General News

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23699, 25 July 1942, Page 4

General News

Women’s Medical Fitness A high standard of medical fitness is being recorded by young women examined in Christchurch for the armed services. The number of girls medically boarded yesterday was 38, and all were found fit, only three being in the class fit only for clerical duties. Street Lighting Apparently because of a mistaken belief that the number of street lights in Christchurch has been reduced as part of the lighting restrictions, citizens are not reporting when lights are out. The manager of the Municipal Electricity Department (Mr E. Hitchcock) said yesterday that, because lamps were shrouded and reduced in candlepower, there was more reason for having the.u all burning, and the department wished to know as soon as possible when any were not. He added that stocks of lamps for street lights were fairly Hood, and that replacements would be made as soon as the department knew they were required. Standards For Bread “Nothing has yet been finalised concerning the standardisation of bread, although the baking industry has representatives attending the meetings,” states a report issued by the council of the New Zealand Master Bakers’ Association, after its conference in Christchurch this week. “It is expected,” the report, adds, “that it will be a little time yet before matters are completed.” Otira Tunnel Freight Last week freight hauled through the Otira tunnel from west to east totalled 13,636 tons, compared with 15,813 tons in the corresponding week of 1941 and 17,947 tons in 1940. Transfers from Royal Navy Replying to an inquiry made by Mr Clyde Carr, M.P., Timaru, the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) has advised that bona fide New Zealanders who entered the Naval Service in 'England for "hostilities only,” and those serving in the Royal Navy may be transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy at the discretion of the High Commissioner for New Zealand. This ruling became operative from June 1. The option to transfer applies only to New Zealand officers and ratings who are able to produce satisfactory evidence of their intention to return to New Zealand within a reasonable period after the cessation of. hostilities. Those who transferred to the New Zealand Navy will be credited with pay and allowances at the rates, and under the conditions, laid down by the New Zealand naval regulations.—(P.A.) Increased Wheat Acreage Approximately 1400 more acres of wheat have been sown in the Amuri district this year than were sown last year. Earlier in the season, Mr Smith, instructor of agriculture, Rangiora, and Mr J. J. Gallagher canvassed the Culverden, Balmoral, and Rotherham districts for the purpose of obtaining an increased acreage of wheat. Mr Gallagher stated that for these districts 1000 extra acres had been promised, but much more would probably be sown. Farmers who at the time thought they would not be able to Increase their acreage had since found it possible to do so. Others who had not previously grown wheat had sown several acres this year. For the Waiau district, Mr F. S. Bowron reported that 400 extra acres had been sown, making a total of 2400 acres. Eight thousand acres of wheat were grown in the four districts last year. Screened Coal for North Island According to instructions received in Westport on Thursday, all screened coal from the Westport mines will be shipped to the North Island for railway and gasworks use. Coal traffic through the . ’.uller Gorge to the East Coast will be discontinued in the meantime. Bread Zoning Though the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) announced some Weeks ago that the Milk Delivery Committee. With some additions to its metnbersirp, would assume control of bread zoning, nothing more has been heard of the proposal by the committee. The chairman (Mr E. H. Andrews) said yesterday that the committee had no instructions to proceed with bread zoning, and representatives of bakers and consumers nad not yet joined the committee. Gift to Naval Benevolent Fund The Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) has received the following cablegram from the New Zealand High Commissioner (Mr W. J. Jordan)“ The general council of the King George Fund for Sailors has donated £IOOO sterling for the New Zealand Naval Benevolent Fund, which will be paid to the New Zealand public account. The council expresses its sympathy in the loss of so many fine New Zealand seamen in the Neptune, and trusts that these funds can be used to assist necessitous cases among relatives of these men." —P.A. Soldiers’ Footwear Routine orders at one Canterbury camp yesterday announced that men working in offices, and not in contact with troops, and men on leave may Wear either black or tan shoes. The dress before was the Army issue of black boots, tan being the officers’ distinguishing colour. Hours of Work Discussed “These men are working 55 and 56 hours a Week, and the work is getting them down,” said the representative of a machinery firm which appealed yesterday to the • Armed Forces Appeal Board for two employees. Repair work was increasing, he added, and farmers were digging out of the .fences drays that had been there 30 and 40 years. Overtime was also mentioned when the Christchurch Tramways Board appealed for seven employees who had been called up for service. Conductors had not been appealed for. said Mr H. E. Jarman, general manager of the Tramways Board, and motormen, who had been working overtime, were getting tired of it, Oh one Sunday 52 men had been called Up for extra work, most of it essential to the Army. Another appellant in asking for the release of an accountant, said that only two of the original staff of 15 remained on his staff, and he himself had been working up to 45 hours overtime in a week. He asked for an adjournment of service, sine die, but suggested that a suspension of three months would be very helpful. He would then, possibly, have to make a further appeal. “Of course,” said the chairman (Mr J. S. Barnett), “we are always glad to see you, but we offer you no inducement to come here again.” Flour Storage "The New Zealand Bakers’ Association is requesting the Government to build, if necessary, flour storage buildings in Wellington.’’ This is announced in a statement Issued by the council of the association after the council’s conference in Christchurch this week. “It has been felt,” the statement adds, “that if only from a war point of view, in view of the paucity of mills in the North Island, arrangements should be made for suitable flour storage, and owing to the shortage of storage space nothing short of new buildings could meet the case.” Publication Suspended After uninterrupted publication for 20 years, the “New Zealand Traveller.” official organ of the United Commercial Travellers’ and Warehouseman's Association of New Zealand, hafe had to cease publication for the duration of the war. The last issue Has just been made. The cessation of the publication has been made necessary by the uncertainty of paper supplies and recent regulations governing the production of periodicals. The standard of the magazine has been high, a com- 1 prehensive coverage of all activities of interest to members being made. Besides reports of meetings and other items directly affecting Commercial travellers, an interesting personal column dealing with all outside activities of members has been built up, and special attention has been given to the interests of members overseas, to whom copies of the mazagine have been sent regukfly.