General News

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 23945, 12 May 1943, Page 2

General News

More Ammunition for Sportsmen An additional allocation of 10,000 shotgun cartridges for the shooting season has been made to the council of South Island acclimatisation societies by the Department of Internal Affairs. This was announced yesterday by the secretary of the council (Mr G. L. Pomfret-Dodd). The original allocation to the South Island societies was 40.000 cartridges, and each licenceholder received 10 cartridges, distribution being on the basis of the number of game licences sold in 1941. the last open season. Holders of licences issued by the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society will receive three cartridges each from the additional allocation. The season for duck ends one hour after sunset on May 16. Dr. IHlgeiidorf Memorial The three institutions with which Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf was directly identified during his life-time—Canterbury Agricultural College, the Wheat Research Institute, and the Department of Scientific and Industrial Researchhave been, discussing the form of a suitable memorial to him. At yesterday's meeting of the board of governors of Lincoln College, the chairman reported on behalf of the sub-commit-tee appointed to report on the matter that it was proposed that the three institutions should combine in one ofTort, in preference to three separate schemes. The sub-committee was directed to consider a joint memorial with the other two institutions. "Wheal a Munition of war” “Wheat is definitely a valuable munition of war and I must ask all farmers to make an endeavour to get as much wheat as possible sown,” said Mr A. B. Strothers (secretary of the South Canterbury executive of the Farmers’ Union) at the annual meeting of the Geraldine branch. ‘‘lf they put the price up Is a bushel there would be no difficulty in obtaining the acreage required,” said Mr W. H. Morris. Other members said the price of wheat was not commensurate with the cost and labour involved. Now was the time that an increase in price should be announced if an increased acreage was wanted. Prices For Clover Seed A remit that arrangements be made with the newspapers to publish the price for machine-dressed seeds was carried on the suggestion of Mr R. E. Mcllwrick. at a meeting of the Geraldine branch of the Farmers’Union, Mr Mcllwrick said that the prices quoted by the newspapers for clover seeds had been Is down for the last six weeks. It was suggested by another member that the prices in the papers were for farmer-dfessed and nut machinedressed seed. National Savings For the second week in succession national savings (tags are flying at all post offices in Ihc Dominion as an indication of quota success in each postal district. This flying of flags at all post offices means that the total amount put into national war savings by the people of the Dominion last week, plus any surplus from the preceding week. was. more than £71.000. All the cities attained their quotas. Individual towns attaining or exceeding their quotas totalled 179.-(P.S.S.) Flood Damage at llaast The Cabinet has approved a grant of £IOO9 for the reconstruction of flood damage at Haast. according to the Minister of Transport (the Hon. J. O'Bl'icni. who is visiting the district. The breaking away of the stop-bank on the Haast river had menaced buildings, he said. Mr O'Brien also inspected flood damage at Okuru. Empty Fire Buckets Scores of buildings in the city arc equipped with water buckets for tirefighting under the Emergency Precautions Services, but in many cases these arc not kept lilied. The tenants are therefore failing to protect themselves and lo observe their responsibility to others. This position was reported to the Ch, i-tchurch Fire Board last evening by Superintendent A. Morrison. The city fire guard will he written to asking the organisation to detail officers to ensure that toe buckets are kept tilled. Grants from Savings Bank The trustees of the Dunedin Savings Bank yesterday made grants totalling £4525. The largest gifts were £2900 to the patriotic committee. £SOO for orphanages. £459 for the Returned Services' Association, and £3OO each for the Plunkct Society and the Salvation Army.— iP.A.) Levy Accepted Under Protest A decision to accept the South Canterbury Hospital Board's levy for 194344 under protest was made by the Timaru Borough Council at a meeting on Monday evening. The Town Clerk (Mr E. A. S. Killick) reported that the levy for the current year would be £12,688 as against £10,632 for last year. “I do not think there Is anyone who can say that there is anything wrong with hospital adminlsti alion in this district,” said Cr. P. B. Foote when moving the acceptance of the levy under protest. “Everyone agrees that the best should be provided for the sick throughout New Zealand.” lie added. “The cost of hospital administration has gone up, but Government subsidies have not been increased. It is generally agreed Hint social security should be paid by everybody, but this part is being thrown on one section of the community only—the ratepayers. Those people, and those alone, are being sorted out for a levy which should be spread just as social security taxes arc spread. The Government is not facing up to its own statement that social security should be paid for by all of the people,” said Cr. Foote. Appeals for Health Inspectors The importance of the work performed by health inspectors and the difficulty of obtaining sufficient men were outlined to (he Armed Forces I Appeal Board in Greymoulh by Mr T. Pargctcr, District Inspector of Health, Christchurch, in two successful appeals for inspectors. He said that the normal strength of the inspectorial staff in the Dominion was 68, but six members were now serving in-the armed forces. It was inadvisable to release any more inspectors unless replacements were obtainable, and at present it was fruitless to advertise for men. They required such high qualifications that comparatively lew offered, and in many cases men preferred the higher remuneration gained as plumbers. Comforts for Middle East Forces With the advance further west of the New Zealand forces in the Middle East, the Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society has established an advance base at Tripoli, and has slocked the store there with all goods necessary for the welfare of the sick and wounded. Radio transmission and amplifier systems have been installed in Middle East hospitals, and surgical dressings, extra hospital clothing, toilet requisites, stationery, reading matter, tobacco, fruit, sweets, and numerous other comforts arc regularly distributed by the council's staff. At present adequate supplies of books and magazines are reported to be available for distribution. Flax Cullers Required Because of the inability to obtain sufficient labour lo cut the flax ahead of the Barrylown dredge, which was recently given to the war effort by Mr] W. J. Ellis (manager), quantities of flax are reported lo have already been destroyed by the dredge in its progress. Two men are cutting flax in the area at present, but four others are Mr quired. Representations are being made to the Flax Planning Industrial Committee that consideration be given to re-establishing the flax mill at Camerons, which Closed many years ago. It is estimated that 1800 to 1700 tons of green flax will be available for cutting about the end of the year. I