NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 31, 31 October 1942, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF

Two Murder Charges

David John Campbell, timber worker, used 20. who did not appear, was called to answer two charges of murder in the Magistrates’ Court at Napier Yesterday. The police request for a remand to November 11 was granted. It is hoped then to pro’ceed with the charges.

Ration Book Issue. „„ Itatiou books to the number of IU3,W>liave now been issued by Wellington city and suburban offices, including 10,04 J yesterday.

Slip on Kerb. , , A seaman, James Gallagher, slipped on the kerb in Post (Mice Square, M ellmgton, at 4.40 p.m. yesterday, and fractured his right leg. He was taken to hospital by the Free Ambulance. Band Performances. The City Battalion Home Guard Baud (Boys’ Institute) will give a performance at the Botanical Gardens and Scots College I J ipe Band Avill play at Oriental x>aT tomorrow afternoon.

Large Hospital Loan. 'rhe sanction of the Local Goverumeiii Loans Board for the raising within New Zealand of a loan of £250,000 was notified to a meetiug of the Auckland Hospital Board. The loan, which will have a term of 25 yeara at not more than £3/10/- per cent., is for additional buildings, accommodation and facilities. Fire Service Training Course.. Executive officers of fire brigades in various centres of New Zealand are now in AVellington attending a special traininir course for instructors. Lasting three weeks, the course is designed to give training in relation to ‘‘blitz ’ e^P e H* ence, under the direction of Mr. A. VWilson, the British national fire service expert. Auckland Superintendent of W.B.N.S. The appointment of Miss Joyce Duthie, Heretaunga, as superintendent of the Women’s Itoyal Naval Service at Auckland Avas announced yesterday. Miss Duthie, who has travelled abroad a good Jeul, takes a keen and active interest in the girl guide movement. . She has representer! the New Zealand girl guides at an international conference in Sweden. Airman’s Body Recovered. . Official advice has been received by Air Headquarters, AVellington, Mat the body of Sergeant Neill Ernest King has been recovered, together with the wreckage of the aircraft, which went down a “ sea off the east coast of the South Island on Wednesday. Sergeant King was the son of Mr. F. E. King, 98 Bristol Street, St. Albans, Christchurch. Women’s Shoes Defined. No shoe with a heel higher than one inch, including the width of the solepiece, is to be classed as a maid s shoe, for which the surrender of only .three coupons is required, stated an olliciai of the Rationing Commission m Sydney. This ruling was necessary to prevent women’s shoes with high heels, which require eight coupons, being sold as children's shoes. . Reservist’s Plea. A reservist, Patrick Roach, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called on within three months conditionally on his reporting for du.y immediately, when he pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court. Wellington, yesterday to failing to report for duty. Evideuce was given by a doctor that at the time Roach was required to report he had been receiving workers compensation for an injury to the head. Roach said he had never objected to serving. Warder Hit With Hammer Peter Lawrence Samson. 10, a isorstai inmate, appeared before Mr. Abernethy, S.M., in the Magistrates' Court at Invercargill yesterday charged Avith assaulting a Avarder. George Steel, on September causing actual bodily harm. c .3.he prosecution evidence showed that Samson hid rigged up a dummy in his bed and assaulted the warder with a hammer when he entered the cell.' Accused pleaded guilty and was committed for sentence to the Supreme Court. Steel is now discharged from hospital.—P.A. Utility Umbrellas. Before the Avar John Bull, and ms womenfolk, could choose au umbrella from one hundred different shapes and sizes. Today there are. but three sizes in use- 'and tlie result is much cloth and metal saved. Plasties for metal is appearin'- in those to be had; their sixteen, ribs have become eight: fancy handles ot bone, glass and metal are being replaced by plainer handles made from odd scraps of salvaged timber. All this standardization, together with concentration in making these utility “brQllies,” is releasing a good number of men and Avomen for war work. • Death of Soldier. . The possibility of detecting certain types of heart disease by the routine Army medical examination was-the subject of several questions by .the AAellington city coroner, Mr. Mellish, when Dr J. Mercer, pathologist at the Public Hospital, was giving evidence at the inquest yesterday into the death of Gunner Frederick Pitcaithley, who collapsed while playing tennis at Plimmerton last Sunday. It was notorious that there was uo method of detecting such heart conditions as those from which deceased was shown by a post-mortem examination to be suffering, said the doctor.

Women Meter Readers. Three women meter readers are employed by the Wellington City Councils electricity department, and they receive approximately the same rates of payment as men engaged in this work. A statemeat that female labour was not suitable for meter reading was made by a representative of the Auckland Gas Company, in reDiv to a question at a sitting ot tne No 2 (Auckland) Armed- Forces Appeal Board. The witness, who stated that there was a shortage of readers, said one of the difficulties of employing women tor the work was 'the location of many ot the meters. Some of them were under houses, under cupboards, and m other places difficult of access. Older men had also been employed on the work, out many of them had found the continual .walking and stooping too much for them.

Presbyterian Assembly. After a lapse of live years the annual General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand will be held this rear ,in Auckland. The assembly will open in St. David's Church on Novem-ber-11, and it is expected that the ministers and elders present will almost equal the usual attendance of 300. The retiring Moderator, the Rev. John Davie, Gisborne, will be the .preacher at the opening session, and an inaugural address will lie delivered by the Moderatorelect. the Rev. J. G. Laughton, superintendent of Maori missions, who will preside over the remaining sessions. One of the matters to be considered by the assembly, which is expected to sit for more than a week, will be the proposal to unite with the Methodist and Congregational Churches. During the assembly the Presbyterian Women's ,Missionary Union will hold its annual Dominion conference.

Art Gallery and Museum. “The operations of the three institutions under the control of the board have been carried out under difficult conditions during the year, due to the situation z caused by the war.” states the annual report of the Board of Trustees of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum. “Attendances at both the art gallery and museum were maintained, but visitors to the carillon were insufficient to warrant keeping the tower open. The activities of the art gallery and museum are being continued as far as conditions will allow. Part of the national collection has been transferred :o a country district as a safeguard. A number of valuable gifts of pictures and exhibits were received by the art gallery and museum during the year, and the board Extends its grateful thanks to the donors. The New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts presented further pictures to the art gallery. A grant was received from the T. G. McCarthy Trust for purchase of pictures and for furtherance of educational work in both institutions.