NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 36, 6 November 1943, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Marriages By Proxy

Consideration of marriages by proxy to servicemen overseas with a view to protecting the girls concerned was advocated by Mrs. G. L. Millar, of the welfare committee of the Wellington U.S.A, (women’s section) at a recent meeting. Bov Employed Before 7 a.m. For employing a' boy under 46 as a milkhand before 7 a.m., Septimus GKnight, Happy Valley, was fined io with costs in the Magistrates’ Court, W elliugton, yesterday. Woman Poundkeeper. . For the first time in the histoiy ot the Waikato a woman poundkeeper has been appointed, Mrs. Nora Flynn having been given that office by the Waikato Cdunty Council.

Wearing Uniform. For wearing a uniform without authority. Heemi Morris, a labourer, was fined £lO with costs by Mr. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, yesterday. 1 lie "dice stilted that accused gave the excuse that he wanted to be the forces but bis father would not let him join up. Guy Fawkes Day. Yesterday was Guy Fawkes Day, November 5, a date which for. a long tune the public has been admonished to remember. As there are louder crackers, fiercer rockets and bigger bonfires than ever in the world today, the memory ot Guido Fawkes has for the tune being been obliterated. No one was disturbed yesterday at daybreak by rhymed requests for “a penny for the guy.”

.22 Rifles—Sale and Return. Authority has been given for the sale to the general public of ail .22 rifles purchased 'by the Army Department from private individuals and dealers and now remaining in possession of the Army. This does not apply to any .22 rifle made available to the Army, by way ot gift or loan. Where such are held by units or areas every endeavour is being made to have them returned to their original owners.

Sabotage in Factory. A sensation was caused at Manunui this week when it became known that leajher belts on the box-making machinery at Ellis and Burnand’s factory had been mutilated at night. The damage amounts to about £li>o. The belts are of a special make imported from overseas, and will be difficult to replace. Xhey cannot be repaired to make them serviceable. and this may cause a hold-up in the works. Detectives are making inquiries. Apples and Pears. Prospects are for an unusually good crop of apples and pears in the Hastings and Nelson districts this year, according to nn official of the Internal Marketing Division. It is expected that the harvest will be as good as that of 1938, which, so far as is known, was a record year for the production of apples and pears m New Zealand. Growers are asking for an average price of 6/7J over all grades, varieties and sizes. This is an increase of 7£d. on the present price of v/-. ane Government’s decision is expected soon. Unsuitable Quarters. A report that some mothers were living in crowded and unsuitable quarters was made bv Mrs. J. I. Goldsmith at a meeting of ’the 'Wellington U.S.A, (women s section). Mrs. Goldsmith said that members of the committee with which she was associated had paid many visits to maternitv hospitals and later to the homes of the mothers. Where living conditions were unsuitable efforts were being made to find better conditions and in one case a State house was made available.

Spell for Delicate Children. A request from Mrs. Stewart, president of the Rua Roa branch of the Women’s Institute, that children should again be sent to Dannevirke for summer holidays was received at a meeting of the Wellington R.S.A. (women s section). The request stipulated that the children be those of servicemen and who were delicate and in need of a change. It was pointed out at the meeting that similar and much appreciated service in respect of children from congested city areas could be considerably extended.

Sunbathing at School. Believing the task’ of properly controlling SoO school boys in a state of partial undress to be too great for the staff, the headmaster of the Auckland Grammar School, Mr. C. M. Littlejohn, has forbidden pupils to sunbathe in singlets and shorts during the lunch hour. The headmaster of the Mount Albert Grammar School, Mr. F. W. Gamble, said that there would be no objection on his part to the boys’ sunbathing in th,e intervals, provided they wore .singlets above their shorts.

Servicemen's Training Centre. Opposition was expressed by the mayor of Auckland to a suggestion that an area of the domain behind the War Memorial Museum should be the site for a training centre for disabled servicemen. “Those lands belong to the people and could be alibnated only for the most serious purpose,” he added. “Certain temporary buildings have been erected on the domain, but they are to be removed after the war and the land will then revert to the people. I cannot imagine any suggestion for a permanent alienation of the area being put into effect.”

Resolutions by Women. Numerous resolutions urging on the Government and other authorities the need for reforms in connexion with social problems of today, particularly as they affected the young and adolescents, were adopted at a meeting called by the Auckland branch of the National Council of Women, representing 46 affiliated societies. It was also decided to urge on the Government the necessity for hostels for women industrial workers living away from their homes. The urgency of the housing problem is to be represented to the Government.

Fine for Selling Pork. .Stated by both police and counsel to be probably the first to face a charge under the regulations prohibiting the sale of pork, Hugh Lawrence Tucker. Rongotai. was fined £.5 and costs in the Magistrates’ Court. Wellington, yesterday, for selling an SJlb. leg of pork to a Courtenay Place restaurant-keeper. On his behalf, Mr. A. J. Mazengarb said that the offence was committed on July 12 and the pork had been in defendant’s freezer for some time. He had heard that pork was being provided in some restaurants and thought, that perhaps tbe restrictions had been eased.

Seals Multiplying. Many seals have been seen round the shores of Stewart Island and Rimpuke, '"■and there are many rookeries of them where no seals 'were seen before. One fisherman stated that tbe seals, hundreds of which could be counted without travelling very far. could , be approached quite easily nud had become used to the presence of boats. Most fishermen are of the opinion that unless a season is opened for the killing of seals the fishing grounds are certain to be depleted of fish. It has .already been noticed that some varieties of fish are getting scarcer every year.

Pottery Manufacturers. The decision to form a New Zealant. Pottery and Ceramic Manufacturers’ Association was reached at a conference c»f representatives of all existing . pottery manufacturing firms in the Dominion, held in Wellington this week. Mr. P. P.-Mc-Skimming. Benhar, was elected first chairman, and Mr. F. S. Taylor. Wellington, first deputy-chairman, and Mr. D. I. Macdonald. secretary of the N.Z. Manufacturers’ Association, was appointed secretary. The industry, which uses nearly 100 per cent, domestic material and already employs some hundreds of workers, has extended substantially iu the past few years. New Zealand has large Quantities of suitable clays.

Meat Grading. To enable owners to share jn the high prices being obtained at Addington market large numbers of fat cattle have been sent forward from the West'Coast. 1 lie situation arising from the high prices at market compared with the retail prices allowed by the Price Tribunal was discussed at a meeting of Greymouth butchers, when it was decided to ask the Government to restrict, killings by 30 per cent. The meeting also decided to nsk the Government (o leave in abeyance the proposed system of meat grading till after the war. It was considered. that (lie present system had worked satisfactorily, mid butchers were afraid that the public would demand only meat shown as first grade, leaving the other on their hands.