NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 23 September 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Vesting of Reserve. The vesting of 3 acres 1 rood in the Waitotara County Council as a reserve under the Public Reserves, Domains and National Parks Act is announced in the Gazette. Set Aside for Forest. Crown land comprising 191 acres in the Whangamomona county has been set aside as a permanent State forest, states a Gazette notice. The area is in the Wellington forest conservation region. A Week Too Soon. Members of the staff of a New Plymouth institution on going on duty at the accustomed hour yesterday morning were surprised to find that according to the clock they were half an hour late. The head of the institution, anticipating summer time by a week, had 1 before retiring the previous night gone around and advanced all the clocks by half an hour. Ycllow Kowhai. The yellow kowhai has this season had an unusually long period of beauty. It is noteworthy that this tree is growing in popularity, many people having promising young trees in their gardens and shrubberies. Tuis find the kowhai very attractive, but have a bad habit of tearing off the blooms, so that after they have visited the trees the ground is often carpeted with yellow. Incrcases in Wagcs. Opposition to general increases in wages similar to the 5 per cent. rise reeently awarded by the Arbitration Court was expressed at a meeting of the Auckland executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union. It was felt that, as increases in the cost of living bore most heavily on men with families, any action to relieve the position should be taken, not by increasing wages generally, but ' by increasing family allowances and by providing further relief from taxation for taxpayers with family rcsponsibilities. Petrol for Launches. • Although a scheme of petrol rationing was submitted a month ago by the Auckland Yacht and Motor-Boat Association, no decision has yet been announced by the Government as to the allocation available for pleasure craft this season. This has caused much concern- among boat owners, for they do not know whether to prepare their craft for the water or to lay them up and take precautions against the detrimental effects of the hot weather. Turned to Good Account. How a small boy in an English school turned to good account a piece of fabric from a wrecked German aeroplane is relaled in a letter received by an Auckland residenl. The fabric was sent to the boy as a raid souvenir from his parents. Back came a letter of thanks and a statement that the sum of about four shillings had been raised by letting schoolmates spit on it at one penny a time. England at Work. "The engineering trade in England is working seven days a week and 24 hours a day," said Mr. F. Shawcross, ,a railway engineer from England, who is visiting Christchurch. He said that the employees had been working so hard that it had been found absolutely necessary, in spite of their willingness to work, to give them frequent week-ends > off to allow them to recuperate. Mr. Shawcross said that he considered that | the fine spirit brought about by the needs of the war and the good feeling that had arisen between employers and workers would have permanently good effects. on industry after the war was over. Scientists and War Work. More than one member of the scientific staff of the New Zealand Wheat Research Institute is engaged on war work of some sort. It was reported to the institute at the quarterly meeting at Christchurch that Dr. O. H. Frankel had enlisted in one of the home defence units. Dr. Frankel is the plant geneticist at the institute. The chemist, Mr. E. W. Hullett, is engaged in confidential scientific work for the scientific advisory committee of the Defence Department. Mr. J. B. Hair, Dr. Frankel's assistant. has resigned to join the 4th Reinforcements. Tuni to Better Weather. The occurrence of the vemal equinox to-day confirms the promise of spring that has been evident for the past week or so, for the day of the vernal equinox is regarded as the first day of the calendar spring, although the actual season generally begins a few weeks earlier in New Zealand. The sun to-day will be vertically above the equator, with the consequent equality of day and night all over the globe from which the word "equinox" arises. What is of more importance to New Zealanders, however, is that for the next six months the sun will be on the southern side of the equator, with warmer and longer days in prospect. German Propaganda. German propaganda in many overseas countries, particularly among those in North and South America, has produced an impression that it was useless sending orders to England, as goods could neither be made there nor shipped, according to statements made in letters received from British manufacturers by Auckland importers. In comment on the fact that it had suffered a withholding of orders from abroad because of this propaganda, a Bradford manufacturing firm remarked that it was surprising that the German stories were believed. There was no chance, of course, that Germany would be in a position to stop Britain's export trade, and there were very large supplies of raw materials in England. Fewer Cars Sold. The decline in saies of new motor vehicles since the beginning of the war is set out in figures given in the annual report of the New Zealand Motor Trade Fede:*ation. In the year ended on March 31, 1939, registrations of new motor-cars numbered 28,937, new commercial vehicles 10,862, and new motor-cycles 2233. In the year ended on March 31, 1940, after six months of war, registrations of new cars numbered 18,107, new commercial vchicles 9809 and new motor-cycles 1814. This represented a tlecrense in saies of cars of three-eighths (or 37.4 1 per cent.), commercial vchicles nearly one-tenlh, and motor-cycles nearly onefiflh. The decline had continued since March, registrations of new cars, which for April were 869, being 637 in May, 659 in June, 371 in July and only 329 in August. There were similar declines in commercial ve'nicles and motor-cycles. Further additions to Scanlans' fine stock of new season's dress materials have arrived and include printed linens, "Lyklin," "Raychene." printed sheers, printed marocaines and plain Kabe crepe. All are a yard wide. Large printed georgette scarves have also arrived. Inspection is invited.*