NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22669, 21 June 1948, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Shortest Day TodayToday is both officially and according to the solar calendar the shortest day of the year in New Zealand. It is also looked upon as the commencement of the three winter months. The sun today is at its furthest extent north of the equator, the declination being 23 degrees 26.9 minutes.

Footballer Injured Shortly after the commencement of the junior Rugby match between Old Boys and Union on Saturday afternoon, an Old Boys forward was tackled and brought down, a broken collarbone resulting from his fall The injured man was G. Davoren, Cook street. After receiving treatment at the Cook Hospital he was taken to his home.

Mortality Among Cats Cats in Tauranga have been dying in large numbers in the past few days. According to a veterinary surgeon, Mr. J. Spellman, the cause is either of two diseases, feline influenza or feline enteritis. The latter proves fatal in most cases. Mr. Spellman advised keeping cats indoors. The disease cannot be contracted by humans. Tauranga Aero Club’s Fleet

When the Tauranga Aero Club’s programme for procuring aircraft is complete its fleet will consist of two fourseater machines, six Tiger Moths, one of which will be fitted with a canopy for the comfort of passengers, and possibly a light two-seater aeroplane. -Of the 19 aircraft recently made available by the Government the club is endeavouring to procure three. Sftrike Sidelight

An amusing sidelight on the Dunedin transport strike occurred in a chemist’s shop in Dunedin. A feminine customer visited his shop and declared to the assistant that “seeing the ‘trammies’ are on strike I’m going on strike, too.” She thereupon bought some halibut oil capsules and saccharine tablets —the halibut oil was to be her husband’s fish course and the second purchase the “sweets.” Anti-British Propaganda.

Strongly reminiscent of the ravings of Nazi editors, like Julius Streicher, just before the war, are full-page and halfpage advertisements containing virulent anti-British propaganda _ which appeared recently in American newspapers, copies of which have reached New Zealand. One display inserted by an organisation terming itself the “Sons of Liberty,” calls on readers to boycott everything British and heaps abuse on Britain and the British. Most of the publicity hinges on British policy in Palestine.

Prison Escapes Alarm Taupo Residents in the Taupo district are very concerned about the recurring cases of prisoners escaping from the prison camps in the area. Women in isolated parts are particularly nervous. Recent cases, it is asserted, have shown that men who could be classed as hardened criminals have been sent to these camps, in which the inmates are put more or less on their honour and given considerable latitude. The general opinion is that more discrimination should be used in the classifying of prisoners sent to such camps.

Union Secretary for 42 Years Mr. T. F. O’Byrne, M.L.C., yesterday completed 42 years’ continuous service as secretary of the Southland branch of the New Zealand Timber Workers Union. He was appointed on June 21, 1906. For three years before that he was president and he is one of the few surviving foundation members of the union formed 48 years ago. ‘‘The best of feeling has always existed between , the union and the employers,” said Mr. O’Byrne. “The fact that we have never had a strike goes to show that with a little tact and foresight on both sides big industrial troubles can be avoided. Frock for a German Girl

A Nelson drapery firm recently received a letter from an 11-year-old German refugee girl. Pinned to the letter was a mail order form with a picture of a dress clipped from a New Zealand periodical. The letter said that the girl had been given the magazine by an American soldier, and that her heart had become set on obtaining the frock. She said she was a refugee living with foster parents and had only one old dress to wear. Making an appeal for the dress, she said that she had saved 24 marks, which she would be happy to send in return. “No doubt a frocK will be sent, as the pathetic tone of the child’s letter has struck a sympathetic chord among the staff, said the manager of the firm. English and N.Z. State Houses. State houses, as seen at Waimataitai, Timaru, had more amenities than similar English houses, said members of a party of immigrants who saw the State houses while on their way to Lake Pukaki. Many of the houses being erected in England to meet urgent reel uirements were of the prefabricated 1 design, with parts being made overseas as well as in England, and being bolted together!on the spot. The estimated life of these houses was 10 years, though there was no doubt they would be used for a very much longer period. Tha variety of roof colours and the house designs was in contrast to the uniformity of houses in English cities, they said, though efforts were now being made in the Old Country to overcome this regimentation. “Age of Debunking” The opinion that current days would go down in history as “the age of debunking” was expressed by the Rev. Dr. F. Terry, when preaching a sermon at the annual reunion mass of the Sacred Heart College Old Boys’ Association in' the college chapel recently. “We are living in a world in which people hold contemptuous disrespect even for those occupying positions of the highest authority in the country,” said Dr. Terry. Even if sometimes defects were nil too obvious, it must be remembered that such lack of respect was no more justified than was disrespect of children for their parents. The offica itself must always be respected. Dr. Terry urged old boys to be loyal, respectful, obedient and patriotic whera duty to their country was concerned.