General News

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23295, 3 April 1941, Page 6

General News

Territorial Training for Farm Workers “It appears f that the authorities have now altered their policy, and it is possible for farm workers to go into camp at the beginning of a month that is suitable, and carry out their three months’ territorial training,” said the chairman of the North Canterbury District Council of Primary Production (Mr R. T. McMillan), at a meeting of the council yesterday. "There is a continuous camp,” said Mr H. S. S. Kyle, M.P. “This option in the period of training will be a great help," said Mr W. H. Nicholson. Mr G. B. Powell said that the training of such men called up could be deferred till a suitable date. The meeting expressed the view that these provisions should be generally made known to farmers. Impressment of Rifles Although no decision has yet been made, the Minister for National Service (the Hon. K. Semple) stated yesterday that the response to the appeal to owners for serviceable .303 rifles for the use of the Home Guard had been so amazingly poor he could see _ no alternative to impressment. Mr Semple said that there was no question of confiscation. When tfte circumstances warranted the rifles would be returned to the owners, and if loss or damage occurred the owners would be compensated. It was necessary to have rifles in the interest of the defence of the country.—Press Association. “Good Deed for Century” A refund of £1 19s 6d from the surplus of £65 Is 4d available to contributing bodies was received by the Levels County Council yesterday morning from the Canterbury Court Executive of the Centennial Exhibition. It was stated that £10,049 had been spent on the court. “That is our good deed for the century, a member of the council commented. The Riccarton Bush “Our big trouble is finance," said Mr G. Stokell, president of the Canterbury branch ot the Royal Society of New Zealand, when speaking to members of the society last evening about the preservation of Riccarton Bush. Members of the society recently visited the bush, to investigate, particularly, the spread of a native creeper, Muchlenbeckia, which is considered to be due to the drying out of the bush. Messrs James and John Deans accompanied the party. It has been suggested to the society that biology students at Canterbury University College should assist, as part of their practical training, in the task of eradicating weeds in the bush. Mr John Deans, who was present last evening, said that the Riccarton Bush trustees were pleased at the interest the society was taking in the bush. Mr Deans also emphasised the need of the trustees for new finance to help in the task of preserving the bush. Mobile Canteen

Since being handed over the mobile canteen presented to the National Patriotic Fund Board by the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association for service with the New Zealand Forces overseas has been finally equipped, the work being carried out in Wellington. The interior of the vehicle is well finished. There are cupboards, other storage accommodation, bunks, and a small wardrobe for the canteen crew. Under the body is a 50-gallon water tank. There is a small pump with which to draw water from this tank to a 10-gallon tank installed over the sink, and a tap inside the vehicle. Other special equipment includes a benzine stove and an extra petrol tank. This mobile canteen is the first from New .Zealand for men overseas. —Press Association. Lake Sumner Road

The completion of the Lake Sumner road, in which the -Canterbury Progress League is interested, could be expected to cost more than £SOOO and would be suitable only as a sum-mer-time job, according to a letter read to the league last night from the Waipara County Clerk (Mr’S. L. Boon). The letter added that there were no ratepayers to be served or rateable property to be opened, and that the only immediate revenue likely would be timber royalties, and it was therefore questionable if the time Were suitable to approach the Government. “If it is thought that a through road to Westland would have a military value, I think the time necessary for the formation of the road would rule it out,” Mr Boon stated. Mr P. R. Climie, organiser to the league, said that he had since been told that flood damage to the road had been considerable, and that consideration of its completion would in the meanwhile have to be deferred. Oiled Mittens A recommendation that the Wellington branch of the Navy League lay aside its proposed scheme for the supplying of oiled mittens to men of the sea is made in a letter from the Naval Secretary, Mr H. R. Sleeman, read at this week’s meeting of the branch’s executive committee. The reasons given for the recommendation were that the necessary material and oil for the mittens would have to be imported into New Zealand and that there was a likelihood of difficulty in obtaining such supplies in any quantity in the present circumstances. The letter stated- that the Admiralty would prefer Navy League workers in New Zealand to concentrate on clothes particularly required, such as blue woollen pullovers, with polo collars and long sleeves, and sea-boot stockings made from natural oiled wool. It was originally proposed to make oiled mittens because spray was known to freeze sometimes on woojlen ones. Pheasant Season Liberation of pheasants for the 1 1941 shooting season was commenced by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society on Tuesday. This year more than 900 birds will be liberated, and it is expected that the shooting will more than maintain the improvement of last year. There will be an open season for hens, for the first fortnight s>nly, with the object of killing off a number of old hens which interfere with breeding. Sportsmen may distinguish young birds by the yellowish colouring, and a number of young hens will be held back for liberation until the open season for hens is closed. Cleopatra’s Needle Recent cable messages from London referred' ,to damage done by bombs to Cleopatra’s Needle. This famous monument has an interesting history. More than 3400' years ago one of the Pharaohs of Egypt erected t red granite obelisk in the Temple of the Sun at Heliopolis. It was transferred to Alexandria in 12 8.C., where it remained for nearly 2000 years until presented to the British Government in 1819. Fifty-eight years later, at a cost of £IO,OOO, the Needle was taken to England. . Before i|ts erection, sealed cylinders containing cigars, photographs, coinage, clothing, and illustrated papers of 1878 were buried underneath. This great obelisk, weighing 180 tons and 68£ ft high, stands on the Victoria Embankment by the Thames, flanked by two bronze sphinxes, and its ancient history is inscribed on the pedestal. Fog Signals Wanted “The loss of the Waikouaiti brought home in a very striking fashion the urgent need for fog signals on Dog Island and other lighthouses in Foveaux Strait, and urgent representations were made to the Marine Department,” said Mr W. J. A. McGregor (chairman) in his address at the annual meeting of the Bluff Harbour Board on Tuesday, He added, “It is the intention of the department to install a radio beacon on Dog Island, but not a fog signal. I am of the same opinion as the harbourmaster, that had there been a fog signal at Dog Island the Waikouaiti would not have been lying where she does at the present time, and a deputation from this board waited upon the secretary of the Marine Department in Wellington with the request that the matter be reconsidered. No further word has yet come to hand but the question .will not be forgotten.” Farmland Conversion The view that it did not seem proper to endeavour to bring into production, at high cost, the pakihi lands of north Westland, particularly when other land in parts of New Zealand was going out of production, was stated by Mr K. B. Cumberland, lecturer in geography at Canterbury College, in an address to the Canterbury branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand last evening. Mr Cumberland suggested that the time, must come when there would be co-ordinated planning of future land in New Zealand. ,