SUM OF £300 RAISED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24876, 24 April 1944, Page 6

SUM OF £3OO RAISED

AMERICAN FOOTBALL PATRIOTIC FUND BENEFITS The National Patriotic Fund of New Zealand will benefit by more than £3OO as a result of the American style foothall game which was played on Saturday at, Bledisloe Park, Pukekohe, between teams drawn from two of the regiments of the United States division which is visiting New Zealand. The match was the first organised one of its typo to be played in New Zealand and it was watched by more than 7000 civilians and American and New Zealand. servicemen, it being estimated that the general, public numbered about half the crowd. Rain squalls which swept the field did not dampen the ardour of the players, who, clad in the proper American uniforms and protectively helmeted, fought out a hard and exciting fame. The only score of the day was made in a touchdown by Private T. Fakier, who played what his expert American critics described as a brilliant game. A parade was held before tae match. Two Army bands played and marched with other Army units from the main street in Pukekohe to the field in Bledisloe Park. The opening kick for the game was given by the commanding general of the visiting forces. At the end of the first half, two Rugby teams of barefooted young New Zealariders from a local school gave an exhibition of what the Americans later described as "their own variety of rough and tumble football." Many Americans remarked that the Rugby exhibition looked more strenuous and tiring than their own brand and, they seemed to appreciate the chance of becoming acquainted with the New Zealand sport. MINE RESCUE WORK

BULLER DISTRICT STATION (P.A.) WESTPORT. Sunday The establishment of a rescue station for the Buller mines, probably at Granity, has been decided on. said the Minister or Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, last night, the cost would probably be about £BOOO. "Provision was made for the establishment of mine rescue stations in the Coal Mines Amendment Act, 1936," said Mr. Webb, "and since then three stations have been established in the Dobson station, which serves mines in the Greymouth and Reefton districts, the Rotowaro station, in the Waikato, and the Ohai station. The cost of establishment and maintenance of the stations is met by a levy of not more than Id a ton on eoal produced from the mines in each rescue station area. The rates at. present operating are:— Dobson. kl a ton; Rotowaro, id a ton; Ohai, id a ton "Teams of fit men are being fully trained in all branches of mine rescue work, using the latest overseas equipment., and already men trained at the stations have proved their worth in all districts." MOLASSES FOR STOCK SHORTAGE OF CONTAINERS An explanation of the difficulty experienced by the Department of Supply in the distribution of molasses to farmers was given at the monthly meeting of the Auckland provincial executive of the Farmers' Union. It was stated that the department had obtained from the Army after considerable difficulty 5906 drums for the conveyance of molasses from Australia. These had been available for 1500 tons of a 2000-ton order placed in the Commonwealth. The distribution had been undertaken by the Interna) Marketing Division, which made an extra charge of £2 ,I.os for each drum, this being refunded on return. Only about 500 drums, however, had been returned. The department had placed an order for a further 2000 tons for the current year, but unless the drums were returned immediately farmers would be faced with a shortage of molasses during the winter.