General News

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23541, 20 January 1942, Page 4

General News

♦ Future Petrol Supplies “We ought to have been more severe months ago, but we didn't want to deprive people of some pleasure," said the Minister for National Service (the Hon. R. Semple) speaking about petrol supplies to the Emergency Precautions Services executive at Ashburton yesterday. ‘‘We will have to come down more severely still.” he said, referring to future petrol supplies. Rail Traffic to Races The effect of the' petrol restrictions was reflected in the large numbers travelling to Washdyke by train on Saturday for the summer meeting of the Timaru Trotting Club. Normally, on race days, the department caters for about 300 passengers, but on Saturday the number reached 1400, This meant a busy day for the staff, which expected an increase in traffic, although not to such an extent, Short Releases From Army Referring to applications for the release of men serving in the armed forces for short periods, Mr J. S. Barnoil (chairman) asked Captain S. Bowron (representative of the military authorities) during the hearing of an appeal before the Manpower Committee at Christchurch yesterday, what he thought of these “brief withdrawals.” "I can only say that we need these men.” replied Captain Bowron. “The idea of three months’ training is gone. It is mobilisation now,” he said. Sugar Hoarding Alleged A suggestion that hoarding by the public was the cause of restricted sugar supplies was made by an official of the Colonial Sugar Refining Company m Auckland, when complaints of a shortage were referred to him. He said that sugar was being allocated to distributors on the basis of their previous purchases at this time of the year, and the quantities should be sufficient for normal requirements.—P.A. Missing from Steamer Express Further inquiries made concerning the man who was hauled aboard the steamer express at Wellington on Saturday night and who subsequently disappeared, reveal that after the man got aboard he stated that he had no money to pay his fare. He was allotted a berth, but the berth was not occupied. Ii is now thought that the man concealed himself elsewhere and managed to make his way ashore at Lyttelton undetected by mingling with the other passengers. A Doubtful Risk A legal case of long ago which has some present topical interest is mentioned by a correspondent to ‘ rhe Press.” In judgment on the case (Carter v Boehm i. which was decided in 1766 but is still a leading case in the law of insurance, Lord Mansfield stated the general principles upon which the assured is required to disclose all material facts within his knowledge. The case was an action on a policy for the benefit of George Carter. the Governor of Fort Marlborough. against the loss of Fort Marlborough in the Island of Sumatra in the East Indies by its being taken by a foreign cne.my. It was alleged that the weakness of the fort and the probability of its being attacked by the French ought to have been disclosed. The jury found a verdict for the plaintiff. Back to the Horse Earlier days at Geraldine were recalled yesterday, when the 70-ycar-old chairman of the Geraldine County Council (Mr K. Mackenzie) arrived in town for the monthly meeting of the council on horse-back. Mr Mackenzie has been chairman of the council for the last 26 years, and when he was first chairman the horse was the common method of transport lor members attending meetings. Escapee From Express An absentee soldier of the Ist Otago Regiment, who was being escorted from Dunedin to a military camp, jumped off'a fast-moving express throe miles north of Orari on Saturday, and escaped. The escorting soidier lef his prisoner for a few moments, and on return found him to be missing. He looked out of a window and saw the escaped soldier making toward a plantation. It is stated that the tram was travelling at 40 miles an hour. "Petrol Position Not Uniform” “The petrol position is not uniform,” said a member at a meeting of the Geraldine County. Council yesterday, when it was stated that married men working on farms, married teachers at country schools, and others were allowed no petrol at all. Registration of Dogs Because of a shortage throughout Now Zealand of buckles and “dees” for the manufacture of dog-collars, the end of the registration year for dogs has been postponed from December 31 to February 28. according to Mr J. Huggins, Chief City Inspector. Mr Huggins said yesterday that not only the Christchurch City Council, but also other local bodies, had been unable to obtain tenders for collars because supplying firms could not obtain buckles and decs. The council, which required 4000 collars, had now obtained a quotation but this was subject to the delivery of a consignment of buckles and decs from abroad. He added that if an alternative to collars had to be adopted an amendment to the act providing for registration would be necessary, as the act laid down specifically that every person registering a dog was entitled to receive a collar. Supplies of the hydatid remedy supplied on registration, arecoline hvdrobromidc. had already been received. Damage at Klondyke Some damage was done to the intake race at the head-works of the Public Works Department's Rangitala diversion scheme at Klondyke. when there was a sudden rise in the level of the Rangitala river early on Sunday morning. The flooding was discovered before it could do any extensive damage, only a bank being washed away by the water Work will be hampered tor about two weeks while repairs to this bank arc carried out.' The early discovery of the flood enabled workmen to remove the intake pumps before the water reached them. The flood which has now fallen, rose very rapidly, and was at its peak about 3 o clock on Sunday morning. The increase in the amount of water earned by the mu was brought about b' r heavy northwest rains in the back country. Millerton Mine Resumes Work After a break in the rope line leading to the Millerton mine last Friday there was a tangle of wire rope and trucks of coal which presented a formidable task for those who were clearing the lino. However, the staff of the Westport Coal Company worked hard on the job and the line was cleared so that work at the mine could be resumed yesterday. More Rifles Sold to Army Owners of .22 calibre rifles in Canterbury have come forward more readily in the last few days to sell their weapons to the Army. Of the number acquired by the Army in the fortnight since the purchasing scheme was opened, about one-third has been purchased in the last three days. Sheep Replace Lawn Mowers Because of the restriction on petrol supplies for their mowers, the Hamilton Golf Club has had to resort to some other method of keeping the grass down, This has resulted in the purchase of 500 sheep to graze on the course. The greens have been fenced off with wire-netting as a protection against the sheep. Chemists Refused Release The No. 7 Manpower Committee, sitting at Hastings, refused to release for camp two N; pier chemists, members of the National Military Reserve, who were appealed for by the Director of Pharmacy. "We admire your action in volunteering for the National MUG tary Reserve and desiring to serve, but our information is that there is a definite shortage of chemists in-New Zealand, and we must not, unless in excep. liunal circumstances, release tor camp any chemist or doctor,” said Mr G. Maddisrm. chairman of the committee. Both reservists, who are n.c.o.'s in the reserve, expressed their desire to enter camp.