Leaving Well Alone

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 20 February 1941, Page 4

Leaving Well Alone

In an Auckland suburban residential district, which otherwise was complying with instructions in Tuesday night’s trial black-out, the wardens were surprised to see one house so brilliantly illuminated that it stood out as a beacon. The officials visited the offending house, to find it was. a new one in which painters were working overtime to complete the contract. The problem of what action should be taken was solved by one understanding warden with the remark: “Heaven forbid that we should stop any man from working more than 40 hours a week.” Making Mortar Bombs The preliminary processes in the manufacture of 3in trench mortar bombs, involving the use of modern steel heated to a temperature of 1700 degrees Centigrade in a huge electric furnace, were inspected by the Minister of Supply and Munitions, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, in a Dunedin factory. After a detailed examination of these processes, the Minister expressed satisfaction at the work carried out so far. The contract calls for the manufacture of a certain number of bombs a day, but the manager of the firm is confident that this number will be fur exceeded once the work is well under way. Although the manufacture of even these bombs appear fairly simple, there are many complicated processes involved, not the least of which is the making of steel to the exact specifications, and Mr Sullivan said he was deeply impressed with the fact that New Zealand artisans are fully capable of turning out weapons of war that compare favourably with those manufactured in countries with far more experience in such work. Public Trust Office Estates of a value of £479.986 were reported and accepted for administration by the Public Trustee during the month of January, 1941. The total value of the estates and funds under administration by the Public Trustee on the 31st March, 1940, was £63,622,175, and the new business for the ten months ended 31st January was £5,737,365. Grants of administration made by the Court in favour of the Public Trustee numbered 133 for the month. During the month 604 new wills appointing the Public Trustee executor were prepared on behalf of testators and lodged for safe custody, and 325 existing wills were revised to provide for changes desired by testators. The total number of wills now held in the Public Trust Office on behalf of living persons is 103,553. Newspapers in War-time “The conduct of our newspapers, as of those in other parts of the Empire has been very adversely affected by war conditions,” states the annual report of the New Zealand section ot the Empire Press Union. “The problems of rising costs and declining supplies of caper and other materials have compelled publishers to adopt drastic economies, especially in the volume and the variety of the literary contents of their publication. The development of radio broadcast services, the operation of censorship of news, and the expansion of aerial communications are all having their influence upon the production of newspapers.” The report will be presented at the annual meeting at Rotorua.