NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24400, 11 September 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

THE Army Office at Dunedin has A now obtained a supply of badges for issue to men who have been classed as unfit for service. Those entitled to badges may receive them on application to the registration office at the Kensington Drill Hall. Cost of Patriotic' Appeals 1 To date the overhead cost of all the appeals for funds made by the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council has represented only 2.8 per cent, of the gross collections, which now total £39,565 13s 4d. This announcement was made by the treasurer yesterday at a meeting of the council. Bread Deliveries Cease Because of the necessity for conserving petrol, the delivery of bread in Bluff has ceased. The two bakers at the port recently made an arrangement to cease deliveries on an agreement being reached that Invercargill bakers should not send more bread to the pbrt. A saving of one penny for a two-pound loaf of bread has been effected for customers as a result of the new arrangement whereby purchasers carry their bread home. Gift of University Bursary At a recent meeting of directors of the Caledonian Society a letter was received from Mr J. Sutherland Ross, a member of the society, advising that he would be pleased to supplement his previous gift of a bursary scholarship for a three-years’ course of study at the University of Otago for the son or daughter of a member of the society under conditions similar to those under which the previous bursary was offered. The directors, in accepting this offer, expressed their tdeep appreciation of Mr Ross’s generosity and of his interest in the educational side of the society’s activities Tekapo Power Station Preparatory work for the Tekapo power station construction is now in hand. Accommodation is being prepared and the organisation details are now being drawn up. The .District Public Works engineer for South Canterbury (Mr T. G. Beck) said that a start would be made this week with the sinking of a shaft at the lake end of the site. That shaft, Mr Beck explained, would be used in the beginning for the removal of spoil from the tunnel face and later would become the gate shaft. To facilitate the job the department was installing a two-way lift in the shaft. Ship Romance* A birth and an elopement romance distinguished the last trip of the Monterey from Australia to San Francisco. This was revealed when the Matson liner arrived in Auckland. The birth was that of a six-pound son of an Australian passenger; the romance was one which developed between an American heiress and a dining room waiter on the ship. The baby boy was born in the ship’s hospital on August 3, when the Monterey was entering the harbour at Papeete. Dr O. S. Nesting, ship’s physician, officiated at the birth, the liner providing a large wicker basket for a crib. The American Consul at Papeete issued a birth certificate. The elopement romance, according to officers on the Monterey, developed between Miss Army Margaret Boyle, 25 years of age, an oil heiress from Oiltown, Pa., and Kelse Ray Stapleton, who was a member of the Monterey’s stewards’ department on the south-bound voyage from Honolulu to Australia. They were married on July 22 at Sydney, rejoining the ship as passengers. A wedding party was given by the crew with the ship’s band playing the “ Wedding March.” The couple left the Monterey at Papeete, where they 1 said they would stay indefinitely.

War-time Risks at Sea The question whether it was reasonable for a husband in New Zealand to require his wife to return to him from England under the present conditions of war was raised by Mr Justice Fair when hearing a petition for restitution of conjugal rights in the Supreme Court, Auckland. Counsel for the husband agreed that it was a difficult question that he did not care to answer. His Honor said he presumed the wife would have no difficulty in leaving England, but should the husband require her to do so? He eventually made an order for the wife to return to her husband in New Zealand unless she showed sufficient cause why she should not do so. Linking Two Races The influence which judges of the Native Land Court exercise in reconciling differences between the Maori and the pakeha was mentioned by a former Chief Judge, Mr R. N. Jones, when speaking at a farewell tendered at Auckland to Mr C. E. MacCormick, the present Chief Judge, whose retirement will take effect next month. Mr Jones said the Chief Judge had acted as a nation builder and deserved credit for his work in helping to cement the good relationship between the two races. “We look across the seas to-day and see the two races, the Maori and the pakeha, standing shoulder to shoulder fighting in defence of freedom,” he added.

Music on the Air There was still a tremendous amount of bad music being broadcast, said Dr C. Edgar Ford, examiner for the Trinity College of Music, who is visiting Palmerston North, when interviewed. There was no doubt that the radio was hopelessly misdirected so far as music was concerned. The excuse was that the licence-holders demanded it. If our system of education were carried out in that way it would be disastrous. He was not against jazz music as such. A great deal of it was extremely clever, but the trouble was that the listener was not being taught to discriminate. The worst type of dance music was the constant reiteration of the rhythm, bar after bar. No Food Rationing Rationing of foodstuffs in New Zealand is not contemplated yet,' according to a letter from the Minister of Supply (Mr D. G. Sullivan) to the Canterbury District Pig Council. The council received a letter from the Minister acknowledging the council’s letter, which notified him of a resolution passed. “I appreciate the sentv ments underlying the resolution, but at the present time rationing of foodstuffs in Nev Zealand is not contemplated,” he said. The resolution deplored the fact “that no steps have been taken to restrict the sale of pork when there is such urgent necessity of increasing bacon supplies for export to Britain.” “ The Churchill Way ”

