NEWS IN BRIEF

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24449, 7 November 1940, Page 2

NEWS IN BRIEF

Soldiers and other members of the fighting forces are well catered for in (he way of rest and recreation facilities in Christchurch, but sometimes these premises are crowded. The Presbyterian Church has decided to make available St. Paul’s Church schoolroom in Cashel street for the use of soldiers and others on Saturdays and Sundays from 3 p.m. The popularity of cricket among soldiers was stressed at the recent meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Patriotic Committee, when Mr G. Bush stated that 900 men at the Papakura camp had expressed a desire to play the game. A further grant of £l2O was made to provide additional equipment. The present pitches had been laid down in permanent materials, and would last several years, it was stated. The widespread sympathy extended to the relatives of Messrs J. C. C. McCubbin and C. J. Ritchie, the driver and fireman of the limited express who were killed in the railway accident at Mercer on Monday of last week was expressed at the funeral of the victims. A very large .crowd, including many past and present railway employees, attended the service held in a chapel in Hood street, Hamilton. The majority could not obtain accommodation in the building, and the attendance overflowed into the street. Buy now; new goods just opened up; many cannot be replaced. Shop early while the selection is good. Gifts for all at Mosgiel’s Drapers.—A. F. Cheyne and C 0... The claim made recently that milk deficiencies were the cause of the low percentage of passes in , medical examinations for military service is not supported by records tnat have ocen kept of the examinations, by far the higher percentage of failures so. far have been due to foot complaints and ailments, with deficiencies resulting from improper diet well down the list.

A perambulator and its infant occupant held the stage tor a lew exciting seconds at the intersection of Oxford terrace and Worcester street, Christchurch, recently. When a gust of wind caught the hood, peramouiator and child were carried rapidly across the street. Squealing brakes brought traffic to a sudaen stop, while the pram was blown right across the road, where it was arrested by a pedestrian and wheeled sedately back to its rightful position in time to be presented to the mother of the child, who had ainved from a shop doorway at that moment. The claim that the troops sent by New Zealand to South Africa should be known as the Ist N.Z.E.F., those who went to the Great Wax' as the N.Z.E.F., and the present overseas troops as the 3rd N.Z.E.F. was advanced by Captain J. J. Clark at a gathering of the Wellington South African War Veterans’ Association recently. ‘I think there is every justification for that,” he said, “because we were the first men who went away for the defence of the Empire. When the Great War came the South African men were the backbone of the main body of the N.Z.E.F.”

Have you seen the three-m-one bins tor storing flour, bread and sugar r These are showing at Dickinson Mytton’s showroom. 204 Crawford > street, nearly opposite Otago Farmers Co-0p... The Home Guard movement in Napier has benefited by the action of the staffs of three firms—the Shell Oil Company, the Acetone Illuminating and Welding Company, and the Vacuum Oil Company—in joining the movement en masse, The area commander (Lieutenant J. W. Snaddon) said recently that this patriotic action was most encouraging, and it was to be hoped that other firms would follow suit. Members of the St. John had also enlisted in a body, and there was no sign of any slackening in the number of recruits being enrolled. When at a recent meeting of the Haumoana Beach Improvement Society it was men tinned that a fire engine had been bought during the past year, an incident of many years ago was recalled by the patron (Mr J. Wattie). “There is a very great risk of fire in a place like this,” said Mr Wattie. “In fact, I have seen the lagoon ablaze from end to end —I was responsible for that once—but we will not go into that to-night.” “ I believe that as citizens all of us will have to pool our resources in a combined effort to help the Mothttt' Country in this mighty struggle to overcome the forces of totalitarianism and one of the most unscrupulous enemies of all times,” said Mr C. Siversen. president of the Dominion Federation Boot Trades Association, in the association’s October journal. “everyone will have to do more than 311st keep the wheels of commerce rotating. We have got to do something extra, and that something extra is going to make just that difference which is required to win the war,” he said. Have you tried Crossah’s Waterloo whisky? Try a bottle to-day from Crossan’s Waterloo Hotel, Caversham —only the best liquors kept... Good progress is being made by the contractor (Mr J. M. Stewart) in sinking the three artesian wells for the Hastings Borough Council in the vicinity of Eastbourne street, and one. bore has reached a depth of 160 feet, about half the contract distance. The other two shafts have been started and good progress can be expected in the next tew weeks. ’’ A humorous slip which was noticed by only a small section of the audience was made by,Mr Jack Maybury at a recent community sing in Christchurch. He was thanking patrons for their attendance during the season, and in making special reference to some who had attended consistently for 11 years, he said, “If we had Victoria Crosses, we would award one to each of you ” He thdn thanked other helpers, and concluded, “You all deserve the Iron Cross.”

