NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 143, 18 June 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

New Church Fence. The grounds of St. Matthew's Church, Hobson Street, are being considerably improved in appearance. The old picket fences on the Hobson Street, Wellesley Street and Vincent Street sides have been removed, and good progress .has already been made with the construction of low stone walls. Petrol Saved by Rationing. A saving of over 12,000,000 gallons of petrol has been made during the seven months that petrol restrictions have been in operation in New Zealand. This was revealed by the Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in an interview in Wellington yesterday. "This means that at least four shipments to the Dominion have been saved," Mr. Sullivan said. "The saving in dollar exchange represents approximately 1,308,000 dollars." Electric Power for Milking. After a brisk discussion, the Waitemata Electric Power Board decided at a meeting yesterday afternoon not to make a reduction in the milking motor flat rate charge now in vogue. In a report to the board, the acting-manager, Mr. «T. K. Miller, said that the layman found a flat rate difficult to understand. Consequently it was criticised. But it was fair and equitable, widely adopted, and afforded protection ito both the board and the consumer. Since 1927 the milking motor rates had been heavily reduced. Import Licensing. It is stated by importers that all normal applications for import licenses for specified allocations under the fourth period schedule have now been disposed of. It is also explained that difficulties in obtaining shipments through the war are increasing, and the chief feature &f the licensing position at the moment is the number of applications to transfer permitted allocations from one country to another. The majority of these appear to be due to the inability of the United Kingdom to supply many classes of goods because of war conditions. In some instances foreign countries are now the only source of supply. Was in Famous Gold Rash. Memories of the famous Gabriel's Gully gold rush in Otago are treasured by Mr. Andrew Lidclle, of Gonville, Wanganui, who celebrates his 98th birthday to-dav. Mr. Liddle was born in Paisley, Scotland, and came to New Zealand with his parents in 1857 in the sailing ship Palmyra. Shortly after his arrival in this country Mr. Liddle was attracted by the gold rush at Gabriel's Gully. He is the possessor of a bronze medallion which commemorates the ffolden jubilee of the Gabriel's Gully, which was held in Lawrence in 1911. At different periods Mr. Liddle lived in Hokitika, Christchurch and Winton. Fourteen-Page Advertisement. A remarkable advertisement appeared recently in an issue of the "San Francisco Chronicle." Covering no less than 14 pages of newsprint, it was sponsored by a Chinese herbalist of some 25 years' residence in the city. The firm of which he was. principal had been summoned before the Federal Trade Commission of the United States to answer complaints of false advertising, and that the herbs possessed no curative agencies. As a means of justifying his case, the herbalist had the 14-page verbatim account of the hearing issued by the newspaper. The whole of the witnesses' evidence was published in the advertisement, a special stenographer having been employed throughout for the purpose of keeping this complete record. Emergency Precaution. The officer in charge of local government attached to the Department of Internal Affairs, Mr. A. G. Harper, has expressed himself as being impressed with the action already taken in Auckland in connection with the emergency precaution plans to operate in the event of the city being subjected to enemy attack. At a series of special meetings at the Town .Hall yesterday technical and other groups conferred with Mr. Harper. The Mayor of Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis, chairman of the Auckland Metropolitan Emergency Precaution Organisation, presided at these meetings, and considerable progress was made towards completing the organisation so that it can function efficiently if the need should arise for its application. Mr. Harper also said that he was sure the scheme would be immensely helpful to his Department and to the Government. Instructor to "Cobber" Kain. Flight-Lieutenant F. A. McNeill, of the R.A.F., who has arrived in Sydnev to take up an appointment with the R.A.A.F., is the man who taught the New Zealand "ace," Flying-Officer "Cobber" Kain, how to fly. "I first met Kain at an Elementary Training' Camp in Yorkshire," said Flight-Lieutenant McNeill. "He came along with three others in November, 1936—Hobbs, of South Africa; Holmes, of Canada; and Horrigan, the Irish Rugby international. All have made names for themselves as war pilots. The circumstances of that first meeting remain in my memory. With the four men standing before me, I called, 'Kain ' A lanky fellow stepped forward, saying, 'Oh, hello, boss!' I told him that Royal Air Force officers must be addressed as 'sir.' He replied, '0.K., boss!' He was a competent pilot in three months. Stunt flying meant nothing to him." No Milk for School Children.

About 1800 children in 17 schools ill Taranaki are not receiving the daily supply of milk, according to Colonel F. W. W. Dawson, medical officer of health. The position had arisen, he said, from the inability of the supplying factory to keep jup its supplies. The suppliers had simply stated that during the winter months it was impossible to supply milk, Coloneli Dawson continued, and there at present the matter rested. The Health Department and the Agricultural Department had done the best they could,' but they could not make milk. Last year arrangements had been made witli an outside factory to supply milk to augment the Royal Oak factory's supply, but the Health Department at New Plymouth had put a stop to that, and had not allowed a. similar course to be adopted this year," said Mr. F. E. Morris, chairman of the Royal Oak Dairy Company. Finally, on application to the authorities at Wellington, permission had been obtained for another factory to give supplies under a provisional liccnse, but restrictions were imposed and the factory had refused to supply. It could not be blamed for that, because the amounts of milk required were irregular and would only [result in increased overhead for the factory concerned.