NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 68, Issue 209, 3 September 1943, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Citizens’ Lunch Club Owing to the National Day of Prayer service, there will be no meeting to-day. Money for the "Tote" Although racing days during the year have been considerably reduced, cash through the totalisator has greatly increased. The Government Statistician, dealing with returns for the first half of 1943, states that investments amounted to £5,163,907, compared with £3,30!?,910 for the first half of 1942. Not a Sparrow The hedge sparrow is very much like a miniature thrush and possesses nothing in common with the common sparrow, says a writer in Forest and Bird. It is a shy bird with a very pleasant song and it is a very useful insectivorous bird. Iu 1919 it cleaned up a bad invasion of green fly in the orchards of Central Otago. Official War Artist for Pacific The annual report of the N.Z. Academy of Fine Arts states that during the year the council made representations to the Prime Minister regarding the appointment of an additional official war artist, and recommended that Sergeant W. A. Sutton should be appointed to the Pacific area. The Prime Minister bad promised to give the matter his careful consideration. 22 Election Broadcasts Up to and including September 23, two days before polling day, there will bo 22 speakers over the air, eleven Government and eleven anti-Govern-rnent, the latter comprising eight Nationalists, one Democratic Labour, one representing the People’s Movement- and one Independent. In addition it is expected that on tho evening before polling day the party leaders will broadcast final addresses. Treasure Trove

A teller in an Auckland trading bank \va« surprised ou a recent morning to discover among some cash he was handling a £1 note of extremely old issue. He asked whether the depositor had been hoarding the money. The man replied that he had purchased an old chesterfield for 10s at an auction sale solely for its copper springs. When he dismantled it ho discovered £ls in notes hidden among the springs. Road Fatalities During August

Seven people were killed on the roads in August—two car drivers, three passengers, one motor-cyclist., and one bicyclist. There was one level-crossing smash and two cars overturned. The rest of the fatalities were from collisions. Three of the accidents were at night, two at dusk,*and two in the daytime. The road toll to August 31 for the year is 96 lives, compared with 113 in the corresponding period of the previous year. Licensing of Industries

Expressing the conviction that the licensing of industries under tho Industrial Efficiency Act discouraged initiative, curbed enterprise, discounted ability and fostered growth of monopolies, the council of tho Auckland Chamber of Commerce passed a remit to be presented to the forthcoming conference of Chambers of Commerce, urging the repeal of these provisions in the interests of the community and especially in the interests of returned soldiers.

Burglar Before Court Before Messrs. J. T. Bosworth and W. G. Ashworth, J.P.’s, at the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court yesterday, Robert Hume, aged 41, labourer, of Wellington, pleaded guilty to two charges of breaking and entering premises in Palmerston North on the night of July 24, involving the countinghouse of Porter Motors, Ltd., Queen Street, from which he stole money amounting to £9 9s sd, and the business of Ernest Stephen Quicke, Queen Street, articles valued at £1 3s being removed. Hume was committed to the Supreme Court, Wellington, for sentence.

Old Man Rescued rrom Flames A fire occurred in a seven-roomed house in Pukckohe, at midnight on Monday, and, after six of the soveu occupants had escaped from the burning building in their night attire, it was found that Mr. George Beatty, aged 70, was still in the house. Two members of the Pukekohe fire brigado forced their way into Mr. Beatty ’« bedroom, Avhere the fire had already gained a strong hold, and found him lying unconscious on tho floor. A few seconds after he was rescued the room was in flames. Mr. Beatty is making a satisfactory recovery in hospital from shock. The house was destroyed.

Raising Patriotic Funds Methods of raising funds for patriotic purposes were, discussed at length to-day by the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, when the following remit was passed for present a tion at the conference of Chambers of Commerce:—"This eoul’erenco is of opinion that present methods of raising patriotic funds are inequitable and urges that all amounts required for patriotic purposes be raised by additions to the national security tax and handed to Patriotic Boards for distribution." In its original form the remit suggested that the Government subsidise patriotic funds £1 for £l. Maori Council Wanted

A petition urging that a Nativo Council be set up to promote the future of the Maori race was presented to the Prime Minister, lit. Hon. P. Fraser, at a gathering of Maoris, arranged by the Maramatanga Christian Society, at Kai Iwi (Wanganui). In presenting the petition, which was signed by 2337 members of the society, the Hon. Rangi Mawliete, M.L.C., suggested that such a council, if formed by Maori members of Parliament, would be in a position to advise the Government on all questions ioneeming the Maori race. From time to time, at the direction of the Government, the council could act in an administrative capacity.