General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 77, 22 October 1942, Page 4

General News

! A published statement brought to the notice of the Prime Minister (Mr Erasj er) by Mr J. A. Lee (Democ.-Lab.. Grey Lynn) in the House of Represenj tatives recently, alleged that a confidence trickster from Mount Eden was i authorised by the National Security De- ! partment to stay in Rotorua and spend i public money to build up files against . innocent people. Mr Lee asked whether the estimates of the department , would be presented to Parliament. The , Prime Minister replied yesterday that the accuracy of the statement was being investigated and it was regretted [that it was not advisable, in the interests ‘•of public* .afety. to dis'i.-s puLi.cly the uv-ars adopted t ensure public safety. Gas Attacks Unlikely Civilian gas masks of the type procured by the Christchurch Metropolil tan E.P.S. afford ample protection in any attack that can be expected, stated j an Army chemical warfare expert, in I addressing wardens and other E.P.S. j officials in an address at Christchurch, reports the “Star-Sun.'’ He gave valuable practical information on the i various types o*’ poison gas, and detailed their treatment and antidotes. The expert agreed with official state- ! ments that a gas attack on New Zen--1 land was unlikely, saying that it was | extremely doubtful whether New Zea- . land would be attacked before gas was used elsewhere. He handed round ! bottled samples of the various gases. I [so that they could be identified by smell. Asked if a cloud of gas could be used to envelop Christchurch City, j the expert said that this was unlikely i fis sufficient gas could not be concentrated. In any case, the upper floors of two-storey buildings would be safe. There might be trouble with the lowlying gas through its being blown i along street channels. Refunds for Specialist Services j Replying in the House of Representa- I fives yesterday to an urgent question by Mr W. M. C. Denham (Govt.. In- ! I vercargill) the Minister of Health (Mr j A. H. Nordmeyer). announced that all • persons on the lists of doctors operat'mg the medical capitation scheme, those on the lists of friendly societies

obtaining refunds of medical contributions. and those living in special areas ; set up under the scheme, were entitled j to obtain a refund of 7s 6d provided for speciali.t services in the recent ! legislation. Imports of Sportin. Requisites Licences fpr t£e importation from the United Kingdom of certain sporting and athletic requisites in the sixth and seventh period may be utilised for importation from South Africa. Australia, and India, the requisites including hockey sticks and balls and boys’ cricket bats in the case of imports from India, according to advice received by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. Allocations for imports from foreign countries of printed books and papers (except school text books) in the sixth and seventh periods have been increased to 50 per cent, of the value of imports from the same sources in 1938. Wages of Voluntary Aids Contrasting the rates of pay to girls on trams with those of voluntary aids employed by hospital boards. Mr"w. E. Barnard (Democ.-Lab., Napier) asked the Minister of Health to review the position. A written reply by the Minister (Mr A. H. Nordmeyer) tabled in the House of Representatives yesterdaystated that hospital boards were being recommended to pay not less than 30s a week for the first year of service of voluntary aids working in hospitals, and j 35s a weekly in the second year, with | an additional 35s if the aid lives out. j Most boards were also providing uni- i forms and paying travelling expenses. I Sugar Beet Research The Sugar Beet Research Section of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, which is testing sugar beet at Lincoln, with the object of producing seed suitable for New Zealand conditions, has completed its sowing operations for this season. Two and a half acres of the experimental plots at Tai Tapu have been sown at the rate of 30,000 beets to the acre. ■Most of the sowing has been done by women assistants, and some of the seed I used has been obtained from Britain and the United States. Selected beets which were tested for sugar content earlier in the vear have rOani-ori

for seed at Lincoln and Tai Tapu. Science Obtains Police Evidence The way in which the police arc making increasing use of the Dominion Laboratory for obtaining evidence is shown in the annual report of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research. Poisons were found in a number of exhibits submitted in connection with suicides and accidental deaths. Drugs suspected of being used for procuring abortion were examined. The year was notable for the number of glass fragments examined in connection with fatal motor accidents and cases of breaking and entering. In a number of instances conclusive evidence was thereby obtained. Samples of blood and wine were examined for alcohol to establish whether or not deceased persons were drunk at time of death. Information was obtained which would have been impossible byother means. The hit of the Season! Ladies' Cotton Frocks in attractive Floral design.-. S.S.W. to OS. (only 2 coupons) 12'll McKay's.* Linen Frocks in plain shades, also flora] and spot designs. S.S W. to O.S fittings 't coupons), 59 6 to 99/6. McKay's.* Grey Koneray Skirts. S.S.W. to W„ 35/6. Tartan Koneray Skirts, S.S.W. to Winn's*. 47 6; Tailored styles from 27/6 (3 coupons). McKay’s.* Locknit Underwear: Lace-trimmed Slips, gored or semi-fitting styles, Peach, White. Maize. Nile, from 10/3; Princess styles from 8/6 (3 coupons). At McKay's.*

Protest on Prices A protest against the di pa between the grower and the consumer has been sent to the Price Tribunal by the Christchurch Consumers' League. According to a statement issued by the league, the Governmentcontrolled prices of apples has been quoted in this protest as a typical example. The league points to the disparity in the prices paid to applegrowers for their produce, and the ‘•prohibitive’ price chaiged to the t ailing Up of .Married .Men The Prime Minister <Mr Eraser) staled in a reply to l\lr J. A. McL. Roy ‘ Nat., Clulha i in the House of Representatives yesterday, that while it was appreciated that there should be the men, and instructions had been issued to that end, it would not be possible, even under the best of conditions, to defer the calling up of married men until all the single men have been posted. There were many single men employed on war and other essential work, added the Prime Minister, who could not be effectively replaced from amongst the married men. Tawa for Furniture Considerable interest in the u,c Ottawa and other native hardwood.- to replace Japanese oak and Australian hardwoods has developed, states the annual report of the Slate Forest Service. Tawa is being increasingly used for finishing, interior fitments and furniture. The results of kiln-drying one-inch and two-inch stock, green from the saw. have been excellent. Treatment with penlaehlorphenol in petroleum has . proved a perfect protection against borer, and the tawa shows a most attractive grain. Shortage of Shearers “This year we are 40 per cent, short of shearers in South Canterbury,” said Mr J. G. Leckie, secretary of the Shearers’ Union, when giving evidence before the Manpower Industrial Committee at Timaru. "More shearers have been sent away for military service. pro rata, than any other section of the community, because fitness is essential for their work. We are going to be in a serious position as regards seasonal workers.'’ Opossums Move North A northward migration of opossums, judging from the larger numbers killed in the Auckland conservancy, is recorded in the annual report of the State Forest Service. Considerable damage by opossums in Southland. Westland. Nelson and Auckland is recorded. Opossums destroyed under special Ministerial warrants numbered twice as many as in the previous year, f igures from the Department of Internal Affairs showed 259.640 opossums taken in 1941. including 63.860 in State forests.