General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 30 June 1943, Page 4

General News

Popularity of Leader “Mr Churchill stands out pre-emin-ently as the man of the moment, his popularity is phenomenal, and the affection which the people hold for him amounts almost to reverence,” said Mr H. T. Merritt, who recently returned from a visit to England, in the course of an address to the Auckland branch of the Navy League. Ir Merritt added that the frequency and naturalness with which Mr Churchill was referred to by his Christian name was an indication of the people’s regard for him. Canterbury College’s New Department 1 Canterbury University College is establishing a new department in the School of Engineering to carry out work of an investigational and research character in the electrical and electronic fields of engineering. This was announced at a meeting of the College Council by the chairman, Mr A. E. Flower. The course, Mr Flower said, would help to bridge the gaps between the physicist with little or no knowledge of engineering and construction, and the engineer with little knowledge other than of power frequencies. and the Departments of Physics and of Electrical Engineering. Maori Village's Record In the Maori village ol Tuahiwi a record has been established that had no parallel elsewhere in New Zealand, nor possibly in the British Empire, said Mr W. D. Barnett, when welcoming Lieutenant-General Sir Bernard Freyberg at a Maori reception in Christchurch. Tuahiwi. at the outbreak of war, had 60 inhabitants between the ages of 18 and 70. Of that number no fewer than 33 were on active service and had gone overseas. Seven had .been killed, two were missing, and two had received military decorations. “Even one of our grandfathers,” added Mr Barnett (who is the upoko runanga, or village chairman), “went overseas to join his grandson in the Middle East.” “Hokonui” Whisky Although analysis may indicate strongly that the liquor is not the regular imported whisky, it is of the well-known “Hokonui” brand. This comment is made in the report of the Dominion Laboratory on the examination of a number of samples of liquor submitted by the Otago police, which were alleged to be ’“Hokonui” whisky. The report states that these suspicious liquors are frequently low in alcohol and the taste and smell are definitely inferior. Home and the British Empire “The Romans were farmers and colonists rather than militarists.” said Professor L. G. Pocock in an address to members of the Society for Imperial Culture in Christchurch recently. “In many ways, the growth of the Roman Empire resembled that of the British Empire. It arose, not out of a deliberate plan of conquest or aggression, but from a desire to find some better way of national life than was possible in a world of small communities without cohesions or common purpose.” He'd been having what medical men call “a general overhaul.” When the doctor was through—an hour's work — he said: “Nothing much wrong, but I think you’re smoking too much. What's your tobacco?” The patient told him. “Ah!” said the doctor. “I know the brand! Used to smoke it myself. Poisonous with nicotine. Tobacco like that’s sure to get you sooner or later, so I gave it up. and took to ‘toasted,’ and it you’re wise you’ll follow suit. Toasted’s' not only the purest tobacco but by far the best. I don't know how the toasting is done, but it's wonderfully effective, for the five brands, Cut Plug No. 10 ‘ Bullshead), Pocket Edition. Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), Riverhead Go d and Desert Gold, are comparatively free from nicotine, they all have a fine flavour and a peculiarly gratifying aroma Throat irritation i.-> common enough with smokers, so is burnt tongue You don’t get either with ‘toasted’.” The patient, much impressed, said he’d certainly take the doctor's advice. “You won't regret it if you do.” smiled the doctor He never . did!*

Lyttelton Tunnel Road A conference of local body and other delegates in Christchurch, at which Mr I V. E. Hamilton, of the Chamber of j Commerce, presided, sanctioned the , following motion:—“We approve of the I Tunnel road between Christchurch and Lyttelton as a work of national impor- | tancc. and ask the Government to favourably consider the matter, the cost to be borne by the Government, and that any remodelling of the port be done as and when in the opinion of the Lyttelton Harbour Board the trade of the port justifies the expenditure, or when in the course of renewals and replacements. wharves, etc., have to bo , constructed.” As several of the delegates announced that they had no authority to vote, it was decided that this motion should be merely an expression of opinion from the conference, and that they should report to their respective local bodies and organisations, states “The Press.” The conference was adjourned until the first week in August. “The motion is extraordinary in as much as it had not been voted upon,” said Mr W. S. Mac Gibbon, “but it expresses the spirit of the meeting. Sales of Army Vehicles A total of 285 vehicles, valued at £71,724, have been sold to private purchasers under the Army vehicles disposal scheme from the Christchurch and Blenheim depots since the scheme started on May 21. Fifty-two other vehicles, the valuation for which is not available, have been disposed of to Government departments. The number of permits issued to private purchasers for the purchase of vehicles is 347. some of these not having been acted upon. The No. 3 Transport Licensing Authority (Mr T. H. Langford) said that the valuation of about 300 more vehicles in the Addington depot would be completed by Wednesday evening and the disposal of these would start on : Thursday. Earthquakes in 1942 The total number of earthquakes reported as actually felt in New Zealand during 1942 was 196. The North Island claimed 162 of this total, and 14 were felt in both islands. The outstanding seismic event of this year, remarks the annual report of the Dominion Observatory, was the outbreak of seismic activity in the Wairarapa district on June 24. The main shock reached an intensity of 9 plus on the Rossi-Forel scale. There was a severe after-shook on August 2, and a third on December 2. Over 600 subsidiary shocks were recorded at Wellington up to the end of the year, but only about 7 per cent, were perceptible. Two other notable shocks during the year were that on June 27. with a:i epicentre near White Island and a focal depth of 230 miles, the deepest origin so far recorded in New Zealand, and a shock on November 1 centred in the south-east Tasman Sea, some 150 miles off the Milford Sound Coast. Work 't or Servicemen Strong condemnation ot any scheme involving a large proportion of returned soldiers in road-making as a rehabilitation measure was expressed by several county representatives attending the annual meeting of the No. 1 District Highway Council in Whangarei. Mr H. D. Atkinson described as a disgrace schemes emanating from Auckland and elsewhere for the employment of returned soldiers on such work, while Mr J. A. S. Mackay, advising the use of machinery as much as possible, said it was undesirable to create a nation of navvies. For successful rehabilitation the three essentials were good access roads, handiness of schools and a better land policy, said Mr A. C. Yarborough. The chairman, Mr W\ L. Bell, said that plenty of machinery was available and to make farm conditions more pleasant and attractive for returned servicemen good highways and roads were essential. Student in Army Reference to the difficulty that many young men would experience in taking up a university course after being in the Army was made at a sitting of the No. 2 (Auckland) Armed Forces Appeal Board, when the release from camp of P. W. Smallfield (Mr Rose) was sought. Mr Rose said the reservist, who was 20, had been in camp since December. 1941. A student of music, he held a university scholarship and it was considered that he should be given every possible opportunity to continue his studies. The release was recommended, the case to be reviewed in January, when the reservist will be 21. No Drinks for Americans A story concerning Lieutenant-Com-mander G. Bridson, D. 5.0., D.S.C., of Auckland, commander of the New Zealand corvette Kiwi, is related in an article published in an American journal describing the exploits of United States navy motor-torpedo boats in the Solomons. “We had a few* drinks now and again,” the narrator states, “in a New Zealand corvette. Her skipper was a man named Bridson, who weighed ov’er 2001 b, and had a laugh in every pound. One night Les Gamble, who had sunk two destroyers and made several other hits, was on patrol. Communications and dispositions were all fouled up that night. Les fired a pair of fish at what he thought was a Jap. Fortunately he missed. Bridson spoke up on the radio: ‘Are you little firing at me?’ Les had to admit weakly that he was. Bridson then said in a lordly tone: ‘The bar of His Majesty’s ship Kiwi will be closed to Americans for the duration.’”