NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24417, 1 October 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

TyHAT brought it to the heart of the ' ’ city no one knows, but yesterday a small opossum with a glossy black coat and a sweeping tail scuttled across Lower Rattray street and dashed up a large tree in the Queen's Gardens. It was not long before a small crowd had gathered to see the unusual sight of an opossum nibbling hawthorn buds as it swung on the slender branches of a city tree. It was not long, too, before two small boys were climbing the tree to inspect the small animal and, if possible, to dislodge it from its resting-place, but their efforts ceased abruptly when some spectators ordered them sharply to stop. They would have regretted it deeply if they had approached too close to the opossum, for it has a sound defence when necessary, and their attempts to dislodge it would have had small chances of success. How the opossum reached the Queen’s Gardens is something of a mystery, especially as it appeared to come from the railway yards, but it has been suggested that it' “ stowed away ” in a truck of timber that arrived from Owaka. No doubt when darkness fell it scampered off again to less public haunts and probably joined the other opossums that dwell in the Town Belt.

“Anti-grousing ” There was still too much " grousing ” in New Zealand, Mr W. Perry, M.L.C., commented when emphasising the need for an optimistic outlook at a Returned Soldiers’ Association function in Wellington. “ One of the worst forms of grouser at the present time,” he said, “ is the man who is looking forward to the compulsory loan with much more trepidation than the average Londoner looks forward to an air raid.” Effective Camouflage On a recent visit to Waiouru two staff officers left their camouflaged car parked on the side of a hill while they went on a lour of inspection over surrounding country. After being away for a considerable time, the officers decided to return to the car, which they could not find. It took about 10 minutes’ searching through binoculars before they located it, blended in naturally with the grass round it. The incident showed the effectiveness of army methods of camouflage. Maori Measurement* “The Maori never had any idea of distances from Hie pakeha viewpoint,” said Mr C. T. Newton. Native interpreter, giving evidence in the Supreme Court. Auckland. “He never had a set idea of miles or chains or anything like that. He remembered his distances solely by the natural features.” In answer to Mr Justice Fair, witness said the Maori did not use any measure of distance like a stone's throw or a spear’s throw, but they would sometimes speak of the two arms outstretched to represent about six feet. The Maori never had any idea of an acre, he added. Infectious Diseases While there were no cases of infectious diseases admitted to the Dunedin Hospital during the week ended at noon yesterday, there were a few admissions to the Logan Park Hospital. One case of chickenpox was admitted so that there are now four patients in the hospital with this complaint. There were two admissions of measles, one patient who had been suffering from the complaint was discharged, and there are three remaining. There are two cases of scarlet fever in the hos pital, one patient having been discharged during the week.

Use of Producer Ga* Considerable economies in the use of petrol have already resulted from the installation of producer gas plants on service cars operated by the Railway Department between Auckland and Rotorua. Two buses are already using producer gas, and, on the return trip of 320 miles, only 10 gallons of petrol are consumed, compared with the previous amount of 32 gallons. The plants on each service car are loaded at Auckland, Hamilton and Rotorua, petrol being used only at the start of the trip and on hills Stoning of Duck Concern was expressed at the meeting of the council of the Otago Acclimatisation Society last evening regarding the action of some boys at the week-end. reported in yesterday's Daily Times, in throwing stones at a mother dock in the Water of Leith and injuring it so severely that it subsequently died. Members expressed the opinion that no effort should be spared to exact a suitable penalty, and a report that the ranger had the matter well in hand was received with satisfaction. Death at 112 The death has occurred of Mr Jonathan Had field, a Maori, of Takahue. who was believed to be 112 years old. Mr Hadfield was a well-known figure to members of the early missionary families, and was a grown man when many of them were small children. Though an adult he attended the Pukepoto Native School when it was first opened, and after leaving there was further educated at St. Stephen's College, Auckland. Mr Hadfield was a steady worker, who set a great example to his race. His wife died many years ago, and he is survived by one son. Not Camera Shy Eighty-nine Scottish children were looking over the rail of the ship that had brought them to New Zealand, a tall, bearded sailor towering behind them. The children were singing songs, interspersed with bursts of cheering for the New Zealanders who were waiting for them below. Suddenly every child vanished and there was a sound of stampeding feet along the deck. “Whatever has happened now? ” said someone on the deck, and the question was answered by the sudden reappearance of the children at the other end of the ship. They had discovered a number of cameramen on a crane, and were not going to miss being in the picture. A Vain Delusion The idea of Hiller and Mussolini that they could scatter and smash the British Commonwealth by attacking the heart of the Empire was a vain delusion, said the Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) in the course of his speech at the British-American Co-operation Movement luncheon in Wellington. "Every attack that is made upon the capital of our Commonwealth, every bomb that is dropped from the skies, every message of death that flashes down upon our kith and kin in London and other parts of Great Britain, instead of weakening, strengthens our ties and increases our love for the Motherland, and strengthens and increases our determination that whatever we can do individually and collectively as citizens and a nation we will do to defeat the evil thing that has brought such destruction upon our people,” said Mr Fraser. Time Frittered Away “It is a shame to see the youth of New Zealand frittering away their time, leaning up against veranda posts when the country is at war.” 'said Mr R. H. Nimmo, speaker at the monthly luncheon of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association. Describing what Hitler had done for the youth of Germany, he said the Fuhrer had given a lead to the world. He had built up a marvellous organisationlacking, however, the essential foundation of religion. Mr Nimmo appealed to the Returned Soldiers’ Association to launch a movement to organise the youth of New Zealand in some such way. It was useless, he said, to expect voluntary systems to succeed with modern youth in this country or any country. There was only one thing for youth—compulsion. He had seen the young men of Germany between 20 and 25 years of / age serving their country for six months in the year, for no pay whatsoever —and they were proud to do it. When war came, these young men were fit, trained and ready. They went into battle with rippling muscles. The young men of New Zealand to-day would be the soldiers of to-morrow. Their efficiency would depend on what training and discipline they had had. He appealed to the association to start a campaign to harness the youth of the country—if not for the sake of ‘their country, at any rale in their own interests. Since they would have to serve, let them serve efficiently. The Railways Department advertises in this issue particulars of altered running of the 9 a.m. Dunedin-Oamaru train on Thursday next. 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.