NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 86, 12 April 1941, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Tram Traffic Held Up. About 7 o'clock last evening trams were liehl up in Khyber I'ass, owing to an overhead lino breaking. Trams formed a long line from the top of .Nymonds Street down to Xcwmarket. Onlookers were warned to keep away from the live wire, and a volunteer directed other tra Hie around the fallen wire. Ambulance Safety Measure. In order to minimise the possibility of collisions in the blackout, the St. John Ambulance at Auckland ha.> adopted a measure employed with success in Fnglaml. The mudguards anil the step on the back of one ambulance have been painted white, and the other ambulances will be similarly painted. Motorists have shown considerable interest in the appearance of the first white-painted ambulance, which looks <iuite. r-inart in its unusual marking. A.R.P. in the Netherlands Indies. According to the American magazine "Time," the Netherlands Indies have begun preparing for air raido. A prayer drum in a Batavinn mosque and a tomtom outside the capital at Desa Doeri have been ajipointed oflicial air raid alarms. These can serve as effectively as the most modern siren now that the Japanese are pressing down the east coast of Asia, and paradisiac Netherlands indies have become one more laud waiting for the drone of enemy aircraft. Books for the Forces. A prominent resident of the southern part of the South Island, who wisher? to remain anonvmous. has sent a cheque lor CIUO to the National Patriotic Fund Hoard for the purchase of more books tor the forces to supplement supplies already made by the I ward's war library service. Previously, when appeals for suitable reading material were made, the same donor forwarded a large number of from his own library for the use of the men at Burnham miiitarv ciinip, Christchureh. Clipper's Popularity.

The continued public interest in the sight of the big Pan-American Clippers alighting on tlie harbour wa> illustrated by the huge crowd which gathered near the base vesterda v to see the California ( Upper ta\i in to its moorings. Cars lined the waterfront for several hundred yards, and the servicer; of a traffic policeman were called for to keep the roadway tree. The greater part of the crowd was made up of visitors to the city, to whom the sight was more of a novelty than to Aucklanders themselves. Linen Flax Experiments. As a result of a visit paid to Takapau by Air. <i. .1. Ifamblyn, fields instructor of the Department of Agriculture, i'almerston North, several fanners in the district have agreed to experiment with live-acre sections and try out the growing of linen llax. Air. Hamblvn set out what was required and the consideration the Department would grant to those farmers who undertook the experiment. 'If the scheme proved a success, the Department would consider establishing centre for which about 1400 to 1-100 acres would be required. Gibraltar.

On April 12, 171 M. the famous fortress Gibraltar was ceded to Britain. Until the loth century, "the Rock" was under the rule of the Moors. Spain next took •possession, and many c-ieges were withstood before it was taken from the Spaniards by a combined British and Dutch force under Sir George liooke in 1704. years later Gibraltar was formally ceded to Britain by the Treaty of Utrecht. Many attempts have been made by Spain to recapture it, but have failed. Gibraltar is a naval base, and of great strategic importance to Britain, lie sides being one of the most important ports of call in the world, it act* as a repair and refitment base for the British Fleet in the Mediterranean.

Father Prisoner of War. \oungest passenger on tlic California Clipper upon its arrival at Auckland yesterday from Noumea, en route from San Francisco, was nine-moiiths-old Colin Munro. whose father is at present a prisoner of war in Germany. Colin was born in Montreal, whence his mother had gone from England after her husband. Lien tenant C. Munro. of the Cameron Highlanders. had been wounded and taken prisoner bv the Nazis near Dunkirk on May :>(J. He had been with a unit which fought the rearguard action there while the B.E.F. was evacuated. Mrs. Munro. who is on her way to Australia to live with her father, Sir John Peden. president of the Legislative Council of New South Wales, said she had heard from her husband since his capture, Australian Shipbuilding. The provision of £<5,000,000 by the Australian Commonwealth Government for '"a substantial programme of merchant shipbuilding"' lias been announced by the Minister of Munitions, Senator Mcßride. He said the programme would be under the control of a shipbuilding commission within the Department of Munitions. The commission would lie appointed shortly ami would have power to enter into contracts and make all necessary arrangements. The chief problem before the commission, Senator Mcßride said, would not l>c the construction of hulls, but of engines and other equipment. Productive capacity, and not finance, would be the dominating consideration. The building of 14 ships between 4000 and 10.000 tons will begin almost immediately. Territorial Appeals. Sittings of the Auckland Area Manpower Committee and of the Xo. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board will not be recommenced until about April 22, to avoid any injustice which might occur through appellants being unable to obtain legal advice during the Easter legal vacation. There have been fewer appeals against territorial service arising out of the last ballot than from any previous ballot. Before the Manpower Committee on Thursday, an appeal l»v Irvine and Stevenson" Ltd.. on behalf of T. K. Cowan, Auckland branch manager for the firm's canning business, was adjourned sine die. It was stated that the firm was fully engaged filling Government orders for the forces, and that it was felt the reservist was thus doing more essential war work than if he served in the territorial forces.