WEATHER FORECAST

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 93, 16 October 1943, Page 6

WEATHER FORECAST

Fresh to strong southerly/ winds, gradually decreasing tomorrow. Weather cloudy and cold, with occasional passing showers. The further outlook is for mainly fair weather, although cold. The Moon. —New moon, October 29. High Water.—Today, 7.16 p.m.; tomorrow, 7.39 a.m., 8.13 p.m.

Dog's Feat of Endurance. After being buried eight feet below ground for three weeks and two days, a wired-haired terrier belonging to Mr. J J. Keetley, of Cashmere, Christchurch, has returned to its home little the worse, Mr. Keetley told a reporter of the "Press" that the dog 'had disappeared down a natural water-channel on the Cracroft Wilson estate, where it had been hunting rabbits. Apparently •it had become jammed in the narrow tunnel, and until reduced almost to skin and bone, had been unable to extricate itself. It had survived by licking" the wet clay. The dog is 11 years old. Stepfather's Status. The question whether a stepfather came within the meaning of near relatives was raised before the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board at Auckland when hearing further appeals to remain in New Zealand made by men on furlough from the Middle East. The question arose when a soldier appealed against return overseas on account of his stepfather's health. Mr. F. J. Cox, Crown representative, said the instructions received in connection with the hearing of appeals did not state whether step-parents were included in the term "near relative." The board was unable to be guided by the meaning given in other Acts. "There is not the same personal relationship in a step-parent as in a natural parent," remarked the chairman, Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S.M. Glass on the Road. Wellington is not the only city that is troubled with the nuisance of broken glass on the highways and byways. Auckland endures a similar, experience. "The glass menace on the streets has improved, but it is still not as good as it could be," said the president of the Auckland Automobile, Association, Mr. F. G. Farrell, on' Wednesday, states the "Star." He said that some motorists carried shovels and small brushes in their cars to clean up any glass they came across, and he suggested that others might also help in this way. The secretary, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, said the association would take proceedings for prosecution if proof was obtained of a person not removing from the street any broken bottles or glass for which he was responsible. New Zealand's Population. "There are many reasons for the static nature of New Zealand's population at the present time," said Mr. B. E. Orchiston, speaking on -behalf of i the Dominion Settlement Association iat a meeting in the Nelson Institute, ' reports the "Nelson Evening Mail." "There is a growing feeling that the underlying reason is the attitude of the general public to life. Nature in New Zealand has been good to us, consequently life has become easy, and pleasure is sought in preference to giving that service to our fellow-men that under the existing conditions of our civilisation we should give. The time has come, therefore, when we must share our heritage with others, and, in terms of the Atlantic Charter, encourage the less fortunate people of 1 the world to come and share our good fortune." Esperanto at University. "Not everyone is aware that the Liverpool University was the first in the world to establish a permanent lectureship of Esperanto," said Mrs. P. Hughson at a meeting of the Karori Esperanto Society this week. Mrs. Hughson explained that three £25 prizes are awarded each year in a competition open to any matriculated student or graduate of an approved University in the British Empire, and that Esperanto- had also been accepted by the Liverpool University as a firstyear subject for the B.A. degree. "An-' other interesting fact," the jfieaker 'concluded, "is that this language is among the examination subjects of the Royal Society of Arts and Ruskin College has included Esperanto in its Army educational correspondence courses." Soldiers in Work. Soldiers or other members of the Armed Forces who take up private employment while on furlough are not exempt from social security charge and national security tax in respect of salary or wages earned, says the "New Zealand Law Journal." Regulation 10 (b), Social Security Contribution Regulations, 1939, Amendment No. 1, provides that "every member of his Majesty's Forces shall be exempt from liability to pay the social security charges which would, but for this regulation, be payable upon the pay and allowances earned by him as a member of those Forces, to the extent to j which payment thereof on his behalf is not made by the Crown: Provided that this paragraph (b) shall not apply in the case of any member of his Majesty's Forces on whose behalf no portion of the social security charge payable by him on the pay and allowances earned by him as a member of those forces has been paid by the Crown." Four Points. A reply to four points raised by Mr. C. V. Smith, immediate past-presi-dent of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Conference, on behalf of the Dunedin organisation, is to be sought from the Government. "From time to time we hear rumours of agreements and understandings and we realise that they cannot always be made public," he said. "If they can't give us the answer then we have to go on guess-, ing." The four points raised were:— | (1) What agreeements, if any, New Zealand has entered into under lendlease which would or might affect New Zealand manufacturers adversely or beneficially after the war?; (2) What obligations New Zealand has accepted under the mutual aid agreement of the United Nations? (3) To what extent New Zealand has entered into negotiations with other countries which may affect our obligations under the Ottawa Agreement? (4) What policy discussions ahe Government has had with the United Kingdom Government with reference to. post-war trade? | Shining Cuckoos Arrive. Several reports have been received of the shining cuckoo having been heard and seen during the last few days in and around Wellington. This migratory bird, known to the Maori as pipiwarauroa, arrives ,in New Zealand in large numbers at the end of September or the beginning of October and becomes widely distributed. Where it comes from is still rather doubtful, but it is probably from the Solomon Islands, in which case it should be pleased with New Zealand's relatively peaceful atmosphere. Like other cuckoos, it can't be bothered with raising its own family. The eggs are deposited in the nests of some unsuspecting bird which duly hatches them. The young cuckoo grows at an amazing pace, ousts any rightful inhabitants of the nest, and gives its foster-parents a very strenuous time attending to its wants. In January and February the shining cuckoo goes back to the islands whence it came, although occasionally one or two birds remain in New Zealand throughout the winter months. Captain Cook noted them as one of New Zealand's forest birds, and the Maoris of that time told him that in winter time the birds hid in holes in the ground or old tree stumps; to reappear again in the spring, but ornithologists do not subscribe to this idea and have established that the shining, cuckoo is a migrant.