General News

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23804, 25 November 1942, Page 2

General News

* Cricketers’ Complaint Canterbury Cricket Association members complained recently to the District Rationing Officer in Christchurch against the withdrawal of the tea and sugar allowances available hitherto at matches. “In view of the explicit instructions which have been received from the Rationing Controller, and which affect all sporting clubs in a like manner,” read the official reply presented at last evening’s meeting of the association, “it is regretted that no action can be taken to restore the permits in respect to both commodities.” Members, however, are not satisfied with this reply and have asked other* provincial associations to protest to the controller in Wellington. General Eisenhower Now that Lieutenant-General Dwight D. Eisenhower, of the United States Army in Africa, is more to us than one of those quaint American names, details of the man from a recent “New Yorker" make good reading. No one, bar his 81-year-old mother, who has four other sons besides the lieuten-ant-general calls him anything else but "Ike,” a nickname bestowed m boyhood bv friends of his home town, Abilene, Kansas. His wife, who supplied this and other gossipy bits of her very-much-in-the-public-eye husband, says she is still fascinated by his brilliant conversation after 26 years, that he likes to know everything and that his own perfect teeth have only two pinpoint fillings. He is 51, has a passion for Oriental rugs, fried egg sandwiches, the study of strategy and tactics tanks, golf, bridge, poker, troutfishing. and flying, the latter being a recent interest as he took it up only four years ago, and got a pilot s licence. He is a handsome, friendly, determined man with a broad smile, broad shoulders, and a long waist. He is an early riser and his family came from Switzerland in 1732. He is a West Point graduate and his son, John, now in his second year at the famous United States military establishment, is called “Eisy” by his classmates. Drugs from Plants The growing of medicinal plants in New Zealand is proving very successful and is resulting in a valuable contribution to the Empire's war effort, said an officer of the Department of Agriculture. "The plant material is used in the production of important drugs, supplies of which from normal sources have been cut off by the German occupation of European countries. The plantings this year have been extended to 36 acres—l 7of foxglove, eight of deadly nightshade, eight of ‘hornapple. and throe of henbane. From these plants the drugs digitalis, belladonna, and hyoscyamus are produced. Very heavy yields of up to six tons to the acre of foxglove leaf have been obtained. The drying of the first eight acres of this crop is now being completed, and some of the dried leaf is already on the way to England. Two acres of deadly nightshade will be, dried within the days, and the rest of the crops'will be ready for harvest early next year.”—(P.A.) Effect of Wet Weather on Crops The abnormal length of the wet period during the spring on the West Coast is being reflected in the dairying output, stated an official of the Department of Agriculture yesterday at Greymouth. The feed position is by no means as satisfactory as usual, and this is having an influence on the returns of butter-fat. the figures for the various factories showing a definite decline as compared with last year. The weather has also militated against the normal sowing of root crops, and only now are the first of the turnip sowings being made. It is felt, however, that with an improvement in the weather of some duration pastures will recover to a marked degree. Apartment Houses An agreement between the Christchurch Drainage Board and the Christchurch City Council on the question of apartment houses was reported to the Drainage Board by the secretary (Mr C F. Champion) last evening. Mr Champion explained that trouble was caused when owners of properties converted buildings into apartment houses without permits from the City Council. At one time it was the custom for the Drainage Board to notify the City Council , when any plumbing work was done, so that the issue of a permit could be checked, but at the request of a City Council officer that practice had ceased. As a result of a conference between representatives of the two bodies a reciprocal agreement had been reached, which should go a long way towards control of unauthorised and undesirable conversions of buildings into apartment houses. Local Bodies’ E.P.S. Meeting After a meeting of suburban local bodies with the Minister of Civil Defence (the Hon. D. Wilson); at which the proposed reconstitution of the Metropolitan E.P.S. central committee was discussed, the Minister announced that all contributing local authorities, including the City Council, were represented. When the Minister's statement was published, the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr E. 11. Andrews) said the City Council was not represented, though he had attended the meeting as District Controller, He was not a City Council representative. The City Council has now decided to write to the Minister, explaining the position and pointing out that he was apparently mistaken, since the City Council was not invited to be represented. War and Cricket When the question of affiliation fees was being discussed at a meeting of the Canterbury Cricket Association in Christchurch last evening it was reported that one club, owing to the absence of members with the armed forces, had only five playing members left. “Without a doubt the whole question will have to be met later,” replied the chairman (Mr R.H.North), “and we will have to consider what pan be allowed by way of rebates.” Whitebait at Milford Whitobaiters generally are well satisfied with the results of the whitebait season at Milford, the run having been a record for a number of years. Though the run of whitebait in the Opihi was late in beginning, large runs have been coming into the river during the last three weeks. Last week, whitebait was so plentiful that it became almost a glut on the market. The run seemed to reach its peak about the middle of last week, for catches made during the week-end showed a decline. Housekeeping an Essential Industry A remit for consideration by the MidCanterbury executive, that housekeeping should be declared an essential industry because of the shortage of women and girls for this work, was passed at a meeting of the Ashburton branch of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union. W.A.A.C. Officer-Cadets Candidates for commissions in the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps are being selected from among personnel in the South Island. The selected W.A.A.C.’s will attend a short but intensive course beginning on December 1 at a North Island School of Instruction, where a special officer cadet training unit for women is being established. Messages to Servicemen The registered telegraphic address of the New Zealand Army Base Post Office, London, is “Kowhai, London.” It may be used for messages to all New Zealand servicemen in' Britain. Hitherto the full name and address has been required to be inserted. Maori War Effort The Maori tribal leaders in the Te Awamutu district met at Mangatotoa Pa, on the Puniu river, to consider the responsibility thrown on tribal committees by the Government for the registration and control of Maori manpower and wornanpower, the Maori tribal committee being constituted under the Maori War Effort Organisation, Mr Te Huia Raureti explained that to put the policy into effect the Ngnti Paretekawa, Ngati Paia, and Ngati Tuwhakataha hapus would have to form their own committees to form the Waikato South zone, with Te Awamutu as the centre, and deal with Zone No. 9, Ngaruawahia Tribal Executive Committee. A tribal committee was set up. with Mr Te Huia as chairman.