NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 150, 26 June 1943, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

WEATHER FORECAST Nortli-wcsterly winds, fresh to strong at times. Weather mainly fair, with cool to moderate temperatures. The further outlook is for. rather changeable westerly weather, with occasional periods of showers. The Moon.—New moon, July 3. High Water.—Today, 11.48 a.m.; tomorrow, 12.16 a.m., 12.40 p.m. Tuis More Plentiful. There are many more tuis than usual at this time of year in the Botanical Gardens and elsewhere in the city, and it looks as if this most .attractive native bird is firmly re-establishing itself in urban areas. One reason may be that food is more plentiful than usual, the flowering gums that have been extensively planted being one of the attractions. In the spring the kowhai trees are a lure. The tuis, moreover, are remarkably tame. An increase in the number of tuis has been remarked upon in« other places than Wellington, the city of Nelson being another place where they are becoming increasingly common. Telling- The Time. Responsibility for the imposition upon the radio listening public of N,ew Zealand of the "0-0 hours" time systemis placed in the annual report of the National Broadcasting Service upon the Chiefs of Staff of the Forces. At their request, says the report, announcements of time are made by stations on the basis of the 24-hour clock as well as on the 12-hour clock basis, in order to make the public familiar with the method of time calculation which would be largely used in an emergency. Fewer Radio Licences. During the year ended March 31 last 368,165 radio receiving licences were issued a decrease in the year of 3094, stated the annual report of the National Broadcasting Service presented to Parliament yesterday. The decrease could be attributed to, among other things, the wartime limitations on radio dealers in regard to materials and man-power and to the fact that many men in the Forces would not have renewed their licences. Bills Before House. The Financial Debate in the House of Representatives was, interrupted yesterday to permit of the passage of an Imprest Supply Bill voting two months' supply to provide financial accommodation for State services. The total amount of the schedules in the Bill is £13,02^000. A Finance Bill containing a number of miscellaneous and validating clauses was also introduced and was read a first time. The annual taxing Bill also made it appearance. This measure reimposes the rates of income and land taxes in operation last year. The House rose at 5.15 p.m. for the weekend adjournment. Shot Rabbit During Battle. Writing to his parents, Private H. Le Page, who has driven a carrier during the various Libyan campaigns, describes an incident in the final operations, states the Christchurch "StarSun." ' "We had arrived at the starting line for the attack on the gap, and were waiting for zero hour and, as usual before an attack, had that funny feeling. Just near where we were was a patch of broad beans so we decided that some would not be amiss and filled a bag with them. Then Jerry decided to give us all he had, and a ! slit trench was the safest place for a time. After a while things quietened down a bit and, looking out, I saw a couple of rabbits come out. When I I had got a rifle they had disappeared round some bushes, so I climbed out and stalked them. I got one and then licked back as fast as I could before Jerry got me. It came in very nicely, especially as our cooks didn't manage to get up to the front that evening." Broadcast from Troops. More than 4550 personal messages from New Zealand servicemen overseas were broadcast by the National Broadcasting Service in the twelve months ended March 31 last, the figure being nearly double that of the previous year, said the annual report of the N.B.S. presented to Parliament yesterday. Of last year's messages 3139 were from the Middle East, 640 from Britain and 771 from^Canada and the United States. In addition to personal greetings there were 86 broadcasts of discussions, personal experiences, and commentaries by members of the forces overseas. Greetings and talks for members of the Maori Battalion were broadcast in a special programme. Recorded talks on subjects of New Zealand interest were supplied to the 8.8.C. for broadcasting in England and to the Broadcasting Unit in the Middle East for broadcasting to New Zealand forces in Africa. Mr. Scrimgeour. The Manawatu and Wanganui subbranch of the New Zealand Dairy Factories and Related Trades Employees Industrial Union of workers, states "The Post's" Manawatu correspondent, resolved, that it was. unanimously in sympathy with the Controller of Commercial Broadcasting, Mr. C. G. Scrimgeour, "who, as a reward for standing to his principles—principles apparently not in conformity with those of certain Labour leaders—was made the victim of a personal vendetta culminating m his dismissal from a position he has so creditably and efficiently held since the inception of commercial broadcasting, and we strongly urge that the Ministers responsible for his dismissal take steps to effect his reinstatement." The meeting also resolved that it was emphatically opposed to any individual holding Ministerial office when that individual had not been duly and democratically elected by the people, and desired to point out to the Government that these high-handed, arbitrary methods would not be forgotten nor forgiven by many of its former supporters when the question of a further mandate came up for consideration. Lyttelton Tunnel Road. A conference of local body and other delegates in Christchurch on Thursday, at which Mr. V. E. Hamilton, of the Chamber of Commerce, presided, sanctioned the following motion:—-"We approve of the Tunnel road between Christchurch and Lyttelton as a work of national importance, and ask the Government to favourably consider the matter, the cost to be borne by the Government, and that any remodelling of the port be done as and when in the opinion of the Lyttelton Harbour Board the trade of the port justifies the expenditure, or when in the course of renewals and replacements, wharves, etc., have to be constructed." As several of the delegates announced that they had no authority to vote, it was decided that this motion should be merely an expression of opinion from the conference, and that they should report to their respective local bodies and organisations, states the "Press." The conference was adjourned until the first week in August, "The motion is extraordinary in as much as it had not been voted upon," said Mr. W. S. Mac Gibbon, "but it • expresses the spir.it of the meeting.'*