General News

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23753, 26 September 1942, Page 4

General News

Cats as Rabbit Hunters A motion that the South Island Acclimatisation Societies view with alarm the proposal of an Alexandra runholder to liberate 500 cats on his run to catch rabbits lapsed at yesterday’s annual meeting of the council of the societies. One delegate said it was illegal now to liberate cats, which had to be kept under control, “But there is nothing to stop you dropping them over the neighbour’s fence,” added Mr M. B. Scully, a Westport solicitor. Milkmen in E.P.S. Trial “Instructions are being given that in the E.P.S. trial on the morning of Sunday, October 4, all milk roundsmen shall be allowed to pursue their work unimpeded,” said Mr W. Machin, chairman of the organising executive of the Christchurch Metropolitan E.P.S. yesterday. Mr Machin said there would be little interference with traffic, but there was a possibility that the operations of E.P.S. units might interfere with milk deliveries to private homes and institutions. Instructions would be given to prevent this. Berets For W.A.A.F.’s The smart, waterproof blue-grey serge berets recently issued to members of the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force are now being worn in Christchurch, Until a short time ago all W.A.A.F.’s were issued with two bluegrey felt hats. These, however, after being worn constantly in all weathers, were found to be unsuitable as allpurpose headgear. One felt has now been withdrawn and a beret issued in its place. Drift of Industries An explanation of the proposal to form a South Island businessmen’s committee, so that the drift of industry. and commerce to the north could be checked, was given yesterday by Mr B. J. Masters, chairman of the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association’s sub-committee dealing with the subject. Mr Masters, commenting on the suggestion of a correspondent to “The Press,” A. H. Acheson, that smaller centres should also be invited to balance the cityward drift, said that members of the association sponsoring the proposal visualised every town and district centre in the South-Island becoming a party to the scheme. That, he said, was already the intention. Bread Deliveries Under Zoning That it was more difficult to train a man to drive a horse-drawn vehicle than a motor vehicle was one reason advanced at a sitting of the Armed Foi’ces Appeal Board yesterday in support of an appeal for the driver of a bread delivery cart. A representative of the appellant firm said that since zoning came into operation, horses had taken the place of motor vans. The firm delivered in the metropolitan area as close as possible to the bakery. Before the reductions had been made, nine motor vans were used—the work was now being done with four horsedrawn vehicles. In answer to a question by the board, the representative said that women were not considered satisfactory for the job, which, at times, called for work at “high pressure.” The board decided that the reservist should not be called up until next January. Rough Seas on West Coast The rough seas along the West Coast and particularly on the Grey bar have prevented any fishing vessels leaving Greymouth this week. Heavy seas pounded the heads yesterday, and there was a strong fresh, estimated at six knots, in the Grey river. Medical Services at Kaiapoi Correspondence on efforts being made to obtain additional medical services for Kaiapoi was received at the monthly meeting of the Kaiapoi Borough Council. It was reported that two months ago the council approached the Canterbury branch of the British Medical Association, but as nothing had been heard other avenues were being explored, so that relief might be obtained as quickly as possible. Commissions for Students To bring the number of officers in medical units up to strength, 56 fifthyear medical students serving with the Otago University Medical Corps are to be commissioned immediately, with the rank of second-lieutenant. They will be posted to Air Force and Army units throughout the Dominion at the end of the present year. Hospital Taxation The Kaiapoj Borough Council has decided to support the report of the Waikato Hospital Board by making representations to the Minister of Health (the Hon, A. H. Nordmeyer) for a substantial increase in the payment to hospital boards from the Social Security Fund to enable the boards to give some measure of relief to local bodies. The report states that the complete escape from hospital taxation of all forms of investment, other than those in land, for no sensible or proper reason, is difficult to understand, and is obviously unfair to both rural and urban landholders. Women Drivers in Fire Brigade So far no consideration had been given to the possibility of employing women in some form of fire brigade work in Christchurch, said the Superintendent of the Central Fire Brigade, Mr A. Morrison, in answer to a question by the Armed Forces Appeal Board yesterday, when he supported appeals for 10 members of his permanent staff. “We have not done anything in this direction, but I see that in Auckland women have been employed as drivers,” Mr Morrison said. Heavy Snowfall Four inches of snow are lying on the main highway through Porter’s Pass, and according to advice received by Mr W. F. Harley, secretary of the Greymouth branch of the Canterbury Automobile Association, it is doubtful if cars could make a passage. Instead of attempting the journey between Otira and Arthur’s Pass, motorists are being advised to rail cars from Otira to Springfield. Yesterday there were two inches of snow at Waiuta, and heavy falls on the Southern Alps and the Paparoa Range.

Electric Device Reduces Wound Shock A radio-like device which locates, immediately and without guesswork, bullets, shrapnel, and metal fragments lodged in a human body, is being produced in quantity in America and will be used in hospitals and sent with American soldiers all over the world. The device eliminates the surgical probing that has always been the horror of military operating stations. It was invented by Mr Sam Berman, an employee of the New York City subway system. The original purple was to locate steel splinters in workmen’s arms. Mr Berman was demonstrating it in Hawaii when Japanese bombers swept over in the surprise attack of December 7. The raid interrupted his lecture, and he rushed to the hospital, where the instrument saved many lives. Railway Engine Breaks Down When the engine of an Otira-Grey-mouth goods train developed mechanical trouble near Kokir, early yesterday morning, efforts to effect repairs proved unsuccessful and an engine had to be dispatched from Greymouth to bring in the train. Meanwhile, the rail-car from Christchurch was held behind the goods train, and as a result of the delay was more than an hour late in reaching Greymouth. Smoking in War Time Details of what was described as “highly technical work” in the manufacture of tobacco were explained to the Armed Forces Appeal Board yesterday by the managing-director of a tobacco company, who was appealed for on the ground of the public interest. After outlining the various processes necessary for the manufacture of cigarettes and tobacco, the reservist said that the industry had been declared essential. One reason for the importance of maintaining the produc. tion of tobacco was that “in war time, smoking kept up the morale of the people.” Since the Battle of Britain, the appellant added, the sale of tobacco in England had increased considerably. Mr J. S. Barnett (chairman of the board): “I would like a doctor’s ruling on that.”