NEWS Of THE DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 108, 8 May 1943, Page 4

NEWS Of THE DAY

Florence Nightingale Service The humanitarian work of Florence Nightingale will be commemorated . at St. Mary's Cathedral to-morrow evening, where the annual parade of hospital nurses will take place. The sermon will be preached by Lieutenant-Commander E. L. Pennington, of the U.S.N. Chaplains' Corps. Porridge—With Trimmings Mother had had a late night. When she arose to get breakfast for her working family, she was still dreaming about the warm, cosy bed she had left behind her. The porridge was cooked, and the plates laid on the table. Mother sugared hers, and without looking what she was doing, poured on the milk. The family looked wide-eyed, and then went off into peals of laughter. It was not until she saw the milk jug in her son's hand that mother realised what she had done. She gazed at her plate, and there was her porridge, swimming in a plateful of hot tea. Thai Scarce Alarm Clock An eight o'clock start at the office can be difficult when no warning alarm clock stands at the bedside, and after a few late arrivals a young woman advertised for a clock to keep her punctual. Prices from £1 to 30/ were asked by the first 10 or 12 who replied, and the girl had almost given up hope of getting one .at a reasonable price when a kindly woman's voice, asked over the itelephone if her clock would fie of any use, and replied to the hitherto fatal question of price, "Nothing it all. You've much more use for. it than I have." The clock has changed hands. American Red Cross Work "They are performing a marvellous and successful job," said Sir Ernest Davis, when paying tribute to the work of i the American Red Cross organisation, at the annual meeting of the Auckland Provincial Joint Council of. the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society last night "I cannot let the opportunity pass," added Sir Ernest, "without expressing what I know to be the inarticulate thoughts of the people when I say how grateful we are for the gallant way in which they have co-ordinated with our men in the protection of the island bastion which is preserving this country from the attack of the most bestial enemy in the world's history." Education in the Army Referring to the provision of educational facilities for men in the army, Mr. W. H. Cocker, president of the Auckland University College, speaking at the college graduation ceremony last night, said that the scheme was yet in its infancy and further developments would no doubt take place. "There can be no question," he said, "that the discussion groups and other activities of the service will assist in preserving the intellectual alertness of the men and in alleviating that boredom which is felt by many who exchange active civilian pursuits for the more mechanical routine of military life. But in addition, the service should provide valuable education in citizenship and should stimulate considerably activities hi adult education after the war. In these post-war activities the university should play an important part."

Native Passion Frm't Sprawling over the south-western corner of the fernery in the Auckland Domain is a fine speciman of .the kohia, or native passion fruit, and its small orange-coloured fruit is a great attraction for birds. The Maoris regard the plant as having medicinal value, and its dry twigs are extensively used for starting fires. Same as a Civilian The following reply has been received by Mr. Clyde Carr, MJ?. for Timaru, from the actmg-Minister of Defence: "With regard to your question as to whether men in the reserve who fall ill can have recourse to a military-doctor, I have to inform you that a man in the reserve is substantially in the same position as a civilian and he is therefore unable to obtain medical attention from a military doctor." Progressive Town: No Mayor In a talk to the Timaru Rotary Club recently entitled "Believe It Or Not," the Mayor of Timaru, Mr. A. E. S. Hanan, related many interesting facts. He concluded by telling his audience of the progressive Australian town of Whyalla, which possesses a splendid harbour and large steel works. In the last. 12 months its population has increased from 1400 to 4700. In Whyalla there were no taxes, no rates, no councillors and no mayor! The Champion? On Monday last a paragraph recorded the fact that a St. Helier's Bay resident had grown a pumpkin weighing 62Jlb. Other growers immediately put in claims to show that Mr. Woodburn's vegetable was far from being a record. From Mangariho, Te Kuiti, comes a claim by Mr. Ken Low that this season he has produced a pumpkin weighing 1521b, and he is sharing the seed with other farmers in the district, who hope that later on they will be able to grow really big ones: -Pumpkins up to 1001b in weight have been-pro-duced around Auckland. Books are Essential Much satisfaction is being expressed in Britain about the British Government's decision to treat books as necessary to the war effort, according to information received by booksellers. The British Government, it is stated, has decided that the production of books is to be treated as of national importance, and that it will be the responsibility of the Government to ensure that, labour and materials are available for the quantity and kind of books which it is deemed in the national interest to produce. The need of books is under the care of the President of the Board of Trade, who now stands sponsor to the book trade. Knew Not Their Fathers Tongue Surprise was expressed when three Maori boys who gave evidence in a bright and intelligent manner in the Supreme Court this 'week informed the Court that they did not know what was being said when their father, a full-blooded Maori, conversed in Maori in their presence with another member of the native race. The boys said they could not talk the Maori language, which was explained when their circumstances were made plain by further questions. Their father had been educated in a college and married a pakeha woman, so that English was the language of the home, while the boys attended ! a nearhv primary school where their playfellows communicated in the same language.