General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 20 October 1942, Page 4

General News

The Shooting Season The Auckland Acclimatisation Society decided to forward the following remit J to the North Island conference on Frijdav: —"That societies, through the North and South Island councils, favours a fortnight's open shooting, commencing jon the first Saturday in May. with a i uniform license fee of 30s. and that 5s a license fee be devoted to vermin control." Another remit adopted was: |“That the executive co-operate with the Hon. W. E. Parry in an endeavour to arrange with the Minister of Supply for a limited amount of shotgun ammunition commensurate with war needs, to be made available to each purchaser of a license, in order that wild life control and vermin destruction* may be financed dr ring the war.” Land for Soldier Settlement The programme of preparing land for soldier settlement has been seriously affected by the need to curtail developmental work as a result of the difficulty of obtaining essential supplies. according to the annual report of the Department of Lands and Survey on the settlement of Crown lands. “This decision to curtail development.” the report states, “has seriously affected the programme of preparing land for soldier settlement, and it will be necessary to continue the farming of the blocks which have been acquired for this purpose until the supply position improves and it is also possible to proceed with a building programme.’’ Elsewhere the report states that all Crown- owned areas deemed suitable for eventual settlement by re- | turned servicemen are being withheld from disposal for the present. Southland Spitfires Lost Both Spitfires named after Southland because the residents of the province subscribed the funds required for their purchase, have been lost in action. The Southland I machine crashed in the English Channel last April, when Flight-Lieutenant R. H. Strang, of Invercargill, was shot down, and the Southland II machine was shot down on the French coast in May in an engagement over Boulogne. Pilot-Officer J. M. Checketts, of Invercargill, who was flying the machine, baled out and parachuted safely into the Channel and was rescued. Defence for Parking Breach A little-known section of the parking regulations was successfully quoted in defendant's favour in the Timaru Magistrate’s Court recently when the traffic department of the Timaru Borough Council prosecuted a truck driver for parking his vehicle within 20 feet of the near side of a pedestrian crossing. Defendant admitted that he had stopped his van within four feet of the crossing: but his counsel (Mr W. D. Campbell! claimed that he was entitled to do this, as the parking regulations made it a defence to a charge similar to the one before the Court, if the accused proved that “the act complained of was done in the loading or unloading of a vehicle in the course of trade.” The driver charged had been engaged to transport two heavy packages from the Timaru railway station to shop premises in the town. Mr Campbell therefore contended that defendant was unloading a vehicle in the course of trade. The Magistrate (Mr H. Morgan, S.M. > uriheld the contention and dismissed the case, saying that it would be inconvenient if heavy packages could not be unloaded at business premises, and that the defence allowed by the regulations should be given a fair and liberal interpretation. Indigenous Forest Resources “A shortage of indigenous timbers in the relatively near future is a certainty and not a bogy,” states the Director of Forestry (Mr A. R. Entrican) in his annual report, “but it is a major objective of the national forest policy lo alleviate its seriousness by careful conservation of all remaining resources. Limitation of the kauri and white pine cut to absolutely essential demands has already been achieved, and early extension of this policy to totara and matai is essential, particularly in the interest of rehabilitation housing, leaving rimu and insignis pine to meet the bulk of war demands. Extensive reconnaissance of insignis pine and the more accessible rimu resources is being undertaken as a preliminary to eventual complementary control of their cutting. “The report adds later that the lack of knowledge of soils, of ecology, and of silviculture in the indigenous forests is serious, and that the deficiency will have to be remedied by reorganisation of work and concentrations of stafT. Adaptor for Gas Mask The standard civilian and service types of respirator do not afford any protection against carbon monoxide, which might be encountered during an emergency. Mr R. G. Meldrum. leader of the gas decontamination unit of the Wellington E.P.S.. has designed a special adaptor for use with ordinary respirators, and the Civil Defence branch of the National Service Department hopes that all E.P.S. respirators will soon be equipped. The materials are stated to be readily available. Land for Scenic Purposes “The last year was one of but limited activity so l'ar as the acquisition and reservation of land for scenic purposes was concerned.” states the annual report of the Department of Lands and Survey on scenery preservation. “However. eight areas, totalling some 1890 acres, were set apart as scenic reserves in various parts of the Dominion. The reservations made included a fine block of 621 acres of native bush overlooking the newly-formed highway from Tongaporutu to Ohura, another of 447 acres near the headwaters of the Waikanae river, and a third of 708 acres round Silvan Lake in the Dart district of Otago. Two small areas adjacent to Kennedy’s Bush, on the Summit road, were also reserved during the year, one of which was very generously given by the Hon. Sir R. Heaton R hodes.”

Next E P S Rehearsal The Nelson Central E.P.S. Committee last evening decided that the next E.P.S. trial bo held in the last week ol October, after Labour Day. It was agreed that the rehearsal be similar to the one held on the evening of the sth October with the central part of the city as the -blitzed” area. Atkinson Observatory If the sky is Clear to m«>, n>w ■ ’ cii I mg the Atkinson Observatory will be I open from « lo 10 o'clock. Kauri Gum Industry “Activities in the kauri gum industry with other industries, affected by the present unsettled conditions,” slates the annual report of the Department ol Lands and Survey on the industry. “Digging is not being carried on to the same extent as formerly, and the production of gum lias accordingly fallen. The demand for gum remains steady, but the difficulty in arranging | shipping accommodation limits the ex- > 'ports. However, at the present time ( the actual production of gum is still j sufficient to meet the demand. The I United Kingdom was again the largest , purchaser, with the United States of ; America and Canada also taking a fair ! share of the market. Prices have risen [ considerably over the last year and are | approximately 40 per cent, to 50 per ! cent, above what they were two or three years ago. During the year 1363 tons of gum were exported, of a total value ol £86.322.” Pea Picking Around Nelson j If the weather is line, pea picking i will commence on Thursday, 22nd October. Those who have volunteered are requested to be at the Suburban Bus Company's office. Bridge street, at 7.45 a.m. on the days they wish to pick. It is advisable for pickers to take enough food for the day: tea will be provided. Educating Maori Children The annual report on the education : of Maori children, which has been tabled ! in the House of Representatives, states that a widespread emphasis has been given to craft work of all kinds. “There is increasing efficiency in the teaching of woodwork, cookery, domestic crafts, mothercraft and home nursing,” it adds. "In some districts the boys are engaged in building-construc-tion. house-painting and decorative work, and it is very gratifying to note how the influence ol this training extends into the village. Other crafts that find a place in different schools are metalwork, boot-repairing, drainlaying, simple plumbing, concrete work, poul-try-keeping, and dairy-farming. A number of schools provide their own barbers and nurses. The old Maori arts and ciafts are also among the activities, although these are not yet fostered to the full extent they deserve. ’