NEWS OF THE DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 284, 1 December 1942, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

Matriculation Exams.

The annual matriculation examinations conducted by the University of New Zealand commenced to-day at the University College, and will continue for ten days. Altogether there are about 1200 students sitting, who Include, candidates for university Junior scholarships as well as professional entrance passes. Water Boilers Popular Explaining a consistent drop in monthly revenue to the Te Awamutu Electric Power Board, the secretarymanager, Mr. D. M. Arthur, said that in the board's territory 60 per cent of the total unit consumption was accounted for by the use of water boilers, especially in milking plants. The power used by such installations was charged at a reduced rate. He added: "It is too useful and too popular." Valueless Turkish Note Further information has been supplied concerning Turkish currency notes, which have found their way to New Zealand. According to a soldier who has one in his possession, these notes were released by the German Propaganda Department throughout Greece and Egypt to upset the Turkish money market. The notes were refused by the Turkish Government, but not before many thousands were cashed by money changers in other countries. They were released about March, 1940. Fried Chicken! Friendly, motherly women who many a time in the old days of the not so long ago cheered our marchins New Zealand boys with gifts of cake and the edible, homelike things that soldiers find acceptable, came out to see the Yanks. And the Yanks called out for a bit of fried chilken. Or some apple pie, or some raspberry pie. Alas, the friendly, motherly souls never had an inkling that Yanks would be passing that way, else there would have been some apple pie—anyhow, some little cakes on a tray. But fried chicken! Raspberry pie! Have a heart! Fair Standard of Fitness The physical fitness of men aged 38, 39 and 40 called up last month is, on present indications, much the same as that of younger men in the previous two or three call-ups. Officials of the Army Department in Chrlstchurch said there was nothing in the results of the first fortnight's medical examinations to indicate that the physical standard was lower than that of previous age groups, though it was possible that later medical board sittings might show a different position. So far the percentage of Grade 1 men varied from the low figure of .'{7 to the reasonably good one of 53.

Rangitane's Porter Writes

The purser of the Rangitane, which was sunk off the New Zealand coast two years ago, Mr. Edward Maughan, who came from Liverpool, but is well-known in New Zealand, has sent a post card to an Aucklander from his prisoner of war camp in Germany. "Just off to play cricket," he says. "Here's to our next meeting." Mr. Maughan is in the merchant seamen's camp. Protest Against Fire-watching The Canterbury General Labourers' Union has passed a resolution strongly protesting against the imposition of continuous fire-watching, whereby, because of shortage of personnel, men of advanced years and men in ill-health are expected to sleep in vermin-infested buildings, and stating that the regulation is unjustified and undesirable. Policewoman in Court A member of the women police appeared for the first time i% the witness box in the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, when she gave evidence on Friday about a visit to a house in connection with the selling of liquor without She was Constable Eileen O'Connor, who appeared in plain clothes, and described a visit with an American serviceman to buy a bottle of beer which was sold for 4/. School Dental Clinics A statement that the maintenance grant for school dental clinics had been increased to £32 a year for a one-nurse clinic, and to £50 a year for a two-nurse clinic, was made by Mr. F. B. Rice, of the Dental Hygiene Division of the Health DeSartment, addressing parents of the lemuera School last evening. He added that the method of payment had also been facilitated, while there was considerable expansion in the supply of nurses. The next draft of nurses, originally due to qualify in April, would now be going to their stations in January and February. The clinics, he said, were regarded by the Government as essential building works. A Hero to the Fighter Boys The fighter boys were demonstrating their prowess in dive-strafing attacks on a s nail floating target. Despite a high wind they handled their fast, modern craft perfectly, and the bursts of fire were dead on the target every time. It was a thrilling display put on at a northern New Zealand fighter station for the benefit of a visiting party of Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentarians, pressmen and senior officers. One of the fighter pilots had given a particularly fine display, and he was told so by a pressrvan who spoke to him afterwards. "Thanks very much," he said. "I wonder what Wells thought of it?" One of the spectators was Wing-Commander E. P. Wells, D.5.0., D.F.C. and bs«\