General News

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24763, 2 January 1946, Page 4

General News

Chief Traffic Inspector A resolution protesting against the action of the Christchurch City Council “in ignoring the terms of the municipal officers’ agreement” when appointing a new chief traffic inspector was carried unanimously at the halfyearly meeting of the Canterbury Builders’, General Labourers’, and Related Workers’ Union. Members were of opinion that the appointment nullified any opportunity or prospect of advancement for any member of the present traffic staff. Sales Tax Yield A new high level was established in sales tax collections at Auckland last year, when the tax yield reached £1,492,855, an increase of £117,060 on the amount collected in 1944. The collection of sales tax last month was also a record, totalling £163,794, against £146,497 in November, w’hich was the previous peak.—(P.A.)

Sea Lion in Rakaia Lagoon A young sea lion, about seven feet long, has been entertaining visitors to the mouth of the Rakaia river during the holidays. At times it has travelled about a mile up the lagoon from the mouth of the river. It is apparently quite tame end of a sportive disposition. The sea lion has gone out of the water and approached to within a few feet of anglers. It then throws itself over backwards into the water, where it dives and plays. The appearance of sea lions along the coast is not uncommon, although it is unusual for them to frequent fresh water, as this one has done.

Campers at Waikuku In spite of the stormy weather last week, the campers’ section at Waikuku Beach, “canvas town,” in the northeast corner of the reserve, has’ been fully occupied, and several tents nave been erected among the sand dunes. That many holiday-makers, whose plans for longer trips have been cancelled because of petrol restrictions, have taken advantage of the nearness of the beach, is probably one reason for the popularity of the resort. Although the weather has been particularly unsuitable for camping, few camps have been struck, the majority of holiday-makers evidently awaiting a change in the weather during the New Year period.

Japanese Prisoners’ Thanks The following letter has been received by the New Zealand Army from Lieutenant S. Kamikubo, of the Japanese navy, the senior Japanese officer at the prisoner of war camp at Featherston: “Sir, —On behalf of the Japanese prisoners of war who have been detained in this camp for three years, I desire to express our thanks and appreciation for the just and considerate treatment that has been accorded us during our period of captivity, ror and on behalf of all prisoners of war at Featherston. (Signed) S. Kamikubo, senior officer.” —(P.A.)

New Freighters , , The first of eight large freighters being built for the Federal Steam Navigation Company and the New Zealand Shipping Company for use in the Dominion and Australian trade, the 10,000-ton steamer Devon wil! be delivered next month. The two companies are linked in the Peninsular and Oriental group, and the new ships with the names of fcnglish counties will be allocated to the Federal-Company, while ’those with Maori names will go to the New Zealand Shipping Another 10,000-ton steamer, the Somerset, will be delivered in June, and six 11,000-ton ihotor-ships will follow. The two companies had a combined fleet of 37 ships before the war. Eighteen were lost, but five new vessels were built during the war. One of the new vessels, the Nottingham, sister-ship of the Gloucester, disappeared . without trace shortly after leaving Liverpool, and it is believed that a large explosion occurred on board. Camping Popular at, Auckland Auckland motorists have been abroad in large numbers so far during the holidays, and the annual influx of motoring parties from the south has begun on a larger scale than has been possible during the war years. The I Automobile Association (Auckland) reported last week that all motor camps near the city were well filled, and that the more popular camps on the North Shore were booked until well into January. Reports from Auckland provincial centres showed that popular motoring routes during the holidays were those in the Bay of Plenty, the Coromandel Peninsula, and the Rotorua district Protestant Churches in Poland Reports from reliable sources indicate that the Protestant churches m the former German territories which have been given to Poland are in a serious position, states the “Outlook, the official organ of the Presbyterian Church in New Zealand. “German Protestant pastors are forced to leave their parishes, and this applies equally to those who have resisted National Socialism. Protestant churches, with all their belongings, are being turned over to the Polish Roman Catholic priests, and through the mass-evacua-tion of Germans, entire Protestant communities are being wiped out. New Year’s Eve in Auckland In a surprisingly quiet mood, a large crowd of Aucklanders estimated at bef weenlsooo and 7000 assembled in front of th(< Chief Post Office on Monday night to greet the New Year. There was plenty of gaiety, but it was subdued, and probably many of those present contrasted the orderliness of the gathering with the unrestrained revelries of V-E and V-J Days, compared with which New Year’s Eve was comparatively dull. However, for aj brief period at midnight a cacophony of ships’ sirens, motor-car horns, rattles and squeakers, and the singing of “Auld Dang Syne” ushered out the old year and welcomed in the new.— (P.A.) .