General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 28 April 1945, Page 4

General News

May’s I’cti'Ol Ration The Minister of Supply. Mr Sullivan, announced in Christchurch yesterday ihat the War Cabinet had dee deu that petrol coupon No. 11 at hall its lace value would be available to private motorists for use during May.

News in the Gilberts "It is wonderful how the news spreads," said the Rev. Father Mehl, of the missionary order of the Sacred Heart, who recently arrived in New Zealand after spending 15 months on Japancse-ocupied Abemama, in the Gilbert Islands. He said Abemama was 22 miles long, but in less than half a day any item of news, such as the arrival of the American forces, would I spread over the whole island. It was carried by the natives always travel- j ling in canoes up and down the lagoon I on the western side of the island. j Government’s Farm Policy “Everyone will admit the Govern- | ment is not giving agriculture the serious consideration it deserves," said Sir Joseph Smith at a meeting of the Auckland Vocational Guidance Advisory Council. The danger was that there was an educational scheme before the council that did not go far enough and aimed largely at reducing expense. It might allow the Government to say the scheme was eminently suitable and thus prevent any further progress being made in agricultural education. For that reason it had been qualified as a short-term measure. Pasteurisation of Milk “It is my personal opinion that it is wrong to give raw milk to children,” said Dr. Helen Deem, medical adviser to the Plunket Society, when addressing members of the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce on "Public 111-health.” Besides the danger of tuberculosis germs, there were those germs from both the cow and the people who handled the milk to be considered, she said. Milk was an excellent breeding ground for germs, and its food value was not impaired by pasteurisation. Cats, Dogs and Verse An appeal case in the Supreme Court at Auckland concerning the claim of a woman passenger who was injured when a bus-driver pulled up suddenly to avoid a cat was brightened by the introduction of some light, verse that had been written concerning the incident. It had been printed under the title of “Catastrophe,” and counsel suggested that it represented the common man’s point of view. Coming from the pen of a well-known barrister it might perhaps have some legal weight, he said. Mr Justice Cornish, who presided. remarked that it* must be coiisid-. ered as verse. "You could not have doggerel regarding a cat,” he explained. Servicemen's Gratuity A""decision to press the Government for an announcement as to the amount of gratuity it is proposed to pay to men and women of this war was made at the annual meeting of the Auckland Returned Services Association. The meeting unanimously agreed to recommend that when granted the gratuity should be on a flat rate basis, irrespective of rank, and that the payment of it should not be deferred. Stockings From U.S.A. Arrangements are being made to import a considerable quantity of fullyfashioned rayon stockings from the United States of America. They should be obtainable from the principal retailers throughout New Zealand within the next few months, says the State Economic Information Service. These, in addition to the balance of last year’s quota, will relieve the local shortage. The 20,000 dozen pairs of fully-fashioned stockings made each year in the Dominion fall short of requirements. Thus, imports to meet the Rationing Controller’s requirements have to be sought However, Mock-fashfoned stockings sufficient to meet Ihe demand are manufactured in New Zealand. Hot-Water Bottles for Invalids Hot-water bottles will again be available from chemists this year as they were in 1944, the State Economic Information Service announces. In all necessitous cases, bottles will be supplied on the production of a medical certificate. It is possible that some will also be obtainable in other retail shops, but this is not definite yet. Substitutes, in the form of stone, metal, electrical, and chemical foot-warmers are available, however. Gas Rationing in City Since the announcement by the Nelson City Council early last week that the gas rationing hours would be reimposed it has not been necessary to cut off between 9 a.m. and 10.30 a.m. each day. However with the change to colder weather conditions and the consequent increased demand it has now been found necessary to adhere strictly to the rationed hours. To Save Animals From Suffering A Tahunanui resident writes to "The Mail”: “During the autumn season when there are many large-scale gorse fires one cannot help thinking of all the animal life that suffers in consequence. Such slow moving creatures such as hedgehogs are often victims and it is. pitiful to hear their cries. Therefore I should like to suggest that all who control fires keep a sharp lookout for these helpless little animals. If one carries a sheath knife their misery is soon ended and one can always retrace one's steps over the burnt area to make sure that nothing needlessly lingers in agony.” -Children’s Gumboots Supplies of children's gumboots and galoshes may be available this winter, says the State Economic Information Service. Arrangements have been made to import a small quantity from Canada, but there is no definite information regarding the date of arrival or the number which will be released locally. Children’s rubber footwear is no longer manufactured in New Zealand, and though some gumboots and galoshes for adults are produced these are not for general use, but for industrial purposes only. Auckland Fire Fire last night caused considerable damage to -portion of the iron store of Seagar Brothers Ltd.. Freeman’s Bay. Auckland. The damage was confined to the front part of the building. The outbreak was apparently caused by a gas califont which was left burning ! n the washroom on the ground floor. The fire spread to the drawing and general offices on the top storey, and flames burst through the roof of the building with a loud explosion. One of the serious aspects of the fire is the loss of a number of drawings and drawing instruments and records. • A good deal of the office furniture was destroyed. Fire in Ship’s Hold This afternoon thick columns of smoke began to rise from No. 3 hold of the Uniorj. Steam Ship Company’s coastal vessel Waipiata. which was unloading at Victoria Wharf. Dunedin. Four fire engines with salvage gear and special equipment arrived to find a fairlythick volume* of smoke issuing from the escape hatch, but the outbreak was well in hand within 40 minutes. It was impossible up till a late hour last night to give even an estimate of the extent nf the damage to the cargo. It was established. however, that there was no structural damage to the vessel itself, j and most of the damage to the cargo i was caused bv water. The cargo in No. 3 hold consisted mainly of bales of paper. and it fs thought that one of these may have caught fire following welding operations in the hold.