LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23840, 16 December 1940, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Visitors at Papakura Large crowds of relatives and friends of soldiers in training at Papakura visited the camp on Saturday afternoon and yesterday. Jn addition to many hundreds who travelled by train, large numbers went by road, and throughout the time the camp was open it was thronged with civilians. Native Birds in Ranges Bird lovers report with pleasure increasing numbers of native birds, particularly tuis, flycatchers and grey warblers in the Auckland ranges. The hush is said to be alive with newly-fledged members of those species, especially grey warblers, and some pairs are now rearing their second families. Patient's Gratitude For six years, ever since she suffered an accident at Surfdale and received treatment from the resident ambulance officer, a young girl resident in the city has sent a donation each year to tho St. John Ambulance unit at Waiheke. The girl was 11 years of age when she met with the mishap, and her first donation was saved from her pennies. Her gratitude has not waned with the years, as larger donations have been sent successively. Enemy Alien Cases The cases of about 300 enemy aliens have been heard in Auckland by the Aliens Authority since sittings began on November 18. it is not intended that any further cases will be taken in the oily before Christinas. Instead, the authority plans to visit country districts to hear about .10 more cases. The majority will be heard to-day at Pukekohe, fiercer and Huntly, and the others to-morrow at Thames. A Reservist's Reply Heat oppressed many soldiers when marching through the city on Saturday, one reason being that in the domain uniforms were soaked through by the downpour, and began to steam when tho sun came out later. In Queen Street a woman called out to members of the National Reserve Battalion, "Old soldiers never die!" "No," shouted back a reservist, apparently conscious of the perspiration in which he was bathed. "They simply melt away." Ample Winter Feed A large amount of hay is being made on Manawatu farms this summer, the area being much greater than usual, and the crops at the moment are in good order. Some of it has already been cut and if the. good weather holds it is expected that the general standard will be excellent. Farmers in a number of instances have commenced pressing their hay earlier than usual and the present indications are that all requirements for winter feed in the .Manawatu will be met. Otahuhu Workshops The extensions being carried out at the Otahuhu railway workshops were referred to by the Minister of Railways, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, at the weekend. He said the enlargement of the floor space of two-car shops would, when completed, expedite the repair and constructional work. Both shops were being extended by 200 ft. over an 80ft. width. It had also been decided, added the Minister, to equip the workshops with a double steam unit, and preparatory work was now in hand. Training Young Yachtsmen A scheme to give tuition to young yachtsmen in the handling of larger craft is to be undertaken during the holidays by tho commodore of the Heme Bay Junior Yacht Club, Mr. 0. M. Dennes. The lads will proceed to Kawau where several ISIt. M class boats will he used to give them practical experience. They will make their headquarters at Schoolhouse Bay and will also hold a number of races in their own small craft of tho Silver Fern type. Novel Moving Picture The annual prize-giving ceremony at Wesley College, Paerata. opened with a cinematograph entertainment most happily suited to the occasion, lor the reel was a study of the college itself, portraying a normal day's activities on the part of pupils and stall'. Agricultural scenes from the college's 700-acre farm were a feature. A better way of giving the parents and other visitors present a good insight into the life of the college in a short 20 minutes would have been difficult to imagine. Yachts Capsize Sudden changes of wind and heavy rain squalls caused two yachts to capsize during races on Saturday afternoon. The M class boat, Manone, owned by Mr. C. Dennes, capsized off the Resolution mark when her spinnaker sheet jammed. The Harbour Board's launch Orete stood by while the crew assisted to right the yacht, which was then sailed to her moorings in St. Mary's Hay. On the Tamaki River the yacht Rahiri capsized while competing in a race. In neither instance did the crew suffer injury. A New Fish Story A lonely soldier from Wellington, who was "adopted" by four Wellington factory girls, has written them a cheery note. Iu his letter he enclosed a cutting from the Fgyptian Mail. If was a picture ol two big-game fishermen standing beside a, marliu swordlish, evidently a New Zealand Government publicity photograph taken at the Hay of Islands or Mercury Bay. The Fgyptian newspaper, however, had its own ideas, for the caption appearing under it was worded, "Marliu caught in Lake l'otorua." Shrapnel as Waste Children still in Ihe cities of Britain now greet each other on the way to school with, "How much shrapnel have you got:*'" says a British seaman recently arrived in Auckland. At nights while a raid is on the patter and ring of falling shrapnel is practically continuous. Next morning the children go forth and collect the pieces which litter the, streets and rush off with them to the city hall, where the waste metal headquarters are. In this way they feel that they, too, are helping in the struggle. Slogans from Britain "This is one that Hitler did not get" is tho legend painted in bold characters on a case which is part of a shipment recently discharged at Dunedin from a British vessel. Most of the packages arriving from Fugland bear the standard line "Britain delivers the goods," stencilled on them, but others are embellished with more original and more pointed slogans. "Where is Germany's blockade?" is tho derisive question one case bears, while others have "This will shut Goehbels' month —shipped from England," "Made in England—facts are better than propaganda," and "Another shipment from Britain."