NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIII, Issue 41, 18 February 1942, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Maori Battalion.

Another consignment of mutton birds is to be sent to the Maori Battalion by the National Patriotic Fund Board. At its last meeting the board's standing committee agreed to the expenditure of i£ 150 for this purpose. Mutton birds and other delicacies have been sent to the Maori soldiers in the past, in addition to the provision of general comforts. High Weekly Earnings. A statement that long hours were being worked in the sausage casing industry in Gisborne was made at a sitting .of the Gisborne , Man-power Committee when a witness stated that men had been working recently at ah average of 111 hours a day and up to 76 hours a/week. He said he knew tl at was ; so because of the wages he paid out,; up to £11 a week. Another witness said that as much as £14 had b^en earned by one man in a recent week. The industry was an important one, it was stated, for the output was exported to America, this helping the dollar exchange. National Savings. / Last week 138 towns were successful in raising their national savings quotas. Places which had not previously flown their flags were Papakura, Waipahi, Waitahuna, Ashhurst, Rangiwahia, and Mataroa. Success at most of the principal centres is being maintained with gratifying regularity and the fact that 75 per cent, of the towns which have been allotted quotas have attained their objectives at least once and in many cases on more than one occasion goes to show that the Dominion aim of an annual saving of £5,000,000 for war purposes is not too much to expect. "All Were Delighted." Many letters in appreciation of gift parcels for the crew sent on boaM overseas ships outward bound from New Zealand ports continue to be received by the Overseas Seamen's Gift Committee, which is an agent of the National Patriotic Fund Board. "On behalf of the ship's company and for myself," writes one master from his ship at an Atlantic port, "I again have pleasure in thanking you and your committee for the two packages containing gifts which you so kindly sent to us and which we safely received. Yoyir good work and thoughtfulness are much appreciated, and when the packages were duly opened after departure each member of the ship was handed a gift and all were delighted. The assortments were likewise much appreciated and handed out for generar use. . . .My last acknowledgment to you mentioned my intention to haye a bookcase built to hold the many books you sent. This now is very much in being and the books sent this voyage make a most welcome addition.' . . .

Again many thanks from all of us and to all of you we send our best wishes and greetings for the coming season and New Year." "