NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 165, 13 July 1940, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Farmer's Unlucky Fire. With their furniture and personal belongings packed ready to be removed to the Waikato, where they intend transferrin™ their farming activities, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Houghton, of Kopane, near Falmerston North, had the misfortune to have their home destroyed by fire. Everything was lost. Mr. and Mrs. Houghton were in Kongotea at the time attending a farewell function in their honour. The tire was discovered by a neighbouring farmer too late for him to do anything. New Zealand Drama. Some sound advice to dramatic clubs and societies in New Zealand was given by Miss Margaret Burr, adjudicator of the Auckland section of the national festival of community drama, after she had announced the winning plays last night at the drama festival. Miss Barr expressed the hope that dramatic clubs in the Dominion might determine to find in New Zealand a medium for their dramatic work. She said it was quite wrong for clubs to copy the drama of other countries when the country's own drama was awaiting expression. By cooperation and continued improvisation, the dramatic clubs, she said, perhaps in l."> or 20 years, could give to the country a drama, of its own. Car Prize Unclaimed. A motor car, valued at £289, which was offered as a prize in an art union conducted in Hamilton in connection with the Queen of the South carnival in aid of the Sick, Wounded and Distress Fund, ha.s not yet been claimed by the winner. The draw for the prize was held on June 22, and the winning ticket was Xo. 55045, bearing the name of "Cooper. Otorohanga." Every effort has been made by the promoters to get into touch with the owner of the winning ticket, but without success. Several people named Cooper have been interviewed, and a number have produced tickets, but none had the ticket bearing the winning number. A suggestion has been made that the car should be held for three months and then sold, the proceeds to be devoted to the fund. A ruling on the question is bein™ sought from the Minister of Internal Affairs, the Hon. W. E. Parr v.

Nelsonian Association. . To consider means of befriending Xelson men who aro serving in the armed forces in or near Auckland, a meeting of some 40 former residents of Xelson was held in the City Council chambers- yesterday afternoon. The chairman of the Auckland branch of the Xelson College Old Boys' Association, Dr. T. H. Pettit. said there were about 30 X'elson men in Papakura camp, and he had received offers of hospitality for men on week-end leave. A suggestion had also been made that those in hospital should be visited. The formation of a Xelsonian Association for patriotic and social purposes was agreed to, and Sir Ernest Davis, who was horn in the district and lived there as a boy, was asked to accept the office of patron. A temporary committee, with the Rev. H. H. Jeffreys, of Birkenhead, as secretary, was appointed to submit further proposals to a meeting to be held on Wednesday evening.

The M.P. and His Pay. "Members of Parliament are bearing their full share of the sacrifice demanded from men and women at the present time, and tins sacrifice is not nominal," said Mr. F. L. Frost (Oovcrnment, Xew Plymouth), when referring to t hesalaries of members in the House yesterday. Mr. Frost said that the salary of members was £400 a year, and by Ministers sacrificing: their well-earned emoluments Government members were receiving a little over £500. WJien the Labour Government first ca*rr€"into office" there was a proposal* to increase the salary- rneinbers to £750, but •the then Prime Minister, the late Mr; Savage, would not agree to members increasing their own remuneration until an increase had first been made in that of the workers. Members waited for their increases until others got theirs. Mr. Frost continued, but then the war came and the Prime Minister suggested. and the caucus agreed, that, it was uo time to talk about increases in pay.

Fish Shortage and Trawlers. The war has caused a shortage of fish throughout Xcw Zealand, and particularly in Wellington. This is caused by the diversion of trawlers from fishing to minesweeping and other war purposes. and by restrictions placed upon the activities of aliens. Nearly 70 per cent of Wellington's fish supply before the war was provided by the* Cook Strait trawlers, which are no longer operating. As- a result, the quantities of fresh fish being landed in the port have dwindled considerably. Trawler supplies, which bad hitherto continued intermittently, recently ceased altogether. Supplies available are therefore reduced to fish taken by launch fishermen, and even their production is affected to some extent, the majority being Italians. Another serious aspect is the position at the Chatham Islands. The vessel formerly engaged in the transport of fish from the very considerable blue cod fisheries there has been diverted to other purposes, and there is no other properly equipped ship on hand to take her place. The fishery therefore w c«nhpletely cut off.