LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A search through recent registrations of births in Dunedin reveals in contrast to the last war only two possible cases of Christian names being influenced by the conflict. One chosen recently is “Winston” and the other is “Bevin.”

Freight hauled through the Otira tunnel from the West Coast to Canterbury last week, amounted to 16,028 tons, compared with 14,457 tons in the corresponding week of last year, an increase of 1571 tons. In 1939, «the corresponding total was 15,068 tons.

It is understood (says the “Westport News”) that a number of Italian miners, formerly employed in the Grey district, who have been engaged on land clearing work at Ikamatua, will take up a land clearing contract at Organ’s Island.

The West Coast Man Power Committee will hear appeals at Westport at 2 p.m. on Thursday, and at 9 a.m. on Friday; at Hokitika on Monday, July 21, at 2 p.m.; at Wataroa, on Wednesday, July 23, at 2 p.m.; at Greymouth on Thursday, July 24, at 2 p.m.; and at Reelton on Friday, July 25, at 1U.30 a.m.

An amusing answer by a schoolboy in recent examinations conducted at a Marton school was traced by the teacher to political discussion by the pupil’s parents. The boy had heard the Minister of Railways, Mr Semple, described as a “political volcano,” and in answer to a geography question on what a volcano gave forth wrote “boiling palava.”

When he was knocked over on Saturday evening, at the intersection of Weld and Sewell Streets, Hokitika, by a car driven by Mr. M. Hewlett, of Arahura Valley, Mr. David Kelly, of Woodstock, received a fracture of the upper right arm. He was admitted to Westland Hospital, and is progressing satisfactorily.

Following the example set. by St. John Ambulances in Auckland, the mudguards of which have been painted white, a few Auckland motorists have taken the precaution of using white or cream paint on parts of their vehicles to ensure safer motoring with reduced lights on the road. One driver used cream P a >m liberally and covered almost the whole front and back of his car.

“Throughout the Dominion the children ate apples to the value oi £31,000,” said the Acting-Prime Minister, Mr Nash, at Birkenhead, when referring to the recent practice of distributing apples at schools. It had cost the Government a lot of money to safeguard the interests oi orchadists whose products could not be exported on account of the war, but the policy had been completely justified by the results.

Thirty-five members of the Karoro Home Guard attended the lectures given last’evening by Staff Sergeant Major S. Davy on the Lewis gun ana the use of tracer ammunition and Verey lights. Following the lectures, demonstrations were given on the beach. On Sunday, under the direction of S.S/M. Davy, the members of the Guard were given practical demonstrations of the use of camouflage and smoke as cover. Some members acted as snipers and others were instructed to advance along the beach. Considerable initiative was shown by the Guardsmen engaged in the exercises.

Six match axes have been forwarded to the New Zealand ForestryCorps in England, for use in chopping competitions with Canadian and Australian axemen. The secretary of the New Zealand Timber Workers Union (Mr. F. Craig) ' said to-day that a letter received from Corporal Deveraux, formerly secretary of the Owhango Axemen’s Association, stated that the ■ defeat of New Zealanders in chopping contests was because they had to use axes to which they were not accustomed. The National Council of the Union, at its last meeting, inaugurated a subscription, and a business firm had forwarded the axes freight free. Mr. Craig said the union members were confident that when the New Zealand axemen received the axes, they would be successful in the chopping events.—Press Assn.

No fewer than 88 new factories have been established in New Zealand during the past three months, according to the Minister for Industries and Commerce (Mr. Sullivan). He said yesterday that in spite of the impact of the war upon industrial and economic life, manufacturers were continuing to show enterprise, and new manufacturing units were still being established.

The first examination for men called in the Eighth Ballot, for Territorial Service, was held at Greymouth to-day, when 20 men were before the Medical Board. Fourteen were passed as lit and two as temporarily unfit while the gradings of four were deferred. Another sitting of the Medical Board will be held this evening and two on Thursday.

