DAMAGE ON BOATS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24828, 26 February 1944, Page 8

DAMAGE ON BOATS

LAUNCHES AND YACHTS STEPS TO CH.ECK VANDALISM Owners of launches and yachts moored at the eastern end of the harbour met on Thursday night to discuss a plan to cheek the alarming number of thefts and acts of vandalism that hare been committed on their boats in recent months. They decided to equip moored craft with alarms and also arranged a system of watch-keeping in the hope of catching tin; offenders, who are known In lie youths and young hoys, I'heir depredations are usually committed between .Mondays and Fridays, generally in daylight when the owners ol the craft are at business.

Thefts and nets of destruction were committed 011 22 boats on the last occasion that the miscreants were at work. One owner's loss through damage and theft amounted to £.1.60. Another owner, whose launch has been raided four times, stated that hundreds of pounds worth of damage had been done to his boat. The intruders had thrown away expensive cutlery, cut heavy curtains to ribbons, smashed the radio, emptied lockers and poured chemicals over the convent's of chests ot drawers. Finally, they had poured a long chain ot matches from several boxes along a valuable oak table top and set them alight. The contents of a dozen tins ol fruit had been emptied over everything. ft is stated that parties of hoys row around the moored emit in stolen dinghies. Tbev gain access to the boat*, either by forcing the locks or by breaking windows and light wooden panels. Much equipment that cannot be replaced at the present time has been damaged beyond repair. GOOD GRAZING SEASON HIGHER WEIGHT LAMBS NORTH AUCKLAND RESULTS (0.C.) WHANGAREI, Friday This season has generally proved to be a good one for graziers in North Auckland, with abundant feed in the late spring and summer after a hard winter and early spring. So far as sheep and lambs are concerned, the difficulty experienced has been to keep food short for fattening, as sheep and lambs do not do well on long feed.

There has been a tendency to aim at, high weights for lambs, and the average weight of the lambs sent to the works has been heavier than in previous years. A high percentage of lambs has also been fattened, instances being quoted of lines ot 700 lambs in which only 10 to 15 have been rejected from the whole flock. These have been mainly smaller animals retained by the farmer for his own killing. Not many wethers are being sent forward to the works, as the price paid by butchers for this class has generally been ahead of export schedule rates, and hence fat wethers have gone for local killing. On account of the good feed position and the high price realised, the number of ewes fattened and sent to the works has shown an increase over previous seasons. The pig-killing season is also over with the decline in the milk supply. This season lias shown a decrease in pig killings as, due largely to manpower shortage and the low dairy production in the spring, there has been a falling off in the numbers fattened. Cattle are just starting to move toward the works, as previously there has been little space for cattle with sheep and lambs filling killing space. The boners and other cattle_ that have been killed have shown an increase in weight over the average of previous seasons. With the good feed position and the indications of a continuation of this position through the autumn months, it is probable that there will be a longer killing season than normally.

RAIL PRIVILEGES MERCHANT NAVY'S CLAIMS A resolution "receiving with disgust" the War Cabinet's refusal to extend to merchant seamen rail warrant and petrol allowance privileges _ usually granted to Navy, Army anu Air Force personnel has been passed by the Dominion executive of the Second N.Z.E.F. Association. Copies of the resolution together with ft letter of protest are to be forwarded to the Prime Minister, the Ht. Hon. P. Fraser, and members of the War Cabinet. The refusal of the War Cabinet to grant equal privileges to the men of the Merchant, .Service is regarded by the executive as a scandal, says a statement issued by the association. It is pointed out that, but for the assistance of the merchant seamen, troops could never have left New Zealand to defend the country, and it- is stressed that the seamen are daily taking risks every bit as great as those faced by frontline soldiers. HEAVY TRAIN BOOKINGS The train on which an inteudimi nasseiiger from Auckland to Wellington may reserve a sea! is the 7.1") p.m. express on Friday. .March 10. Only a few seals oil the train remained unreserved last night, and all trains to Wellington under (he present limited ■ mice are fully booked until that date. The express to Wellington last evening consisted of .seven carriages and three sleeping ears, all the accommodation being reserved. Bookings on other routes also ore fairlv heavy.