NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 31, 5 August 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The 1940 Health Stamps. The 1940 Health Stamps will be placed on sale in October next. a Two stamps, with designs the same as last year's, will be issued, the ljd one (postage Id) being green, and the 3d one (2d postage) being orange in colour. The two values contribute Jd and Id respectively to health purposes. The stamps are being printed in Australia. The First Butterflies. The genial sunshine of the weekend enticed at least two butterflies to emerge from the chrysalis stage in the Hutt Valley. One was a Red Admiral and the other the unwanted pest, the white cabbage butterfly. Their precocity however, was very likely nipped in the bud by the severe frost last night, and if they survived it they are probably thinking that it is a very cold world they have come into. "No Interest in the War." The fact that men in the armed services are themselves anxious for news | of the war was revealed by seamen on I a British ship recently at Auckland, j states the "New Zealand Herald." When travelling through fog while in convoy j a few hours out from England a British destroyer dashed alongside their ship. "I say, have you a morning newspaper? We have been to sea for 14 days," shouted a bearded young naval officer from the bridge. On being told that the ship had no newspaper, he ejaculated: "What, no paper? Have you fellows no interest in the war at all?" before the destroyer disappeared into the darkness. Nonagenarian's Walk. When he wishes to transact business with his agent at Waitara, Mr. Harry George, of Westown, New Plymouth, who was 90 years old last May, does not take a service car to cover the distance of 12 miles from his home. He walks. He deems this the most satisfactory method of limbering up his muscles, states a New Plymouth correspondent. On Friday Mr. George had business to attend to at Waitara. The day was fine, so he took his stick and set out. Several offers of lifts were received but declined. Four hours after starting he stepped briskly into the office of his agent at Waitara and plunged into a business discussion. A life member of the Taranaki Jockey Club, Mr. George now finds his principal relaxation in walking. He is also a keen gardener. Rimu for Butter Boxes. A radical change has been made by North Island butter-box makers, who have begun the manufacture of boxes from rimu timber, states the Christchurch "Press." Considerable quantities of rimu have been shipped from the West Coast in the last six weeks for the purpose. More orders have been placed for rimu for boxes, and this trade will have a big influence on the West Coast timber industry. It will assure a regular market for clean rimu, free from sap. The change to rimu for butter boxes has been brought about by the shortage of white pine. Rimu was-formerly considered unsuitable, but comprehensive tests have satisfied those in the trade that butter will carry satisfactorily in rimu boxes. Tests are also being made of rimu tallow casks, and it is possible that quantities of West Coast rimu will shortly be used for these.

Voluntary Service. The issue of badges to men whose offer of service with the Second N.Z.E.F. has been refused on account of physical disability has so far been confined to enlisted men who have not been selected for any form of military service. There are a large number of men on home service who in j the first instance volunteered for the Expeditionary Force but did not measure up to the high physical standard required, and it is felt by some of these men that they should receive some special badge or ribbon to indicate that they are not "sheltering" behind a home service job. One man pointed out that only those home service soldiers who did not serve in the last war were covered by the suggestion. Returned soldiers had their decoration ribbons to show that they had already served overseas, he said. Reservists Attract Crowds. That the creation of a new generation of New Zealand soldiers has by no means eclipsed the popular regard for men who served in the last war was indicated on Saturday afternoon by the big public interest in the parade through the city streets of the No. 2 (Wellington) Special Service Battalion of the National Reserve (Class If). There was a large gathering in the neighbourhood of the Winter Show Building ■where the march began and crowds lined Cuba Street, Manners Street, and Courtenay Place. The largest gathering was in the neighbourhood of the Queen Victoria Statue, Kent Terrace, where the salute was taken by Colonel R. A. Row, D.5.0., Officer Commanding the Central Military District. The general smartness and good bearing of the unit show that the habit of dicipline learnt by these old soldiers a quarter of a century ago has been quickly picked up again. Without previous experience of soldiering the battalion could not have otherwise attained its present standard from the small amount of training so far carried out. Shale Deposits. The extent and quality of shale deposits in the Freshford district were emphasised in a letter from the secretary of the Waikaia District Progressive and Welfare League received by the executive of the Southland Progress League at a meeting on Thursday night, states the "Otago Daily Times." The letter requested that the attention of Government experts should be drawn to the existence of the deposits. It was decided to refer the letter to the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton). "I understand experts are to visit Orepuki and report on shale deposits and possibilities of developing the industry," stated the letter. "We would appreciate it very much if, while the experts are in Southland, your league would bring to their notice the fact that at Freshford we have a very large area of shale which was bored some years ago by lan expert. At that time a shipment iof SOcwt of Freshford shale was sent to England for analysis. The analysis was to the effect that the samples submitted were much superior to Orepuki shale. This expert also estimated that the area was sufficient to employ 300 men for at least 35 years. The area was also inspected about two years ago by a representative of a chemical company who also reported very favourably on the quality of shale in this district."