NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXIX, Issue 34, 9 February 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

How Times Change. "I am still on the pay list of the Army. I get 6d a day," said Mr. J. A. Leo, M.P., speaking at the recruiting rally in the Dunedin Town Hall on Wednesday night, reports the "Otago Daily Times." "I discovered that when | I went to Burnham the other day. But Burnham isn't the place it used to be," he mused sadly, amid the laughter of those who realised the significance of his remark. Unprotected Godwits. Again the godwits, about to begin their long flight from New Zealand to Siberia, where they nest, have been under licensed fire. "It has to be said to the credit of the Hon. W. E. Parry, Minister of Internal Affairs, that he, has caused the killing season to be limited to a fortnight, but his action does not go far enough,'* comments Captain Sanderson, president of the Forest and Bird Protection Society. "During many years pleas have been made by many New Zealanders that the godwit deserves absolute protection. It is well known that the pothunter who lacks- the principle of a decent sportsman maims many birds by firing into flocks. It is held by many critics that the slaughter of godwits is a disgrace to New Zealand." Increased Wheat Yield. An estimated average yield of 33 bushels an acre is expected from the current season's wheat crop, as compared with an actual yield last season of 29.40 bushels, according to official figures. The yield of oats is estimated at 44 bushels an acre, and that of barley at 36 bushels, as compared with an actual yield of 47.86 bushels and 40.03 bushels respectively for last season. In accordance with the above estimates, the total yield of wheat for the season 1939-40 should be approximately 8,370,000 bushels, as against an ascertained yield of 5,564,136 bushels for the season 1938-39. The area from which oats were threshed for the five seasons ending with 1938-39 averaged 20 per cent, of the total area under that crop. Assuming that a similar proportion is threshed this year, the total yield of grain should be approximately 2,240,000 bushels, as against a yield of 2,604,817 bushels for the season 1938-39. On a similar assumption in regard to barley, the total yield of grain should be approximately 870,000 bushels, as against 1,076,774 bushels for the season 1938-39. Air Force Classes. Enrolments totalling 708 have been received for the special classes in mathematics and elementary physics for Air Force trainees now being established in the Dominion. In announcing this last night, the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F- Jones) said that the education scheme would have the effect not only of enabling many excellent young men, otherwise educationally somewhat unsuitable, to become pilots, but of also greatly increasing the available resources of the country with regard to the supply of men for the flying branches of the Air Force. Mr. Jones said that 419 would be attending classes in one or other of the following towns:—Auckland (five classes), Wellington (three classes), Christchurch (two classes), Timaru, Dunedin, and Invercargill. The remainder, 289, would be given instruction in the same course of work by correspondence. Of the total of 708. 485 were men whose educational standard in mathematics and elementary physics was at present somewhat below that required for pilots, but the instruction being given would enable these men to reach the required standard. Racing Boats Collide. The East Coast champion sculler, W. McLeod, aged 30, married, received a deep wound in the thigh in a rowing accident when two racing craft collided on the Taruheru River (states a Gisborne correspondent). McLeod was struck by the prow of the other boat. He was taken to a private hospital and several stitches were necessary to close the wound. No bones were broken. The two craft involved were racing shells manned by men nominated by the Gisborne and Poverty Bay Rowing Clubs to represent them at the Centennial rowing regatta on February 17 in Wellington. Just before the accident McLeod was putting in a finishing sprint after having been over the course and the Gisborne club's senior crew had pulled out from the club's staging. The Gisborne crew took its boat off to the racing start, and after about 12 strokes there was a crash and the two shells came to a complete stop. McLeod was seen to fall from his seat and Hoy dived from the Gisborne boat to give him aid. The tide was high and the craft were in the centre of the channel." Mahon went to Hoy's assistance and they supported the injured man on the bow of the Gisborne boat while the others paddled to the shore. Lasting Respect. "When men have risked their lives together in a shell-hole or a trench they will not be able to resist afterwards having a little human respect for one another," said Mr. J. A. Lee, M.P., at the recruiting rally in the Dunedin Town Hall on Wednesday night, when talking of the war experiences of men who now find themselves together as members of the House of Representatives, states the "Otago Daily Times." "Not a few of the members of the House of Representatives have enlisted, and I, too, would be in khaki again if it were possible," Mr. Lee said. "Some of them are on the Government side of the House, and others are from the other side. In the House I - differ from Colonel Hargest, who will be General Hargest, as he is to command a brigade. There have been times when I haven't thought much of his politics, but I have never met a man who served under him in the last war say he was other than a worthwhile man. I think of Gordon Coates," Mr. Lee added. "I defy you to put any number of men into a shell-hole or a trench and let them risk their lives together, and say that afterwa Js they will be able to help respecting one another, .no matter how much their opinions may differ. I remember one night in the Somme when I was just about done, and had a long way to go coming out. Gordon Coates was with the outfit coming in. He took one look at me and gave me something that made that march out a hundred times easier."