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Evening Star, Issue 25225, 12 July 1944, Page 4

Passengers on the train from Balclutha on Monday morning were surprised to see a lamh in a. flock of ewes in a paddock adjacent the railway line in the vicinity .of Crichton. This must be the first lamb in these parts this season.

" Chaotic conditions will be ahead of us and the soldiers as they return from the front unless the Government promptly clarifies its thoughts and makes a clear statement of its intentions in regard to free enterprise immediately the war ceases," said the president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Mr F. G. Baskett, at a meeting of the council. Mr Baskett was referring to the plan for tie assistance of trade and f industry through taxation relief, which was announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir John Anderson, in the House of Commons last April. The Government was delaying far too long ment of post-war policy, said Mr Baskett. Great Britain was showing the way for post-war reconstruction in her recognition that free enterprise was the solid rock on which prosperity rested. " just as it takes time to prepare for war, so it takes time to prepare for peace, and that preparation should be made now," Mr Baskett added'.

More than two-thirds of the British tanker fleet are already provided with steel lifeboats, reports the London technical paper, ' The Engineer.' Others are equipped with wooden lifeboats converted to make them fireproof. These boats, converted according to a system devised by British experts, have already overcome' perhaps the most frightful peril of the sea—launching a lifeboat into waters covered with burning oil, This is ensured by a thin metal protective sheeting and an asbestos cotton hood in three sections completely covering the boat, and a system of spray pipes through which water is sprayed over the outer surface of the boat.

1 The vexed question of what motorists regard as undue leniency shown, under the existing Act, to persons convicted of converting cars to their own use, was further discussed at last night's meeting of the executive of the Automobile Association (Otago), when a letter was received from the South Island Motor Union, enclosing a cutting from ' The South Australian Motor ' commenting on the question of car thefts and referring to a case in Adelaide in which a youth, charged on two counts, had been sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment on each count, while another youth had been sent to a reformatory for two years. After members of' the executive had, expressed their views on the question, it was resolved to strongly support the South Island Union in any action it might take in an endeavour to have the Act amended so that a sentence of imprisonment might be imposed for the offence of car conversion. Last week 252 towns attained their quotas of National War Savings, the eamo number as for the preceding week. All the principal centres reached their objectives, and in each of the 18 postal districts the full district quota was secured. Full individual quotas were obtained by all towns in tho Dunedin, Greymouth, liirercargill, Oamaru, Timaru, and Westport districts. Additions to the list of places which have already recorded their full year's quotas are Blackball, in the Greymouth district, and Putaruru and Waharoa, in the Hamilton district.

At a meeting of tho Dunedin Community Sing Committee the following amounts were passed for payment:— Allied Nations' appeal. £116; Salvation Army, £22; Dunedin-St. Kilda Sub-zone Patriotic Committee, £IOO for parcels for service personnel overseas. A survey aimed at assessing accurately and fully the Dominion's productive potential of essential civilian garments is being made by the New Zealand Council of the Garment Manufactures' Federation (says the Wellington ' Post'). Statistics showing production to the end of last month and that which had been planned for the second half of this year are to ho used as a basis for ftjture planning of essential civilian garment production, along with the manufacture of necessary military clothing. The president of the council (Mr S. Howard Hunter), stating.that the survey work was undertaken primarily to ensure tho most efficient production of essential civilian goods wline keeping up with-military requirements, appealed to manufacturers to accord all possible aid and urgency to the survey worik. In. this he was supported by Mr G. A. Pascoe (factory controller) and Mr H. L. Bockett (man-power controller), who pointed out that full productive Statistics could be given only by tho manufacturers themselves. Stressing tho urgency of the garment supply position, Mr Pascoe said that if the most effective production was to be gained it was necessary for the organising and controlling councils to oibtain periodically and accurately a comprenensive picture of the present and potential manufacturing position. A tramcar proceeding from St. Clair to town left the rails at Cargill's Corner about 8 o'clock last night, and caused a temporary disorganisation of the service, several cars being held up. .After about 15 minutes the car was jacked back on to the rails and tho service was resumed.

Because of the shortage of buses to replace at peak traffic hours the Roslyn tram service, which v is temporarily out of commission, the city transport manager (Mr W. H. Mackenzie) lias issued an appeal for all persons who can possibly do so to travel up the • hill by buses leaving the city before- 4.30 p.m. He has pointed out that with the limited buses available the traffic at peak hours is a strain on tho bus resources of the department. The Postmaster-General (Mr Webb) stated to-day that air letter cards were being posted to civilians overseas and also Air Force personnel serving iii Canada. The cards could not ho accepted for air transmission, and in the circumstances those that had been posted would be forwarded to their destination by ordinary surface means.— Wellington Press Association. The balance of the report by Sir William Goodman on the Dunedin city transport system is still awaited by the City Council. Advice was received by the town clerk several days ago that it was almost completed, and it is expected to come to hand at an early date.

Comment on the apparent laxity of the responsible authorities at the Public Hospital in failing to notify a medical witness at the request of the police of the necessity for his attendance at the proceedings was made by the Coroner (Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M.) at an inquest at the Hospital this morning. The witness, a liouse "surgeon, who had to be sent for at the _ last moment, appeared to give \ evidence in surgical garments, including rubber gloves, which had been made sterile for operating purposes. This created difficulties in administering the oath required from a witness. Though conjectures as to the length of the war'are-many, one English advertising agent is taking no chances. To & letter, renewing an advertising contract for. a further twelve months, he adds this footnote: " Should the war end before the expiration of the order, will you please substitute the enclosed copy." An apprentice to the seafaring life, sailing with his ship on the high seas, looked forward to June 26 with keen anticipation. On that day he would be 21 years of age, and a celebration appropriate to the occasion was to take place. The ship sailed on and the great day came nearer; then the international date line was crossed, the calendar leaped from June 25 to June 27, and the day which was to be so signally celebrated had vanished.

Pictures, giving a good idea of tho fantastic prices paid for certain lines of fruit and vegetables were published in the London ' Daily Express ' of May 5, but the main point of the pictures wa6 not the high prices, but the disparity between the cost of similar lines in tho West End and East End. To buy a melon in tho West End required an outlay of £3, compared with 30s for the same commodity in the East End. West End peaches were priced at ißs 6d each, compared with 7s each in the poorer district, and other striking contrasts shown in the picture were asparagus, 2os a bundle, as against Bs, and lettuce, 2s 6d each, as against 4d. The West End shop window showed, marrows at 7s Gd each and mushrooms at 15s per lb, and beans at 10s 6d per lb.

Tom Heeney, the New Zealand heavyweight of 15 years ago, is visiting Auckland. Heeney, who came from Gisborne is now a chief petty officer in the United States Naval Reserve. For more than a year he has been on service in the South Pacific area, mostly on the exercise and recreation side. During that time he has arranged many boxing contests in New Caledonia between New Zealanders and Americans. Heeney became a naturalised citizen of the United States after his contest with Gene Tunuey for the world's heavyweight championship. When war was declared against Japan he was in business in Florida.