NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24474, 6 December 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

" rvWING to a tear by parents that if they leave their children too long at school they will be too old for working, because of wage regulation, there has been a steady drain from the secondary schools in their first and second year," said Mi T Conly (vocational guidance officer) at a meeting of the Otago School Committees' Association last night. "The class legislation hits the working people hard, but of course it was designed to get better pay for the 'better educated The wealthy man can make provision himself for his son, when he reach's 17 or 18 years" he concluded

Bank's War Effort Some 975 officers of the Bank of New South Wales have been granted leave of absence for th-? duration of the war according to information given by the president Mr R. W Gillespie, to the annual meeting of he bank in Sydney Of these men, 267 are waiting to be called up. Mr Gillespie paid a tribute to the spirit of devotion and patriotism of the bank's staff.

Invalided Otago Soldiers The Dunedin Army authorities have been advised by telegram from Wellington that the men ot the second N.Z.E.F who were invalided home from Egypt after 11 months' active service, have been admitted to 'he Wellington Hospital for medical examination It is added that the local authorities will be advised when the five men returning to this area are ready to travel Southern Water Supply

Householders in the southern low level area and St Kilda will require to-night, or very early to-morrow morning, to see that they have on hand a supply of water sufficient to last them throughout the whole of to-morrow until midnight Alteration? are to be made to the supply main from the southern reservoir, and this will necessitate cutting off the water in the districts mentioned from 7 a.m to-morrow until midnight, and reducing the pressure in the northern, city low level and hill areas during the same period

Expenditure Questioned " Large quantities of stationery and posters have been received here, and my committee is of the opinion that practically all of it is useless. If you think it is worth the cost of posting it back to you, please let me know My committee v.pws with concern the obviously heavy expenditure in this direction which it is presumed must be met from funds raised, and wishes its protest to be forwarded by your council to national -eadquarters, wrote the secretary of the Eastern Southland Patriotic Committee in a letter dealing with the £1.000,000 patriotic appeal received at a meeting of the executive of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council It was decided to forward a «:opy o* the letter to the National Patriotic Fund Board, Old Telegraph Building The remaining vacant portion of the old telegraph building which was formerly the despatch room and adjoins the suite of office? now occupied by the Social Security Department, is at present being remodelled to accommodate the State Fire Insurance Office and the Departmenl of the Registrar of Births. Marriages, and Deaths The State Fire Department win' occupy he ground floor, with entry through a modern vestibule facing Cargill's monument, and the other department will be accommodated in the top flat. The work, which is being carried out by a local building contractor under Public Works tender, will, it is expected be completed about the end of April Parade of Home Guard

The first parade of No. 1 battalion of the Home Guard was held last night in the Coronation Hall, St. Kilda there being a muster of 320 men. The guardsmen were addresse- 3 by the officer commanding the battalion Colonel J. McCrae. and Lieutenant F B. Adams, area officer; and the battalion was then divided into platoons according to districts, and elementary platoon drill was carried out. The platoons will parade again on Thursday next as follows: —Anderson's Bay-Tainui. Anderson's Bay Presbyterian Hall: St. Kilda, Coronation Hall, St Kilda; Caversham, Caversham School Hall; St. Clair. St. Clair School Hall Pigeons for Defence Purposes

The use of carrier pigeons as an alternative means of communication should the Dominion be called upon to resist invasion (states the New Zealand Herald) is strongly advocated by Aucklanders who are concerned about the absence or potential ineffectiveness for military purposes oj telephone services to and near a number of isolated beaches that are possible landing places. It is urged that preparations should at once be made so that carrier pigeons can immediately be used : i they are required. An ofTer of birds and services has already been made to the Government by the New Zealand Federation of Pigeon Clubs. The offer was made before the threat of invasion reached its present seriousness, and it is sta'ed that the offer was then refused on the ground that the situation provided no scope 'ir using the, birds If the offer has since been reviewed Auckland pigeon owners are stated to be anxious to place their trained birds at the disposal of the army, Home Guard, navy, or merchant navy.

Shrinkage in Revenue A decrease of £1784 in the receipts of the Lyttelton Harbour Board for the year up to November 29 was revealed in a statement presented to the board on Wednesday Last year the board handled £15,140, but up to the end of last week receipts for this year amounted to only £13,355. The monthly revenue also showed a decrease from £7986 to £7159, a shrinkage of £826 when compared with the figures of November. 1939 Sheep on the Holmwood

Severe financial loss will be suffered by Chatham Islands farmers whose sheep, consigned to the Addington market, were lost with the island steamer Holmwood The Holmwood, formerly the Tees, carried 1370 wethers from two vendors—the Chudleigh Estate, and Mr S. Henderson. The sheep, on the average, would be worth at least 30s each representing a loss of at least £2OOO. Freight from the Chathams amounts to 8s 6d * sheep, and this loss of a further £SOO or so has also to be borne It is understood that the sheep were not insured Of the total shipment 1000 head were from the Chudleigh Estate, and the remaindei from Mr Henderson He was particularly unfortunate because 250 of his 370 sheep were to have come to Lyttelton on the previous trip; but he was unable to find space on board.

Minister's Appeal An appeal for unity in the Dominion's war effort was made by the Postmaster-general (Mr P C. Webb) at the official opening of the Hamilton Chief Post Office He said there must be unity if the Empire was to win. "Work-as you have never worked before," he said. "Any miner who handles a shovelful less coal any farmer who grows fewer turnips, any businessman who does not see that his business is conducted with the utmost efficiency, is helping the Hitler crowd to come out on top It is a time for work, for blood, for sweat Never were the Empire and this country so united, never was there so much determination It is too late to argue about what might have been Let us get together in the workshop and on the farm and do all we can as never before to save the world for democracy and freedom against the forces of despotism"

" Made in Germany " A few lines ol German goods are still on the market in Auckland (states the New Herald) although the British blockade has now been in force for 15 months. This indicates the large stocks of German goods that must have been on hand in Britain and in New Zealand at the outbreak of war. In fact, one Aucklander found that the only lighting flex one firm had in stock was of German manufacture. The firm, he was told, was unable to procre English flex. Recently he inquired at one jhop for pair of carpenter's dividers, and was shown a pair of German make, the only compass in stock. 'At another shop he asked for a padlock. He was shown one of German manufacture, and in declining to take it, had to explain that he disapproved of the lock because of its origin.

Coffee for breakfast. Order from your grocer a tin of " Bourbon," • the coffee of quality. Instructions in every tin. Prepared by Dunes, coffee specialists 32 Octagon. Dunedin Advt.

For rings, watches, and jewellery, try Peter Dick, jewellers. 59 Princes street. Dumedin.—Advt. .