“Your sister is to be commended; her action is a lesson to others,” said Mr C. Orr Walker, S.M., chairman of the Armed Forces Appeal Board, to Maxwell Haultain Newton, dairy farmer, tffter Newton had told the board that his sister was to carry on the appellant’s farm, states a Whangarei correspondent. Newton asked that he be not called for service until November 1 to enable him to get everything in order for his sister to carry on the farm, on-which 33 cows were being milked. He said that his two brothers were overseas, and he wanted to join them. The postponement was granted. /

When the House met, this afternoon, the Acting-Prime Minister (Mr. Nash) read the following telegram from' Mr. Fraser, despatched from London: “His Majesty the King asked me to send his sincere thanks to members of the House for the message which I undertook in my speech in the House, prior to my departure, to convey on their behalf. His Majesty informed me he was very grateful, for the wholehearted way in which members were giving effect to the determination of his people in New Zealand to bring to a victorious end, the struggle in which our armed forces have already played so glorious a part.”— Press Assn.

As a symbol of the United States’ friendly relationship with Great Britain and admiration for the Pacific Dominions, Pan American Airways’ new Boeing flying- boat, which will be used in the service to New Zealand, has been named Anzac Clipper. The Clipper, one of several recently completed at the Seattle Boeing factory, is expected to arrive at Auckland on August 16. “In America the word ‘Anzac’ is one which typifies the spirit and determination of the people of Australia and New Zealand,” said Mr P. S. Delany, traffic manager at Auckland for Pan American Airways. “The word is applied to all New Zealanders and Australians by Americans, most of whom are familiar with the derivation of the word.”

Recent papers with reference to his birth have shown that Mr James Joseph Cooper, of Arthur Street, Onehunga, who last year celebrated what he believed to be his hundredth birthday, was born at Cromer, Norfolk, England, on August 9, 1841. Consequently he will not become an actual centenarian until next month. Mr Cooper swam ashore from his ship in Mechanics Bay when he was 22 years of age, and volunteered for service in the Maori War, after which he joined in Otago and West Coast goldfield rushes. Later he settled down to farming at Ellerslie and later at Pakuranga. He is now living with his daughter, Mrs A. S. Vazey, of Onehunga, who has verified her father’s actual age by having obtained his birth certificate from Cromer.

“Articles have appeared from time to time in several popular American papers stating that the American Air Force is making extensive use of col-our-blind men as observers, said the Minister for Defence (Mr. Jones), in a statement yesterday, but according to experts who were consulted on the matter, the subject bristles with difficulties because of the many and varied interpretations of the same camouflage object. “If a normal person is provided with a piece of coloured glass to look through, he will usually outclass a colour-blind person at seeing through any given piece of camouflage. The Royal New Zealand Air Force has not yet been asked to supoly any colour-blind observers, indicating that the British Air Ministry does not consider their use as anything more than an experiment,” said Mr. Jones. “Incidentally, the fact that colour-blind men could see through certain forms of camouflage was discovered in New Zealand long before any of these articles appeared in American papers.”—Press Assn.

Judgment for plaintiff by default, with costs, was given by Mr. G. G. Chisholm S.M., in each of the following cases at to-day’s civil sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth:— J. T. Cornish v. G. Wright, £5/7/-, costs £l/19/6; Commissioner of Taxes v. Maurice Edward Spiers £36 13/4, costs £l/12/-; J. M. Bunt and J. Saunders v. Alexander McPherson £34/3/6, costs £4/6/6, H. W. Kitchingham and F. A. Kitchingham v. R. F. Cochrane £3/8/9, costs £l/6/6; William Fisher v. R. Climo, £32/16/7, costs £4/1/6; Dalgety and Co., Ltd. v. H. P. Le Compte £B/15/7, costs £1 10/6. On a judgment summons, C. Herring was ordered to pay forthwith to W. Holley the sum of £B/7/1 and costs 15/6, in default seven days’ imprisonment. Robert Henry Coom was ordered to pay forthwith to Stratford. Blair and Co., Ltd., the sum of £5/5/1 and costs 15/6, in default six days’ imprisonment; W. H. Pearce was ordered to pay forthwith to Consolidated Distributors Ltd. the sum of £22/4/- and costs £l/11/6, in default 21 days’ imprisonment, warrant to be suspended lor one month.