NEWS OF THE DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 200, 24 August 1945, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Gulls Versus Hawk

Two black-backed gulls frequently attacked a hawk which frequented the same district, says a member of the Forest and Bird Society. The gulls would attack simultaneously, one on either side of the hawk, which, would have to turn and fend off the attack with its claws. In doing this, the hawk would have to drop what ever food it was carrying, and the gulls invariably got it. V.J. Day Ruse • A well-known citizen of Invercargill left with his three children on the day of the V.J. celebration, solved the problem of his own personal celebration, which was likely to be restricted by his family, in a manner which would do credit to the profession to which he belongs. He bought 10/- worth of tickets for a merry-go-round and told the proprietor to leave the children on the horses till the money ran out. From there he had only to walk a few steps to celebrate the victory in convivial company. Link tfith Past A gold presentation watch, marking Royalty's victory in the Grand National Steeplechase of 1876, has been given to the Canterbury Jockey Club by Mr. F. E. Graham, of Christchurch. A key winding combination of Avatch and stopwatch, it was originally the property of Mr. E. H. Martelli, the amateur rider of Royalty. According to the inscription in- the back of the case it was presented to him by "Two old friends," and the date was May 24, 1876. The watch is in running order and little different from the watch of to-day, though tha numerals are engraved on the outside of the gold case covering part ' of the dial and are embossed with blue enamel. How the watch came into the hands of a pawnbroker is not known, but it was from his shop in Christchurch that Mr. Graham's ' father purchased it many years ago. ; What Of The Future?

"This Dominion appears to be on a very good wicket," said Mr. Leslie Lefeaux, former governor of the Reserve Bank, during a luncheon address to members of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce, when referring to the rise in the sterling funds held by New Zealand during the war from £7,000,000 to more than £70,00Q',000, in spite of the redemption "of pre-war sterling debt. "But what of the future?" he asked. "*I think it Is specially advisable that, when we have been saved from an unpleasant position by largely fortuitous circumstances, we jshould take the opportunity to r-onsider whether we" are presuming too much on our good fortune by not paying sufficient heed to the problems which may lie ahead."

Baseball And Absenteeism

Absenteeism was aggravated in American industry during the baseball season, and was a constant source of worry to employers, said Mr. H. B. Duckworth, who recently returned from a business trip to the United States, speaking to the Christchurch Business Men's Club. When he was staying in Cincinatti, a city of 850,000 inhabitants, a crowd of some 65,000 had attended a baseball game on a Tuesday, he said. The game had a surprisingly strong hold on the public's interest, to the extent that absenteeism rose when big games were played. Minister Pleased Congratulations on the report prepared by a sub-committee of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce on the future of the fishing industry and forwarded to him for consideration were included in a reply read

■ at yesterday's meeting of the council : of the chamber from the Minister of Marine, Mr. O'Brien. The Minister said the report bore evidence of painstaking industry on the part of the sub-committee and gave food for thought and action on the part of the Government and .the Marine Department. It was pointed out by the Minister that the department was in close touch with the Rehabilitioh Department with a view to obtaining the services of suitable returned men in the industry. Fatal Idea "The Germans were wedded to one fatal idea—we found it all through the piece—and that was that they ought to carry their whole plan of compaign with them. As soon as we captured one officer carrying such, plans we knew what was coming and could take prompt counter-measures," said Squadron - Leader Howard Crafts, at yesterday's luncheon of the Auckland Y.M.C.A. Optimists' Club. He was describing the last German break-through in the Ardennes. "The Nazis," he said, "had massed .11 divisions against only three U.S. divisions covering a 100-mile front. The complete German plan was taken from a captured major and showed the Germans were depending upon American supplies, particularly petrol, which they expected to capture. The Americans promptly and wisely applied the scorched earth policy. Soon hundreds of German vehicles had to be abandoned for lack of fuel. Their plan was big—to sweep down to the Channel ports and relieve Dunkirk and Calais. The Americans held them at Bastoigne, but in the meantime. General Montgomery, with remarkable foresight, had withdrawn the whole British Second Army and would have smashed them to pieces had they got through. That was the beginning of the end. It was always fatal for the Germans to carry their battle plans into forward areas as they did."