NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 69, Issue 53, 6 March 1944, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Shortage of Pig Pood ‘‘Pig producers are in an awful plight, for food,” said Mr. R. G. Bishop at a meeting of the North Canterbury District Council of Primary Production. “We arc facing a famine as far as stock food is concerned,” Unless something was done to assure supplies, he declared, there would bo a serious decrease in the quantity of pork and bacon produced in Canterbury. Many farmers were being forced from tho production of pigs. It was resolved to approach the National Council, emphasise the seriousness of tho situation in Canterbury, and ask that inquiries be made into the possibility of obtaining grain supplies for pigs. Trust Pund Urged for Boys If boys could be induced to stay on the laud instead of going into town labour and production problems would be alleviated to a great extent, said Mr. S. J. Ilollard, .Stratford, at a meeting of the South Taranaki provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union. He urged that the Government be aproached to introduce a system of wage subsidy for youths and young men from 15 to 22 years of age. After discussion it was decided to send a remit to that effect to the annual conference of the South Taranaki Farmers’ Union. The remit included the suggestion that the extra payment for young men who took up farm work should be kept in a trust fund until they were 23 years of age. New Wellington Cathedral The question of when the appeal for funds for the erection of the Wellington Cathedral should be actively resumed was raised at a recent meeting of the Diocesan Centenary Committee. The Appeal Committee was asked to prepare a report on future policy before Synod meets in July. It was decided on the outbreak of war that, in view of other urgent culls, the appeal should not be actively pressed meantime. Nevertheless, the organisation was kept in existence and amounts totalling £19,639, including redemption of pro nffses, have been received. It is estimated that by the end of this month there will be a total of £140,000 available towards tho cost of the building. In addition the site, bounded by Moleswortli Street, Hill Street and Eccleston Hill, has been completely paid for at a cost of £76,456. The prewar estimate of the cost of building .the cathedral was £230,000, but what the actual cost will be depends of course, on conditions when the work is undertaken. Tins of Fruit Washed Up Many hundreds of cans of fruit, fruit juices and condensed milk have been washed up on the Auckland beaches during the las(; few days, the majority being intact. The high-tide mark at Milford, Takapuna and St. Leonard’s beaches, which face tho Hauraki Gulf, is clearly indicated by an endless chain of 71b., 21b. and smaller tins of peaches, pears, pineapples and condensed milk. Many of the cans are covered with barnacles, some are almost rusted through, while others have already been punctured througli battering against rocks. The appearance of beaches in the Takapuna borough and the potential danger to children and others who might eat the contents of tins picked up have prompted the Takapuna Borough Council to take immediate steps to have the debris cleared from the sand. An officer of the council warned residents not to eat any of the fruit found on the beaches. This was not the first time that, numbers of tins had been washed up, he said, and representations were being made to the Health Department with a view to having the practice of dumping cans of fruit at sea stopped. Wound Stripes Authority is given in the latest New Zcalaud Army Orders to hand for the wearing when in uniform by all members of the New Zealand Military Forces entitled to do so of a stripe or stripes denoting wounds received during their military service. The stripes are of two types—gold braid and red braid—each one inch and a-half in length. The gold braid denotes a wound received jn the present war, and one stripe will be worn in respect of each occasion on which a member has been reported wounded in an official casualty list. Accidental or selfinflicted wounds do not qualify. The stripe will be worn vertically on the left forearm. Tlie red braid stripe is for a wound received in the last war, and one such stripe only will be worn in respect of any number of wounds so received. It will be worn parallel with and to the rear of the first gold stripe. Those eligible to wear either one or both of these stripes will apply to their O.C. unit, who will forward a list of the applicants to Base Records, Wellington, where tho eligibility of claimants will be established. Base Records will then issue to tho unit the quantity of braid necessary to cover the issue of one and a-haif inches to each member entitled to it.