LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23861, 11 January 1941, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Baider Victims Eeturnlng " Survivors from vessels recently sunk in the South Pacific by enemy raiders were included in the passenger list of the Matson liner Mariposa when she left Sydney yesterday for Auckland, where she is due on Monday morning. Among the raider victims who will arrive on Monday are women and children from the Holmwood and women from the Hangitane. Left Behind Life in Fiji induces a kind of general "laziness'' which, caused by the climate, manifests itself in such ways as a disinclination to walk fast. A New Zoalander who has returned on holiday after four years in Fiji, said that on his arrival in the Dominion he noticed how fast everyone seemed to be walking. Not infrequently he found himself being left behind.

j Degree Examinations I On account of war risks none of the 1 degree examination papers of the New Zealand University handed in last November are being sent overseas for marking. Even the papers which have been set in Britain are to be adjudicated on in New Zealand, so that there may be no risk of the papers being lost in transit. One effect will be that final results should be known earlier. Visitors to Damps No visitors will be allowed at Papakura mobilisation camp to-morrow. This decision follows the normal Army procedure of giving men who have only just entered camp the fullest opportunity for the first week of becoming used to their new type of life and to allow organisation to proceed without interruption. However, visitors will be allowed to-morrow afternoon at, Ngaruawahia camp, where various Territorial Force units are in training. Apple and Pear Supplies Apples continue to come forward in slightly increasing quantities each day to the City Markets, and it is now though that supplies will be fairly substantial before the end of the month. Astrakhans are still the only eating apple available, although Graven,steins are gradually becoming riper. The demand yesterday was good for any coloured apples offering and fair for cooking varieties. The first pears were offered yesterday. A locally-grown variety brought from 10s to lis for a few half-cases of about 181b. Demand for Power The demand for electrical power, which for ten years has climbed steadily and remarkably, climbs .still and power in the North Island is in short supply, and rationing, which was a possibility last winter, is more than a probability during the winter of 1941, says the Evening Post, Wellington. There is one means of meeting in very fair part the shortage of power, the paper adds; that is by an extension of daylight saving from 30 minutes to the full hour, and the continuance of daylight saving throughout the year.

Loss ofl Samoan Clipper The Samoan Clipper of Pan American Airways was lost three years ago to-morrow, shortly after leaving Pago Pago for Auckland on her first commercial flight to New Zealand. The commander. Captain Edwin C. Musiek, and his crew of six were killed when the machine presumably exploded in midair during the dumping of fuel. The New Zealand Government later erected the Musiek memorial radio station at East Tamaki Point, and a fund raised through a subscription list opened by the New Zealand Herald was used to purchase a memorial trophy. Petrol Coupon Frauds Several petrol resellers in Auckland have been victimised by cleverly-faked petrol coupons. Various methods were employed to make figures correspond with the authorised numerals. Invariably old tickets were used and extra figures added either by pen and india ink or rubber stamp. The most elaborate and ingenious method was to combine portions of two old tickets in a way that made numbers correspond with those authorised. No matter how cleverly extra numbers were added, the perpetrators of the frauds were unable to overcome the difficulty that the normal position of the figures in relation to the lettering was wrong. New Government Building

Work on the exterior of the Government departmental building in Jean Batten Place has reached the final stages and the plastering of the walls and ceilings, partitioning and general interior decorating are proceeding It is expected that the block will be ready for occupation at the end of .March or early in April. The layout of the offices will give a maximum of light, the modern commercial practice of having large rooms instead of a number of small rooms being followed. The colour scheme will be a pleasing blend of light shades. Scaffolding now surrounding the building will commence to disappear in about two weeks, and the first offices to be completed will be those for the Post Office and the State Fire Office on the ground floor and tho first j floor.

Witnesses' Expenses "We are not going to pay them these fancy wages," said the city coroner, \lr. F. K. Hunt, yesterday, when the question was raised of witnesses' exj |>enses for waterside workers who had | given evidence. A police sergeant said that the standard rate for these men was £1 lis 'ld a day. "As much as 1 get and more," exclaimed Mr. Hunt. The sergeant said such witnesses were paid for what they had actually lost Inattending Court, and they had to produce a certificate to prove the loss. Mr. J. J. Sullivan, who was appearing in the case, said these men were not adequately paid. There were 700 or 800 accidents on the wharf every year. They took their lives in their hands. "I know,'-' said Mr. Hunt. "Everybody else takes his life in his hand." Envelope as Evidence The envelope in which he received notification that he had been drawn in n Ballot for territorial service was produced hv an appellant as evidence when lie appeared before the Auckland Area Manpower Committee yesterday in support of his appeal. Appellant, who was a manufacturer, quoted the postmark cancellation on the envelope which said: "Increase production and help the war effort." "How can I increase production when my whole staff is disorganised by my being withdrawn from managing the business for three months?" he asked. "In which position can I give best service?" The chairman Of the committee, Mr. H. A. Anderson, asked appellant if he wished the envelope entered as evidence, and received an affirmative answer. "Quite an interesting exhibit," c . Mr. Anderson. The committee ie.-.vi \eu its decision. 1