General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 21 July 1944, Page 4

General News

>len on Land are Manufacturers “We farmers are probably the greatest manufacturers in New Zealand. and what is more we pioneered some of New Zealand's manufacturing industries.” said Mr W. W. Mulholland. president of the N.Z. Farmers’ Union, when addressing the Wellington Manufacturers’ Association. “Because our connection goes back to the very beginning of manufacturing industry in this country, and because of the nature of our productive endeavour, it would be unnatural for farmers to be uninterested in or opposed to manufacturers.”

Treasured Photograph. Just before the stagt of the invasion of western Europe several weeks ago, the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, visited General Sir Bernard Montgomery at his headquarters in Britain, and the general informed him that a day or two previously he had met a New Zealand boy serving with the Royal Navy and had his photograph taken with him. “General Montgomery gave me a copy of the photograph to take to the boy’s mother,” said Mr Fraser last evening, “and I have it with me and will do so at the first opportunity.” At Mr Fraser’s request General Montgomery autographed the photograph. which will be a historic and treasured possession in the household of a New Zealand family. Patriotic Shop * Nelson’s Patriotic Shop was run by Transport and Garages yesterday, when the proceeds totalled £125 4s Id. Belgium’s National Day To-day is recognised in Allied countries as Belgium National Day. Alfred Gould and Son advertises continuation of sale of "Heathcote" Estate at Tasman of dairy farm, orchard, and implements.* “The little courtesies of life formerly paid to my sex by the opposite one are mostly ignored to-day." laments a lady in writing to a Sydney paper. "Look at our trains and trams. Men travelling by them will not hesitate to smoke in the presence of ladies, although they know perfectly well that many of the latter, even now. find tobacco smoke offensive. I call it most selfish and ill-mannered.” This fair correspondent seems quite oblivious of the fact that special cars are reserved in Australia as in New Zealand for the use of nonsmokers. Yet ladies still persist in rushing the smoking compartments so that smokers are often crowded out. Happily, so far as New Zealand is concerned complaints about tobacco smoke are far less common than formerly because most New Zealanders now

smoke "toasted ” and its pure, sweet, fragrance disarms criticism. All six of the toasted blends, Cut Plug No. 10 (Bullshead), Cavendish, Navy Cut No. 3 (Bulldog). Riverhead Gold. Pocket Edition and Desert Gold, are (being toasted) almost innocent of nicotine and consequently virtually harmless.*

