General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 28 August 1942, Page 4

General News

L Unexploded Bomb Dealt With i Though the Home Guard bomb dis- j • postal unit in Christchurch has not long been receiving instruction, it has al- ; ready had a practice with a live bomb. This was one fired by a mortar. It did ! not explode, so the services of the new unit were called on, and, though the small bomb could have been dealt with ■ more easily, the correct procedure for i dealing with larger types was followed. Tlie bomb was blown up with explosives. Death of Horse Beneficiary Towards the end of 1938 a horse became a beneficiary in the will of a well-known citizen of Dunedin. Mr David Wilkie, who left a sum of money for the maintenance of the horse, which had served him for more than 2G years. Now, reports “The Press,” the horse is dead. He died last Friday in the Logan Park district, near the paddock in which he had browsed ever since his master’s death. The horse was 32 years of age. During his retirement officials of the Public Trust Office and the person who looked after him at Logan Park had seen that he received every attention and comfort. German Flying Suits in Nelson Just arrived in Nelson is an interesting parcel containing three German flying suits worn by the airmen in the first bomber brought down in England. The suits which are all leather are beautifully made and arc lined throughout with Russian bearskin. There are a number of other interesting features about them, including the bullet holes, etc. By courtesy of McKay's, these suits will be on display to members of the Services at the Fighting Services Club to-night and over the week-end, and to the general public on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Headlamp Masks A number of headlamp macks along the general lines of those used in Great Britain are shortly to be tested under actual traffic conditions in Auckland, with a view to ensuring that motor car lights conform with the reduced lighting restrictions. Tests with the sample hoods, which are being manufactured in New Zealand, will be carried out in all the main centres, and the results will show whether they will be practicable for universal use. It is not known yet if they will be declared compulsory. Damage by Opossums Residents in the eastern bays of Wellington have found that their wartime efforts to grow more vegetables seem to benefit opossums more than themselves. The situation was discussed by the Hutt County Council, when permission was

sought for the employment of an expert trapper, who would work in the bush on the ranges at the back of the residences. The county overseer said the opossums were certainly becoming a nuisance. lie added that they even came down at night and lifted the lid off his rubbish tin. As the Department of Internal Affairs was agreeable to a trapper being employed, the permission sought for was granted. School Roll Decline The Southland primary school population has been declining slowly but steadily for almost 30 years and the total number of children on the rolls has fallen by about 1500 in that period. The fall in the birthrate appears to be responsible principally for the downward trend. Just before the last war began the school rolls reached a peak of about 12,000 pupils. By September, 1918, the number had fallen to 11,798. The latest figures available for May of this year show that there are 10,565 children registered at primary schools in the province. Mileage of Ambulances Well over 2000 miles have been travelled by St. John ambulances in Auckland in three days in attending calls to accidents and cases of sickness. Trips to Kaipara Flats, Pukekohe and Ohaeawai were made. Ambulances went from Auckland to Kaitaia, Helensville, Komokoriki. Pukekohe and Mairangi Bay.

' Blenheim Stock Sale » There was a very short yarding of i fat stock at the weekly sale held at the Blenheim yards in bitter weather, and prices advanced accordingly. Best 1 quality ewes topped 3l)s. Very few stores came forward. What a Tornado Is A tornado is a definite type of atmospheric disturbance in which the air circulates round a core of low pressure in a clockwise direction in the Southern Hemisphere. The diameter of such a disturbance seldom exceeds more than a few hundred feet, destruction thus being confined to a comparatively narrow path. The wind velocity round the central core may be as high as 200 miles an hour, hence the ! destructive effect of a tornado when it I strikes buildings, haystacks, etc. A whirlwind is a smaller edition of a tornado. Such disturbances, ranging from small whirlwinds up to the more destructive tornado, are not infrequent in parts of New Zealand, Taranaki in particular and Westland in general to a 'lesser degree being areas where they ; most often occur.

An Omission From the list of Convent examination successes which appeared in last evening's “Mail” the name of Roya Ricketts was omitted. Roya passed first steps examination with 73 marks. How did the queer word “tobacco” originate? Authorities differ. But what’s a name? A rose by any other

name would smell as sweet, and tobacco by any other name would taste and smell as good! Here in New Zea land ! t’s often called “toasted.” that being the name covering the five brands favoured by most smokers now And it merits its popularity There is no other tobacco that approaches it for mellowness, flavour and fragrance. It has been truly remarked that once you smoke toasted you’ve no time for any other sort! Year by year its fame has spread until to-day its manufacture constitutes a national industry, yielding steady employment for a large number of hands. It’s simply unbeaten lor purity. The toasting of the leaf largely eliminates the nicotine in it and renders the finished product as harmless as tobacco can possibly be made But caution when buying is essential if vou want the real thing The only Genuine toasted brands are: Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullsbead). Pocket Edition. Navy Cut No 3 (Bulldog), Riverhead Gold and Desert Gold.*

Nelson Diocese Tops the Poll A record amount of £20,143 was received last year by the New Zealand Anglican Board of Missions. The previous highest total was £23,814 received in 1940. The board works on the quota system, and there is a healthy rivalry among the seven dioceses to obtain the highest percentage above the set quota. This year Nelson Diocese topped the poll with a percentage of 140 per cent. Next came Wellington with 135 per cent., Christchurch with 133 per cent., and Dunedin with 332 per cent. Farmers in Home Guard “I have been given to understand that Home Guard personnel may obtain leave of absence from parades on application to their battalion commanders,” stated a letter received from the Minister of Primary Production for War Purposes (the Hon. W. J. Poison) in reply to an inquiry by the North Canterbury executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. Mr Poison said that this direction came from Army headquarters, and should meet the cases involving men required for farm purj poses. j Battledress for Army Women Battledress is to be issued to members of the Women's Auxiliary Army Corps engaged on certain duties in the South Island, reports “The Press..’ It will be a working uniform only, and with it the women will wear Army hoots specially made to their feet sizes. Two pairs of boots will bo issued to each woman. For walking out the regular uniform of the Women’s Auxiliary Army Corps will be issued. Modern Housing This week 32 widows and single wonmn lock possession of their new homes, cottages at Spreydon, just built foi them by the Christchurch City Council (says the “Press”) The Council has built eight units, all roofed with green tiles, and each containing four cottages All the cottages are modernlv equipped, each having an open fireplace, a small electric stove, a porcelain \ath and a copper, and each tenant will pay a weekly rent of 10s. It is now three years since the City Council's first row of •ottages in Barnett Avenue was tenanted, and since then another group has been built in Willard street. These 52 cottages are for marries couples: none of them has been untenanted since they were first ready for occupation, and there is not one penny of rent outstanding on them The Council’s rent collector takes only one and three-quarter hours to collect the rent from the 52 tenants. Women’s Land Corps A statement that 104 women and girls had been placed on farms under the Women’s Land Corps scheme if contained in the annual report of the employment division of ♦he National Service Department for the year to 31st March last. At that date 15 other placements were being arranged and there were 31 vacancies. The report adds that the extent tq which farmers had availed themselves of the labour thus available and to which women had offered *o undertake farm duties had been rather disappointing.