GENERAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 23 February 1942, Page 4

GENERAL ITEMS

"Bass Sometimes Right” Attention was drawn by Mr Justice Callan in the Supreme Court at Auckland to an alteration that had been made in a document before him pv ting it in error. The solicitor cone- . ed said the alteration had been made bv his tvpist, who evidently thought she knew better than he did. "Will you explain to the young lady that the boss is sometimes right?" said His Honour. The solicitor's reply was that he would have pleasure in doing that. Shoeing of Horses Not only were farmers experiencing difficulty in having their horses shod because of a shortage of blacksmiths, but shoeing iron and nails were difficult to procure, it was stated by Mr A. McConaughy. of Paparoa. at a recent meeting of the executive of the Auckland Farmers’ Union. The meeting thought that from a national point of view a certain number of blacksmiths should be retained in the Dominion so that all horses available could bo utilised. The subject is to bo referred to the Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan. "She Is Not Here To-day" His regret at the loss of H.M.S. Neptune through running into a minefield in the Mediterranean towards the end of last year is expressed by LieutenantColonel F. Waite, overseas commissioner for the National Patriotic Fund Board, in a report to the board. The ship's personnel included a considerable number of New Zealanders. Colonel Waite had arranged to install a second cinema projector in the ship, and had supplies of Christmas parcels waiting for her personnel. “The men in her appreciate the work of the National Patriotic Fund Board,” states Colonel Waite. "When in Alexandria. I went down to the Navy Office with a view to visiting the ship, and Admiral Sir James Cunningham said: 'Em sorry. Waite, she is not here today.' Little did either of us know that that day she had run into the minefield." Colonel Waite had sent the Patriotic Fund Board a copy of the last letter he received from H M.S. Neptune's commander, Captain Rory O'Connor. R.N. In this Captain O'Connor stated that he was happy to know that his ship was closely linked with the Colonel Waite was associated. The Date of Hostilities Indicative that the Japanese had planned the dale of their attack in the Pacific some time ago were the orders received by teachers in Japanese universities that all pupils were to be graduated in December instead of the customary time in March. This information was contained in a letter received in Christchurch recently by Miss D. Trott. for the last 30 years a teacher of English in a Government school in Tokio and now on furlough in New Zea Land (states "The Press”) The writer of the letter was another teacher, and at the time of the posting of the letter she was concerned more with the annoyance of holding examinations so much earlier than usual than with the significance of a move which would make available to the army a large number of educated soldiers. Miss Trott has also had a letter from the headmaster of the school at which she taught asking if she would be back in Japan in time for the new term which opens in April. The letter was written before the outbreak of hostilities in the Pacific, but was received only a short time ago Miss Trott says she intends to return to Janan but not for the present What constitutes really good tobacco'?" asked "Calabash” in a London weekly, and proceeded to answer his own question thus! “Good tobacco must possess unexceptionable flavour and bouquet: its nicotine content should be negligible: it should be cool and sweet, and it should, moreover, be possible to smoke it for hours at a stretch without the smoker experiencing satiety, a burnt tongue or irritated throat: even free indulgence should have no injurious after-effects.” In the following issue ot the paper several letters appearI ed from readers anxious to know where tuba jco cl such merit as that described by "Calabash” could be procured He had to confess he couldn't tell them Tobacco like that is not obtainable in England In New Zealand it’s to be had at any tobacconist’s shop! All you've got to do is to ask for our own "toasted” which combines all the points specified by "Calabash” and is as free i from nicotine as tobacco can be! The five (and only genuine) toasted brands are: Cut Plug No. 10 < Bullshoad >. Naw Cut No 3 (Bulldog). Pocket Edition. Riverhcad Gold and Desert Gold.* Alfred Gould advertises the following auction sale to-morrow at 1 p.m., at Seymour Avenue, on account of Mr A B. Kidson. freehold residential property. surplus furniture and effects. * Bargains for Tennis Players! White Silk Frocks and White Kabo Tennis Cullotes with full pleated skirts. S.S.W. to O.S Were 35/6. Sale Bargain 15/6 McKay’s * Millinery Bargains! Summer Millinery iin smart up-to-date styles. Were 15 II to 39/U Clearing at 4 Tl. 6/11. 9 11 and 15-/6. McKay’s.* Just arrived: Bathing Caps 3 6. 3/1 1: Lemon. White, Black. Red. Green. | Orange. Limited quantity. At McKay's.*

