General News

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24869, 8 May 1946, Page 6

General News

“Farm and Station” Page The weekly “Farm and Station” feature is published in “The Press” this morning on page 9. Until further notice, it will appear on Wednesdays instead of Saturdays. Rimutaka Tunnel “The Rimutaka tunnel job is a certainty,” said the Hon. B. Roberts, member for Wairarapa, in an interview. Mr Roberts said he was sorry he could not give any more definite news, but he felt that the Hon. R. Semple. Minister of Works, was the man who would tackle and complete the job to the satisfaction of all.— (P.A.). Rabbits as Food The use of rabbit carcases as food, either for export to needy countries or to free other meats for export, was suggested in several letters received by the Christchurch Famine Emergency Committee on Monday. A farmer said that restoration of the subsidy paid when rabbits were required for export to the troops overseas would encourage the trapping of rabbits. Another writer said that rabbiters collecting skins nfight be induced to use more traps instead of poison. A country Famine Emergency Committee pointed out that many farms were overrun with rabbits, and a two-fold benefit would accrue if trapping were encouraged. It was decidea to ask the national committee to take the matter

Parents of children attending the Kapuka School (Southland) held a meeting on April 23 and decided, considering the unsatisfactory position concerning the new school and the unsuitability of the old building, not to send their children to school until a guarantee was received that the building of the new school would be proceeded with. An invitation was sent to the Southland Education Board asking members to meet representatives of the parents on May 1. Board members failed to appear, and the parents have decided to continue to keep their children at home.—(P.A.) Bellringers Welcomed Home

Members of the Christchurch Cathedral Society of Bellringers, who have returned from service overseas,* were welcomed home at a function last evening. Ten members of the society had served overseas, said Canon S. Parr, and fortunately none had been seriously injured. Bellringing encouraged a team spirit, Said Mr George Claydon, and this had probably helped the men considerably during their service. Chateau Tongariro Although it will not be ready in time for the coming winter, the Chateau Tongariro will be reopened as a tourist resort before next Christmas on the same basis as when it was last available to the public in 1942. After aft extensive investigation of the water supply, Public Works Department engineers have finally locatetf a stream unpolluted by volcanic ash, • and it is proposed to pipe this water down to the chateau. The hydro-electric plant operated from Whakapapantii stream, which became clogged during the eruption of Ruapehu, may have to be relocated.—(P.A.) J Force Patches An issue of distinguishing patches for men serving with the J Force is to be made shortly. The patches consist of a red diamond two inches square, on which is superimposed a smaller patch indicating the unit and branch of service. Engineers Wanted for Japan An urgent demand exists for a number of qualified civil and constructional engineers to join the New Zealand brigade of the British Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan. They will be required to go'to Japan as officers with replacement drafts from New Zealand. The Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) said yesterday th*at construction and demolition work formed an important part of the duties of the occupation troops in Japan. “Men with specialist qualifications are urgently needed,” he said. “An extensive programme of works, covering many fields of civil engineering, has been planned. This will include both demolition and construction. In taking their share of this work, the New Zealand Army authorities have met with some difficulty in recruiting fully competent officers. Volunteers with the necessary qualifications will be commissioned as captains and subalterns. Applications should be made direct to Army Headquarters, and care will be taken to ensure that specialists who so volunteer will not in any way prejudice their civilian prospects.”—(P.A.)

800 Sheep Missing Eight hundred sheep, worth about £lOOO, have disappeared during the last five years from the A. J. Giddings estate at Makara, where the property includes two miles of the Cook Strait coastline. Its owners believe that this stock has been removed by sea, as practically all these flock sheep have gone from the ridges overlooking Opau Bay. It is considered impossible for the sheep to have been taken away by a land route without detection. Three years ago 400 sheep were spirited away from the property. This year 300 have gone missing in the period December-March, between shearing and dipping time. The losses have always occurred soon after the sheep have been shorn. They are easier, in that condition, to pack on transport A reward of £lOO has been offered for information.

Overworked Judges Reference to the heavy burden of work being shouldered by Judges of the Supreme Court was made by Mr Justice Blair in the Supreme Court in Palmerston North, when giving consideration to a fixture for a case which was being stood over. His Honour said he wished to return to Wellingr ton as speedily as possible after presiding at the quarterly sessions in Wanganui, which opeq next Monday, because they were very short of Judges at the moment. The Appeal Court, of which he was a member, recently dealt with 57 cases. One of them, the Mareo case, had alone occupied a full fortnight. Mr Justice Smith and Mr Justice Northcroft were both absent. The only chance Judges had of dealing with judgments was on Sundays and other holidays. “It is just as well Mr Justice Northcroft and Mr Justice Smith belong to different divisions of the Appeal Court,” said his Honour, “otherwise I do not. know how we would get on.” His Honour said he was now double-banking on circuits, a thing he had not previously had to do. Islands Passenger Traffic

Carrying 32 passengers, the largest number in her history; the Government motor-ship Maui Pomare arrived at Auckland from Rarotonga yesterday afternoon Because of infrequent sailings from the Cook Islands, many of the passengers had waited for some months for the ship, and some had to be content with makeshift accommodation. The Union Company’s motorship Matua is also experiencing difficulty in coping with passengers in the islands trade, and temporary accommodation is being used to carry the large numbers travelling.—(P.A.) £lBO Lost and Found While cleaning - the Regent Theatre, Kaikohe. on Monday morning, the caretaker, Mr Wenzlick, found under one of the seats a wallet which contained £lBO in £5 notes The wallet was taken to the police station, where it was later claimed by the owner, a returned soldier, formerly a member of the Maori Battalion. The ‘ money represented most of his deferred pay for the period that he was serving overseas.