DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 5 April 1943, Page 6

DOMINION NEWS

MILITARY CAMP FATALITY, PA. PALMERSTON N., April 4. The Army authorities state that .as the result of the accidental discharge of a rifle, Sapper K. C. Morgan, aged 20. son of Mr C. F. Morgan, 43 McGrath Street, Napier, was fatally wounded at a camp in the Manawatu district. , , ' A Board of Inquiry has been held. P.A, AUCKLAND, April 4. Burrowing through the concrete floor of the aviary of Mr George Metcalf. Great South Road, rats caused havoc to birds, killing fiftyThe birds consisted of British and foreign finches, and among those killed were the champions of the Grand National Show in Christchurch last year. Some of the finches were valued as high as £6. WAR SAVINGS RECORD. P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, April 4. Christchurch set a Dominion record for national war savings last week, more than £40,000 being invested. This remarkable total included no fewer than thirty-five investments of £l.OOO each from city firms seeking a short-term investment, while the balance came from ordinary group and individual' savings and bond sales. Apart from Bomber Bonds sales, which were not national savings investments, the previous record week was held by Dunedin, with £25,000. Auckland’s best is £16,856, and Wellington’s is £12,325. More than £6OO was received in “fines” at the United Nations Fair mock court in Cathedral Square, and with other sums to come in it is expected that the total will be about £3,000.

“AWATEA” MEN DECORATED. WELLINGTON, April 4. The commander of the Union liner “Awatea” has been awarded the Distinguished Service Order and other awards have been won by officers and members of the crew, according to a notice in the London Gazette of March 13. The awards are:—Distinguished Service Order: Captain G. B. Morgan (Captain Morgan has already been awarded the D.S.C.); Distinguished Service Cross: Mr. W. A. McGarry, chief officer; Mr. H. Simmonds, chief engineer; Mr. W. S. Muir, senior third officer; Distinguished Service Medal: Mr. G. H. Gee, greaser; Mr. A. Ingram, oil burner; Mentioned in Dispatches: Messrs J. C. Willis, second engineer;- B. M. Hurley, purser; S. Emerson, A. 8.; G. H. Cooper, steward; W. Allan, chef; D. J. Green and P. J. F. Harris, first grade stewards, and J. W. Griffiths. N.Z. PRODUCTION. WELLINGTON, April 2. Mr. W. J. Polson, M.P., explained to a public meeting at Ohoka, why the Opposition had criticised the Government’s war effort. It was the internal effort that was criticised, and not the overseas effort. In the engineering trade, 183 firms were working less than forty-five hours weekly Others were working varying hours above that figure, but experts had said that if all the firms worked forty-eight hours all the work could bo done. In spite of the fact that clothing was in short supply, the clothing trade was working forty hours a week and the average overtime was half an hour a week. With a forty-eight-hour week, and simplification of clothing, production would be maintained, said Mr. Polson. Both beef production and dairying were falling off. The Americans had wanted vegetables and he had arranged for 100,000,000 cans, but only 20.000,000 had been supplied. AUCKLAND MILK SUPPLY. AUCKLAND. April 3. As a result of the prolonged dry spell, the supply of milk for the Auckland city has been materially reduced. For the first time in the history of the north, the Te Aroha district has been called upon to supply the deficiency, and from last night the supplies to the Te Aroha West and Manawatu factories, owned hy the New Zealand Dairy Company, are being conveyed by lorry to Auckland, a distance of more than 90 miles. This supply will probably be required right into the Winter months EMPIRE ADVISER WELCOMED. DUNEDIN. April 3. Mr. L. W. Brockington, Empire adviser in the British Ministry of Information, who is visiting Australia and New Zealand and other parts of the Empire at the request of the British Government, was the guest at a civic luncheon at Dunedin to-day. He was welcomed bv the Mayor (Mr. A. H. Allen) and Mr. Sullivan, on behalf of the Government. He gave a stimulating address on the Empire’s wai’ effort, especially in Great Britain and Canada. The people of Great Britain, he said, were working side by side in a great unity that would "put an end very soon to any stupid class distinction that remained.” INFANTILE PARALYSIS. P.A. CHRISTCHURCH, April 3. Four additional suspected cases of infantile paralysis were reported in Christchurch yesterday. Among the patients was a woman aged 48. The other patients are a boy. 1 aged 10 months, and two girls aged 2 years and 10 months respectively. With two suspected cases notified earlier this week, the number of suspected cases in the city area is now six, but this week there has been only one positive case in Christchurch. A full diagnosis will not be available on any of the cases until Monday. THEFT CHARGE. P.A. ' CHRISTCHURCH, April 4. A youth, described as a member of one of the services, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court, charged with stealing bicycle parts valued at £7 7s 6d. Counsel stated he wanted his client medically examined. The youth had suffered a blow on the head and had been in a hospital suffering from some form of delayed concussion. There was also a doubt whether he was a serving member of the forces. A remand until April 8 was made and the name was suppressed. INQUEST ON AIRMEN. NEW PLYMOUTH. April 2. The adjourned inquest into the deaths of Flight-Lieutenant J. H. Doans, of Bulls, Pilot Officer J. D. Philson, of Auckland, Sergeant W. H. Steel, of Wellington, and Sergeant J. Hi Power, of Okato, who died when a Hudson bomber crashed at Okato, near New Plymouth, on January 25,4 was continued to-day. Evidence was given by a signals officer that the aircraft was in touch with the ground wireless station and asked for signals. The aircraft called the station at 11.40 a.m. and after the signal strength was given the message began to come through, but stopped abruptly at 11.50. .'The aircraft was called repeatedly, but there was no response. At nd time was assistance asked for and no distress signal was given. A farmer, James Andrew Williams, of Omata, said that about noon the fog was very thick over his ' paddocks. He heard the engine of an aeroplane in the fog. He then heard

an explosion and about a quarter ol a mile away he found the machine crashed into a hillside and burning fiercely. The occupants could not be seen for smoke and flames. Constable L. C. Lincoln said that from the position of the machine it was obvious that the left-hand wing tip struck the hillside. This slewed the nose round to the left into the hillside. The inquest was adjourned sine die. CHRISTCHURCH MILK SUPPLY. CHRISTCHURCH, April 3. It is probable that the city’s Milk Commission will shortly begin its inquiry into the milk supply for Christchurch, and written statements may be submitted by all interested parties. Consumers’ vendors, producers and the City Council are asked to appoint representatives to persue evidence and cross-examine and to give oral evidence in support of written statements. Where two or more organisations represent each section, joins representation is to be made. ’