NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24721, 25 September 1941, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

A TELEGRAM purporting to be from the Independent Squadron of Mounted Rifles was read by the Mayor (Mr A. H, Allen) at the public meeting in the Town Hall on Tuesday night. The telegram stated that many reservists who were on parade that night would otherwise have been present at the meeting and that they supported the protest against the “ Doctors’ Bill ” wholeheartedly. It was learned yesterday that the telegram hod been sent without any official authority whatsoever. An inquiry into the circumstances was made by the army authorities. as army discipline provides that no serving individual or unit may take any part in a political or semi-political discussion. An explanation was offered that the sender did not intend the message to be read to the meeting. Malicious Fire Calls

The City Fire Brigade was* called out to no fewer than three malicious false alarms last night. The calls came from the corner of High and William streets, at 9.28; from the corner of Elgin road and Havelock street, at 9.45: and from the corner of Young street and York place, at 11.1. Unsightly Gap Removed

On August 4 authority was given by the Works Committee of the City Council to the Corporation Transport Department to erect an electrical welding shop at the corner of Princes street and Market street, with a temporary front wall of wood. The building of this shop is now well under way, and the wall fronting the street has removed what for a long period constituted an unsightly annexe to the city tramsheds.

Temporary Black-out Owing to a defect arising in the main circuit between Halfway Bush and Dunedin at 11.50 last night, the city experienced a complete “ black-out ” of about five minutes’ duration. Officials of the City Electrical Department were unable to give an explanation of the cause of the breakdown last night, and said that their own installations at the converter station had failed along with those of other consumers. This is the first occasion for a long period on which the city power supply has been extinguished by an electrical fault. Training Stand-by Staffs

Reference was made yesterday to the Army Department in Dunedin having trained girl typists to prevent disorganisation when men in such positions were required for service. Actually, the army has not trained typists in this way, although it employs a number of girls for the typing required by officers at the Kensington Drill Hall. The reference to the training of typists should have been accredited to a commercial firm in the city, which engaged extra staff a year in advance of the time when men were called into camp, so that their positions could be filled without delay or disruption to the operations of the company.

“ Bluey ” to Disappear The official blue of the paper that has been used in English court procedure since the time of Edward I and adopted by the New Zealand judicature from early colonial days for civil and criminal summonses may disappear until after the war, as present stocks are exhausted, giving place to forms of a pink colour. Some delinquents may still be served with the familiar “bluey.” because substantial stocks are on hand, but the time must come when those of the other colour will be used. Both civil and criminal summonses in ordinary circumstances are made out on blue paper, but as the change-over becomes general the former will change to white and the latter to pink.

Municipal Organ Recital The programme to be presented by the city organist, Dr V. E, Galway, at his after-church recital in the Town Hall on Sunday night, includes several items which are being played for the first time at these recitals, viz.; Sonata in C minor, first movement (Guilmant) and Salix and Chanty (from the Plymouth Suite, by Whitlock). Other interesting pieces to be performed are Prelude and Fugue in B fiat major (Bach). Ayre and Gavot (Arne), a bracket of compositions by the blind English organist, Wolstenhohne, “Fantasie Rustique ” and “ The Question and the Answer.” and Postlude by Tertius Noble. The assisting entertainers will be Miss Olive Nieper, L.T.C.L., who will play “Rigolettb” Paraphrase (Verdi-Liszt), and Miss Evelyn Clyde, who will sing “A Blackbird Singing” (Michael Head), “A May Morning” (Denza), and “Oh! My Beloved” (Puccini). There will be no charge for admission.

A Trophy from Crete An interesting trophy from Crete has just 'been received by the relatives of Sergeant-major Reg. Cawthron, ’who live in Hataitai. Wellington, This is a Nazi flag, used by German parachute troops who have made a safe landing as an indication tff the planes overhead that the spot where the flag is spread out is a good one for the dropping of supplies. The flag, which measures two yards seven inches in length by one yard three inches in width, is made of very strong linenlike material, with metal eyelets sewn in the corners. It is bright red in colour, with a black swastika on a white circle in the centre, and would make a conspicuous signal when seen from above. No details are given in the letters accompanying the flag, but the captor has inscribed his name on the edge of the white circle, together with the brief statement that the flag was captured on May 21 at Pyrgos, Crete. To send the flag back to New Zealand by air mail cost Sergeantmajor Cawthron over £3; so he said in his letter, although the package arrived minus most of its postage stamps.

Influenza Research It would bo a matter of years rather than months before (lie benefit of such a discovery, if it were proved sound, was made available throughout the world, said Ur J. C. Mercer, of Wellington, editor of the New Zealand Medical Journal, when interviewed about the cabled statement from Capetown that the Director of the Medical Research Bureau had announced that the Institute of Medical Research had succeeded in isolating the influenza germ. Dr Mercer said that he had not yet hoard anything of the discovery. Influenza was caused by a filter-pass-ing virus, the organism of which was 100 small to be seen under a microscope, said Dr Mercer. The most forward research done so far, to his knowledge. was in Australia. Influenza research work had been proceeding very actively for a long time, but it was one disease which, so far, it had not been possible to prevent. Asked whether the urgency of such a discoverjNn war would result, in its benefits becoming available more quickly than would be the case in peace, Dr Mercer said that few countries, now had the facilities for doing the largescale medical work involved. What little research work was possible in New Zealand had been almost entirely stopped by the war. which made so many extra demands, mainly by the armed forces, in routine work. Coffee for breakfast. Order from your grocer a tin of “ Bourbon,” tire coffee of quality. Instructions in every tin. Prepared by Dune's, coffee specialists, 32 Octagon. Dunedin.—Aclvt.