General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 29 September 1943, Page 4

General News

Michaelmas Day To-day, 29th September, is Michaelmas Day, a Church celebration in honour of St. Michael and All Angels instituted as early as the year 487. It is the day on which the Lord Mayor of London is elected, and is also one of the four quarter-days. With Michaelmas are associated quite a number of curious old manorial rites which have never penetrated as far as this part of the world, but the custom of eating goose at Michaelmas is observed by some New Zealanders. It is a custom of great antiquity, but how it arose no one seems to know, although there are several theories. Gold Deposits. Interesting evidence of the quantity of gold remaining to be won in the Teremakau district was given by Mr Frank Bird, Mining Registrar, before a commission sitting in Greymouth, states ti e “Press.” The old-time miners had left some gold for future generations, said Mr Bird, and it had been estimated that there were about 1000 acres of gold-dredging land near Greenstone. Research had indicated that gold worth £1.000.000 to £1,500,000 remained to be won. Before the war a dredging company had been formed, and after the war the biggest dredge in New Zealand would be erected and would give employment to 50 men for 15 to 20 years. Second-hand Fruit Cases The Price Tribunal recently issued an order fixing the maximum prices which may be charged or received by any vendor for unreconditioned secondhand fruit cases. The schedule of prices covers cases of seven different internal dimensions and. in some instances the price varies according to the way in which a case has been opened. The order provides that any freight charges incurred in effecting delivery to a purchaser shall be borne by the purchaser. !

Lambs Killed b.v Birds Farmers in the Wataroa district of South Westland are puzzled by the death of a large number ol' lambs which apparently have been killed by some kind of bird. The stock inspector of the Department of Agriculture <Mr E. Elphick) said that one farmer had reported the loss of 40 lambs from his flock. All had been found dead with a hole in the centre of the skull, and so far no one had been able to discover what kind of bird was responsible. Mr Elphick said he did not think keas were responsible, but he had heard that gulls had been known to peck the eyes out of lambs. Election Propaganda First news from other than the Official (Government) News Service about the election reaction of the Forces overseas comes in a letter from a Marlborough soldier on a Pacific island. It was written just a week before election day and was shown by the recipient to an "Express" representative. If it be any criterion the troops are rather cynical about it all—but let the writer speak for himself. "Here we have had issued the finest condensation of pure and unadulterated tripe I have ever seen," he says. “It purports to tell our brave soldiers what’s what and who’s who in political affairs, and succeeds admirably in creating just the sort of confused indecisiveness that was intended, I imagine. Just a collection of half-truths and promises, with Labour propaganda several lengths in front. Thej' will go back, I pick, and still with a pretty hefty majority—but who knows? Picking an election is like picking a winner, and anyone’s guess may be right. One feels like tossing the coin, blowing the whistle, kicking off and departing with a blessing ‘May the best side win': and then leaving it to Allah." Education of Dutch Islanders "All the Dutchmen we met spoke a number of languages—English, French, German and Javanese —and we felt uncouth islanders among them," said Mr C. I. Kidson, Nelson City Engineer, when addressing the Nelson Philosophical Society last evening. Mr Kidson was recounting some of his experiences while engaged in aerodrome construction work in the Dutch East Indies prior to the Japanese invasion. He said that most of the Dutch pdople in Java and Celebes made every effort to go home to Holland for their education and then return to the Indies tor their life’s work. They had great faith in the future of these islands. No Travel Warrant for Soldier’s Sister A decision to register a protest to the Minister of Defence, who has stated in reply to representations that it was impossible to grant a free travel warrant to a soldier on furlough to enable him to take fiis sister on holiday, was made at a meeting of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council. The Minister stated that the question of railway warrants lor next-of-kin and men on furlough had been carefully considered, and it had been decided that these could be issued only to mothers and wives. The Mayor, Mr A. Wachner, said that the bona tides of the case were guaranteed. He was not fighting for this man alone. but he could visualise similar cases in the near future. Dr. C. H. Gordon (Riverton) : It would be interesting to know why the Minister turned down the application. He has given no reasons for his action. Mr Wachner said he thought the Provincial Council should provide a ticket for the man's sister. It was also decided to refer the matter to the Patriotic Welfare Committee. Radio-Telephone for Patrol Cars. An investigation into the best method of equipping patrol cars in Wellington and Auckland with two-way wireless telephonic sets is being made by the Police Department, in conjunction with the Post and Telegraph Department. Officers on this duty have in their possession the latest information from England and th e United States of the systems in operation there. To secure satisfactory results in a city, the radio station should be removed from all centres of interference, and this would mean the laying of a land line to some convenient suburban spot. The establishment of the system has far more complicating factors in the New Zealand cities compared with large centres like Sydney and some of the American cities. Like many other matters, action has been delayed in this Dominion by the war. Wellington Town Hall Repairs The last of the concrete work for strengthening the Wellington Town Hall by reinforced piers and cross ‘ girders has been completed, and a start has been made to remove the uppermost platform of the scaffolding on the western side of the main hall. There is, however, apart from the plastering and painting involved, a good deal of work to be done in the north-west corner of the hall, where the earthquake wrench was rather severely left. The strengthening of this section, the replastering of the walls above the choir gallery, and the completion of the work on the platform and in the dressing rooms at the back will keep the present staff of workmen going until December; but it is confidently hoped that there will be a clear hall by Christmas. Unsatisfactory Broadcast Had Nelsonians been relying on the main broadcasts of the Kiwi Concert Party lo hear the entertainment of this now famous company they would have received a very poor impression, if the broadcast from Christchurch last night was a fair sample. The relay from th e Civic Theatre commenced after nine o’clock, just in time to hear part of the last item before the interval. After several records from the studio the broadcast returned to the theatre and listeners were given a fair hearing of the orchestra on the stage. .After that, however, the programme switched from the theatre to the studio and back again, approximately in the proportion of three items from the studio to one from the concert. Sharp at 10.10 o’clock the broadcast was transferred from station 3YA to 3YL, If he was fortunate (and patient enough) the listener picked up 3YL in time for the next item, and then the same game of “musical switches” commenced all over again. The broadcasting authorities cannot be blamed for the fact that some of the voices upstage were lost to the microphone, but it is certain that listeners, last night, must have a sketchy idea of the Kiwi Concert Party’s talents and type of programme. Do you tap the end of your cigarette' before lighting up? It’s estimated that 50 per cent, of smokers do. But none of them can tell you why. Just a habit! Cigarettes grow ever more popular. Why, there are shops in London’s West End for the exclusive sale of these little smokes, some of which command fancy prices. Here in New Zealand smokers have in Riverhead Gold, Desert Gold and Pocket Edition three of the finest cigarette tobaccos heart can desire. They have a fragrance all their own and are as popular with the ladies as with members of the opposite sex Yet the v are comparatively inexpensive. notwithstanding their beautiful quality, for you can actually roll ten full-sized beauties of either tobacco for 7d or less! Like the other products of the National Tobacco Co. Ltd., these blends are toasted and hence contain comparatively little nicotine. For pipe smokers the Company’s well-known brands. Cut Plug No. 10 (Bulisheacl) Cavendish and Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog), are also in universal request. On sale everywhere, all six blends merit their immense popularity.* All'red*Gould advertises details of the usual weekly sale at the Mart Hardv street, for Friday next at 1.30 p.m.: also the sale on account of Mr Reuben Stephens, stock and implements, to be; held, on Mr Hubert O’Beirne’s property : on Wednesday next. 6th October, at 1 p.m.*