trades and industries, 24 went info shops and warehouses. 28 obtained commercial positions and 45 went home.