NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26621, 18 November 1947, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Health Stamp Campaign Good progress continues to be made in the Health Stamp Campaign in Dunedin. It is expected that the district sales’ total by the end of November will reach, or perhaps exceed, the record sum of £12,000. It is interesting to note that Wellington district’s figure on October 31 was £11.354. this amount being £37 in excess of the Dunedin district total. The Wellington quota was £9585 and the Dunedin quota £6425. Dunedin has almost doubled its quota, and should the sales be maintained, there is every reason to expect that the sum of £12,850 will be attained before the campaign concludes. Polling Day

In its issue of to-morrow (Wednesday) the Daily Times will not print election address reports nor letters to the editor dealing with controversial issues in regard to the local body elections. This is in accordance with policy. Work on Albert Street

Work is in progress on the top end ol Albert street, where the road is being put through the Reynolds property to avoid the two bad bends in the street. This improvement will remove the difficulty that is experienced by bus drivers in traversing the Littlebourne route. The work was'approved by the Works Committee of the City Council some time ago and was started during the last few days when the necessary machinery became available. Large Phosphate Cargo

Because phosphate was urgently needed by the fertiliser works at Ravensboume and Burnside, a prompt start was made on the unloading of the Marabank at Port Chalmers on her arrival from Ocean and Nauru Islands yesterday morning. The steamer, which was diverted from Lyttelton so that the works here would not cease production, has 9600 tons ol phosphate aboard, and the full cargo will be discharged at Port Chalmers and Ravensbourne. Whisky and Cars

Among the various items in the 1800 tons of general cargo to be discharged at Port Chalmers from the Federal Steam Navigation Company’s modern motor ship Norfolk are some 700 cases of whisky. Whisky has been difficult to obtain for a long time, and these cases will, it is expected, have a ready demand. The Norfolk, which is also bringing 75 motor cars, mostly 8 h.p. vehicles, is due at Port Chalmers from Liverpool, via northern ports, about Friday. Scrub Fire in City

A spectacular fire broke out on the bush and scrub in the vicinity of Newington avenue and Queen’s drive, after 5 o’clock yesterday afternoon, and with the rapid appearance of the fire brigade’s machines from the Roslyn and Central Stations, workers returning home were provided with a short, brisk entertainment. A deluge from several hoses was quickly directed into the centre of the conflagration, and because of the smouldering undergrowth had to be maintained for some minutes so that miniature cascades formed to pour down the hill as if there had been a cloud-burst. An old broadleaf tree, off the track between Queen’s drive and Newington avenue, was destroyed. Mr Nash’s Deputies

The Dortfolios of the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, who will leave Auckland to-day to attend the world ttade and employment conference at Havana, Cuba, will be handled in his. absence by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr Nordmeyer, and the Attorney-general, Mr Mason. Mr Nordmeyer will be in charge of the portfolios of Finance, Customs, and the War Assets Realisation Board, and Mr Mason will handle the Land and Income Tax and Stamp Duties Departments. Mr Nash, who will leave by Pan American clipper, will travel first to San Francisco and then via Los Angeles and Mexico City, to Havana, where he is due to arrive on Thursday afternoon, local time, or Friday, New Zealand time. *' ’

Bonus for Superannuitants Government employees who were compulsorily retained in the Government service beyond the date upon which they were qualified to retire on superannuation will, under authority granted by Parliament, qualify to receive a bonus at the rate of £52 a year for the period from April, 1942. to March. 1946. The Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, said that arrangements had been made for payment to be made by the respective superannuation boards, and the persons qualifying who were now superannuitants should send in their claims to the secretaries of the respective boards at once. If applications were received in reasonable time, an endeavour would be made to complete the payment before the Christmas holiday period. Prowler in Waimate District

A night prowler has caused alarm to women and children in Waimate recently, although no instance of personal molestation has been reported. Several houses, principally on the outskirts of the town, have received visits marked by the rattling of door knobs and tapping on window panes. One woman saw a hand appear to draw the curtain aside from a halfopened. window, but no effort was made to peer in by the visitor, who turned away and disappeared while she stood dumbfounded. Occupant's of another household heard footsteps in the passage, but before he could be accosted the intruder had turned about and disappeared by the front door, which had not been locked. It is understood that a group of young men has undertaken to deal out summary justice to the prowler.