In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24886, 28 October 1942, Page 4

In the News

Early Potatoes

Some exceptionally early potatoes were brought in to the office of The Southland Times yesterday. The potatoes, eight of which were of an aggregate weight of 11b, were grown by Mr J. Harris, North road, Waikiwi. The potatoes are on display in the window of Thomas Bros., Kelvin street. Rotary Extension

The establishment of Rotary Clubs in the smaller towns in New Zealand is to be attempted as part of the policy of Rotary International that the suppression of clubs in occupied countries should not be allowed to retard the progress of the movement. This was announced at the luncheon of the Invercargill Rotary Club yesterday by the District Governor (Mr F. G. HallJones). He said appeals had been made that investigations be made into the possibilities of establishing clubs in all towns of 1000 population where clubs did not already exist. White Butterfly The use of parasites to control the white butterfly, which has already appeared in numbers in Invercargill gardens, is described in the annual report of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. The report of the entomology division states that another parasite for use against the white butterfly has been imported from Canada. It is a tachinid fly, which has not been liberated yet. The pupal parasite continues to exert a major control on the white butterfly, and the larval parasite shows every indication of having become successfully established in the Nelson region. Race Betting Although a major racing centre such as Wellington lost a day’s racing this week at the Labour Day week-end and most clubs held their fixtures on Saturday and on Monday in showery weather, totalizator betting reached the high figure of £499,797. The amount handled by the totalizator was over £70,000 more than that for the “week-end” in 1938. The Trentham races reached a new peak for the Labour Day meeting. An average of £15,000 a race was handled on Monday, and the total betting for two days was only £42,000 below the figures for three days last year. The Gore races were confined to one day this year, and the Poverty Bay Hunt Club’s meeting was dropped from the calendar. The North Canterbury Racing Club raced at Motukarara on Monday, and a 50 per cent, increase on investments handled last year at Rangiora was recorded. Much money was shut out of every race, the totalizator being too small to deal with the money offered by the big crowds which travelled from Christchurch by special trains and private motor-cars.

Stocks Almost Eaten Out The proverb: “It’s an ill wind that blows nobody any good,” was fully demonstrated on Saturday at Rakaia, where more than 3000 persons were forced to wait while transfers of passengers from various trains was completed between that town and Bankside. A confectionery shop and a hotel experienced an unexpected but exceptionally busy day supplying sweets and meals to the passengers, and stocks were almost exhausted. The travellers, whose journeys were delayed by the dislocation of rail services, accepted the inconvenience cheerfully, and many of them remarked favourably on the efficient emergency service established by the railways staff and Army personnel at short notice Capital Punishment Corporal and capital punishment was discussed at a meeting of the Wanganui District Federation of Women’s Institutes, and a resolution was carried urging that this type of punishment be restored. No Jurisdiction When a case brought by the inspector of awards against the Wellington City Council alleging a breach of the City Council labourers’ award was called for hearing in the Arbitration Court in Wellington, the city solicitor, Mr O’Shea, entered a plea that the Court had no jurisdiction to hear the case. He said the statement of claim should have been signed by the plaintiff or his solicitor, and this had not been done. The case had been entered against the Wellington City Council, a body which had no legal entity. The citation should have been made against the Mayor, council and citizens of the City of Wellington. The inspector of awards, Mr Berryman, said that the award under which the statement of claim was made referred to the Wellington City Council, and the claim had been made in that form. In announcing that the plea that the Court had no jurisdiction was well founded, Mr Justice Tyndall pointed out that in a later passage of the award the Mayor, council and citizens were cited. “I think a number of these statements should be drawn up with more care,” his Honour added. “There was a case in Auckland recently in which the statement of claim was unsigned and, had the same submission been made, the Court would have had to give the same decision.” Public Servants’ War Effort

In formally opening the annual conference of the Public Service Association in Wellington the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, expressed the appreciation of the Government of the part which the association is taking in. the Dominion’s war effort. In welcoming the Prime Minister, the president, Mr T. Pound, said that the assoica’tion’s membership was 20,000. Four thousand members were giving service in the armed forces. The roll of honour was steadily growing. By regular deductions from their salaries and donations, members had now contributed about £lB,OOO to patriotic funds, and that amount was being increased at the rate of £5OO a month.

Appeal by German An appeal by a member of the Territorial Forces, Alfred G. Degenkolbe, against service overseas was heard by the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board at Whangarei. For the appellant, Mr Thomson said his medical grading was in question, but he had not yet been reboarded. “This man is a German, and most of his relations are in Germany. While prepared to serve in New Zealand, he does not think he should be sent to fight against his kith and kin, said Mr Thomson. “He also is an, alien, although he has been balloted. Mr Thomson said it appeared, in any case, that Degenkolbe would be boarded out of the Army for medical reasons. The appellant said he was suffering from a leg disability, and he was doing no useful work in the Army. He was born in New Zealand, and was prepared to serve in the Dominion. He was Grade 2. Questioned by the secretary of the board, Mr Gray, Degenkolbe said Japan, as an enemy of New Zealand, was his enemy. Decision was reserved, pending the reboarding of the appellant.