NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 30, 3 August 1940, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

More Hospital Accommodation,

The prevalence of influenza and other illnesses in the months of July, August, and September each year usually means an increase in the number of patients. at the Wellington Hospital, and this year, though it is stated that the amount of seasonal sickness is not abnormal, the old Newtown School has been converted into a temporary hospital. A total of 1039 occupied beds was reached by the Wellington Hospital a week ago, and the Newtown School building now provides accommodation for 75 more, but at present not 50 of the bids in the latter building are occupied. Only about 30 of the hospital patients are soldiers from the military camps around Wellington. Co-operation of Maoris. The Government has expressed its appreciation of the action of the members of the Aupouri tribe, of Tekao, in offering to assist financially and in other ways during the present crisis. The Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) said yesterday that in addition to an interest-free loan of £1000 for the/duration of the war and 12 months thereafter, the tribe had offered £100 as a gift to the Government. The tribe had also offered a six-wheeler dualdrive truck valued at £200 for military purposes. Its members were also prepared to patrol voluntarily, night and day, the extreme northern coastline, both east and west, and, finally, to do all in their power to increase production on their "The spirit of co-operation and help thus shown by the members of the Maori race is commendable and .much appreciated," added Mr. Nash. Piano for Air Force. Appeals which have been made to date for patriotic purposes have shown that the response of the people of Wellington is as warm and generous as it was between 1914 and 1918. Apart from the cash donations they have made, they have answered appeals made by both the National Patriotic Fnnd Board and the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Council to make gifts of pianos and other articles to give added pleasure to the men at the camps and the home defence stations when they are off duty. Only recently there has been a magnificent response to the appeal made by the secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board for 34 electric irons for the use of the Air Force trainees at Rongotai. Today Mr. E. M. Bardsley. Hon. secretary of the Wellington Provincial Patriotic Council, asked "The Post" if it would make known the need of a piano for the men at Rongotai. It may be that the response to previous appeals for pianos for men in the Army training camps has exhausted the supply available in Wellington, but should anybody have a piano to present, or even lend, Mr. Bardsley will be pleased to hear of it. Wartime Apprenticeship.

The lack of apprentices in skilled trades has been discussed, and ways and means considered for obtaining some dispensation in conditions, said Mr. S. O. Dillon, when submitting the apprenticeship committee's report to the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, states the "StarSun." It has been resolved, added Mr. Dillon, that the associated chambers be asked to support the Employers' Federation in a joint effort to secure some dispensation. It had been felt that if the Government were pressed, something might be done to secure a variation in conditions so that the Labour Department could deal with the matter of allowing additional apprentices to those capable of training and engaging them. If representations were made, and were successful, a great service would have been rendered the men engaged in training apprentices. It was certain that owing to the calling up of men more juveniles would fte required in industry. The president (Mr. W. S. Mac Gibbon) said the point was being considered by the associated chambers' executive.

