Concurrent By-Elections.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXII, Issue 28, 2 January 1942, Page 4

Concurrent By-Elections.

The Terauka, Hauraki. and MidCanterbury by-elections will be held concurrently on February 7. Marooned on Island. After being marooned for four days on the Poor Knights Islands following the wrecking of their launch on the rocks, two mission Wbangarei fishermen were rescued and returned to Whangarci on Wednesday morning. Men for National Reserve. About 20 recruits have now enlisted in the National Military Reserve at Palmerston North as a result of the meeting held in the Opera House on Tuesday, Lieut.-Colonel J. M. Gordon, Battalion Commander, stated today. Prized Souvenirs. Arriving on New Year's Eve, a parcel received bv Senior-Sergeant J. Mclntyre and Mrs Mclntyre, of Palmerston North, from their son, FlyingOflicer Athol G. Mclntyre, a member of the Royal Air Force, contained an unexploded thermite bomb, the tailfin of another, a 20mm German cannon shell, and two pieces of shrapnel from German bombs. Flying-Officer Mclntyre relates in. an accompanying letter that the items were picked up after a raid in which he was caught. The incendiary bomb has been rendered harmless, also the cannon shell. The pieces of shrapnel are broken and jagged, and tlio writer explains that they fly horizontally to the ground following the explosion.

Before the Dawn. "The clouds have covered the stars, even the Southern Cross is obscured for the time being, and the skies arc black. It would be the most childish folly to pretend that they arc not very black indeed," declared Sir Cyril Newall in his New Year message. "But it would be equally foolish to suppose that because we cannot see them the stars have ceased to shine. Besides, it is always darkest before the dawn. That the dawn will come, there is no doubt. How soon it comes depends on us all." First Laundries on Wheels.

Laundries on wheels, the first to be seen anywhere, have been called into being in Britain. There are now 24 ol them, provided by three big industrial concerns, keen competitors in peace time who have pooled their resources so that the people's washing may be handled alter bombing with thoroughness and speed. Equipped with hotpoint washers and electric immersion heaters for hot water (carried in the trailer), they have four sinks and a drying cabinet capable of dealing with a complete output every 12 minutes. There are four women to run each, unit and they can handle 1000 garments a day. The driver is a man. Electric oven and hotplate are provided lor the meals of the crew. Quiet New Year's Eve.

Continued rain on December 31 led to a quieter celebration ot the pass.ng of the old year in Palmerston North, this being assisted also by the general war conditions. In the earlier part of the evening the shopping area was thronged, and at midnight there was the usual party at the Chief Post Office to see the old year out. Engine whistles were sounded enthusiastically for some time at the railway station and motor horns added their welcome to the New Year. The Manawatu Scottish Society's Pipe Band played in the city early in the evening, and also at the Post Office at midnight. For the first time for a number of years there were no false alarm calls given to the Fire Brigade on New Year's Eve. It is thought that the rain was the reasou for the absence . of such foolishness on this occasion, for the streets were soon deserted by people once midnight was past. Japanese in Canada. The large numbers of Japanese in Canada and the United States, particularly on the Pacific presented a serious problem to the Governments of both countries, said Dr. S. McAlastcr Kerr, minister of the Robertson Memorial Presbyterian Church. Vancouver, who is visiting Christchurch. British Columbia alone had more than 40,000 Japanese, and ol that number 25,000 were in Vancouver, he said. Before the outbreak of war in tlie Far East much of the Axis propaganda was carried to America in Axis ships. More than 100.0001 b of this propaganda had been destroved on the Pacific Coast and at the time when he loft Canada another SO 0001 b was awaiting destruction. Although the incinerators at San Francisco wore burnin"- the propaganda all night and day. at"one time the postmaster there had to borrow the incinerator at the mint to burn the surplus.