Gentlemen, for your clothing ana mercery requirements, get yours at James Gray and Sons, the Big Store, Milton. A big selection of shirts, underwear, and sports wear await your inspection... \ ■ Because of an acute shortage of halfpennies, one of the big department stores in Christchurch has been forced to give customers change in halfpenny stamps. The manager told a reporter that so far as his firm was concerned the shortage was Dominion-wide. No explanation of the shortage was forthcoming frcm the authorities, but it was possible that the scarcity of halfpennies was due to the number of fractional price increases that had come into operation recently. Pennies also were in short supply, “If anybody has a ‘ plant ’ of halfpennies in the kiddies mcney-box, it would be a good- idea to unearth them,” added the manager. The last- day of October was Hallowe'en, All Hallows being the old name for All Saints’ Day commemorated on November 1. a feast cf the Church which was definitely instituted as long ago as 835. Some of the old customs connected with Hallowe'en are of Druidical origin, and they include the lighting of bonfires, the ringing of bells, and the drinking cf “lambs’ wool,” a brew of ale or wine mixed with the pulp of roasted apples. Hallowe’en is reputed to be a good nighfor divination, for peering into the future, especially in respect to one’s matrimonial partner. Hallowe'en customs have survived in Scotland more so than elsewhere, and Burns immortalised them in a famous poem. Grandism (4274); Grand House, distinct from all other whiskies as the separate notes of a song. A fine old Scotch, sure to rise. Buy now; 13s 6d... The question whether or not motor vehicles equipped with producer gas plants should be allowed to use the vehicular ferries has been discussed between the superintendent of the Auckland Harbour Board, Mr D. Holderness, and the Marine Department. This information was given at a recent meeting of the board, when Mr J. H. Kinnear asked whether the board’s bylaws dealt with the subject. He said the question was prompted by the report of an explosion of a gas producer unit in Hamilton, and he feared that there might be danger on a ferry when a number of cars were closely packed for the crossing. Mr Holderness said the department was taking appropriate action, and the problem would be discussed with the ferry company when a representative of the department came to Auckland-

While all New Zealanders are expressing sympathy with the people of Britain in their trials, there is at least/ one Englishwoman who feels the sympathy should be with those who are not experiencing the thrill of assisting directly in the defeat of Germany. Writing as enemy aeroplanes were overhead and a call on duty was expected, she thus exhorts a male relative in Auckland: “Keep a cheerful heart, old lad. It must be horrible being so far away and much, harder to realise how well we are doing really. I’m proud to be even that very humble thing, an A.RP. warden, and only hone that I shall not fail.” “It would be terrible country over which to fight,” writes a New Zealand soldier from Egypt in describing the desert between Egypt and Libya. “Although _we, of course, do not know the mind of the commander-in-chief, we do not think we are going to advance over such country. Even the ground the Italians have taken is of no use to Egypt, and less to Libya. Solium, a collection of 10 to 12 native mud' huts, is right on the border,' continues this soldier, “and Sidi Barrani is much the same, except that ity;*.' boasts an hotel. Holiday-makers.. - stayed at this hotel on their way to rru the oasis of Siwa. Water, roads, and railways do not exist, and the only. ', things living in those parts are a few Bedouins and their herds of goats and - sheep. The Italian aeroplanes have not been over to molest us lately, and they must be feeling the effect of the work of the navy and Royal Air Force. The turn of the army, both here and in England, will come later.” Have you tried" Hitchon’s pork saveloys, pork sausages, or Oxford sausage (cooked)? If your grocer can’t supply, ring our Dunedin branch (12-344). Milton (22)...