OVERSEAS NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 249, 18 July 1942, Page 7

OVERSEAS NEWS IN BRIEF

No Conscription in South Africa. Colonel G. C. Werdmuller, Director of Equipment, South Africa, revealed that the South African conscription proposal had been rejected.

New Zealander Decorated. The King invested a Wellington member of the R.N.Z.N.V.R., Sub-Lieut. J. G. Macdonald, with the D.S.C., at Buckingham Palace. Sub-Lieut. Macdonald commands a motor gunboat, aud has been in several actions in the Chaunel. Young N.Z. Bomber Captain. Pilot Officer M. Baigent (Nelson), who is only 19}, is now captain of a Stirling heavy bomber, and has carried out several raids over Germany, including two to Bremen.

Commissions Granted. „ , , , The following New Zealanders have been granted temporary commissions, as sub-lieutenants: It. A. Johnson (Otaio), K. T. I. Chute (Tikokino), B. G. \v. Clinton, R. L. Harding, N. Watson, and N. Donkin, who is in the Fleet Air Arm. British Wage Kates. Full-time weekly rates in Britain have been increased in the first live mouths of 1942 for over 3,000,006 workers by £560,600 a week, writes an industrial .correspondent. It is estimated that since the war began the average wage level has risen about 30 per cent. Working hours are considerably longer. U.S. Industrial Mobilization. The rapidity of American industrial mobilization is shown by an official statement that 3,500,000 workers have been added to the war industry in the last three months. Five million more will be added by the end of the year. Canadian Production.

Dr. Cyril James, of McGill University, revealed in New York that Canada is producing 400 war planes a month and a 10,000-ton merchantman every four days. The war industries are employing SOO,OOO workers, and 100,000 women are replacing men in o.ther jobs. Death Sentence Suspended. The Australian Navy Minister Mr. Makin has issued instructions to suspend the carrying out of the death sentences imposed on two naval ratings, until the case has been submitted to him for decision. The sentences were imposed by a naval court-martial for the murder of a fellow-seaman. The two convicted men appealed unsuccessfully to the High Court on the ground that the court-mar-tial could not impose the death penalty.