NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 84, 8 April 1941, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

State Houses. “The number of State houses erected in the year ended March 31 constitues a record,” said Hon. H. TArmstrong on Saturday. “Approximately 4000 houses -were built in the year, which far exceeds what was thought possible.” Horowhenua Raises £3ootr. A queen carnival in the Horowhenua County with Levin and Otaki as its centres resulted in £3OOO being raised in three weeks for the Patriotic Funds. The Navy Queen secured 30,743 votes, the Air Force 27,063, the Army 23,247, the Red Cross 15,072, and the Victory 15,622. Earthquake Widely Felt Shortly before 7 o’clock yesterday morning a gentle but rather prolonged earth tremor was felt in Palmerston North. Messages from Wellington, Hokitika and Christchurch state that the earthquake was experienced there also. No damage is reported. It is believed that the movement had its centre close to Murchison township. Annual Meeting Abandoned. A decision to suspend this year’s annual meeting of delegates to the New Zealand Rugby Union has been made by the executive of the union. Thu question of holding the meeting, in full as usual or in restricted form, was put on the unions, and the result of the vote showed a majority in favour oH suspending the meeting for this year. Collection of Rates. Favourite comment was made at a meeting of the Manawatu Drainage Board yesterday, when the clerk (Mr. N. I. Nielsen) reported that during the financial year ended March 31, 1941, 98.75 per cent, of the rates levied were collected. The clerk said that the percentage collected for the past four years had increased from 92.58 per cent, in 1936-37 to 98.58 per cent at the end of the financial preiod. Hutt Railway Strike. Saying that the newspapers had apparently been muzzled in regard to the strike at the Hutt railway -workshops, and that the method of settling the strike might have a far-reaching effect on the whole business community, Mr. F. G. Jolly suggested at last night’s meeting of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce that inquiries should be made from the Associated Chambers of Cmmerce. The meeting adopted the suggestion. Fanners and Unionism A remit from the Te Kowhai branch of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union at the annual conference of the Waikato sub-provincial district at Hamilton requested the Dairy and Meat Boards to compel all suppliers to become members of the union. An amendment was proposed that the boards should be asked to secure Government legislation to levy the membership fee from the produce, The amendment was defeated and The remit was carried by & fair majority. Church Union Proposal. Hope that the proposal for church union would be ready by November has been expressed in the Outlook, the organ of the Presbyterian Church iu New Zealand. The Methodist Church, which suggested the amalgamation, and the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches, have each set up committees from which delegates will sit on a central committee. The next assembly of the Presbyterian Church will decide whether, on the face of the terms submitted, union could be entertained. Storage of Apples Now that the export for apples is cut off, storage of the fruit on the orchard for as long as possible becomes very important. Investigating this method of keeping fruit on Nelson orchards, research workers have brought to light, information which should do away with much apple wastage. Their research leds them to believe that, with proper safeguards, no difficulty should be experienced in storing in suitable sheds such varieties as Sturmer, Dougherty, Statesman, Ballarat and Tasma for periods up to the end of June, and, in certain cases, the end of July. Pencils’ Journey. Taking eight months in transit, a consignment of novelty pencils ordered by a Hastings firm has arrived at its destination. The case containing tho pencils first spent six weeks under the ruins of a building demolished during an air raid. It was then sent to a northern port in England and was involved in further raids. After being shut out of ship after ship, the case was finally placed on a vessel which was torpedoed or mined not far from England. The vessel managed to limp back to port, the undamaged goods were transferred to another ship, and so, finally, the pencils reached New Zealand. Nudist Guardsman! A ready wit has always been regarded as one of a soldier’s many accomplishments. This is equally true of the Home Guard. The commander of tho Plimmerton Home Guard had just given a lecture on the significance of the Home Guard arm band, pointing out that it was a uniform and carried with it the rights and privileges of a soldier under international law. The same evening a route march was held. There was a scuffle as one member dropped his arm band. “What’s the trouble there on the left?” called the sergeant. Back from a wag in the ranks came in typical Army style, 11 Someone ’» lost his uniform, sergeant!” Earth Deposit Tests If tests which are to be carried out in Australia shortly prove satisfactory a new war industry may be established ou Banks Peninsula, where deposits of diatomaceous earth are being investigated by a Christchurch business man on behalf of principals iu Australia. Between 500 and 1000 tons of the deposit are required for export, presumably in the manufacture of munitions. Diatomaceous earth, a flue siliceous deposit, is found in many parts of the world, and is used chiefly in the making of dynamite. It is found in many forms, varying from a fine powder to slatohard rock, and some doubt exists as to whether the samples taken from Banks Peninsula are true. They have been forwarded to Sydney for analysis and tests.