NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 4, 4 July 1940, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

Army and Petrol Economy.

The Army, along with all other branches of State activity, has been asked to share in the general campaign to use less petrol. A' general instruction to all military users of motor vehicles to avoid all unnecessary running has appeared in routine orders throughout New Zealand. Trial by Water. "Students, school teachers, and persons are often accused of holding ideas not held by the general public," said Mr. A. G. Tait, in welcoming the visiting Australian debaters at a Timaru Rotary Club luncheon on Monday, reports the "Timaru Herald." "Students were recently severely criticised by a parson, and we know what happened to him —he was on the Niagara. However, he was saved, so, as the Good Book says, he must have been quite right." Marooned by the Tide. Caught by an unusually high tide occasioned by high winds, two Hastings residents who went to view the gannets at Cape Kidnappers on Sunday were forced to spend a cold and uncomfortable night in a hut at the cape, states the "Napier Daily Telegraph." Having spent an enjoyable day, they commenced the return journey, but the incoming tide and an exceptionally heavy sea made the return impossible. Fortunately, the party realised the danger of attempting to traverse the beach against the tide and the heavy sea, and decided to return to the cape. They made themselves as comfortable as possible in the hut and returned to Clifton in the morning. Elderly People's Support. Elderly people are well represented among the contributors to the National Patriotic Fund and those who are assisting in patriotic work for the board. This class in New Zealand has long enjoyed a reputation for reliability no matter what the call, and there is no doubt about its response in the present time of trial. There are among those who have made donations to the National Patriotic Fund many old-age pensioners. Yesterday one called at the office of the National Patriotic Fund Board and gave £5 to the fund. He was a man of 78 years of age. „ It was the first contribution he had made, he said, but he intended to give again later. In addition, he offered his services to the board, and they will be availed of at" the board's goods store, where others are giving much appreciated voluntary help in the packing, sorting, and indexing of goods and similar work. Use of Municipal Land. The Wellington City Empowering and Amendment Bill which was introduced in the House of Representatives by Mr. C. H. Chapman (Government, Wellington North) last night is framed to alter the purpose for which two areas of land in Wellington; may be used. Land held by the Wellington City Council in Waipapa Road, Hataitai, as a site for a public library and hall is to be converted to land held for general municipal purposes, and the Bill also provides for the alteration of the position of the access way from Riddiford Street to Nikau Street in the Newtown Library site. The construction of the access way further to the south of the Newtown Library site is proposed. The Bill was read a first time. Gas-storage of Fruit. The gas-storage of apples is a problem on which the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research has been concentrating for some time. The principle of the process is to allow the fruit to remain in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide, regulated according to the variety of apple. This gas has the effect of slowing down the ripening process of the apple, thereby enabling the fruit to be held in better condition for longer periods. The advantages of gas-storage over ordinary cool storage lie in the facts that the fruit can be kept longer in the store and is in better condition upon removal, that it keeps for a longer period after removal from storage, and that losses due to fungous and other damage are reduced. Considerable success has been attained with the gas-storage of pears and peaches also, and with certain vegetables. When the process is in universal use New Zealanders will find that the apples obtainable in November and December are of a far improved quality compared with what previously was obtainable jn those months. Sheep for Japan. About 7500 Corriedale ewes and rams from flocks in Canterbury have been sold for shipment to Japan recently, the prices for flock ewes being a record for any shipments made to that country from New Zealand, states the "Press." The sheep have been drawn from some of the recognised flocks of the province, the highest price being 30 guineas for two stud rams from the estate of H. T. Little, Hui Hui, while the best price for stud ewes was 10 guineas for about 50 sold on account of Bushey Park Estate. Other Corriedale rams sold were 50 from the stud of Mr. Douglas Johnston (Mayfield) at £5 ss, and about 20 on account of Mr. J. Moore (Ruapuna) at the same figure. The feature of the sale of flock ewes is about 407 Corriedales sold at the record figure of £2 18s each by Mr. Moore, the sheep being well-woolled and true to type. The previous highest price recorded for sheep purchased for export to Japan was £2 3s each obtained by Mr. M. S. Turton (Ashburton) about three years ago. Included in this year's shipment will be about 600 sold by Mr. J. Cocks (Eiffelton) at £2 15s each. About 3000 of the total purchase have already been shipped, the remainder being for consignment this month, August, and September.