NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 280, 23 August 1944, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF

Petrol For September

Petrol coupon No. 3, at half its face value, will be available to private motorists for the month of September, according to an announcement last night by the Minister of Supply, Mr. Sullivan. 2000 Opossum Skins. District trapper? sent more than 2000 opossum skins to Westport last Friday for grading. The quality of the skins was fairly high, prices ranging from 15/- to 7/6. A royalty of 6d. a skin was payable by the trappers. Rotarian World Record.

Rotarian 11. T. Jaggard, who has at tended every meeting of the Palmerston Rotary Club for 19 years, is understood to have established a Rotarian world record in attendance. Rotarian G. F. Framjee has not missed a meeting for 13 years. Nellikutha Buried.

A power excavator was used to dig a deep grave at one of the city tips for the burial of the dead elephant, Nellikutha, whose carcase was removed from the zoo with a heavy transporter. Without such equipment the removal and burial' would have called for a team of workers. Iu a Nutshell. A Wellington confectioner, weary from never-ending requests for goods in exceedingly short supply,, has posted a notice in her shop which prevents useless questioning and recrimination. The notice, which is in full view of the customer, reads simply: “No. gum, no matches, no coca cola, no cigarettes, no cheek.”

Soldiers Injured. When they fell off the back of a truck in Wakefield Street yesterday morning, two soldiers were injured. Abrasions to his face and shock were suffered, by J. J. Turner, and the other, A, Gibson, had a severe haemorrhage from the nose. Both were taken to hospital by the Free Ambulance.

Rotary Occasions. Miss Low, secretary of the Wellington Rotary Club/ is going south next Week to attend the conference of Rotary convened by District Governor Harold Thomas for August 29 and 30. Presidents, vice-presidents, and secretaries of North Island clubs will attend a similar conference to be held at Palmerston, North on September 6 and 7.

Tribunal Urged. The Auckland Operative Bootmakers Union yesterday morning sent a telegram to the Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb, requesting him to set up an industrial tribunal to investigate the position of the lower-paid scale workers in industry. The request was in terms of a resolution passed at a mass meeting of workers at the Town Hall.on Monday afternoon. —P.A. Fruitgrowers' Officers. The New Zealand Fruitgrowers’ Industrial Union of Employers, . at their annual general meeting appointed. the following officers: President, . Mr. A. Brown (Redwoods Valley) ; vice-presi-dent, Mr. F. E. Nottage (Nelson); executive, Messrs. F. Firth (Auckland), W. E. Davidson (Christchurch-), W. A. Tate (Wellington) ; R. D. Sanders (Blenheim) ; R. S. Kinnaird (Alexandra) ; 1. W. Clark (Motueka), H. J. Paynter (Hastings). ’ Furlough Party. A further party of soldiers who have been bn service in the Pacific with the Third Division has returned to New Zealand After the necessary formalities have been completed at Papakura Camp, the men will be sent to their home centres for periods of furlough which will be based on their length of service overseas Before they were sent to Papakura Camp the men were given an official welcome. The Government was represented by the Minister of Rehabilitation. —P.A. Twice As Costly. Because the connexion of 170 new houses to the board’s system is being delayed through extreme shortage ot standard electric cable, the Auckland Electric Power Board has decided to make Use of heavy American wire imported by the Government under lend-lease arrangements. The wire, which was previously described as unsuitable for the board’s purpose, is four times the weight of ordinary service cable and twice as costly.. Overlooked?. A written request for an. answer to points concerning 3rd Division officers and u.c.o.’s returned to New Zealand was conveyed to the Army authorities ou April 27, and an early reply sought. Shortly afterward it was stated by the officer handling the request that a reply had been prepared but would have to be made by a higher quarter, outside the Army, to which it had been sent, was the last heard of the request, or oh the reply prepared. Navy League Headquarters. The Wellington Navy League proposed to make its permanent headquarters on the Petone Esplanade, it was stated by the mayor of Petone Mr. Green, at this week’s meeting of the Petone Borough Council. He sai dthat the league desired to establish a training centre for men and boys desiring to enter t e Mercantile Marine or tlie Navy. J-he council agreed to give the matter a sympathetic hearing, and is making inquiries regarding the building occupied by the old Petone Navals. Million Gingeniuts. Three interesting items are contained in the annual report of the New Zealand Navy League War Council. Mrs. H. M Barnard, Island Bay, has nearly completed her second ton of ginger nuts, and has now made over a million of these biscuits. Miss A. Crabtree, Brooklyn, has since the establishment of the council in May, 1940, contributed 94 separate donations of £5 each. The total moneys received at the head office exceed £2600, all voluntary subscriptions. The council line shipped 50j tons of honey 5 the Comforts Supply, Navy League, London, on behalf of Woodford House Girls School, Havelock North—a magnificent gift to the little ships of the Navy. Military Defaulters. A full meeting of the council of delegates of the Wellington Returned Services Association has unanimously approved the following resolution : —“That this council of returned servicemen, representing 15 branches, consisting of 5000 members of the W.R.S.A., is strongly opposed to the proposals contained in petitions to Parliament that defaulters in detention camps should be released, and this council urges the Dominion executive of the N.Z.R.S.A. to spare no efforts in resisting such proposals." Dr. N. A. Foden, deputy-president, stressed tne necessity of organizing opposition to the petition, as these men were not ever genuine conscientious objectors, but were straight-out war dodgers. Sharp Comment by Judge. “Surely they could have double-banked on a horse, or ridden bicycles, ’ declared Mr. Justice Blair, when, because of transport difficulties, two Hawera barristers failed to arrive at New Plymouth by the time their cases were called at the opening of the Supreme Court recently. "P have ridden to court on horseback before now." added his Honoui. When it was explained that there was no way of reaching New Plymouth from the south before the arrival of a bus at 11 o'clock in the morning his Honour suggested that the barristers could have travelled on Sunday. It was stated then that there were no buses or trains from the south on Sundays. “Then they could have come on Saturday, as I did, remarked his Honour. Through the inconvenience caused to the court, be concontinued. the sessions might have to be extended, at additional cost to the country. “Those who have to attend the Supreme Court know .what, time it opens," lie said, “and it is their duty to arrive at the correct hour.