TAKEN FOR BOMB

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25048, 11 November 1944, Page 6

TAKEN FOR BOMB

AIRMAN ON PARACHUTE CRASH THROUGH ROOF VILLAGERS EVACUATED (Special Correspondent) (Reed. 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, Nov. 10 It is not often that an airman is mistaken for a bomb, but when it does occur it has drawbacks. This was the experience of Flying-Officer Owen Pratt, of Christchurch, when, taking to bis parachute at 17,000 ft, he finally crashed through the roof of a granary in a Dutch village south of Tilburg. The miller and his family, hearing the noise of the airman's arrival, thought a delayed-action bomb had fallen when no explosion occurred and promptly left their living quarters below the granary. Residents living within 100' yards of the building also were moved out of their homes. The result was that FlyingOfficer Pratt's shouts for help went unheeded until daylight. Blown Along by Gale , Flying-Officer Pratt was navigator in a Halifax bomber which found itself with petrol for. only three minutes' flying when near Tilburg. He said: "There was a 70-mile-an-hour gale blowing when we jumped and I thought I would never get down, for I was being blown along almost horizontally. "At long last I saw a dark mass below me. Then a steeple flashed past. Then I went crash through the roof and found myself swinging by my parachute harness in the inky darkness. I released myself and, in falling, was knocked out for about half an hour. No Door in Walls "When 1 came to it was still dark. 1 felt my way round the walls and gradually realised that there was no door. I could see a glimmer of light coming through the hole I had made in the roof and I shouted, but without result. "When daylight came there must have been half the people of the village packed in the streets 100 yards away, Finally the police rescued me. 1 found that I was in a loft with only a trapdoor in the floor as an exit." The Dutchman, his wife and two children were delighted to find that their midnight disturber was not a time bomb, and Flying-Officer Pratt was soon enjoying their hospitality before being flown back to England. ONEHUNGA FINANCES UNSATISFACTORY STATE PUBLIC MEETINGS CALLED A series of three public meetings to discuss the financial position of the borough has been called next week by the Onehunga Borough Council through the Mayor of Onehnnga, Mr A. Garside. In a circular to ratepayers and residents the Mayor has called attention to the "very unsatisfactory financial position discovered by the newly-elected council since coming into office last June." During the last nine years loans to the amount of £77,000 had been raised, the circular continued. Another loan of £40,000 would have to be authorised to complete work already started prior to the present council being elected, the total being £117,000. The annual repayments of principal and interest on £68,000 of those loans amounted to £4521. That amount had formerly been paid out of revenue, but to reduce the overdraft at the end of the "financial year an increase in the rates would have to be made. The overdraft was estimated at £II,OOO. BUTTER AND CREAM SUPPLEMENTARY RATION COMPLAINTS OF DELAY A plea that a more expeditious procedure should be adopted in the issuing of supplementary ration coupons and permits for butter and cream has been made by a number of Auckland people. At present, the procedure is for persons holding a medical certificate as to their need for the special rations to present these with their applications to the rationing office. If the complaint, or illness, from which an applicant is suffering comes within a schedule issued from Wellington and held by the Auckland rationing officer, the coupons, or permits, are made available immediately. But if the illness does not come within the schedule the application is sent to Wellington for approval or otherwise and. in the meantime, the applicant must wait. The question has been asked why there should be any need for the submission of such applications to Wellington, a course which is resulting in delay for some hundreds of persons. It is pointed out that some of these people might be in great need of the supplementary ration and the delay might well be injurious. Some have asked why a decision could not be made by some authority in Auckland, who would be able to obtain evidence concerning any particular case much more readily than the authorities in Wellington, where there may be a considerable accumulation of applications if the.v are being sent there from all over the Dominion. FAMOUS LIBERATOR RETURN TO DOMINION (0.C.) PALMERSTON NORTH. Friday The famous Liberator aircraft Commando, which is making the inaugural flight of the new military air service from Britain to Australia by way of the Pacific, returned to New Zealand today from Australia. It landed at Ohakea on an unexpected trip with a new wheel for the Lancaster bomber which has been touring New Zealand and demonstrating the latest navigation equipment to operational training stations. The Lancaster has been temporarily unserviceable at Ohakea for several days. LANCASTER'S TOUR DUE AT AUCKLAND TODAY (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Friday The Royal Air Force Lancaster bomber, which was delayed at Ohakea since Tuesday, owing to a damaged landing wheel tyre, will, complete its tour tomorrow. The plane will arrive , at Auckland at approximately 6.10 p.m. VANDALISM IN PARKS (0.C.) WHANG AREI, Friday Concern was expressed by the chairman of the Whangarei Borough Council Parks Committee, Mr S. J. Snow, at the wanton destruction of plants in the various reserves in the borough. He said that the committee was perturbed at this vandalism and intended if any offenders were caught to take Court proceedings. Almost every night plants are destroyed in the reserves, and last night about 20 French marigold plants just set in the gardens were pulled out at Central Park, the destruction being done by adults, as shown by footprints in the soil. The plants are usually just pulled out and left lying on the ground, not taken away. MASSEY COLLEGE COURSE In order that the greatest possible number of helpers may be availablo on farms for the dairying season, the twoyear dairy farming course at Massey Agricultural College has been so adjusted that students will in future be free from mid-July until the following mid-February. The college diploma course will now be concentrated into two terms in each of two years, with a corresponding reduction of fees. The new arrangement also covers the oneyear course for ex-servicemen, who will be in a position to go on to farms each year betore the start of the dairying season.