NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24415, 28 September 1940, Page 10

NEWS OF THE DAY

CUMMER Time will begin officially at 2 o’clock to-morrow morning, so that in order to go to church or keep other engagements to-morrow it will be necessary for citizens to advance their clocks and watches by half an hour before going to bed tonight. The extra half-hour of daylight thus provided in the evenings will continue until Sunday, April 27, when clocks will be returned to normal for the winter period.

Duntroon Public School Mr D. C. Kidd, M.P. for Waitaki, has received a telegram from the Minister of Education informing him that the Cabinet has approved of a grant for the rebuilding of the Duntroon Public School.

Lepers Discharged from Makogai

A medical board has just completed an examination of the patients at Makogai, with the result that 43 of their number are now free to return to their homes. The kindness of many New Zealand friends, we are assured, has kept the patients in a cheerful and hopeful frame of mind, which has contributed largely to their cure. Dr C. J. Austin, the medical superintendent, is loud in his praise of the assistance rendered by New Zealand in bringing about the splendid result disclosed by the examination.

Operation at Sea A successful operation was carried out at sea on a member of the crew of a liner which has arrived at Auckland from England. Three days out from Auckland the operation became necessary and the patient was made comfortable on top of the No. 6 hatch while the ship was slowed down. Assis’ed by a doctor among the passengers who acted as anaesthetist, and by two nurses who were also passengers, the ship’s surgeon performed the operation. When the ship arrived at Auckland the patient was quickly recuperating.

H.M.S. Achilles Memorial Excavation work has been started at Achilles Point, St. Helier’s Bay, Auckland, where a terraced look-out is to be constructed to commemorate the part played by H.M.S. Achilles in the engagement with the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spec, The point, which is at the end of Cliff road, has already been renamed by the Auckland City Council, and the work to be done will include terracing and the erection of a circular retaining wall with stone seats. The upper terrace will be paved with concrete flagstones, and there is to be a direction table indicating points within the range of vision. There is also to be a bronze plate recording the exploit of the Achilles.

An Original Work A little publication, descriptive of the Maori hei-tiki. has been produced by the Otago Museum. As the title-page shows that it is “booklet No. 1,” the assumption is that it is the' first of a series of publications that will issue from the Museum. It is, therefore, an original publication, but it is original in more than one sense. “The Maori’s Hei-Tiki” has been entirely produced by the members of the Museum: staff in their own time. The letterpress provides, we arc assured, a wholly reliable account of the heitiki —of its structure and of its significance. Much of what has been written in the past concerning the amulet has. unfortunately, been incorrect. The drawings in the publication have been carefully executed and they are faithfully reproduced. The work is being sold at the Museum for Is a copy, and the proceeds of the sale, without any deduction whatever, are to be given to the British Red Cross funds.

British Children

Some suggestions to people in this country who have undertaken to receive British children into their homes were given in an address at Wellington by Dr C. E. Beeby, director of education. The main points made by Dr Beeby were that the children should be treated as members of the family and be allowed to slip as quietly as possible into the family circle. He emphasised that nothing should be done that would tend to spoil them and lead later to unfortunate reactions, and that they should not be allowed to become the centre of interest to friends and neighbours who might want to hear from them a recital of their experiences. At the same time, he did not suggest repression; his suggestion was that the children should be allowed to talk or be silent on the subject as they wished without any prompting at all. He advised also the keeping alive in the children of the faith that some day they would be going back home. His (general advice was to treat the children with understanding and tolerance and to provide for them the calm background of a normal happy family life.

A Soldier’® Autograph To write his name in a visitors’ book underneath the autograph of his father who had inserted his name in the book 25 years before, was the experience of Private W. T. Adam, son of Mr A. Adam, of Invercargill. Private Adam, who is in Egypt, visited St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church at Cairo where he was asked to sign the visitors’ book. After looking through the pages, he saw -his father's name which had been written during the last war. Private Adam’s name was then appropriately placed underneath. At the annual meeting of St. Paul's Presbyterian Church, Invercargill, it was decided to send a letter of appreciation to the members of St. Andrew’s Church at Cairo, thanking them for their care of the New Zealand soldiers. Longer Hours of Work

Comment upon the increase in award wages granted by the Arbitration Court recently was made by Mr T. W. Lewis, chairman of the Kaiapoi Woollen Manufacturing Company, Ltd., at the annual meeting in Christchurch. “While we do not question the court’s decision,” said Mr Lewis, “we are of the opinion that if costs are to be stabilised extra production is required. The position could have been met at this point by expanding the working week to, say, a nine-hour day of five days of the week for the duration of the war at standard rates.” Mr Lewis added that lengthy hours were being worked in enemy countries, and he also referred to the example of what is at present being performed by workers engaged in all industries in Britain affected by the war.

