NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 25, 30 January 1943, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Observance of Anzac Day. The N.Z.R.S.A. has decided that Anzac Day, April 25 (which this year falls on Easter Sunday) will be observed as previously, with due consideration to the local church authorities and services. General's Appreciation. In reply to birthday greetings cabled to him by Mr. Claude H. Weston, K.C., president of the British-American Cooperation Movement, General Douglas Mac Arthur, Allied Commander-in-Chief in the South-west Pacific, has sent the following message: "Appreciate deeply cordial birthday greetings of your distinguished society. It adds another link to the chain of friendship which binds our nations together." Heavy Yield of Oats. An exceptionally heavy yield of Garton oats, which averaged 103 bushels to the acre, has been harvested on the farm of Mr. J. J. Daily, at Lauriston, states the Christchurch "Press." The crop was reaped on a 16-acre paddock, and the total yield from the v area was 1648 bushels. When the crop was being harvested, one ball and a half of twine was used for every acre covered. The grain is in splendid condition, and went four and a half bushels to the bag. Deer Skeletons. It is not uncommon to find the remains of two stags that have locked their antlers in a life-and-death struggle, but at Kopara, West Coast, the skeletons of two heads have been found locked and thoroughly entangled j in about four chains of fencing wire. The wire is so completely wrapped about the antlers that it resembles a giant tangled skein of knitting wool. It is thought that the deer, which were apparently young stags, died about a year ago. Full Bottles Are Safest. "Were there any wine or beer bottles in the car?" asked the Magistrate, Mr. F H Leyien, in the Pukekohe Police Court, of Sergeant T. Kelly during the hearing of a negligent driving case, states the "Auckland Star." "No, sir, a full bottle of wine was found in the other car, but nothing happened to the car, and the driver is not charged, replied the sergeant, who added facetiously: "As far as car drivers are concerned it is better to have a full bottle than an empty one. The live ones never hurt," and as an afterthought, "while the corks are in, sir. And the Court smiled. By-election Paper and Petrol. An allocation of- 12 reams of pap^r has been made to each of the candidates in the Christchurch East byelection for use for propaganda in the electorate. The allocation by the Factory Controller covers only new paper for printing, and pamphlets printed some time ago are also in circulation. No advice has yet been received by the candidates as to the quantity of petrol they will be granted by permit for use in cars to take electors to the polling booths on February 6. Reward for Propeller Increased. The reward offered for the propeller of the de Havilland twin-engined Dragonfly aircraft ZK-AGP, which came down in the sea near Westport on December 21, has been increased to £50 by the de Havilland Company of New Zealand. The reward was originally £5, but was increased to £25 by the owner of the aeroplane, Air Travel (N.Z.), Ltd., in an endeavour to ascertain the cause of the mishap in the event of the aeroplane itself not being recovered. It is possible that the propeller may drift ashore. Trawling operations were begun by a Greymouth fishing vessel, Silver Fern, this week. Its search will be made over a fairly wide area m the locality where the aircraft came down. \ British Restaurant. A British Restaurant, the first in Lanarkshire, was recently opened in Airdrie. Considerable public interest was taken. The guests paid their shillings at the desk, receiving discs in return. A midday meal is being served five days a week and there is also a "cash and carry" service for housewives. The shilling meal supplied at the opening consisted of lentil soup, steak pie, potatoes and beans — with potted herring as an alternative —and rice and prunes. The charge enables the restaurant to pay its way. and it may in time even pay back the £2000 spent by the Ministry of Food in equipping it. Boys Not Sent Overseas. "It is not true that boys under 20 years are being sent to the islands," declared the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) in reply to an interjection at a meeting in the Christchurch East by-election, when he was discussing garrison duty in the Pacific. "Nobody has the right to make a statement like that. It is done to mislead." A man: You have sent boys under 20. The Minister: We are not sending away anybody under 20. The interjector: You're sending them into the Navy. "We have taken them from 15 for training for the Navy and from 18 for the Air Force," replied Mr. Jones. "It is true that for garrison duty in the Pacific—they are not going into the danger zone—a 'certain number of grade II men are being dispatched and it has been agreed that young men between 20 and 21, who are in grade I, may volunteer, subject, however, to the written consent of their parents or guardians. It is not true that boys of any lower age group are allowed to volunteer for this force."