NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 63, 11 September 1943, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

WEATHER FORECAST

Moderate northerly winds, freshening at times. Weather fair, with moderate temperatures. • . . . The further outlook is for fair to cloudy weather. The Moon.—Full moon, September

14 High Water.—Today, 1.41 p.m.; tomorrow, 2.5 a.m., 2.32 p.m.

Municipal Conference

The Municipal Association of New Zealand advises that it .has been decided to hold a conference of , delegates of municipalities and townjDoards at Napier next year. Owing to war developments no conference has been held since 1941, but there is now overwhelming opinion in favour of holding a conference to consider many important matters which have arisen meantime.

Eclipse Gazers Blinded

Many cases of blindness and serious injury to sight have occurred in Sydney through people looking at the eclipse of the sun on August 1 without proper eye protection, states 'The Post's" correspondent. In some cases, doctors say, the injury to the sight will be permanent. Generally, prospects ot recovery from "eclipse blindness are good. The victims are mostly people who watched the eclipse through ordinary dark glasses, which offered virtually no protection to the eyes when looking directly at the sun The rays of the sun burned the central part ot the retina.

Bees and Defaulters.

"There is probably no reason why he could not keep bees in a defaulters camp. They would be a good example to the defaulters," said Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., at Auckland, when John Stanley Byers, apiarist, aged 30. years, admitted a charge of failing to report for military service. Counsel said that his client, a conscientious objector on religious grounds, was engaged m the essential production of honey. He was convicted and ordered to be detained in a defaulters' camp.

Becoming a "Racket."

The view that pilfering was becoming a "racket" was expressed by Mr. C. S. Jeffs, president, at the monthly meeting of the Wanganui Chamber of Commerce. He was referring to the pilfering of ships' cargo and said the position was becoming worse every shipment. "It is difficult to detect because it can be done at the port of loading, during the voyage, or at unloading," he said.

Enemy Aliens.

The Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) announced at Timaru on Thursday night that matters appertaining to enemy aliens, particularly their custody when interned, as well as employment, would in future be administered by.Mr, Perry, who had been appointed Minister in Charge of Aliens, states a Press Association telegram. This arrangement would relieve Mr. Mason, who had administered these duties with great credit, tact, and ability. Mr. Perry had been asked to assume these duties in addition to those he was already exercising as Minister of Armed Forces and War Co-ordination.

Disappearing Goldfish.

A white heron which has been seen in various parts of the Temuka district during the last month has now found a prolific source of food supply in the goldfish in the lily-pond at the Temuka Domain, states the Christchurch "StarSun." As the bird is strictly protected, the acting curator (Mr. N. F, Balls) is in rather a dilemma. The heron was reported a week ago to be cleaning up the goldfish in the pond at the Bramwell Booth Boys' Home. Relays of boys were told off to scare the visitor from the pond, and it was finally persuaded to take up its quarters, at an adjacent creek, where the fishing, if not so ■ abundant, was not subject to continual disturbance.

"I Don't Like It."

"I don't like the look of this. It's too drab. Can't it be painted?" asked the Prime' Minister (Mr. Fraser) during an inspection of State houses jn Christchurch when he was viewing a house which had been finished with creosote instead of paint, states the "Star-Sun." When the Prime Minister was told that the instructions for creosote to be used had come from Wellington, he said that he could not live in a drab place like that. "It looks like a Maori whare instead of a State house. The question ought to be referred back to the Housing Department." Members of the Rehabilitation Committee, who were with the Prime Minister, also expressed disappointment with the appearance of the house and said that as trainees from the carpentry school were engaged on its construction, they were afraid that its appearance might be a reflection on the workmanship of the men. The Prime Minister said that there was nothing wrong with the construction of the house. The workmanship was excellent and a credit to the men concerned, but again looking at the outside of the house, he shook his head, saying, "I don't like it."