Value of a Reprimand Commenting that the speaker had , been most frank and forthright, oven m . to extent of giving a subtle reprimand • Ihere and there, Mr H. U. Pittendrigh, • president of the Wellington Manufacturers' Association, in extending thanks lo Mr W. W. MulMidland for an address to Wellington manufacturers, observed that there was a need for reprimands now and then. "If nothing else,” Mr. Pittendrigh observed jocularly. "you have made our job easier when we visit the farmers’ organisations—we can anticipate your critiBrit»in “Can Always Take It” Britain’s reaction to the flying bomb is similar to that during the Battle of Britain, when the people proved that they “could take it.” as is shown in tiie following cable received by a Wellington firm from one of the largest manufacturers in England with a number of plants in the London area:— “Please clo not worry about these doodlebugs stinging London. We regard them as the last frenzied clawings of a wounded tiger which may do some slight hurt to the villagers, but the great body of hunters continues remorselessly to close in l'or the kill All well and very cheery.” Boiler Room File The Nelson Fire Brigade received a call at 3.15 p.m. yesterday to attend a fire which had broken out in the boiler room of F. and D. Edwards’ building in Trafalgar street. The boiler room for the building’s central heating system was equipped with an oil-burning furnace and an electric blower. The electric motor became overheated, igniting some of the oil. The outbreak was rapidly extinguished by the brigade with the use of bucket pumps. There was no damage beyond some of the wiring of the motor being burnt out. Hard Work in U.S.A. *"I was impressed by the terrific amount of hard work going on in the United States in factories, offices, and stores.” said Mr J- M. Ilott in an address to the Wellingtoin Rotary Club yesterday. "America's magnificent production machine is geared to the highest possible pitch, turning out machinery to beat the enemy." While in the United States Mr Ilott visited the Kaiser shipbuilding yards where they were launching a ship a day and building a 10.000-ton freighter in four and a half days. So efficient was the work that to save time in riveting. instead of working from underneath in some sections. workers had the whole ship rolled over to provide easy access for their machines and consequently speedier work. A Picture of Health "Mr Churchill looked exceedingly well and showed little or no trace of his recent illness.” said the Prime Minister. the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, in reply to an inquiry last evening concerning the health of the Prime Minister of the Pnited Kingdom. Mr Fraser added that Mr Churchill looked a picture of health when he last saw him on the day he left London. Farmers Not Hostile Saying that the farmers and manufacturers had not formerly "got together" enough. Mr W. Mulholland. president of the N.Z. Farmers' Union, addressing the Wellington Manufacturers Association this week, contended that the members of both industries had been so engrossed in their war jobs and their own respective problems that they had tended to drift apart. Differences in certain matters of policy, however, did not necessarily indicate hostility. This view was endorsed by Mr H. O. Pittendrigh. president of the Wellington Manufacturers’ Association, who said that a closer liaison between farmers and manufacturers would result in a sympathetic understanding of each industry’s problems. Prices for Towels Limit retail prices for American towels and towelling recently imported and distributed by the Ministry of Supply are defined in a Price Order gazetted to-day. Price limits are: Tea towels, cotton. 16 t)y 30 inches, is 3d each: cotton. 17 by 32 inches, 2s lid each: linen and rayon. 17 by 32 inches. 2s 9d each; huck. 16 by 32 inches, 2s 8d each. Tea towelling, cotton. 17 inches wide. 2s and 2s 3d per yard: Canaburg. 42-43 inches wide. 3s 9d per yard. Towelling, huck. 17 inches wide. 2s 2d per yard: 24 inches wide. 2s 8d per yard. Terry towels, 20 by 40 inches, 6s and 7s 9d each: 22 by 44 inches. 7 S Sd and 8s Pd each. Air Force Chevrons. An increasing number of Royal New Zealand Air Force personnel can be seen wearing small red chevrons on their sleeves. Each chevron is an indication of the wearer’s having served one year in the Air Force. On the appearance of the chevrons many people confused them with the recently-issued wound stripes, and this confusion was dispelled only when members of the W.A.A.F. were also seen to be wearing them. The chevrons are worn, in the British V-fashion.

Apprenticeship to Farming. With the object of endeavouring to check the drift from the land, the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in Wellington yesterday endorsed a proposal that a five-year apprenticeship scheme be inaugurated whereby young farmers might be induced to stay on th e land. This involved a suggestion that during employment and training with approved farmers, a portion of the employee’s earnings should go into a savings fund—possibly subsidised £ for £ by the Government at the end of the apprenticeship—to be available at the end of the period for the purchase of stock and so forth, and the purchase of farms to be financed by long-term Government mortgage. Vocational Guidance No summary of information or any detail of information from the cumulative school record card is made available by vocational guidance centres to the manpower authorities in respect of persons of any age, states the district 1 vocational guidance officer. Mr G C. Burton, in referring to his address this week to the Wellington Education Board In the very few cases of persons over 18 years of age. e.g. some of those presenting special difficulty whom the manpower officer refers lo us for advice or assistance.” adds Mr Burton, "a summary only of our dealing with such person and any recommendation wc may make is sent to the manpower officer concerned. This is the correct interpretation of the question by Col T. W. McDonald and my answer as reported later in the same column of "The Dominion." No Wages for Wife Approval was given at the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union in Wellington yesterday to a remit "that where farmers’ wives* undertake work releasing male units of labour for other essential work the farm accounts be relieved from the imposition of income tax to the extent of the value of such labour.” "The Commissioner of Taxes will not make allowance for a farmer to pay wages to his wife, except where there is a properly drawn partnership agreement,” said Mr A. C. Sexton. Auckland. Three Governments "W e have three Governments—the ' nominal one. the Federation of Labour and the Primary Production Councils ’’ ’ said a speaker at the Dominion confer- ’ ence of the New Zealand Farmers’ 1 Union in Wellington last night. 1