General News

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23323, 8 May 1941, Page 8

General News

Recruits for Air Force The number of recruits for the Royal New Zealand Air Force yesterday was 85. This figure was considered to be very satisfactory in view of the unfavourable weather. The figures for Monday and Tuesday were 95 and 87, the total now being 269. Street Appeal Realises £363 A total of £363 was realised by the street appeal held yesterday by the Young Womens Christian Association. The president of the board of directors (Mrs W. Mackay), who was out with the first band of collectors at 7.30 а. said that she had been most impressed by the generous response of the public and ' the general willingness to give. Last year, because of - the Patriotic Committee’s Dominionwide appeal, the association decided. to forgo its annual street collection. The .amount this year is far in excess of 1939, and the-money will be used to further the work of the association, which has been considerably extended with war-time activities. Tourist Publicity in Malaya A suggestion that more could be done to advertise the attractions of New Zealand in Malaya is made in a letter to Mr C. H. Clibborn, who was in charge of the Canterbury court at the Centennial Exhibition, from SubLieutenant C. E. Macmillan, R.N.V.R., who is now in Singapore. Sub-Lieutenant Macmillan states that “Australia is constantly in their minds through clever advertising, but everyone I met is dying to see New Zealand.” He asks for photographs of New Zealand mountain scenery, particularly those showing ski-ing and skating. “All Candidates?” “All candidates?” inquired Mr E. H. An r drews, Citizens’ Association candidate for the Mayoralty, when he arrived at the Woolston School about an hour after the beginning of the meeting, at which six candidates for various bodies were to have spoken. Apart from five of the candidates there were only five persons present. The wet weather and the almost empty classroom discouraged the speakers, and , when two had been heard the meeting, as an election meeting, was abandoned. Japan’s Population The total population of the Japanese Einpire, including Japan proper, Korea, Formosa, Sakhalin, the Kwantung Leased Territory, and the South Sea mandated islands, now is 105,226,101, according to the results of the census of October 1, 1940, This is an increase of 6.4 per cent, over the previous census, taken five years ago. Japan is one of the few countries where men outnumber women, the men totalling 52,806,863 and the women 52,329,239. The press is jubilant that the empire at last has passed the coveted 100,000,000 mark, but dissatisfied that the population growth is slowing up. The rate of increase between 1930 and 1935 was 8.2 per cent, for the empire and 7.5 per cent, for Japan proper. Tokyo now has a population of б, bn increase of 15.4 per cent, in the last five years. Visit of 1914 Recalled Sir Brooke Francis, who was a through passenger by the Mariposa from San Francisco, recalled memories of his first visit to the Dominion during his brief stay in Auckland this week. After the seizure of Samoa by New Zealand troops fh August, 1914, Sir Brooke. Francis, as Chief Police Magistrate at Suva, was assigned the task of escorting to New Zealand the Governor of Samoa, Dr. E. Schultz, who was taken prisoner by the New Zealand , Expeditionary Force and sent to Fiji to await transport to New Zealand to be handed over to the military authorities at Auckland. Since then Sir Brooke Francis has lived in retirement in Sydney, and two months ago was requested by the Secretary of State for the Colonies to return to duty. He has. been appointed Chief Justice of Bermuda and; accompanied by Lady Francis, is now on his way to take up his duties. Keeping Drains Clear An agreement to clear at the expense of the board drains which were badly fouled with gorse and weeds and afterwards to charge the ratepayers on whose property the work was done, was made at a meeting of the Ellesmere Lands Drainage Board yesterday. During a discussion on what steps the board Should, take to see that this work was done several members suggested that offendinr ratepayers should be served with notices to have the work done at their own expense within seven days. It was maintained that the board possessed adequate power to do this, and that a firm stand over this continually recurring question would prove an immediate benefit. As a preliminary step, said the chairman (Mr H. J. Macartney), the board would have to hold a general inspection of the area it administered in order to clear up some of the difficulty. News from Greece ’ Cablegrams are beginning to arrive from Expeditionary Force soldiers lucky enough to make postal arrangements on their return from Greece. Apparently to relieve natural congestion of the cable lines, they are abbreviated messages, stating merely that the senders are back and well. Further Reading Programme The executive of the Canterbury Progress League has decided to ask various local bodies to submit suggestions on reading requirements as a preliminary to the league submitting a further reading programme to the Main Highways Board. It was stated at the meeting of the‘executive last evening that the board had found the league’s five-year programme a valuable guide. Pictures for City Gallery Miss M. Raymond, of Hampshire, England, Who a few weeks ago advised the Christchurch City Council of her intention U. present three or four pictures to the Robert McDougall Art Gallery In memory of her father, the late Mr S. G, Raymond, K.C., of Christchurch, has now advised through the National Art Collections Fund that she has selected a picture by John Nash entitled “Meadle, Springtime,” and a drawing by David Low of Mr Chamberlain as an umbrella. The New Zealand Government Office in London has undertaken the shipment of the pictures. Motor Registrations More motorists relicensed vehicles in the city yesterday, but registrations are still fewer than in the corresponding days last year. The numbers of sets of plates issued on Tuesday and yesterday were 221 and 265, compared with 147 (a Saturday) and 387 for the fifth and sixth days of the registration period last year. The total for six days is 952, compared with 1585 for six days in May, 1940. Vitamin K' Saves Infants The function of the newly discovered lifepreserving Vitamin K has recently been explained by its inventor, Dr. Henfik Dam, of the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. According to Dr. Dam, Vitamin K will present brain hemorrhages which are fatal to one of every 100 babies. As a precaution against infant deaths in this manner, doses of the vitamin are given the expectant mother at intervals before birth pains begin. The vitamin stimulates the production of prothrombin, which in turn stimulates the manufacture of fibrin. Fibrin is a clot-forming substance in a child’s blood. After birth additional doses of Vitamin K are given the child to tide it over until it is fible to produce its owi. bacteria-producmg vitamins. Vitamin K. was synthesised in pure form in 1939. In substance, it is a pale yellow oil. It is related chemically to chlorophyll, the green colouring matte* in plant life. The vitamin is found in large :oncfentrations in fish as well as in plants. Aid in Convoys A review of the recent defence legislation adopted by the United States was given to the Auckland Rotary Club at its luncheon last week by Commander J. P. Dlding, United States naval observer in New Zealand. “Should it be necessary to convoy your vessels engaged in delivery, convoy will probably be provided,” »he said. “Should it be necessary for us to make delivery, We will deliver. We are not manufacturing With the idea of having the product fall into enemy hands or sunk in the Atlantic. The nation has taken a step from which it cannot withdraw,” he added. “We may be ,a trifle late in starting. We are now manufacturing, and I have no doubt that we will soon be delivering.” ,