General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 10 August 1942, Page 4

General News

Uneconomic Map—making ! One of the things that had surprised | him in his survey of the Christchurch | metropolitan area was the number of | local bodies and other organisations j which had apparently considered it ! worth their while to employ their I own surveyors lor the preparation of j maps of various kinds. Mr J. W. Mawson, Government Town-planning Ofii- | cer. told the Christchurch town-plan- : ning conference, reports “The Press.” | Unusual Mishap | An unusual mishap occurred in the business area of Somme Parade, Ara- ; moho, Wanganui, when a rear tyre of a heavy power grader burst with a loud report and snapped a steel rim. which shot across the street, shattering a plate-glass window. Pedestrians in the street near the premises where the window was shattered were fortunately not struck by the missile, which came to rest in the back of the shop. Early Summer I In the grounds of Government House, i Auckland, a yellow kowhai, in spite jof cold temperatures and unsettled j weather, had begun to blossom profusely. The early flowering of the kowhai Isays the “N.Z. Herald,’ is usually re- : garded by Maoris as a sign of an early I summer.

New Zealand Fighting Men "By and large. I think the New Zealand fighting men have gained the admiration of the people of the United Stales, and more directly through their own demonstrations and merit in the fields of Crete, in Libya, and in the air over England, than through any artificial publicity . given them," said Mr Alden G. Smith, United States Lease-1 end representative to New' Zealand, in an interview. I think, from what 1 have heard, I should see almost anyone coming out at me with fire in his eye and a knife in his hand rather than a Maori or a New Zealander with his back up." Mr Smith said that his general impression of "folks in New Zealand” was that they were a very capable and well-disciplined people. Travellers Forfeit Bonds Under arrangements between Allied Governments, regulations preventing the movement of persons from one I country to another during the war had i been considerably tightened, stated the ; Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr W. E. i Parry. The circumstances detailed by 1 applicants for permits to leave New : Zealand, cither temporarily or perman_ j ently, were closely scrutinised. Where any doubt existed of the bona tides of I the reasons for travelling outside the Dominion, a bond was imposed. Last year there were 16 cases in which men ; gave undertakings to return within a specified time and failed to return at all. with the result that their bond I money was rendered forfeit. The total amount forfeited was £950. Tribute to Air Force Men At a luncheon of the Auckland Creditmen’s Club. Major H. W. Hartman, an Army chaplain, paid a high compliment to New Zealand Air Force men he had met abroad. "They are gentlemen in every sense of the word.” he said, "men of the highest calibre, interesting and in earnest.” A Doctor’s Writing The difficulty of deciphering the writing of some doctors was commented on by the chairman of the No. 1 • Auckland) Armed Forces Appeal Board. Mr C. R. Orr S.M. A medical certificate was produced during a case and the chairman was able to read only a few of the words. Mr I. J. Goldstinc. who appeared for the appellants, said he had had to telephone the doctor to find out what was written on the certificate. Chimney Fire The Nelson Fire Brigade received a call at 3.45 p.m. yesterday to attend to a fire in# a chimney in a residence in Tasman street. The fire was speedily extinguished with a bucket pump. Teachers and War Service The exemption of teachers fiom military service was supported in a number of letters from education boards received at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board. Tlie Wellington, Wanganui. and Nelson boards expressed full agreement with the proposal, which originated in Auckland, but the Hawkcs Bay board stated that each case where a teacher was balloted should be dealt with on its merits. Egg Production Discouraged The opinion that the egg market ing regulations would tend to reduce the production of eggs, especially among the small poultry-keepers in the country, was expressed by Mr H. O. McJlsop at a meeting of the Auckland District Council of Primary Production. He said the regulations permitted a producer to sell at his gate supplies for consumption, but he was prevented from selling for trading purposes. In the country it had been the practice for small producers to sell through the storekeeper. If this were stopped people would give up production and a substantial quantity of eggs would be lost to the public. The chairman. Mr R. C. Dark, suggested that the position might be met by exempting from registration and the regulations all owners with less than 50 poultry instead of 25 as at present. It was decided to suggest that the registration minimum be raised to 50. One Room for Family A woman arrived in tears in the Labour Department’s offices in Christchurch with the complaint that her landlord had ordered her out of her home by the evening, reports "The Press.” When Mr R. T. Bailey (officer in charge) made inquiries he found that the woman was 1 iving in one room with her two children, a bov of 10 and a girl of eight years. She was expecting a third child shortly and her husband was in the armed forces. The rent for the room was 22s 6d. Mr Bailey sent the w man home with instructions to tell the landlord he would be dealing with the Labour Department from now on.