NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20378, 15 October 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

What is “Vicinity”? “It is not quite so bad as that,” commented Mr. W. H. Woodward, S.M., when a defendant at the New Plymouth Police Court stated that he understood a person broke the law if he was found with liquor within half a mile of a dance hall. “The law defines the term rather loosely as ’in the vicinity of’ a hall where a dance is in progress,” added the magistrate. Qualified in Musketry About 40 men of the Gisborne troop and signal troop, W.E.C.M.R.. took part in a qualifying shoot on Holden’s range during the week-end, the large majority showing competence and a small number qualifying for marksmen’s classification. With a maximum of 115 points, the highest score was registered by Trooper J. W. Clark, of the signal troop, who made 93. Lieutenant Cooper scored next in the list. Five Sons in Uniform All five sons of Stratford’s Mayor and Mayoress, Mr. and Mrs. P. Thomson, are in uniform. Their eldest son is with the R.A.F. in England, and the second and third sons are both with the First Echelon in Egypt. Their remaining two sons are both under 21 years of ' age, but one is with the Scottish Rifles in camp at Wanganui, and the youngest is in camp with the territorials at Waverley. Christmas Mails In view of the uncertainty of transit, definite closing dates for Christmas mails for overseas cannot be given by the Post and Telegraph Department, which recommends posting at the "earliest possible date. Suggested closing dates have been listed as follows: For Great Britain, Europe and the East (including Egypt), midOctober; for America, last week in November; and for Australia, midDecember. Golfers Watch Air Battles Golf in parts of Britain has become exciting since Hitler launched his air attacks. A director of one of England’s biggest shipping firms in a letter just received in Christchurch said: “I saw •some exciting air battles yesterday while I was playing golf, and a number of Germans were brought down in the area visible from 1 the course. I saw no less than five Germans bail out in their parachutes at one time. The work of the Royal Air Force to date has been beyond praise and exceeded anything that we could possibly have hoped for." Baths Not Favoured Hardships suffered by clergymen in Canterbury were not confined to those of the earliest days alone, judging by a passage in the booklet issued for the diamond jubilee of St, Mark’s Church, Opawa. “The next provision was the provision of hot water, hath and drainage to the vicarage,” states the history, referring to 1902. “There was much opposition to the vicar and hl£ family having a bath. Evidently some of the members agreed with a semi-famous English member of Parliament, who publicly declared that an Englishman needed only two baths —one when he was born and the other when he was dead!” Sandals While You Wait A member of the Ngati Otautah: Club on a mussel-gathering expedition at Akaroa arrived at the mussel grounds with only one pair of boots, and found that he would be forced to ruin his boots or go barefoot on the sharp ancl uncomfortable rocks. Fortunately, however, among the Maori women at the settlement there, was one who had not lost the art of her ancestors of plaiting sandals, the Maori paraerae. Within half an hour she had made the fisherman a stout and comfortable pair of green flax sandals, closely plaited on the soles and provided with an adequate heelpiece and cross-pieces for the toes, c School Children from Burma , British residents of Burma will be sending their children to school in Australia and New Zealand, in all probability, according to Sir Ernest Roberts, Chief Justice of Burma, who is visiting Wellington. In peace-time these children spent their school years in England, for the climate in Burma was not good for growing children, he said. Now many had come out from England to join their parents because of existing conditions at Home, and he thought they would almost certainly he sent to carry on their education in Australia or New Zealand. Sir Ernest said he had learnt during his present trip that there were many excellent schools available in both Dominions. Intensive Course Completed Officers and non - commissioned officers of the Gisborne and Tolagn Bay troops, Wellington East Coast Mounted Rifles, returned to their homes during the week-end after undergoing an intensive course of instruction at* the C.D.5.1., at Wanganui and Tauherenikau. The group comprised 14 of all ranks, headed by Lieutenant-Colonel A. H. Wilson, who commands the regiment. The officers and non-commissioned officers will return to their normal callings until the new year, when they will proceed to camp for three months with their regiment. A small number may be called upon for special duties in the meantime, but owing to the character of their units it will not be possible to carry on intensive work with the troops in anticipation of their entry into camp in January.