NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Seaman's Misfortunes. Charged with attempting to commit suicide, a seaman whose name was suppressed at the New Plymouth Police Court yesterday was convicted and ordered by Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., to come up for sentence. if called upon within six months. Produccr Gas Plants. The Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has been asked by the Dominion Executive of the Farmers' Union to investigate the possibility of producer gas plants being made available to farmers at a reasonable price. That action was taken at the request of the North Taranaki Provincial Executive. No Nced to Worry. "If that were brought into practice in New Zealand the farmer would not need to worry," remarked Mr. H. E. Blyde, president of the North Taranaki executive of the Farmers' Union, yesterday, when it was stated that in England an ordinary business which would include farming could make £1000 profit without j being subject to Excess Profits Tax. Nails in Railway Trucks. The damage caused to fertiliser sacks with consequent loss of fertiliser to the farmer by nails and bolt heads etc. sticking out on the floor of. some old wooden trucks was brought before the notice of the North Taranaki Executive of the Farmers' Union by the Inglewood branch. The complaint, which originated from the carriers will be brought to the notiee of the railway authorities. Frost Wiits Waikato Crops. Hopes held by Waikato residents of early potato crops from their gardens this year were damped on Thursday morning when they discovered that frost during the night had blackened the plants. Warmer weather during the past few days led many growers throughout Hamilton to leave their plants uncovered overnight. Eight degrees were recorded at Ruakura, this being the highest for some weeks. Four degrees were recorded at Hamilton. Two More Measles Cases. There are now 48 soldiers in hospital at Hamilton with measles, two further cases developing among the troops at the isolation camp at the Te Rapa racecourse. They were admitted to the Hamilton West school emergency hospital. The superintendent of the Waikato hospital, Dr. H. L. Gould, said that the school was proving very suitable for the hospital treatment of soldiers. He could not say when the school could be handed^, back to the education authorities, but there appeared little likejihood of this being possible before the Christmas school holidays. Taranaki Ignorcd. Strong resentment at the lack of refer- ; ence to Mt, Egmont or Taranaki in a 48page booklet recently issued by the Tourist and Publicity Depar.tment under the title of New Zealand in a Nutshell, was expressed by businessmen yesterday. This publication claims to supply "facts and figures 1940," and, while most of the space in the North Island section is taken up by tourist resorts in the centre and eastern portion of the island even to the mention of so little known a place a3 Morere in the Hawkes Bay province. Taranaki, apparently, is not of sufficient importance to find a place. Schoolboys Fire on Launch. As the result of an escapade apparently by schoolboys, considerable damage has been caused to a launch moored in an estuary of the Manukau Harbour near Papatoetoe. The damage is alleged to have been caused by shots fired from rifles which were removed from the Otahuhu Technical High School during the recent holidays. Two of the rifles, which are fittcd to take .22 ammunition snd are of the type used by the school cadets in their training, were found by a resident hidden in undergrowth near the foreshore. They were handed. over to the police and as the result of inquiries another two rifles and a quantity of .22 ammunition were found. Rclicving England's Distress. •Proposals are now under consideration for sending a large sum of money to England as a gift from the people of New Zealand to assist the people in the bombsd areas. It is thought that some immediate relief could be afforded by a fund from the Dominion if it were made available while the need is so great. It has been suggested that the gift might be made available by the Government from State funds. but the proposal which is being considered, is one which involves the donation of an amount of £100.000, the greater part "of which would be found by the National Patriotic Fund Board and the baiance by the various provincial patriotic councils. Shortage of Instruments.

Supplies of musical instruments have been seriously affected by import restrictions. and the shortage has been accentuated by the war. Many instruments which come almost solely from European countries are unprocurable it was stated at New Plymouth yesterday. For a period radio sets had ousted the real demand for pianos and some other instruments. but during the past year or two, ihere had been an increase in demand. Some makes of pianos had completely disappeared from the New Zealand trade, and possibl.y will not be replaced for some t.ime to come, while piano-accordions and harmonicas were becoming increasingly diflficult to obtain. The chief source of supply was Germany. Band instruments, both in brass and wood wind sections, were also in short suppiy. The attention of readers is cirawn to the advertisement on page 12 of this issue offering for sale by public auction a valuable Devon Street business property. This property is situated in the very heart. of the business area of Devon Street being situated between McKenzies and Kurta's new building and having a frontage to Devon Street of 34 links and extending right throueh to King Street with a depth of 223.03 links and frontage t.o King Street of 35.29 links. There are two shops on the property which is to he put ud for public auction by Newton King Ltd. on September 20 at 2 p.m. at their offices in Currie Street.*