NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 111, 4 February 1943, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF

More Secondary Pupils

The four Wellington colleges opened yesterday with a considerable increase in the number of pupils over that for the previous year. Further increases are expected before the official figures are taken in March. Opening figures, with those for the previous year in parentheses, are: Wellington College, 682 (648) ; Rongotai College, 580 (554) ; Wellington Girls’ College (’approximate), 480 (440) ; Wellington East Girls’ College, 382 (382).

P.O. Savings Bank Records. The number of Post Office Sayings Bank accounts now exceeds the million mark, the actual number being 1,640,000. The total amount at credit is £71,500,000. Both these figures are records.

Radio Minded. The Postmaster-General, Mr. Webb, stated at the opening of Lower Hutt City Post Office yesterday that, radio licences in the Dominion now number 371,000, which is equivalent to a set in about 95 per cent, of the households.

Mushroom Season. Though the mushroom season is advancing and supplies in increasing quantities are coming to Wellington, from the conntry. the price is still fairly stiff. Yesterday as high as 22/- was paid for 91b. in the public markets. For Defaulters’ Detention. . Charged with failure to comply with an order to receive the issue of military uniform; Vivian Chester and Eric M alters, who appeared in the Magistrates Court, Wellington, yesterday, were committed to detention in a defaulters camp. Soldier Injured. When he was knocked down by a motor-car at the corner of Islington Street and Main Road, Trentham, at 11.10 p.m. on Tuesday night, M. IlKelton, a soldier, suffered concussion. He was taken to hospital by the Free Ambulance.

Service Cricket. . It is confirmed that a return cricket match between the Northern and Central Military Districts will be played on. the Basin Reserve, Wellington, oil I‘riday and Saturday, February 12 and la. This will form a prelude to the North v. South Islands service match on the same ground the following weekend.

Celebrity Concert. The Railways Department has agreed to alter the time of departure of the train from Wellington to Lower Hutt on Sunday night from 10.10 o’clock to 10-30 to suit those attending the Celebrity Concert at the Opera House. Wellington city trams will also be delayed for the same purpose.

Caught Napping. The mayor of Dower Hutt City, Mr. Andrewr caught the Post and Telegraph Department napping when the new post office in Lower Hutt was opened yesterday. As soon as the Postmaster-General, Mr. Webb, had opened the doors, Mr. Andrews went to the counter and asked for a War Savings Bond, putting down, a ±lO note. No savings bonds were available, the stock was still at the old post office. Six Striped Marlin. Fishing at Mayor Island last weeKend, Messrs. G. Morpeth and G. Kendall, of Hamilton, caught six striped marlin, of an average of 2801 b., al so thresher shark, of between 400 ami 5001 b., and a small blue pointer. These swordifish, which for years have been abandoned at sea, are now being brought into Tauranga and . eventually canned for human consumption. Hawlie’s Bay Fruit Losses. A heavy gale experienced in Hastings yesterday afternoon and evening played havoc with gardens and in a number of orchards windfall fruit covered the ground. Fruit losses are reported to be heavier in pears than anything else, but advanced apples, peaches and nectarines also suffered fairly heavily. Flower gardens were badly battered and generally the gale was anything but a welcome visitor at this period of the season. Stole Workmen’s Money. Stated to have been entrusted with the posting of two letters which workmen at Paekakariki were sending to their wives, Gerald James Vile, a labourer, aged 2i, pleaded guilty in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, to the theft . otamounts of £8 and £5 respectively which the letters had contained. He was stated to have opened them and extracted the money and was at present on probation for another offence. Accused was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment on each charge, the terms to be cumulative. Ball Game Gate. . It is understood that the total receipts for last Saturday’s ball game at Athletic Park. Wellington, amounted to about £lO2O. The arrangement was that after expenses had been provided for, the local patriotic fund was to receive. per cent, of the proceeds and the American authorities concerned in the game 2u per cent, (out of which a rental for the use of the park was to be paid the Wellington Rugby Union). An exact accounting of the financial results of this fixture will be sue** at the next meeting of the Metropolitan Patriotic Committee.

Fire on Hospital Roof. A cigarette butt dropped ou to pine needles ou a roof at the rear ot the Central Park Hospital, AYelliugton, yesteiday afternoon caused a fire to which tn o brigades were summoned. Jiremen from the Central and Brooklyn stations extm•■uished the flames with bucket pumps before any extensive damage was done. I' ire in dry gorse on the Berhampore golt links threatened an adjacent pine, plantation yesterday, but was extinguished by Bremen from the city fire station and members of the Emergency Fire service before the outbreak spread.

Low Migration Figures. Passengers arriving in New Zealauu during the year ended March 31, IJ4-. numbered 7102, and passenger departures for the period, excluding all members ot tlie armed forces, ete., were 6893, a gam of 209. The total gain to the population by migration was 1144, an excess of crew arrivals of 935 comprising the balance. Because of wartime restrictions ou migration, the -use of passenger liners as troopships, etc., the total arrivals were the lowest for more than 80 years and the departures the lowest since Ibt J. mere were no “assisted” immigrants during the year.

Shining Cuckoos Killed. It is customary during the summer for numbers of shining cuckoos, conspicuous and striking-looking birds on account ot their metallic colouring, to be forwarded to die Dominion Museum at A\ ellington for identification. AU those forwarded have not died a natural death, but have been killed through some agency or other, notablv flying into power lines, lhey come from tlie Solomon Islands to breed in New Zealand in the summer, usually using rent-free die nests of gro.v warblers or fantails for their eggs. The young birds then make their way to the north of New Zealand to take off on the iligh. to the Solomons.

Motor Vehicles Licensed. The Postmaster-General, Mr. M ebb. stated yesterday that at December ol last 286,058 motor vehicles had been licensed for the current year. This represented a decrease of 13,597, or 4.00 per cent., compared with the number licensed at tbu corresponding date in PJ4L lhe number of cars licensed was 159.309, settling a decrease of 17.802. e ''••-'J l )cr cent., 'compared with the numr Ueensed ns at December 01. 1941. “ >‘vtuuM vehicle licences, wmen totalled b1.04<, have increased by 4381, or i’.b!> per u L, and the licences for motoi-(jcl<-s.jDtti i number 15,432. show a deereasi ot lib, or 1.12 per cent.

Women Workers on Fin ms. A meeting of the Mauawatu provine al executive o.’ the Farmers luuon, a letter was received from the 1 "mutton secretary stating that multi the Dani and Income Tax Act no paymeut of wives from busbanit to «tie or Irom vtfe to husband, except in a legalized partnership is allowed as deductable. A motion was’passed that the Government be requested to amend the Act to allow deductions of payment to wives who are worsiii” on farms, such wages to be regarded •is’ f-irtn expenses. This is designed to ’compensate wives who are working on farms and particularly tn milking sheds iii plttce of men who are in the forces.