NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24491, 27 December 1940, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

TOOKED at from the point of view of the police the Christmas holidays in Dunedin were extremely quiet and the behaviour of the general public was exemplary. There were very few cases of drunkenness, and the crowds that thronged the streets were orderly. The traditional spirit of Christmas was not absent, however, and there were plenty of people who obviously were enjoying the holidays to the full.

A Distinction Explained .'. With regard to the distinction made between the sending of Christmas cablegrams to members of the naval forces or the Fleet Air Arm, and those of the land armed forces and the Royal Air Force, the following explanation is given by Mr C. T Halsted, manager in New Zealand of Cable and Wireless, Ltd.: "The whereabouts of His Majesty's ships are secret, and there would therefore be no guarantee that telegrams to members if the navy would be delivered. They might be forwarded from one destination to another before they reached the person to whom they were addressed."

Nutrition and Health . "In the matter of free food for the people, this Dominion might some day lead the world," declared Dr J. P. Hastings in the course of a lecture given under the auspices of the Auckland Rationalist Association." We should start at the beginning," he urged, " and see that all children up to the age of 16 have the best of food. In the matter of the new life that is to be born, the expectant mother's diet .should be the care'of the State. This would ensure the bringing into existence of the strongest and most virile race. We could in time extend the system." It had been stated that this would mean Socialism, he added, but it also was common sense, for no one could deny that the first care of the State should be the health of the people. New Zealand had already given a lead in the matter of social security. Superstition

Superstition evidently still has a good hold in the minds of some people. In Queen street, Auckland, recently a sign-writer had occasion to place his ladder in such a way that it was over about two-thirds of the pavement, and it was a revelation (says the Auckland Star) to watch the behaviour of pedestrians who were passing by. At least half a dozen out of every 10 hesitated, looked at the ladder, then, rather than incur the proverbial bad luck, walked right round the end. Some of these did so without the ghost of a smile, others self-consciously, with apologetic smirks. A few bolder or more materialistic spirits, striding purposely beneath the ladder, cast looks of scorn at the timid. If these latter had been asked the reason for their action they would probably have replied: "Of course, I don't believe in it, but ..." and there would always be a "but." Fire in Factory

Only five minutes after machines from the Central Fire Station had arrived on the scene, a fire that had a good hold in the top floor of premises in Anzac avenue occupied by the Co-operative Dairy Company, was brought under control by the brigade shortly before 9 o'clock last night. The building is a two-storeyed brick and wooden structure which is used as a box factory A fair amount of damage was done to the ceiling and machinery in the top floor, and it is thought that the outbreak originated in a sanding machine which was extensively damaged. The building, contents, and plant are insured with the Sun Insurance Office but the amounts were not available last night. Butter boxes valued at £BOO were in the building but most of them were saved. The brigade was also called out two hours before to attend to a bush fire in Regent road. Protection of Pukeko

The question of granting greater licence than was now given farmers to destroy pukeko when the birds were found to be a menace to farm crops was urged upon the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr W E. Parry, at Rotorua. The Minister said that authority of the kind was never withheld from farmers who could show that the birds were creating serious damage There was evidence thai the habits of the pukeko, with the draining of swamp lands, were changing An example of the depredations of the pukeko was given to Mr ~"arry during a visit to a farm near Lake Rarewhakaitu There were no cereal crops on the farm and the pukeko had taken to eating the eggs and ducklings of the mallard duck, which make the lake a favourite shooting place. Pukekc had been taking ducklings away in their beaks The pukeko had also driven the ducks off their nests. "The pukeko has certainly given us a problem which requires to be thoroughly examined, and this 1 am arranging." Mr Parry said

Particulars of excursion tares ami train arrangements in connection with Waikouaiti races on January 1 are advertised, i