The Queen's Birthday. Tomorrow, August 4, is the birthday of the Queen, but there will be no firing of guns from Point Jerningham, as has been customary for the past three years. The explanation is that no salutes are fired during wartime. Flags will be flown, however, on public buildings. ,The Lady Elizabeth Angela Marguerita, daughter of the 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne was born on August 4, 1900. On April 26, 1923, she married the second son of the then reigning King Georve V and became the Duchess of York On December 11, 1936, King Edward VIII having, abdicated, the Duke of York became. King and the Duchess became Queen. The Coronation took place in the following summer. Britain and the Great War. The twenty-sixth anniversary: Of Great Britain's entry into-the Great War with her declaration of war against Germany falls tomorrow. On July 28, 1914, Austria declared war on Serbia-, and on August 1 Germany declared war against Russia, and two days later against France. On August 10 France announced* herself at war with Austria, and Britain followed suit two days later. This alignment of Powers developed on August 23, when Japan declared war against Germany, and on November 5 Turkey openly allied herself with Germany and Austria It was not until May, 1915, that Italy joined the Allies.. At first she declared war only against Austria arid Turkey, but in October, 1915, Britain, France, and Italy declared war against Bulgaria, and Rumania entered the lists in the following August as the enemy of Germany, Austria, and Turkey. One Way of Doing It. The saving of money is an art that is becoming more and more difficult of attainment in these exacting times; but there is one citizen of Dunedin who seems to have solved the problem, states the "Otago Daily Times." He is a professional man, and, it would appear, more devoted to his profession than to mere sordid money. At any rate, he made a business trip to Wellington recently, and employed a locum who proved to be more meticulous in his business methods than the absent one. The newcomer's custom was to remove the cash drawer from the till each evening and review it in more private surroundings. And so. after a busy first day; he wrestled with the cash drawer, bullied it into coming hi? way, investigated the cause of its unwillingness—and lo and behold! found a conglomeration of bank notes. There was more than £30 in good money behind that drawer, and two-cheques carrying 1931 dates; That is the story behind a glad home-coming of a few days ago. No doubt it will inspire other possessors of tills, to explore in the hope that they, too, are unconscious hoarders. Tree Surgery. "■' Modern methods of tree surgery are at present being used by the reserves department of the Christchurch City Council in combating decay. An expert in this particular line, Mr. R. P. Miller, of Niagara Falls, Canada, is supervising the work. Frequently, rotted trees show no signs of decay at ail. Mr. Miller explains this by pointing out that water lodges in the fork of a tree where there might be a small crack. A frost comes, freezes the water, and widens the crack. Decay then sets in, which is not visible from the outside. In these cases all ( the decay has to be removed if it has not gone too far. The tree is then treated against further decay with preservative and then the hole,is packed with a:.special composition of cement, containing casein. This cement is manufactured in the North Island. -.The system being used in Christchurch is an approved method adopted by some of the greatest authorities in America and England. j

No Municipal Taxation

A clear indication that there was no intention to .tax municipal trading concerns was given in a letter from the Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) read at a meeting of the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, states the "Star-Sun." The Minister stated that private companies were primarily profit-making investments for the shareholders, while local body trading undertakings, on the other hand, were carried on for the benefit of the local community, and the ratepayers were frequently required, through the rates, to provide the capital to establish those concerns and enable them to carry on. Any profit made was returned to the community in aid of rates or by reduced charges. The position regarding municipal trading undertakings was not analogous to that of State trading departments, as the former were rendering service to the local community, while the latter were, in general, countrywide-in their scope and in direct competition with private enterprise. For those, and other reasons, it was not proposed at present to tax municipal trading concerns.

Good Fishing at Bluff. July was the best month the fishing industry at Bluff has experienced for many years! The catch by Bluff fishermen exceeded 300 cases, and more than 3000 cases (about 100 tons) have been caught by Stewart Island fishermen. This was not the best rrionth of the year for the island, as in April the catch was slightly greater. At the present time the men have to go further afield, and this would explain the difference in the catch, as the weather in July was even better than in April. The fish freezing, chambers at the cool stores are now practically filled to capacity, but the position will be eased within the next few days by the amount carried by intercolonial steamers. With the exception of one day, the weather was suitable for oystering every day last month. The Stewart Island Canneries' trawler was out on 3 r days of the month, obtaining a return which is claimed to be a record. The remainder of the fleet were able to go out whenever necessary to fulfil orders and good returns were obtained by all the boats. These will help to compensate for the poorer returns earlier in the season. Memorial to Air Ace. A lasting memorial to New Zealand's first air ace of the war,' the late Flying. Officer Edgar Kain, has been installed at Marton in the transformation of the lane and area formerly known as the gasworks reserve into a beauty, spot henceforth to be called the Kain Memorial Avenue. The avenue consists of forty flowering cherry trees the planting ceremony of which took place on Wednesday, and has a background of native trees, a number of which were a contribution from the Wellington Beautifying Society, The trees were planted by the Mayor and Mayoress (Mr. and Mrs. F. Purnell), councillors and their wives, ex-councillors, and others present. Each will have his or her name attached to the tree, and all names will be entered in a book as a lasting record. " The Mayor afterwards entertained the gathering at afternoon tea. The ground was prepared for planting by Mr. W. G. Tolley, sen., with the assistance of a small band of enthusiasts. Mr. Tolley has been responsible for other beautifying work voluntarily undertaken in the borough. In reporting the ceremony the Rangitikei "Advocate" remarked that when the cherry trees are in blossom against the, evergreen behind they will convert what hitherto has been an eyesore into a place of beauty and rest-•fiiir-.cicc |