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Evening Star, Issue 25067, 7 January 1944, Page 2

An unusual complaint appears in this week's list of diseases notified to the Health Department in the Otngo District. This is a case of dengue fever, a tropical disease, the patient having contracted it while on service in the Pacific and .having been brought to Dunedin for treatment. Other cases notified were two of scarlet fever, one of tuberculosis, and one of infantile paralysis.

In the Police Court this morning, before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., Thomas Walter Butcher, a .postman, aged.2U, (Mr H. Ross) was charged with indecent assault on a girl aged 6 years. Sergeant Stark, for the police, said that it was alleged that the accused saw the child in Forbury road about 2 p.m. on Wednesday and took her to some trees near the tennis court where the olfence was said to have been committed. In answer to the Bench, the sergeant said that the accused had not actually interfered with the child. The police asked for a remand until January 14 and this was granted, bail being fixed in the sum of £SO. accused to report daily. An application by counsel for the suppression of accused's name in the meantime was declined by the magistrate.

', While making the descent alter climbing the Mount Malte Brim in the Southern Alps, Messrs Bruce Gillies, of Oamaru. and H. Stevenson, of Wes-, ton, discovered the bodies of two men and a quantity of mountaineering gear. The bodies are believed to be those of Sergeant William Patrick Morton, of > Auckland, and ' Leading Aircraftman Wilfred Frank Walks, o) Cliristchurch, who were reported missing in March of last year. Mr Gillies returned to Oamaru yesterday morning, and the Timaru police, who were notified from the Hermitage of tlio discovery, organised a party to go to the locality. Messrs Gillies and Stevenson had mad 6 a successful ascent of Monnt Malte Brun and were returning when the former saw a rope lying on the slope. A little further on they found the body of a mau in an exposed position, and still further on the body of another man buried tinder snow. Mountaineering g«vi was found higher up on the mountain, and a rucksack was also recovered. Sergeant Morton was 24 years otage, and was the son of Mr -W.A. B Morton, of Auckland and formerly ot Fairlie. Leading Aircraftman Wains who was aged 27. was the son of Mr F. L. Wallvs. of Cliristchurch. Boasting that he could drink a " pot of whisky," a twenty-one-yeai-o Id labourer tossed oft ten ' nobblers and died, the Melbourne City Coroner (Mi Tineate) was told at the inquest in to the death of Mervyn George William McLean. Highett. The coroner. found that death was caused by acute alcoholism and suffocation. A barman said that McLean went into the hotel at Oakleigh on December 1. He had a beer and then a double whisky.. McLean then asked for a pot of whisky, and he served McLean with ten "nobblers in a pot. He thought McLean might be taking it away with him. Constable Murphy, of Malvern, said he saw McLean drink the pot of neat whisky without taking it from his mouth.

Soldiers from the Otago military district are taking an important part in gathering in harvest crops on farms throughout the province. Though harvesting operations'will not commence iu earnest until the end of this month to May, when the majority of the men will be called into service, three camps are now operating—one in North Otago, which opened during December and the others at Mid diem arch and Lake Hawea, which have been used by the soldier harvesters since the beginning of this week. Another camp is to- be established at Roxburgh later this month. About CO men are at present engaged in this type of farm work, all from the Otago area, and ot these half are composed of trainees who have been called up for 28 days' military service, the remainder being mobilised personnel. The heaviest calls for labour have come from farmers in the North Otago and the Lakes districts, where the crops are more advanced than elsewhere in the province. During wet-weather periods the men carry out the normal periods of military training," which is being temporarily suspended through the necessity to utilise Territorial labour on farms because of shortage of mau power. In order to provide crockery for recreation rooms in camps and at stations, material for indoor games and sports equipment, the National Patriotic Fund Board has had to comb markets both" iu the dominions and overseas. A large number of the Hues required have long disappeared from the Dominion and, where possible, arrangements have been made to import under license from abroad. Even in the big centres of production overseas, however.' in some cases there are no longer stocks, and in other cases production of certain lines is limited and export strictly controlled. The board has placed a number of orders. Some of the goods are now coming to hand, but delays are inevitable.

To brighten the city during the period of the New Zealand Bowling Tournament, when there will be hundreds of visitors from many parts of the Dominion, the Electricity Department has decided to illuminate the Octagon with streamers of coloured globes. The tournament begins on Wednesday of next week, and already many visiting bowlers and their wives have arrived. The majority of players from outside Dunedin are expected to reach here early next week.

German forces in Norway are turning Norwegian churches into prisons, stores, and barracks for Nazi troops, according to a report in the Swedish newspaper ' Svenska Morgenbladet.' The paper stated that the Germans have closed the historic Trondenes Church, near Harstad, and have placed a large store of ammunition, antiaircraft, guns and gun-carriages near the church. They have also built barracks there for 500 Russian war prisoners. The Trondenes Church, which dates back to medieval times, was a shrine revered by Norwegians of all religious sects. Korsnes Church, at Tysfjerd, near Thomsoe, was used as a"spirit and ale bar for German soldiers during the first part of the occupation period. Everything of value, including the plush round the. altar rails, was removed, and the church is now used as a store and for the accommodation of soldiers.

Australian aborigines are rendering valuable service to the war effort in co-operation with R.A.A.F. volunteer air observers' corps (says the Melbourne 'Age'). In one station property in North-west Australia the aborigines give active assistance to their employers; who are V.A.O.C observers. The only white people on the station are the 'two owners. With the assistance of the aboriginal community numbering 30 working on the property, a 24-hours' sky-watching service is maintained. No plane can approach the station without being sighted by many keen pairs of eyes, whose owners warn the official observers in apt pidgin English. The B.A.A.F. officer in charge of V.A.O.C. work in the area regards this lonely observation past as one of the most reliable and efficient in his network. The native watchers either see or hear the approaching aircraft in plenty of time for the white observers to get ready with binoculars, pad and pencil. It is stated that aborigines are not asked to keen air watch alone, since some have difficulty in counting up to more than four, biit the' system of utilising their keen eyesight and hearing has proved most satisfactory. The committees of the City Council wil commence their round of meetings ao-ain on Januarv 19. and the first meeting of the council lor the year will be held on Monday, January 31.