Excellent Behaviour. "The behaviour of the crowd was exceptionally good," said Inspector H. Scott, in charge of the Palmerston North police station, in commenting on New Year's Eve m the city. The ■rain caused a slight dampening of spirits, but the evening passed with practically an entire absence of complaints. Double Drowning. A double fatality occurred at Whangapc, near Whangarei, when two brothers were drowned in attempting to cross from Wbangape to Mitimiti in a flat-bottomed boat which capsized. The victims were Tom Kendall, aged 22, and George Kendall, aged 17, both of Whangapc. In making the crossing the brothers had two horses on leads behind the boat. Rain Retards Season. Seasonal work, specially haymaking, has been further retarded in Southern Hawko's Bav since the Christmas holidays, because of wet weather. Rain has fallen practically every day, and the heavy rain in Dannevirke on December. 31 will cause further delay. The labour difficulty in Southern Hawke's Bay is being materially assisted by the co-operation of pupils of the Dannevirke High School, 150 of whom arc assisting on farms. Year of Grave Import. "It will be a year of the gravest import to Now Zealand and to the British Empire. What it holds in store for us cannot be foretell, but this at least can be said with certainty: that the whole future happiness of mankind depends on the loyalty, the courage, and the unselfishness of each and every one of us in the days that lie immediately ahead." With these words the Governor-General (Sir Cyril Newall) began his New Year message oa night. "Be Men of Valour."

"Let us all resolve to answer the summons that rings out to-day as clearly as when it was first pronounced nearly 2000 years ago," urged the Governor-General (Sir Cyril Newall) at the conclusion of his Now Year broadcast. " 'Arm yourselves, and bo ye men of valour, and be in readiness for the conflict, for it is better for us to Perish in battle than to look on the outrage of our nation and our altars. As the will of God is in Heaven, even so let Him do.' May God help us all to do our duty." Quarterly Fire Calls.

Fire calls answered by the Palmerston North Fire Brigade during the months of October, .November ami December totalled 35, five more than in uio corresponding period of 1940. The increase was due to the larger number of false alarm calls. At 10.5 p.m. yesterday the brigade received a call to Broadway Avenue where a fire had started in a steam laundry. Damage was done to the walls and roof of the building.

Wellington's Record Rainfall. A rainfall record for the present century was established in Wellington last year, the total measured by the rain gauge at Kelinirn being 63.41 inches, a rainfall figure that has been exceeded on only four occasions during the 80 years in which statistics of Wellington's weather have been kept. The highest yearly totals were TO.boin in 1803, b'7'.6Bin in 1892, 65.84 b in 1875, and 64.07 in in 1871. The previous highest amount of rain this century was 60.41 inches in 190-1. E.P.S. Measures.

Several matters of importance connected with the Emergency Precautions Services were fully discussed at a conference between Cabinet and the Armed Forces and the deputation representing the local bodies of this area, at Wellington, on Wednesday. It is expected that, as a result, important proposals for fully co-operative measures of protection will be made. The members of the-deputation, which was set up by the meeting of local body representatives on Monday, were Mr A. E. Mansford (Mayor of Palmerston North), Hon. W. J. Rogers (Mayor of Wanganui), Messrs T. L. Seddon (Mayor of Feilding), G. A. Monk (chairman of the Horowhenua Countv Council), J. Hodgens. M.P. (who introduced the deputation and Lieut.-Colonel C. V. Cicchetto, group director of the Home Guard. Cold Winds and Floods.

In place of typical summer weather last year, yesterday was the coldest and most unpleasant New Ye'ar's Day in Palmerston North for a number of years. After the steady rain of the night before the ground was left very wet until the effect of wind became apparent. The Manawatu Bowling Centre's pairs tournament was not started until an hour after the scheduled time on account of the greens being wet. At the Marton races the weather was pleasant, but flood conditions ruled at several places about AVanganui. At Wangaehu the river has overflowed its banks and covered the low-lying country near the road and the railway. The Turakina and Rangitikei Rivers are also running full The rainfall recorded at West End for the 24 hou;s ended 9.30 a.m. on January 1 was 93 points.