GALLANTRY IN AIR

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 25052, 16 November 1944, Page 4

GALLANTRY IN AIR

MORE DECORATIONS

NINE FURTHER AWARDS

(P.'A.) WELLINGTON, Wednesday A further nine awards to New Zealand airmen overseas are officially announced. Eight are Distinguished Flying Crosses and the other is the Distinguished Flying Medal. The recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross are:— Flight-Lieutenant A. It. Osment, of Christ church. Acting-Flight-Lieutenant G. K. Baxter, of England. Flying-Officer L. D. McKenna, of Otipua, Timaru. Flying-Officer S. W. Holder, of New Plymouth. Acting-Flying-Officer L. M. O'Connor, of Elthani. Acting-Flying-Officer W. G. O'Brien, of Hunterville. Acting-Flying-Officer A. 11. "Kitto, of Wanganui. Warrant-Officer 11. F. Gould, of Wanganui. The Distinguished Flying Medal was awarded to: — FlighUScrgeant E. Featherstonhaugh. son of Mr H. Featherstonhaugh, of W r aitetuna, via Frankton Junction.

One of two brothers formerly prominent in Wanganui golfing circles, Acting-Flying-Officer Arthur Ralph Kitto, who is_ 25, at the age of 18 was runner-up in the New Zealand amateur golf championship played _at Hamilton in 1937. His brother, LeadingAircraftman Ross Francis Kitto, whom he met and defeated in the tournament, was killed in a Hying; accident overseas early in 1942.

TWO LANCASTER PILOTS AIRMEN FROM AUCKLAND Reported yesterday to have been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Flight-Lieutenant T. H. I. Fleming is the husband of Mrs J. Fleming, of Longniddry, Edinborough, England, and the second son of Mr and Mrs T. J. Fleming, of 16A Ngauruhoe Street, Mount Eden. He is aged 28 was born at Whakatane, and was educated at the Epsom, Alfriston and Manurewa Schools, the Auckland Grammar School and the Auckland University College, where he graduated bachelor of laws in 1940. When he enlisted in the

R.N.Z.A.F. in 1941 he was managing clerk for the Auckland legal firm ol McVeagh and Fleming, and was about to become a partner. He was captain of the Manukau Golf Club. Flight-Lieu-tenant Fleming has seen much service as captain of a Lancaster bomber. Flight - Lieutenant David Graham Goodwin, who also has received the D.F.C., is the eldest son of Mr and Mrs G. Goodwin, of 219 Tamaki Drive, Kohimarnma. He was educated at the Belmont School and Mount Albert Grammar School, whore he played in the first fifteen. He was also a keen yachtsman and is a member of the Kohimarama Yacht Club. Flight-Lieutenant Goodwin left for Canada in 1942, and after his arrival in England was posted to a Lancaster bomber squadron.

RESTRICTIONS ON HOSES ACTION AT WHANGAREI » HEAVY WATER CONSUMPTION (0.C.) WHANGAREI, Wednesday Restrictions 011 the use of hoses for watering gardens have been imposed by the Whangarei Borough Council 011 account of the large volume of water used in the past four days. Although restrictions have been imposed each summer for some years past, this year they come into force earlier than usual. Now hosos may be used only between 6 and 7 p.m. For the past 24 hours 1,125,000 gallons of water was used in the Whangarei area, which includes the supply to Portland and Onerahi, as well as the Whangarei borough itself. This is equal to 125 gallons of water per head of population for the 24 hours and has drawn 75,000 gallons from the reservoirs as the supply available is only 1,050,000 gallons a day. If the rate, of consumption continues, total prohibition of the use of hoses will have to be imposed.

PRISON BLASTING

DANGER TO SCHOOL PUPILS "In spite of the board's protest blasting in tlio Auckland prison quarry is continuing in the same dangerous manner as before," stated a report from the grounds improvement committee of the Auckland Grammar School, which was received at a meeting of the Grammar School Board yesterday. A fairly large, jagged piece of rock which had ricochetted from the gymnasium roof and fallen near a member of the staff was sent to the board. It was most fortunate that no serious damage had been caused to pupils or staff, said the report. As it was, pieces of rock blown into the school grounds were- causing damage to the grass mower.

"The prison superintendent undertook to take greater care to avoid this sort of thing when the board protested several months ago," said the vice-chair-man, Mr J. Victor Macky. "One boy was actually hit on the head by a stone from the quarry, but was fortunately not injured." A letter of explanation from the Controller of Prisons received by the board last August in response to its first protest advised that the officers in charge of blasting operations held quarry masters' certificates, and that the trouble was in the difficulty of obtaining sufficiently thick protective steel plates. The board decided to i write again to the Minister of Education, Mr Mason, and to the prison superintendent.