• Drain on Doctors 1 do not feel satisfied with the direc- ’ tion ill which we are heading," re- ■ marked Mr W. E Bate, chairman of > the Hawkcs. Bav Hospital Board, at a meeting of -.he board, in commenting! upon Die army drain on medical pine 1 U,Doners in the Dominion. The board) f! decided to make representations to the l . Inspector-General of Hospitals. ' Apples for Children I Alier being railed to the Auckland 1 ' grading stores, a consignment of apples 1 from a commercial orchard in the .' Otorohnnga district is stated to have been returned to that district for riis- , 1 tribution to school children. The execu--1 : five committee of the Auckland Farm . ers' Union at a recent meeting decided, . to n or the mat ten* for comment to. the Minister of Marketing, the lion. J. ' G. Barclay. Small Businesses It vas stated bv Mr G. Finn at the ' annual meeting of the Auckland Cham- , ber of Commerce that when the owners F many small businesses had had to be i do; ed for lack < I ;omc ndvi ist • ance. Mis suggestion that the incoming council should consider setting up a j ’ .mall committee to help such concerns ; to continue under supervision was, . adopted. • Trade Conference . The New Zealand Federation of Drapers. Clothiers, and Boot Retailers ’ had hoped to adhere to the original - in.ention to hold their annual confer- j - , ence at Hanmer Springs or Tirnaru. precluded Hanmer Springs as the place] t j of meeting, and it has been found im- 1 to a ' ■ jto be held at Tirnaru. It will now be, t held in Wellington, and it is expected j t * Hint the attendance of delegates from J all associations will be as largo as praci 11 cable in the present difficult circumt stances. Military Tarty in Japan ) The military party in Japan is in a minority and vet it hold: and exerts 1 terrific’power.'according to Miss D i Trott who arrived in New Zealand last ! June after teaching English in a Japani esc Government school for the last 30 ] years. This military partv had risen ; to power by playing on the feelings of ! the people with its pretence of protectj ing the Emperor (who is strongly proBritish). whereas, in fact, he was held !a virtual prisoner. Miss Trott said. In - Japan there was no trial by jury, and 1 the military police used methods tanta--1 mount 1 o the "third degree" of the United States Miss Trott said that one ? man she knew of had not been allowed ■ to sleep for a week, and two persons on ' the boat coming to New Zealand had been in the hands of the police and were then in a state of nervous collapse. Miss Trott said she would be i sorry to say. what would happen to the j people of. New Zealand if the Japanese ? : military party gained control in this - i country. Medicinal Herbs. Herbs grown in Hastings for medi- • cal purposes are now being dried in -• apparatus specially assembled for the i ; purpose. About 10001 bof leaf are ’ now being test dried, but it will prob- ■ j ablv be next week before the plant is placed in full operation, a Hastings j correspondent reports. The drier, which is the largest in New Zealand, j is operated on thermostatic control 1: so as to maintain at constant tem- . ; perature, 130 deg Fahrenheit, the air - ] which is continually circulated bv • suction. Hastings is the only centre t ; in which the Government has under- ' : taken this war production of medical ,■ herbs. Although the plant has a ; capacity ajt' from one ton t<j, a ton and Jia half or leaf a day. the actual pro- _ j duction after the moisture has been 3 i removed by drying is about one- . | sixth or one-seventh of the weight j put in. Members of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary have been engaged sorting leaf and placing it 'i in wire-netting bottomed trays. ] i When filled the trays are piled on j trolleys, which are run on rails into [ i insulated tunnels in the drier. A j wool press has also been installed »j for packing the processed leaf into . | woolpacks, which are being used be- . | cause of the shortage of tin. Packed in I j this way, the herbs will absorb some •; moisture, but if the pressing is suffi--51 cient the absorption will not be I I great. 5 1 Spreading of Rumours . | The dangerous possibilities of pass- !; ing on rumours in these days was .‘stressed in the Magistrate's Court ves- ., terday by Mr A M. Goulding. S.M.. . ■ when a man and a woman were chargt ed wffh passing on. in a manner likely . to prejudice the efficient prosecution of ?j naval operations, what purported to be t! information concerning the condition of . j a merchant vessel. The man had heard . the rumour—which had no foundation : i in fact—that a ship had been sunk, and t '-epoj-ted it to the woman, who men- *! tioned it in a letter she was writing to i j her son overseas with the Forces. In ; actual fact, the ship came into port the I following day. The normal censorship ] of outward letters disclosed the breach of the regulations. The Magistrate said ( the public should firmly understand 5! that such matters were serious and - 1 must be treated seriously. In the pre- ■ sent case the information had not been - ' correct, but it would be very dangerous - if correct information in a letter fell 1 j into the enemy’s hands. Had the cir- . cum stances been different he would f have been tempted to impose a term of d imprisonment. t ! To free for return to their previous . j many men of 46 years of age and over i l as possible, the Director of National - Service (Mr J. S. Hunter) has in- : ’ ■ structed the manpower committee in ; | each centre to review all such case.:! '] m conjunction with the Army authori-i i ties. It is intended to have urgent J attention given to this matter so that! , j wherever it is desirable for members’ » of the National Military Reserve to re-1 . j turn to their previous positions they; j will be permitted to do so as soon as ); possible. Advice to this effect was re-] jeeived by -The Press” and was refer-1 i reci to the Director of National Service. j who said that this was a machinery. ; I measure, consequent on the amalgama-) I ! t on of the Home Guard and National! II Military Reserve, to free those men of) 51 the higher ages whom it was desirable•l to re-employ in their civil positions.] 1 j Quite a large number of the men were; (occupying important executive posi- • j tions, Mr Hunter said. The cases were; _ | being reviewed, and if it was found j . ! that they could not reasonably give the j . j whole of their time to the mobilisation. »j they were tp be transferred to thej 3 1 to work but could do a certain amount j of training at the same time. ■ Public Trust Office lj Estates of a value of .12525.732 were] 1 ! reported and accepted for administra- : ! tion by the Public Trustee during the e month of January. 1942. The total' “ value of the estates and funds under l administration by the Public Trustee on the 31th March, 1941, was J264.436,092, and the new business for the ten „ months ended 31st January was t .1.4.908,121. Grants of administration made by the Court in favour of the - Public Trustee numbered 158 for the p onth. During the month 1,175 new o wills appointing the Public Trustee s executor were prepared on behalf of . testators and lodged for sate custody, arid 105 e> ting w 11 W( e i vi ed t< provide for changes desired by testa- / tors. The total number of wills now I held in the Pul:"c Trust Office on beI I half of living persons i 111.339. : ! Coat Bargains! Ladie: Summer Coals ,:in Paste! Shades SS.W. to W.X. Fit- - tings. Were 99 6to t!7 7s Sale Bargain 59/6. McKay’s.*