NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 20, 25 January 1943, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

General Mac Arthur's Birthday. The Commander-in-Chief of the South-west Pacific area, General Douglas Mac Arthur, will be 63 years of age tomorrow. He has been in active command of the South-west Pacific area for almost a year, having arrived in Australia on March 17. 1942.. after superintending the heroic American defence of the Philippine Islands. An Old Folk Song. The secret correspondent in the Netherlands of "The Times," London, tells how the organist of a sniall village near Eindhoven—the city where the Phillips factories were recently bombed by the R.A.F. —frequently manages to play the British National Anthem on his carillon. The Germans, naturally, are extremely annoyed, but as he contends that he is playing the old Netherlands folk song, "Oh Dearest Place on Earth'," which is set to the same tune, there is little the Germans can do about it. Income Tax Payments. The Commissioner of Taxes draws the attention of taxpayers to the notification appearing in today's issue that the due date of payment of income tax is Thursday, February 11. Additional tax will accrue if the tax is not paid on or before March 4. The demands will be posted from the office of the Commissioner of Taxes on or about February 4. Demands must be presented with all payments, and if a demand has not been received the Commissioner should be communicated with. Smouldering Sacks. Included in the stock at a store in Lyttelton destroyed by the disastrous fire. on Cttristmas Eve were 500,000 sacks purchased by the Wheat Committee. The sacks smouldered for many days and the Government, at the request of the E.P.S. authorities at Lyttelton, removed the sacks to a vacant section at Officer's Point. Several times last week the Lyttelton fire brigade was called upon to deal with these sacks, which have continued to smoulder. A stack of wheat removed from the same store has also continued to burn. On Friday night the brigade was occupied for an hour in extinguishing the burning sacks and wheat. Amusing Booby Trap Incident. An amusing sidelight on the watch for booby traps in the Western Desert after the El Alamein action is recounted by Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Bretherton, of Christchurch. Because of the danger of booby traps, everyone was looking warily at tempting things lying on the ground, he wrote. An officer in a field regiment who possessed a beautiful blade razor placed it on the ground where it could not fail to be seen. He then watched with much amusement many people who walked past it with a velvet tread, fearing that it might be a trap. Along came one soldier, however, who said: "Booby trap, huh?" took out his revolver and landed a shot right' in the middle of the razor. Gisborne Rail Service. Advice has been received in Gisborne from Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., that the Railway Department is to take over the remaining section of the Gisborne line on February 1 (states the "Hawke's Bay' Herald-Tribune"). A telegram received from Mr. Coleman read as follows: "The Minister of Railways informs me that the Public Works Department proposes to hand over the Gisborne line to the Railway Department on February 1. It is anticipated that the rail-car from Napier which departs at 9 a.m. for Wairoa, will leave Napier 10 minutes earlier and continue on to Gisborne. This car will return to Wairoa. leaving Gisborne at about 5.30 p.m. The inauguration of a thrice-weekly night passenger service to Wellington and return is expected before long." A Welcome Soaking. The "occasional drizzle" suggested as likely in the "further outlook" of Saturday's weather forecast developed into something much more substantial before Sunday was finished. Intermittent rain on Sunday morning and in the early afternoon gave place to a sustained and heavy downpour, and, with the rain continuing on and off all through last ni£ht, Wellington received a very welcome soaking. At Kelburn the rainfall for the 24 hours ended at 9.30 a.m. today was 1.76 inches, sufficient to give the ground which was becoming very dry a thorough wetting, and garden hoses may now be given a spell. The rain was general throughout the southern part of the Wellington Province, and its benefits can hardly be over-esti-mated. Appeal for Wife. An unusual application by a man for release from camp of his* wife, who is a W.A.A.C. and canteen worker in a military camp near Dunedin, was heard by the Armed Forces Appeal Board at Timaru. Counsel for the applicant stated that the pair were married when both were in camp, and the husband was expecting to go overseas. Since then he had been directed to essential work at Smithfield freezing works. He found that his health suffered because of irregular meals, and the fact that he had no one to look after his home, at Timaru. His wife was quite ready to resume civilian life, and to undertake any essential work for which she was suitable. Questioned by the chairman of the board, Mr. K. Mackenzie, applicant said there were few single men doing his work, and it was impossible to secure suitable board. The application was dismissed.