NEWS OF THE DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 57, 9 March 1942, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

No Idle Hoars

Port Chalmers fishermen are spending their spare time In making nets, not for fishing, but for camouflage purposes. Under the direction of the Mayor of Port Chalmers, Mr. H. S. Watson, these men have already completed 20 large nets, which are particularly well made. Whenever the weather is too bad for fishing the fishermen can be seen working at camouflage nets, for they look upon this task as a useful war effort. Tnelr services are given voluntarily, and they are making the nets in the same way that they <have been fashioning their fishing nets for years past. Their nets have reached a hlgn standard and the army authorities are well pleased with them. So Many "Plop" The scene was a tramcar on the short run from the city to the railway station, the only penny section of the Auckland tramways reticulation. The tram was crowded, entailing special activity on the part of the conductor to get all fares collected in the brief time between starting point and destination. Consequently, when he was half way through the congested car and was confronted by a female passenger who tendered a half-crown for the penny fare, he hurriedly emptied his left hand of small change carried there for speed in making rush rash transfers. Plop-plop-plop went the coins into the lady's hand; three | sixpences and eleven pennies made many plops. "Gee," remarked the recipient. to a friend, "he must think I'm a jolly old slot machine." Gun Sprayi ParafKa British engineers have invented a new and more efficient way to wash engineering parts, particularly on the aircraft side. It is a compact and self-contained unit from which oil is sprayed from a pistol-type gun. Metal parts needing cleaning are usually dipped in tanks of paraffin oil, or some other solvent, a process which dirties the paraffin. By the new method, the dirt is separated from the paraffin which is continuously filtered by a centrifugal clarlfler. The metal parts are put on a perforated table and washed with a spray gun. The used paraffin oil drains through the perforations and n strainer to one compartment of a parn(Tin supply tank, coupled to the eontiii'iißnl clarlfler. The paraffin is pumped to the clarlfler, purified and returned by way of the tank and a high-pressure centrifugal pump to the spray gun. The feature of this cleaning unit, which can easily be carried from one part of the factory to another, Is that the impurities are never allowed to accumulate in the paraffin, which can be used over and ovr.' at?aln.

Market Gardeners' Trials

Market gardeners are experiencing a trying time in nursing their early planted autumn crops during the present dry spell. Cabbage, cauliflower and other vegetables for the winter badly need a soaking downpour to give them a start, while pumpkins, kumaras, beans and potatoes would also be greatly benefited by a day's rain. Further planting operations are likely to be held up until the first autumn rains, which normally are expected some time this month. Meanwhile, tomatoes continue to give the best results of the summer crops. Medical Call» at Night The emergency night service arranged by the Auckland B.M.A. branch, whereby resident doctors from the Auckland Hospital take turns at being on call at the St. John Ambulance headquarters in Rutland Street, has been called upon four or five times per night during the first week of its life. One doctor attends at the ambulance station, where all calls are made, and another doctor is on call at his home for contingencies requiring double service. In the first week of trial the service has been able to deal promptly and satisfactorily with a wide range of sudden fllnesses. Vicar Saoet Church Through the vigilance of the vicar of Tamaki West, the Rev. L. E. Cartridge, and his wife, the Anglican Church at St. Heller's was saved from destruction when a grass fire menaced the building on a recent afternoon. The fire started as a result of some waste paper being burned in an incinerator near the rear of the church and left unattended when a fresh wind was blowing. The dry grass nearby soon caught alight, and when Mrs. Cartridge gave the alarm the flames were within a few feet of the wall of the church. By energetically beating back the fire the vicar soon removed the danger. As the vicarage and parish hall were close by they would have been threatened by any outbreak in the church. Aged Prayer Book At a suburban Church of England service on a recent Sunday evening a special service was held, and as there was an increased congregation the reserve supply of prayer books was brought forward. One member received one with a beautifully embossed leather cover carrying the design of St. Paul's Cathedral. All went well until part way through the service when he came to a passage asking for God's blessing on the Sovereign Lord King William and Queen Adelaide. Hastily he turned back to the title page or the volume and saw the date 1829. The most surprising part of this occurrence is that the binding and pages were in better repair than those of volumes of latter days which had not been used as much.