LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23772, 27 September 1940, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Extended Leave Granted Units in camp at To Bapa racecourse, who havo been isolated on account of measles, will be granted extended leave this week-end, the isolation order having been lifted. Leave will start this evening and the troops have to report back to camp on Monday evening. Orphanages' Street Appeal In an effort to raise £IO,OOO for orphanage work, the Auckland Orphanages' Advisory Council will make a special appeal to the public throughout the province to-day, chiefly through street collections., Tho council is associated with 12 homes which care for approximately 1000 children. Uss of Horse Floats The Minister of Transport has advised licensing authorities to restrict tho use of horse floats to journeys of not more than 30 miles when in competition with the railways. At the same time, it is not intended to supply owners of private cars witli petrol to tow floats to and from race meetings. New Police Station A contract has been lot by the Public Works Department for tho erection oT a police station and residence at the corner of St. J-leliers Road and Polygon Street, St. Heliers Bay. The contractor is Mr. J. W. Hay, of Auckland. The building will comprise a police officer's residence and offices, and in conformity with the policy of centralisation it will not contain a lock-up. Labour Day Examinations

Students at Auckland University College are concerned over tho date of tho commencement of the degree examinations, October 28, Labour Day. In the past the date was November ], but the Senate of the University of New Zealand has decided for the sake of continuity to make it the 44th Monday of each year. Part-time students claim that tho holiday would be of great benefit to them, and a petition to havo Labour Day free is receiving widespread support.

Child Safety on Roads With 12 added in tho past year, 37 schools in the Auckland Province are now included in tho road safety service of tho Automobile Association (Auckland). There are 190 schoolboy patrols, and, according to tho annual report of the association, there has never been an accident outsido a school where tho patrol system is in force. Safety talks wero given to 52,114 children during the year, while safety and educational films were shown to 11,893 pupils at primary, secondary and convent schools. Use of Producer Gas

Considerable economies in the use of petrol havo already resulted from the installation of producer gas plants on service cars operated by the Bail way Department between Auckland and Botorua. Two buses are already using producer gas, and, on the return trip of 320 miles, only 10 gallons of petrol are consumed, compared with the previous amount of 32 gallons. The plants on each service car are loaded at Auckland, Hamilton and Botorua, petrol being used only at the start of tho trip and on hills. More Radio Licences

An increase of 23,996 in the number of radio licences in the Dominion for the year ended August 31 is shown in a Post and Telegraph Department statement. This increase was made in spite of the fact that more than a thousand experimental amateur permits were withdrawn owing to the war. The total for the Dominion is now 351,124. For receiving sets, Wellington still leads, with 123,683, Auckland having 113,601, Canterbury 64,59-1, and Otago 46,5-12. There are 1304 freo licences, an increase of 282 for the year.

Diphtheria Inoculations A satisfactory rosponse lias so far been received by the Health Department in Auckland to circulars sent to parents of young children at certain schools asking if they will consent to have their children inoculated against diphtheria. As a result it is hoped to inoculate children at two schools next month. Eventually the Health Department proposes to approach parents of children at all schools throughout the Dominion for permission to carry out inoculations and thus immunise the children against the disease. Maori Measurements

"The Maori never had any idea of distances from the pakeha viewpoint," said Mr. C. T. Newton, native interpreter, giving evidence in the Supreme Court yesterday. "He never had a set idea of miles or chains or anything like that. He remembered his distances (solely by the natural features." In answer to Mr. Justice Fair, witness said the Maori did not use any measure of distance like a stone's throw or a spear's throw, but they would somc'ti mes speak of the two arms outstretched to represent about 6ft. The Maori never had any idea of an acre, he added.

Co-ordinated Air Services The importance of the Auckland terminal of the Tasman and Pacific air services is emphasised in the arrival and departure of flying-boats over both routes this week. By the co-ordination of the services, passengers who arrived at Auckland yesterday by the Honolulu Clipper from America will be ablo to connect with the Tasman service tomorrow morning and arrive in Sydney in the afternoon, thus travelling almost 10,000 miles by air within a week. Similarly, passengers arriving from Sydney to-day will be ablo to join the Clipper before she leaves for San Francisco to-morrow morning.

Postal Officers' Contributions Members of the staff of the Post and Tolograpli Department liavo now contributed £275 to the funds of tlio Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council. Regular donations, to patriotic funds aro mado by officers of the department throughout the Dominion, and from time to time allocations aro made, one-third of the amount contributed being distributed to the 11 provincial patriotic councils and two-thirds to tlio National Patriotic Fund. The Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council yesterday received a cheque for £SO from tlio department, this being the fifth instalment, bringing the total to £275.

Fuel lor Pleasure Launches With the summer approaching pleasure launch owners are still unaware whether the Oil Fuel Controller will allow them any fuel for their boats. The situation is serious for the boat-building and repair industry, which in normal circumstances would be very busy overhauling, painting and fitting launches for the season. It is several months since licences for petrol for pleasure launches were cancelled as a preliminary to consideration of the whole question of supply. The delay in making an announcement has affected the preparation of largo numbers and the employment c£.& good^Ttn'frfhar.oi-jneai. ■