NEWS TN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 270, 10 August 1943, Page 6

NEWS TN BRIEF

Doing His Job

An unfortunate choice of words was made by a waterside worker giving evidence in the Magistrates’ Court. Auckland. Asked by Mr Morling, S.M., what he was doing while standing near a shed on the wharf, the man replied: ‘I was not doing anything, sir. I was standing there doing nothing. That is my job. ■Witness explained that he was employed at the time as spare man, to relieve other men. and to fetch different types of equipment when required.

Cambridge Shows How. In the last seven weeks the Cambridge district has raised £7255 for patriotic funds, exceeding its 1943 quota by £lOOO, and wiping off a £7OO deficit from last year. This achievement is the result otic committee. Unlawful Use of Caravan.

For having been found without lawful excuse in a caravan at. 189 Tborndon Quay on Sunday last, 'Tate Tawhai, labourer. aged 38, was sentenced- to one' month’s imprisonment at hard labour. In the Magistrates’ 'Court, Wellington, yesterday, ■ Senior-Sergeant Baine said accused was a recent arrival from New Plymouth, and had done no work since coming to Wellington.

Theft of Slippers. “You will be fined the amount of your bail, £5; go and get your ship,” said Mr. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday to George Dayey, ship’s fireman, aged 35, who had pleaded guilty to stealing two pairs of slippers, valued at £l/3/5, from Waite’s Shoe Store in Cuba Street, on _ Friday last. The arresting constable said that when accosted accused threw the shoes away and attempted to .escape.

Missing Boy. _ Barry Adam, aged 14, a New Plymouth high school boy, hag been missing from his home since Thursday. The missing boy is a son of Captuin A. Adams and Mrs, Adams, Gaine Street, New Plymouth. He is a well-built boy, 'sft.. tall, and weighing between eight and nine stone. He is pale faced, has dark hair and grey eyes and when last seen was wearing tlie school uniform of navy shorts,'shift and blazer and black socks with yellow ami white, striped tops and black shoes.—P.A. ' National Art Gallery. Tomorrow, at 1.30 p.m., the fourth of the series of talks on the Florentine and Umbrian Schools will be given in the Art Gallery, D.I.G. Building, The work and life of Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, Perugino and Raphael will be the,subject of. the talk. The advances in painting from the Byzantine era have Peen traced through the years, using- the reproductions of each master’s work as aa example. The art; gallery is open daily and on Sunday afternoons and there is always a very interesting collection of pictures on view.

Jail for Sly-Grog Seller. George Lee Sing, labourer, was sentenced to one month’s imprisonment by Mr. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday for selling liquor without being licensed to do so. Senior-Sergeant G. J. Paine said accused had been approached by military police with a request to supply them with liquor. He had offered ‘them a bottle of wine for five dollars, but they had bought from him two bottles of beer at 5/- a bottle. Mr. J.’ A. Scott, who appeared for accused, said accused was not the occupier of the premises and had merely been “the mug” in the transaction. “We’ll treat him as other mugs doing the same thing,” remarked the magistrate.

Waste of Seeds. ' There is a tendency among home gardeners seized with the idea of laying in seed stocks to buy too many, advises the Agricultural Department. Most people wind up the season with seeds in hand, and buy more the next season.,,The actual weight of seeds varies according to moisture content, and each 6d. packet may not weigh a quarter-ounce. What that weight will produce in plants is illuminating, and shows it is wasteful to. sow seed too thickly. Normally a 6d. packet of celery seed will produce 17,500' plants. Almost equally startling are the following figures 9—Turnip, 3000; carrot, 5750; radish, 875; spinacli, 1250; onion, 1750; leek, 1750; parsley, 6250; cauliflower, 3750; cabbage, 2000. This is assuming that 80 per cent, germinate. Kiwi Concert Party.-. Members of the Kiwi Concert Party home on furlough from the Middle East will make a brief tour of the Dominion in aid of. the ' patriotic funds. Because the tour is limited to three weeks and also because of transport limitations, the concerts will be confined to the four main centres, but so. that as many people as possible will have the opportunity of hearing this talented band of performers arrangemenfs have been made for some of the concerts to be broadcast. The party numbers approximately 30 men. The proposed itinerary provides fo. rtwo performances at Dunedin on September -2 and 23, three a.t Christchurch on September 25, 26 and 27, four at Wellington on September 30, October 1,2 and 3, and four at Auckland on October 6, i, 8 and

Rats and Rat Poison. . The particular form ot rat poison which is issued to the general public by the sanitary office of the Wellington- City Corporation'is not held iu limitless quantities. For the last two weeks none. has been available, and. according to inquiries made yesterday, there will ‘be no more for public distribution for another week or 10 days. This reduces "the campaign against rats considerably, as many of the public, used to getting the rat poison free, do not favour securing it elsewhere at their own expense. In the. meantime privale endeavour, with the aid of traps and dogs, is said to be fairly active m some parts of Wellington, and in many of 'the big stores alongthe waterfront Sta'o Houses for Servicemen. R -presentations have been made to the Government by the N.Z.R.S.A. asking that the preference in respect of the letting of State rental houses to ex-servicemen should be raised from 50 per cent to <o per cent, of the units available. The preference now being exercised is applied by the Sttae Advances Corporation acting on the recommendation of the various rehabilitation committees and the I?Bority is being granted in accordance, with the following^ategories -(a) Servicemen returned to New Zealand and placed on. home defence; (b) servicemen returned to New Zealand for duty as instructors, etc.: (c) widows of servicemen killed overseas or who die overseas or subsequent to return to New Zealand, (d) wives of servicemen who are prisoners ot war The N.Z.R.S.A/has asked .that a further category be-added so as to include the wives of men serving overseas.