General News

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23807, 28 November 1942, Page 4

General News

December Petrol Ration The Minister of Supply (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) announced last night that the allowance of petrol for private motorists for December would be at the same rate as in the last few months. Coupon 21 at half its face value would be 'available. It had not been possible to make an extra allowance for the Christmas period, Mr Sullivan said, because of the stock position.—(P.A.) Fair Standard of Fitness The physical fitness of men aged 38, 39, ana 40 called up this month is, on present indications, much the same as that of younger men in the previous two or three call-ups. Officials of the Army at Christchurch said yesterday* that there was nothing in the results of the first fortnight’s medical examinations to indicate that the physical standard was lower than that of previous age groups, though it was possible that later medical board sittings might show a different position. So far. the percentage of grade one men had varied from the low figure of 37 to the reasonably good one of 53. Appeals for Farmers Following a discussion in committee on the shortage of manpower for farm work, the North Otago Primary Production Council yesterday afternoon unanimously carried the following resolution: "That as a critical stage has now been reached in maintaining primary production, every farmer or farm worker called up for military service henceforth shall be appealed for by this council, and particulars of each case shall bo supplied by all local committees, or men concerned, for submission to the Armed Forces Appeal Board.” When the decision was announced in open meeting, it was stated that the council had to decide on the policy that would maintain uniformity in preserving essential manpower.— (P.A.) Lighting Regulations An amendment to the Lighting Regulations made persons responsible for Government buildings liable for any breaches of the regulations in those buildings, Mr W. Machin, chairman of the organising committee of the Metropolitan E.P.S., said yesterday. Mr Machin said that when a prosecution was laid in Christchurch after a black-out breach in a Government building some time ago, the charge was dismissed by the Magistrate, because the Crown could not be prosecuted. The amendment to the regulations, advice of which had been received from the National Service Department, overcame this difficulty. Returned Servicemen The Dominion executive of the Returned Services’ Association decided unanimously to urge the Government that, until they are discharged, all servicemen returned from overseas should be either on: (a) full military pay and allowances, according to rank, or (b) on war pension, or (c) found satisfactory employment by the State Placement Service, or (d) receive rehabilitation unemployment allowance; and that in no case should thev be placed on social security until all these steps have been exhausted. It was decided to request the Rehabilitation Board to call a conference of representatives of the Army Department. War Pensions Division of the Social Security Department, the National Service Department, and the New Zealand Returned Services’ Association to ensure that the policy was carried out.’—(P.A.) New Zealand Tercentenary A civic reception will be given at Greymouth, on December 14, to the official party that will visit South Westland for the celebration of the tercentenary of the discovery of New Zealand by Abel Tasman. The party of 14 persons will include Mr Charles van der Plas. personal representative of Queen Wilhelmlna, who will come from Australia for the celebrations. The visitors will travel to Hokitika on December 11, and will participate in the ceremony at Okarito. On Sunday they will attend a special church service at Franz Josef. On Monday they will inspect the Rlmu gold dredge, and on their arrival in Greymouth that evening they will be given a civic reception. On Tuesday they will leave for Nelson, probably inspecting a coal mine in the Runanga district en route. Others In the party will be the Minister of Internal Affaire (Mr W. E. Parry), and the Under-Sec-retary for Internal Affairs (Mr J. W. Heenan), who will be making his first visit to Greymouth since he left there 50 years ago. U.S. Admiral’s Visit Admiral William F. Halsey, Com-mander<in-Chief of the Allied forces in the south Pacific area, will visit New Zealand shortly, states the correspondent of the “New Zealand Herald" at a south Pacific port. It can be expected that this will be as soon as pressure of important work on which he is now eflgaged in the north has easled sufficiently. It is stated that Admiral Halsey will then do those things himself which in the meantime on his behalf have been receiving the attention of Vice-Admiral William Calhoun, commander of the Pacific Fleet Service Corps.—(P.A.) The Fishing Rivers According to advice received at noon yesterday by the secretary of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society the condition of the fishing rivers is as follows:—Rakaia, Hurunui; and Waimakariri, discoloured; Ashley and Selwyn, clear and flshable. Badge Suggested The issue of a badge to distinguish men engaged on essential work and thus prohibited from serving in the forces, has again been suggested by Mr A. M. Samuel, a member of the No. 1 (Auckland) Armed Forces Appeal Board. The suggestion was made when an appeal was being heard in respect of an engineer’s apprentice. The chairman (Mr C. R. Orr Walker, 5.M..) said it was most unpleasant to go about in “civvies” with the finger of scorn pointed at one, but the reservist was needed in industry. The appeal was adjourned for three months. Rivers Flooded on Coast The Public Works Department at Greymouth received advice yesterday afternoon that heavy rain in the back country had flooded the rivers south of Hokitika. The heavy rain in the Grey district yesterday did not affect the Grey river up to last evening, when there was only a slight fresh, estimated at three knots, in the river. Preparation of Camp Foods Camp diets is the subject of comment in the annual report of the president of the New Zealand Women’s Food Value League (Miss A. L. Loudon). Lack of sufficient opportunities for visits of inspection had limited the scope of the league’s work, the report stated. "It has been impossible,” the report added, “to obtain a cross-section of the situation, but from evidence gathered it would seem that though Army food supplies are adequate and of excellent quality, much remains to be desired in respect to the methods of preparation and cooking of foods, cleanliness, and conditions of consumption of food. Close-attention by the executive will be given to these matters, and the need for improvement will be stressed whenever an opportunity arises." “Passed by the Censor” On November 6, the Mayor of Dunedin (Mr A. H. Allen) wrote to Commander F. Fraser, chairman of the executive of the Otago branch of the Navy League, stating that as he would be out of town at the week-end he would be unable to be present at the official commissioning of the Navy L.-ague’s training ship, which was to take place on the following day (a Saturday). The envelope in which the letter was posted bears the'post office stamp, “5,30 p.m., 6 Nov., 1942.” Commander Fraser, however, did not receive the letter until the following Wednesday. The explanation of the delay is simple, as the envelope has a neatly-pasted slip of paper on it containing the information, “Opened by censor in New Zealand," and also Passed by censor, N.Z” i