NEWS OF THE DAY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 251, 23 October 1945, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Demand for E.PS, Helmets Since the announcement a fort' night ago that steel helmets held by the Auckland E.P.S. organisation would be disposed of at a fraction of their cost, there has been a big demand for them by the city's younger fry. About 2000 helmets, representing half the saleable stock, have been sold. There has also been a steady sale of qjher equipment, such as bucket bumps, furniture and first aid stretchers, stocked by the organisation. Raid on Parked Cars A number of motor, cars parked in New North Road, Mount Albert, last evening while their owners attended a picture theatre were broken into by thieves. At least a dozen cars were entered, the locks of the doors in several instances being broken. The thief or thieves appeared to be in search of cash or petrol coupons. In one car a wallet containing the owner's driving license, certificate of fitness and other papers was discovered and the contents were strewn about the floor of the car, but the thief found nothing that he considered worth taking- ! Alleged Injustice ■ Refusal of the Social Security Department to allow depreciation .in the assessment of income for social security charges has been reported to the council of the New Zealand Society of Accountants. The council decided to request the Department io act in the same way as the Land and Income Tax Department in allowance for depreciation in the assessment of income tax. The present attitude of the Social Security Department is regarded as an injustice. | L

Racecourse Luck Every race meeting produces some tales of good and bad luck. One of the latest of these is told by a Hills* boro' resident, whose attention was attracted by an argument at the trots at Alexandra Park on Saturday between a tote ticket-seller and a punter, who claimed that he had asked for tickets representing £2 each way on No. 7 and had been given tickets on No. 11. Told that the only way of getting the error rectified was to stand by in the hope of other punters asking for No. 11 and effecting an exchange, the disgruntled investor waited a while without success and then went to see the race, feeling his luck was out. The interested spectator accompanied him. The race was won by No. 11, with No. 7 nowhere. Further, the price paid by the winner was the biggest of the day, and the "unlucky" speculator collected £136 as a result of the misunderstanding. Beat Rommel at Golf Three days before war broke out acting-Lieufenant-Colonel G. B. Ward was assured by Herr von Henkel, father-in-law of von Ribbentrop, that there would be no war. The incident occurred at the conclusion of a German golf championship in which Lieutenant-Colonel Ward was beaten in the final by the British amateur champion after beating Rommel in an earlier game. He is at present serving with the British Army. The story of how von Henkel came to give the assurance is told by Lieutenant-Colonel Ward's parents, Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Ward, Lower Hutt. After the final the prizes were presented by von Henkel, and during his speech he said he hoped he would see LieutenantColonel Ward the following year. The latter commented that he "might be over before 'then." Von Henkel replied, "Oh, there'll be no war," but war broke out three days later.