Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 25716, 13 February 1946, Page 4

At yesterday's meeting of the Dun~ edin Amenities Society an appeal was made to citizens to save narcissus, daffodil, hyacinth, or bluebell bulbs for planting out on the Town Belt by the Dunedin Cubs. A field day for planting will be held as soon as the present medical restrictions permit. A suggestion was made by Mr P. G. Connolly, M.P., this morning that withiu the next year he considered that the sales tax on materials for soldiers' bomes might be reduced. Perhaps, he said, the tax might not be reduced the full 25 per cent,, but at least by a portion of it. This statement was made m reply to a question asked at a meeting, at which various aspects of the housing shortage wore discussed. A victim of tho parasitic habit of the cuckoo in depositing its egg in the post of another bird was observed in the garden of a Mount Albert resident (says the 'New Zealand Herald 1 ). The foster-parent was, as is frequently the case, a small grey warbler, and it was endeavouring to feed a fat young shining cuckoo considerably bigger than itself. For several hours the faithful warbler supplied the hungry interloper with 'grubs, and when at last the smaller bird Hew away it was closely followed by the loudly-complaining cuckoo.

" I am the chief cook of the Australian army," said Sir Stanton Hicks, professor of physiology and pharmacology at Adelaide University and director of catering for tho Australian army, during his' address to the Auckland* Rotary Club, "My object," said Sir Stanton, " was to improve the status of cooks and to provide for posts up to the rank of major. This provoked a strong reaction, but it came off, and, simply by good housekeeping, we were able to 'savo millions of pounds and at the same time keep soldiers in the forward areas healthier and happier." " It is' high time that school committees took drastio action with trespassers on Education Board property, and if necessary, tho Mount Eden School Committee will tnke legal action to draw to the public's notice that school property must bo protected," said tho chairman of the Mount Edon School Committee, Mr J. G. Helleur, owing to the damage done over the last wook-end to windows at the school (says the 'Herald'). From Thursday night until Monday morning 57 windows were broken by irresponsible persons. Since October of last year 187 windows have, been broken fls the result of vandalism. Mount Eden is not the only school that has suffered in this direction, many others around the city having made the same complaint. The Mount Eden committee has enlisted the assistance of tho police and has taken steps to patrol the school grounds in the evening. " Invercargill is more or less an agency town, and so long as it remains an agency town it will not progress," declared a member of tho Southland Progress League at a meeting of the league. Outside interests set up industries in the city, and the money went to other cities, he added. _ Another member expressed the opinion that if the town was going to progress Southlanders would have to subscribe tho money for new industries in the province. It was mentioned during the discussion that Southlanders were investing thousands of pounds in the North Island. At a speed of 450 miles an hour, faster than any aircraft yet flown in Now Zealand, the Gloster Meteor jet plane on loan from the Air Ministry swept over the countryside north of Auckland on Monday morning in a successful test flight from Hobsonvillo (says the 'Herald'). The aircraft was flying so fast that when it thundered by the noise of its engines appeared -• to originate from some distance behind the plane. Most impressive was its extraordinarily swift climbing. The screaming motors seemed to hurl the plane upward as fast as it could dive. .When on several occasions during the flight the Meteor was out of sight its position could alwnvs be determined by tho noise, which was audible for miles.

The purchase of the Middlomore Hospital for £600,000' from the War Assets Realisation Board was approved by the Auckland Hospital Board on Monday night. The terms, agreed to in discussions with the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, on February 2, provide that all work in hand and planned to date must be completed to the board's satisfaction. The board and tho Government, during the first year's occupation, will share in equal proportions tlie cost of maintenance and repair of buildings, roads, grounds, and services arising out of constitutional defects.

Gas restrictions continue in Auckland, and the gas company is very concerned regarding the future position. Enough coal for nine days' supply, however, is expected from the "West Coast on Friday. The company lias not had any opportunity to build up reserve stocks. The ages-old prayers for rain as set out in the Roman Catholic Missal are being said by every priest at every daiiv mass throughout the Auckland diocese by order of Bishop Liston. On Sunday all congregations said aloud the prayer for rain. The long spell of dry weather is having a marked effect on dairy production and tobacco and l hop crops in the Nelson district. Dairy factories report rapidly decreasing supplies, and considerable difficulty is being experienced in maintaining the city milk supplies. Although a greatly increased area of tobacco was planted this year, the prospects are that the weight of the crop wili be less as the leaf is below normal size. Tho secretary of the Hopgrowers' Association stated that the hop crop would be the lightest ever experienced, as the hops in most areas failed to set. There are no reserve stocks of hops in .New Zealand, and brewers are ready to take the new season's crop as soon as it has been harvested.

Several scientists from the Department of Scientific and Industrial, Research have arrived at Thames to make a geological survey of the Thames goldfield. They include Dr E. Marsden, director of the department, Dr J. Henderson, geological adviser to tlie Government, Messrs O'Neill, O. Marshal, and R. S. Prout, the two latter being former Thames School of Mines scholarship winnors. It is proposed to start investigations around the Upper Tararu Credit area immediately. Geophysical work was started at the request of the council of tho Thames School of Mines, and it is expected that the investigations will take several weeks.

