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Evening Star, Issue 23724, 4 November 1940, Page 6

A curious coincidence in surnames occurred at a meeting of a building society in Auckland. Tenders were under consideration, and as two persons submitted the same price for an appropriation the issue had to be decided by lot. A hot was hastily requisitioned from a nearby bench and the names placed in it. The name of tho successful tenderer proved to be the same as that of the owner of the hat, who, however, was not a participant in the particular proceedings. A patriotic gesture has been made by a Wellington woman who won a motor car in a raffle for patriotic funds. She is Mrs A. Fine, ot Hataitai, who sent the following letter to the honorary secretary of the Wellington Provincial Council, the Hon. V. Ward:—“ I won a motor car raffled by the Brooklyn Bowling Club in aid of tho National Patriotic Funds. Naturally, it has given me a thrill to have won this valuable prize. It will give me equal pleasure, however, to hand this car back to yon for the purpose of further assisting the patriotic funds. I feel, in common with many other citizens, that every possible effort should be made to help tho Empire cause, and with this end in view I shall bo pleased to arrange a retransfer ot the car to your council in order that yon may dispose of it for the benefit of the. fund in any way which you deem fit.”-

An intruder who broke into the Salvation Army Rest Room at Waterloo quav (Wellington) during the week-end and* rilled the collection box apparently tried to cover up his crime by setting fire to the building. When the young woman in charge of it arrived on Sunday morning she found books and papers smouldering, the floor damaged, and curtaim and decorations destroyed by fire. Entry had been effected by breaking a window. An investigation made later by tbo fire brigade showed that fires had been started m several places ib tho rest room, but they hticl only smouldered.

In spite of having to go a long way north in order to avoid a storm area, tbo Tasman Empire Airways Hying boat Aotcaroa made record time on the journev from Sydney to Auckland yesterdnv" She slipped her buoy at Sydney at G 4 a.ra. (New Zealand time), and was moored here at 1.42 p.m,, making her time from buoy to buoy 7h 38mm. This is some Grain quicker than her previous fastest passage. Under the command of Captain Garden, the Aotcaroa brought 14 adult passengers and an infant of four weeks, and also 1501 b of mail and 951 b of freight.

Ducks with their young provide a very attractive sight in the Botanic and Woodhaugh Gardens at present, and it seems a pity that they should bo disturbed by dogs at Woodhaugh. Chased by these on Saturday afternoon, a brood of ducklings sought safety on tho Leith bowling green. live were rescued by bowlers ami put back in the pond, but three were killed befoie they could be saved.

“ I’m loving this excitement, and 1 wouldn't be anywhere but here,” writes Miss Given Champion, formerly of-New Plymouth, in a letter from England, states the 1 Taranaki Daily News. “ Air raids and danger bring out the best in people, and one feels the great-c-sfc admiration for the people of Lngmna In a severe raid in Bradford the other night, when tho first bombs caught thousands of people coming out of theatres, they did not panic, and ci crywhere some civilian was seeing what he or she could do for the other person.

The Manpower Committee Appeal Board (Mr D. C. Cameron presiding) held a sitting this morning to hear appeals lodged by men called up m tho first ballot for territorial service. An appeal by Messrs Sargood' Son and Ewen Ltd., on behalf of a worker, was dismissed, as , also were the appeals of five farm workers Tho rases of two farmers were adjourned until March next, while that of another was adjourned sine die. An appeal- by the Mosgiel 'Woollen Co. Ltd., on behalf of a worker, was adjourned until March 1.

The annual conference of the Locomotive Engineers, Firemen’s, and Cleaners’ Association opened last Tuesday and is not expected to conclude until towards the end of this week. It was stated to-day that tho items which had been dealt with or were down for discussion included wages, conditions, and holidays and the quality of coal supplied to the railways.—Wellington Press Association.

A chimney fire in street, St. Kilda, at 8.9 p.m. and malicious false alarms from the corner of Filloul street and Moray Place at 9.25 and from Glen road at 4 o’clock caused the City Brigade to turn out on Saturday. Whippets in Christchurch are at present suffering from an epidemic of pneumonic influenza (says the ‘Press’). There was to have been a race meeting held by the New Brighton Whippet Racing Club ah Bower Park on Saturday afternoon, but it had to be cancelled because the epidemic is affecting 60 per cent, of the whippets and is in many cases causing death.

Advice Ims been received by the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association from the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin) that the Oil Fuel Controller has approved the issue of petrol to judges, officials, and exhibitors travelling to agricultural and pastoral shows. Applications should be certified bv secretaries of shows and lodged with the local district or subdistrict oil fuel controller.

The Royal Commission of investigation of the Mercer railway accident is unlikely to open publicly until the middle of November, as the chairman, Sir Francis Frazer, is already busy on war pension appeals in the Auckland district. However, there is a possibility of the members of the commission being able this week to inspect the locomotive, which remains alongside the track. The damaged carriages have been removed to tho Otahuhu Railway Workshops.—Parliamentary correspondent.

“ Our Methodist Church stands for tho rights of conscience and insists on those rights being duly recognised, so long as tho conscientious objections are evidently sincere,” states a leading article in the ‘ New Zealand Methodist Times ’ (official organ of the church) of November 2. The chufch, the article added, had to bo thoroughly satisfied of the sincerity of objections, and felt strongly that those who objected to undertaking military duty should be willing to render some form of alternative service to their country. All had obligations to the land which gave them protection and rights and privileges. It was to be hoped that those whom the church defended in their demand to have their appeal for exemption honoured would be ready to give that alternative national service.

“ Wc are not anticipating any drastic measures in order to give boot and shoo repairers any advantage over other trades in regard to prices.” said Mr_C. Siversen, president of the Dominion. Federation Boot Trades Association, in the association’s monthly journal. These remarks were made about the recent revision of prices for boot and shoe repairs. “We can only go so far in this direction,” said Mr Siversen, “ as the tribunal will allow us, and I for one firmly support any measure which will keep'a check on increases which are not warranted.” An Auckland Association message states that English people from the Far East, visiting Auckland, state that tension has eased following thp opening of the Burma Road. The general impression is that tho United States and Britain have called Japan’s bluff by reopening the road, and there is now a greater feeling of security in Eastern countries. Noumea, which recently came under the control of de Gaulle, is reported to be quiet and carrying on as usual.

In future men who are called up for tho Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force and who fail to pass the eyesight test at the initial medical examination are to bo provided with glasses at the expense of the country, provided they are able to pass the examination in all other respects. This latest Government instruction has boon sent to all regional deputies. The men in this category aro to be graded class.], but the issue of spectacles will not bo made until they reach camp.

The Railway Department adversiso.s in this issue, particulars of excursion fares am} special train arrangements in connection w'lb Carnival VYccJ; at. Christchurch from November 9 to 16.