NEWS OF THE DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 187, 10 August 1942, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

More Freedom for Rabbitt "The producers of New Zealand appear to be on a very fair wicket, brought about by the generosity of the British Government," said Mr. J. D. McKechnle, vice-president of the Otago Importers and Shippers' Association, at the annual meeting of the association. "But the rabbit is going to have a little more freedom, arid in course of time this will lessen the productivity of the soil. I think the authorities have made a mistake In penalising trappers to the tune of 20 per cent instead of encouraging them to rid the country of the pest." Footballer*' Compensation A letter from the Registrar of Social Security, Timaru, read at a meeting of tne management committee of the South Canterbury Rugby Union, stated that a player injured in a Rugby match may receive compensation from the Rugby Union's insurance fund without any deductions being made from sickness benefits obtainable through the Social Security Department. At the previous meeting of the committee, statements had been made indicating that an Injured player was required to refund any sickness benefit received from the Social Security Fund because he had been covered by the Rugby Union's Insurance fund. Bottle* for Buckets Plenty of scope for the utilisation of their ingenuity was given British citizens when, early this year, new regulations were Introduced compelling householders in certain areas to provide not less than four gallons of water for fire fighting purposes immediately Inside or outside their front doors. Of course, there was an immediate rush to purchase buckets, as a result of which the Board of Trade was forced to admit that there were no buckets available. A.leading article In a British newspaper later gave a vivid account of the various ways in which people had got around the problem. It was apparently not an uncommon sight to see a collection of bottles of varying sizes standing at the front doors of a great many houses. Japanese Linguist* The strain of living in Japaneseoccupied Manchuria was often lightened by the amusing attempts of Japanese officials, who were bad linguists, to express themselves in Chinese and English, Sister Dorothy Rutherfurd told Canterbury accountants at a luncheon meeting. She said that a Japanese policeman one day tapped her on the shoulder and asked her name, in slowly-spoken English. Satisfied with her answer he asked: "Where do you hang up? replied that she hung up her nat in the Christian Mission at Liaoyang. A friend of hers was asked to what race he belonged and replied that he belonged to the Anglo-Saxon race. "Anglo-Saxon. Ah, yes, Shakespeare," replied the Japanese, who evidently had a taste for literature. CUtribel—A Soldier'* "Girl" Life In camp is nice, thank you. So thinks Clanbel and she ought to know, for she has a house at a camp "somewhere in the Auckland province" that would delight the heart of any fat little pig. She belongs to a young lieutenant, keen on farming. who bought her before she changed her colour from pink to tan, and took off with him to his camp In the country. All the other soldiers have a soft spot in their hearts for her, watching her progress with interest, and cook lets her have the best scraps. As for the young lieutenant, he likes Clarlbel as much as Claribel likes

him. "She's a nice pig," he sighs, • with a devoted look in his eye. But what ia the reason for keeping Claribel? Well, the lady hasn't been told, but she is being fattened up for a .special reason. The trouble is. her owner can't dccide whether It a to be for Christmas dinner or for a little extra pocket money!

"Paranurtet" A Russian film, called "100,000,000 Women," recently released in Britain, illustrates the fact that Soviet nurses are being trained as parachutists, and, when conditions demand, they are equipped with medical supplies and dropped In front-line positions. The scenes depicted in the film were taken under actual war conditions. Anthem Causes Bewilderment The audience at the concert given in Hamilton on Wednesday by the band of the Royal New Zealand Air Force hardly seemed to know what to do whr£, the programme opened with "Gooa Defend New Zealand." Some people stood and some remained seated, while others with a bewildered air struggled to their feet after the playing had started. This composition is now recognised as the New Zealand Anthem, and it is customary for an audience to stand while it is sung or olayed. Swiu Sailor* The hoisting of the Swiss flag on the high seas has brought to the fore the problem of recruiting young seamen, says Swiss Industry and Trade. Whereas in - other countries seamen are usually recruited among families in which seamanship is hereditary, Switzerland has had to adopt other methods. Two years and a naif ago a training ship was founded to train sailors of Swiss nationality, and this has gone a long day towards solving the problem. Experience has shown that youths from mountainous districts are well suited for shipboard work. Fire Bombs for Icebergs From February to May, inclusive, Allied shipping in the North Atlantic had another enemy besides Axis submarines to contend with. It was the Iceberg. This danger is met by the Ice patrol, using fire bombs. A 101b metal container filled with metallic aluminium and iron oxide is fired on to the Iceberg. When contact is made with the Tee a heat of about 5000 degrees Fahrenheit is generated and the molten iron runs over the ice, splitting it Into its elements and creating terrific explosions. This method has been known to destroy in 12 hours an iceberg 500 ft long and more than 100 ft wide. Torpedoed Five Times An example of the courage and devotion to duty of the officers and men of the Allied mercantile marine was quoted by the president of the Otago Importers' and Shippers' Association, Mr. H. Edmond, at the annual meeting of the association, held in Dunedln. Mr. Edmond, who is Norwegian Consul in Dunedin, said that he had under his care at present a Norwegian seaman suffering from shock, whose ships had been torpedoed five times during the present and the first Great War. On each occasion the vessel had been lost. In addition, while serving on other ships, he had been bombed continually during the crossing of the English Channel from Cherbourg, and had been bombed frequently in the Mediterranean. "Yet," Mr. Edmond said, "his one wish is to go- back to the sea as soon as he has recovered. The Dominion owes a great debt to these men." Necessity's Large Family "It is extraordinary what a large family necessity has got," remarked Mr. M. F. Luckie, chairman of the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board, Wellington, when a Presbyterian minister, supporting an appeal against Home Guard service on behalf of a Sunday school teacher and Bible Class leader, told the board that the reservist was the oniy male teacher he had left, and all efforts to find someone, male or female, to take his place had been unavailing. The Crown representative, Mr. C. O. Bell, remarked that many people were free on Saturdays and Sundays, and yet would say that they could not help in such a case as that before the board. The minister said he felt that the prospect in regard to Sunday school teaching of children was 1 serious, but he admitted that If the ' reservist left the district some other i arrangement would have to be made. The appeal was dismissed.