Apt reference to the resolution of the British people in wartime as expressed by the Prime Minister, Mr Churchill, was made by Mr H. Tai Mitchell at an Auckland function when making a presentation to Mr C. E. MacCormick, the retiring Chief Judge of the Native Land Court. Handing over a carved patu, Mr Mitchell said the carvers had sought to depict Mr Churchill “breathing defiance to the foe.” He also said the Arawa carvers were working on a swagger-stick which was to be sent to the High Commissioner in London, Mr W. J. Jordan, to be presented to Mr Churchill. “ The carving will represent the strength and manpower of Britain to-day,” Mr Mitchell added. Attack on Submarine

When they recall their voyage from England and the 25 dfcpth charges dropped by escorting destroyers the third day out, women and children who arrived at New Plymouth last week wonder whether the submarine was sunk. The British Broadcasting Corporation announced later that a submarine lying in wait for a convoy was destroyed. Next day the ship passed within a mile of a derelict tanker, half sunk, with smoke still pouring from its funnel. It had apparently been torpedoed. It was at 7.30 a.m. that one of the two escorting destroyers suddenly dashed aside about a mile away to drop a depth charge. Others followed, columns of water spurted high in the air and the ship was jolted as it raced away on 'a zig-zag course.

The Sinews of War Typifying the tremendous resources at the disposal of Britain, both in the overseas Empire and in the Homeland itself, a window display in a shop in Princes street is at present attracting a good deal of attention. As a centrepiece there is a stirring message given by Queen Victoria many years ago, but equally applicable to-day, and grouped about it are a number of official posters issued by his Majesty’s Stationery Office, depicting pictorially the principal resources of each dominion or colony, and expressing in brief but effective form significant facts concerning its production and the help it is able to give in providing Britain with the sinews of war during the present struggle. The window display, as well as the actual posters themselves, has been particularly well set out, and conveys a reassuring message, if that were necessary, at a time when the heart of the Empire is withstanding some of the heaviest blows of the war. Lower Grade of Petrol

The decision of petrol companies to sell only standard grade petrol in future will affect the efficiency of modern cars to a certain extent, and not only will adjustments be necessary to ignitions, but a lower mileage per gallon may be expected when present stocks of super grade spirit are exhausted. The modern car is built for the consumption of super petrol, which contains tetra-ethyl-lead. and, operating solely on standard spirit, it may do a mileage per gallon up to 5 per cent, less than on super grade. The changeover will give plenty of work to service station proprietors, as motorists will require to have the ignition of their cars readjusted by having the spark retarded, an operation best carried out by a skilled mechanic. Even when the adjustment is made, modern cars will give an inferior performance on standard'grade spirit. Until stocks of super are exhausted, a half-and-half mixture with standard grade will be sold, the price being 2s 6Jd a gallon, and when only standard is available the price will be reduced by a halfpenny. Justice with Mercy

A Sumner resident has received from his sen, a New Zealand solicitor now with the forces in England, a story of his experience as a guest of the .presiding magistrate in a London Magistrate's Court, The New Zealander was invited to attend the court with a young Maori friend, also a solicitor, and to their surprise they received an invitation fo sit on the Bench, one on each side of the magistrate.. During the hearing of several of the cases the magistrate consulted his two young guests regarding the custom of the courts in this country. Then to the amazement of the New Zealanders, the next culprits to appear before the Bench were two New Zealanders, both of whom, seeing the trio in front of them, became both puzzled and anxious. Finally, the magistrate, perhaps with some compassion as a host to his legal guests, qualified a fine of one shilling with the remark that the accused from the antipodes would probably find the cost of living in London high enough without the addition of further encumbrances. There were at least four happy New Zealanders that morning in the heart of the Empire.

Who Was to Go Over the Top? Mr W. Downie Stewart, during his address last night to members of the Otago branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand on “ Some Early New Zealand Prime Ministers,” repeated a humorous story related by Sir Robert Stout regarding one of them. This was J. E. Fitz Gerald, who arrived with the first immigrants to Canterbury in 1850. He established the Lyttelton Times and was editor for two years and was at the same, time immigration agent and inspector of police. The story went that one day Fitz Gerald was walking with his cousin, who was a magistrate, along the street when they met an escaped convict who was carrying a hand saw. The convict realised that he had been recognised and assumed a threatening attitude, whereupon FitzGerald, who had a great sense of humour, commanded his cousin-magistrate, in the Queen’s name, to arrest the mam The cousin, not to be outdone, got out of the difficulty by telling FitzGerald that if he, as a police inspector, would take the hand saw from the convict he would proceed to execute the arrest. In the dispute which followed the convict was able to make a hasty retreat.

Coffee for breakfast. Order from your grocer a tin of “Bourbon,” the coffee of quality. Instructions in every tin. Prepared by Durie’s, Coffee Specialists, 32 Octagon, Dunedin.— Advt. , .V 1 ~ For rings, watches and jewellery, try Peter Dick, jewellers. 59 Princes street, Dunedin.—Advt. - ■