General News

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23168, 4 November 1940, Page 6

General News

Rescue Near Sumner Four children in difficulties through the swamping of their rowing boat off Scarborough, Sumner, were rescued only after a struggle lasting several minutes in the heavy surf on Saturday afternoon. Only a few persons weie in the vicinity when the small boat, with three boys, whose ages were about six, 15, and 16 respectively, and a girl of about 13, were seen rowing about 200 yards off-shore. Alarm was caused a moment later when a heavy wave caught the boat broadside and swamped it at a point beyond the rock breakwater. A soldier and another man immediately went to the icscue. a third man joining them a few minutes later. The two older boys and the girl were able to swim, and, helped by the rescuers, they and the smaller child wore brought ashore, apparently frightened but not hurt. Uhe small boy was taken home by a motorist who was one of the eight or nine persons who saw the rescue. Boot Repairing Prices “We are not anticipating any drastic measures in order to give boot and shoe repairers any advantage over other trades in regard to prices,” said Mr C. Sivcrscn, president of the Dominion Federation Boot Trades Association, in the association’s monthly journal. These remarks were made about the recent revision of prices for boot and shoe repairs. “We can only go so far in this direction,” said Mr Sivcrscn, “as the tribunal will allow us, and I for one firmly support any measure -which will keep a check on increases which are not warranted.” Fast Tasman Air Crossing Although it had to go a long way north to avoid a storm area, the Tasman Empire Airways flying-boat Aotcaroa made record time on the journey from Sydney to Auckland yesterday. She slipped the buoy at Sydney at 6.4 a.m. (New Zealand time) and was moored at Auckland at, 1.42 p.m., making her time from buoy to buoy 7 hours 38 minutes. This is six minutes quicker than the previous fastest passage. The time fi'om when the Aotcaroa set a course for New Zealand until it was above the base at Auckland was 7 hours 25 minutes. Under the command of Captain O. Garden, the Aotearoa brought 14 adult passengers and an infant of four weeks, and also 1501b of mail and 951b of freight.—Press Association. Petrol for Shows Advice has been received by the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association from the Minister for Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin) that the Oil Fuel Controller has approved the issue of petrol to judges, officials, and exhibitors travelling to agricultural and pastoral shows. Applications should be certified by secretaries of shows and lodged with the local district or sub-district oil fuel controller. Mail for Troops Delayed Six months .after sailing, men of the 2nd Echelon of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force received in England on Friday, November 1, an instalment of mail posted in New Zealand while they were at sea. The mail was forwarded first to Egypt., Though some letters are still to come, those so far delivered include postings as early as May 5 and as late as June 18.—Official War Correspondent. Conscientious Objection “Our Methodist Church stands for the rights of conscience and insists on those rights being duly recognised, so long as the cpnscientious objections are evidently sincere,” slates a leading article in the “New Zealand Methodist Times” (official organ of the church) of November 2. The church, tho article added, had to be thoroughly satisfied of the sincerity of objections, and felt strongly that those who objected to undertaking military duty should be willing to render some form of alternative service to their country. All had obligations to the land which gave them protection and rights and privileges. It was to be hoped that those whom the church defended in their demand to have their appeal for exemption honoured would be ready to give that alternative national service. Influenza Among Whippets Whippets in Christchurch are at present suffering from an epidemic of pneumonic influenza. There was to have been a race meeting held by the New Brighton Whippet Racing Club at Bower Park on Saturday afternoon, but it had to be cancelled because the epidemic is affecting 60 per cent, of the whippets and is in many cases causing death. Dominion’s War Effort “I believe that as citizens all of us will have to pool our resources in a combined effort to help the Mother Country in this mighty struggle-to overcome the forces of totalitarianism and one of the most unscrupulous enemies of all times,” said Mr C. Siversen, president of the Dominion Federation Boot Trades Association, in the association’s October journal. “Everyone will have to do more than just keep the wheels of commerce rotating. W r e have got to do something extra, and that something extra is going to make just that difference which is required to win the war,” he said. Gas-producer Explodes 1 The explosion of a gas-producer unit on his motor-car resulted in Mr Lloyd Armstrong, aged 20, butcher, of Malfroy road, Rotorua, suffering injuries to the face and eyes. The accident occurred in Hamilton. He was taken to the Waikato Hospital, but his condition was not serious. Mr Armstrong, who was visiting Hamilton, stopped his motor-car near a garage. He left the driving seat to adjust the gasproducer and was bending over it when the explosion occurred. Stag Takes Refuge in Sea Several attempts to escape by swimming were made by a stag which was surprised behind the first line of sandhills on the Forest Reserve, Tangimoana (near Palmerston North), by Mr E. Reeve when hunting deer. Before a shot could be fired the stag ran down to the beach and swam out to sea for about a mile, where it could just bo seen. After staying there about an hour it came ashore, but was chased and went out again, seemingly as far as on the first occasion. After 20 minutes it returned, and on being approached returned to the sea, but was washed back by the waves after struggling out a few yards. Mr Reeve then waded out and killed it in shallow water. “Blitzkrieg a Wash-out” “No doubt you think we are having a very bad time and getting blown to pieces, but I can assure you the much-vaunted blitzkrieg is a wash-out,” writes an inhabitant of Cowes, Isle of Wight, to a Dunedin friend. “Except for a few seaside resorts, which are practically undefended, one has to search for damage, and our war effort, so far from being finished, is increasing wonderfully. Our Royal Air Force boys seem to be thoroughly enjoying themselves, so I don’t think we arO a decadent race as ‘Jerry’ would try to make the world believe.” He adds that there are no real holidays this year, with work going on night and day. “It’s the mechanic who will win this war,” lie states, “and the Army is haying a splendid time, being under canvas and'enjoying such a wonderful summei.” "Terrible Country” "It would be terrible country over which to fight,” writes'a New Zealand soldier from Egypt in describing the desert between Egypt and Libya. “Although we, of course, do not know the mind of the Commßnder-in-Chief, we do not think we are going to advance over such country. Even the ground the Italians have taken is of no use to Egypt, and less to Libya. Solium, a collection of 10 to 12 native mud huts, is right on the border,” continues this soldier, “and Sidi Barrani is much the same except that it boasts a hotel. Holiday-makers stayed at this hotel on their way to the oasis of Siwa. Water, roads, and railways do not exist, and ,the only things living in those parts are a few Bedouins and their herds of goats and sheep. The Italian aeroplanes have not been over to molest us lately, and they must be feeling the effect of the work of the Navy and Royal Air Force. The turn of the Army, both here and in England, Will come later.” ,