NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24672, 30 July 1941, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

npHE fondness of the Maoris for music is one of the well-known characteristics of the Native race. Some weeks ago the Dunedin West Ladies' Committee, which is working in the interests of the soldiers, received a request to provide the Maori company in a recent reinforcement draft with musical instruments so that the natural gaiety of the men could find expression. Time was short, in .fact, there was only a week-end in which to comply with the request, but as a result of prompt action and with assistance from the members of the men's committee, it was found possible to meet the wishes of the Maoris, and by the Monday morning a violin, a steel guitar, a banjo-mandolin, three ukuleles, and five mouth-organs were despatched to Burnham. Letters of appreciation of the ready manner in which the request was met have since been received, the company commander stating that " though the work will be hard the job of winning the war a tough one, our leisure time will be made more cheerful by your gifts."

The Johnson Quadruplets The Johnson quadruplets will shortly take up residence in Timaru, where their father, Mr G. Johnson, has been appointed to a position in the gasworks. The quadruplets are now six and ahalf years of age. The family, which now numbers seven, will remain in residence at Helensborough road, Wakari, until sent for by Mr Johnson.

Keeping Up His Courage "A small boy walking down a dark lane and whistling to keep up his courage," was the description of Mussolini given by Mr P. S. Anderson in an •address at the annual meeting last night of the Otago Importers and Shippers' Association on the subject of " the background of the present world chaos." Mussolini, he said, was trying desperately to maintain the bombast of his attempt to restore " the grandeur that was Rome." '

Expensive Thanks Two helpers at a recent patriotic carnival yesterday received letters conveying the warm thanks of the organising committee for the assistance which they had given. The letters were appreciated, but even if the recipients were somewhat modest about what they had done at the carnival, and felt that they hardly deserved all that was said about them, they were convinced that they should not have had to pay for them. Each envelope bore the simple legend "4d to pay," and four brightly coloured "postage due" stamps

Manufacture of Aluminium A suggestion that representations should be made to the British Government, or to Lieutenant-general Sir Ronald Charles, .director of the British Aluminium Company, bringing under notice the potentialities of New Zealand for the production of aluminium was made by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr S. G. Holland, in the House of Representatives yestei'day, when he gave notice of a question to the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr D. G. Sullivan. Mr Holland, who said it was reported in the press that Australia would undertake the manufacture of aluminium, also asked the Minister if he would draw attention to the fact that the Dominion had remarkable hydro-electric resources available for the production of aluminium and other light metals. Germany's Consistency

The importance of maintaining morale on the Home Front, where Germany was going to crack, was emphasised by Mr P. S. Anderson last night in an address to the annual meeting of the Otago Importers and Shippers' Association.. The spreading of rumours, however plausible their foundation might appear to be, was one of the most dangerous habits into which people could allow themselves to. slip. Mr Anderson spoke of the background of the present world chaos, and divided his subject into three sections—military, economic and psychological or historical.. He quoted from the sayings and writings of great Ger T man figures and authorities on Germany to show that the German outlook had always been one of aggression, and the self-aggrandisement to the extent of world domination. That was Germany's policy to-day, and the myth that "it was only Hitler, and not the German people, who believed in it and worked for it, had to be exploded.

Note Circulation In the hands of the public on the last Monday of May this year were 8.748,040 Reserve Bank notes -of a total value of £16,927,000. The Reserve Bank every year compiles a. table to show the denominations and value of the notes held by the public—that is, the active note circulation—on the last Monday in May. Reserve Bank notes are issued in five denominations, and on the day of calculation this year the public held 1,422,000 10s notes, worth £711,000; 5,537,000 ,£1 notes, worth an equal number of pounds; 1,670.400 £5 notes, worth £8,352,000; 90,100 £lO notes, worth £901,000; and 28,540 £SO notes, worth £1,427,000. The total note circulation was, however, £400,000 greater than the amount covered by the Reserve Bank notes, because £400,000 worth of the old trading banks' notes are still not accounted for. Trading banks' notes were withdrawn from circulation on August 1, 1934, and two years later became a liability of the Reserve Bank. The total active note circulation has risen from £6,177,000 to £17,327,000 between May, 1935, and May, 1941. • Hospital Rates The system of rating for the maintenance of hospitals in New Zealand is under review by the Government. The Minister of Health, Mr A. H. Nordmeyer, in an. interview, said that several factors had combined this year to bring about exceptional increases in the expenditure of hospital boards, but the whole subject was now under consideration. The possibility of giving relief to the more heavily rated districts was involved, the Minister said, but whether any reorganisation of finances would affect the degree of control retained by ratepayers over hospital administration was a question that could not be answered yet. The Minister said that hospital expenditure this year, and consequently the rating, too, had been extraordinary for several reasons. Among these was the fact that the Government had required hospital boards to build up considerable reserve stocks for emergency purposes. Big building programmes had also been undertaken in several centres.

Cofl'ee for breakfast. Order from your grocer a tin of " Bourbon," the coffee of quality. Instructions in every tin. Prepared by Durie's, coffee specialists, 32 Octagon. Dunedin.—Advt. For rings, watches, and Jewellery, try Peter Dick, jewellers 59 Princes street Dunedin.—Advt