Municipal Organ Recital The city organist (Dr V. E. Galway) will give an after-church recital in the Town Hall to-morrow evening, for which he has arranged a programme full of interest and featuring two items which are being played for the first time at these recitals, viz., “Ave Maria ” (Brahms), “Canzona” (Wolstenholme). Special mention should be made of the opening item,, Bach’s brilliant Prelude and Fugue in B Flat major and Piece Heroique (Cesar Franck), a request item, also Allegro from ■ Symphony No. 6 (Widor). Other pieces to be played are Chopin’s Nocturne in G minor and Crown Imperial (Walton). Dr Galway will be assisted by Miss Marion Gubb, who will sing “The Bel! Song” (Delibes), and Mr Raymond Wentworth, who will contribute “O Isis and Osiris” (Mozart), and “For England” (Murray). Gifts of Food for Britons

New Zealanders who wish to send gifts of food to friends in Britain (states the® Evening Post) should remember that they are not allowed to send anything which is rationed there, such as tea, sugar, bacon, and flour. So far as New Zealand is concerned, people may send out of the country privately, and by post, any food except butter and cheese. No restriction exists on the quantities that may be sent, provided.they are .posted and do not constitute a business transaction. The need for equality of sacrifice and for the conservation of shipping space are probably the two major reasons why the British Government will not permit the importation privately of rationed goods, but New Zealanders who would like to send edible presents to Britain may post Christmas cake, honey, tinned tongues, ham, and biscuits, all free of duty and condensed milk, sweets, cigarettes, and. tobacco subject to Customs duty, which may, if the sender desires, be paid at this end.

Mysterious Balloons Reference has recently been made in these columns to the action of two men in Salamaua, New Guinea, who sighted the planet Venus in the noon sky and, thinking it was an enemy balloon or something, went after it. armed with rifles, in Mr Ray Parer’s Boeing aeroplane. The story created some amusement both in Australia, where it originated, and in New Zealand. But a report in the Rabaul Times puts a different aspect upon the story. When the aviators returned, they insisted that the object they chased was a balloon, with a small basket floating below. They photographed it before it disappeared behind clouds. Salsmaua jeered, of course, comments the Pacific Islands Monthly. Two days later, however, the aviators got their own back. Four more balloons are said to have been seen floating over Salamaua district. One came, very low. It is reported to have been about 6ft in diameter, made of black rubber, with a small basket attached. The purpose of the balloons (or, as the doubters say “ alleged balloons ”) is a complete mystery.

To seek ways of developing a greater understanding between the nations has long been the aim of the Y.W.C.A. Miss A. M, Moncrieff. who has been the representative of the New Zealand association in China for some years past, has won on all sides high praise for the Y.W.C.A. of that country. Friends and members of the Dunedin association will have the opportunity of contributing towards the funds necessary to keep Miss Moncrieff there on Thursday next, at the Y.W.C.A. World Fellowship Bazaar which will be held in the hall, Moray place, at 3 p.m. . Items of interest to members of city and suburban lodges, Manchester Unity, appear in this issue. Visitors are invited to participate in these functions. The auction sale of mining plant at Fifty-five Gold Mine, Ltd.. Tuapeka Mouth, has been postponed to a date to be advertised in the near future. A F Anderson, dentist, will visit Middlemarch, Waipiata, Thursday. October 10; Ranfurly, Friday. September 27 and October 11; Oturehua. Monday, October 14.—Advt. Coffee for breakfast. Order from your grocer a tin of “ Bourbon," the coffee of quality. Instructions in every tin. Prepared by Dune’s, Cipttee Specialists. 32 Octagon. DunedinAdvt. .