The cruiser H.M.N.Z.S. Gambia had sailed from Auckland on her return to tho United Kingdom, stated the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, yesterday. He said the following message had been sent to tho ship by the New Zealand Naval Board;—"On her leaving Now Zealand after an eventful period with the Royal New Zealand Navy, the Navaj Board wishes Gambia a good passage and good luck to all her officers and the ship's company in their divergent ways in the Royal New Zealand Navy, the, Royal Navy, and in civil life The pages that the Gambia has written.in tho history of New Zeaiand will be remembered for all time" Tho arrangements for the visit _to New Zealand early in April of Admiral Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Commander in South-east Asia, and Lady Mountbatten, are to be made by Commander C. J, Pitts, South African Naval Forces' staff officer of Southeast Asia Command, who arrived in Auckland by flying boat from Sydney yesterday afternoon. Commander Pitts said the details of the visit would probably be announced h,y the Government after official discussions had taken place. Commander Pitts, who has been attached to Admiral Mountbatten's staff for two years and l a-half, was met on his arrival by Captain the Hon. D. E. A. Winn. A.D.C. to the GovernorGeneral, and is the guest of their Excellencies, Sir Cyril and Lady Nowall, at Government "House. Commander Pitts was to leave by air for Wellington this morning, and expects to return to Australia within several days.

An amusing story of the way in which two returned servicemen rehabilitated themselves was told by Mr T. L. Maodonald, M.P., at the welcome to servicemen at Gore. These two gallants bought themselves a pub, and the day after they took possession, a resident of the town, at 10 o'clock, feeling thirsty, went to the door, but found the plaoe still locked. He hammered on the door, and eventually a tousled head was thrust out of an upper-story window, and a sleepy voice inquired what the caller wanted, "You bought this pub, didn't you?" asked the resident, " Yes," replied the sleepy voice, " but we bought it for ourselves."

The Philatelic Society of New Zealand (incorporated) has been granted permission by the King to use tha prefix "'Royal "-in its title. Advice to this effect has been received by tie society from the official secretary to the Governor-General. Established in 1888, the society hns about 200 members in the Dominion, The patron is the Governor-General and the president Sir Heaton Rhodes.—Wellington PA.. Auctioneers and land agents nre liable to an annual licensing fee, which is due by the end of this month, the revenue being absorbed by the City Corporation in the case of the city area and by the local authorities concerned according to the locality where the business is conducted. The annual foe. which is payable to the Magistrate's Court, is £4O for auctioneers and £lO for land agents. Recruiting for J force is still gong along steadily. The total up to this morning was 301. and 26 more offered their services during the morning. There is still a big discrepancy between the number of men and the appropriate number of officers, however.

A meeting of the Dunedin Development Council was hold yosterday, when the problem of housing was discussed with Sir James Fletcher, and Messrs G. W. Albertson, Director of Housing, G. F. Wilson, architect to the Housing Department, and H. Stevens, District 'Supervisor of Housing. A tribute to tho interest taken by Sir James Fletcher }n the Development Council was paid to-day by the director, Vlr M. S. Myers* " Since the establishment of the council Sir James has ghen generously of his time and advice to assist our objectives," said Mr My»rs. " Whether he be in Dunedin or Wellington, his active assistance is always available, and his attendance at the council's meeting yesterday and the mayoral meeting this morning is further evidence of the interest he retains in this part of the Dominion," An instance of the delay in unloading coastal vessels when there is not enough wharf labour available at Eunedin to handle them was illustrated to-day, when there were four mips in port—Breeze, Waiana, Holmiafe, and Waipahi. The Breeze arrived <arly this morning with urgently-required cargo from Wellington that importers have been awaiting for three wieks. The watorsiders, who to-day held their usual periodic two-hour stop-work meeting, wore unable to supply eunigli labour to unload tho Breeze, aid it was 'decided to work this vessel after gangs had finished on the Waipaii.

Fire destroyed half the upper story of the large wool store at the Patea Freezing Company's works in a spectacular blaze about 7 o'clock last night. Had it not been for the prompt action by Patea fire brigadesmeu and the works firemen, there was a danger of the whole works being burned. A quantity of unbaled wool in the store was destroyed, and baled wool in the lower story was damaged by water. The fire is attributed to spontaneous combustion in the wool. When the brigades arrived the flames, accompanied, by a large volume of smoke, 'were coming through the roof. Aided by a good supply of water pumped into the town works main by the town's fire engine, the firemen succeeded in gaining control, and by about 8 o'clock the fire was extinguished. A rubbish fire in 'Regent road was extinguished by tho Central Firo brigade at 6.30 p.m. yesterday. At 11.17 p.m. there was a call to a factory in St. Andrew street, where n uns jet caused a slitrht outbreak of fire. No damage resulted.