NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24782, 5 December 1941, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago and Southland men who recently returned to New Zealand sick or wounded arrived by the 4.18 train yesterday afternoon. Privates JL,. T. Coates, 9 Bowen street, St. Kilda, and S. S. Simes, 42 Princes street, Musselburgh, left the train at Dunedin and were welcomed by the Mayor (Mr A. H. Allen) and Mr W. E. Earnshaw, president of the Dunedin Returned Services Association. Privates M. C. Daumann, of Milton, and W. A. Barraclough and J. W. Taylor, both of Woodlands, were also on the train, and went south. All the men were walking cases and they were under the charge of a V.A., who accompanied the Southland men to their destination.

Course for Army Mechanics A course of instruction will begin at Trentham on January 5 for mechanical specialists desirous of earning prompt promotion on entering the army. The course will be of value to armourers, fitters, gunsmiths, locksmiths, cycle mechanics, and members of allied trades. Military reservists eligible to fill such positions will be selected as candidates to attend the course, and they will probably be posted as armourer sergeants to various units at a later date. Grade I and II men will be accepted, as well as married men with up to two children.

Post Office Deposits In future, only depositors in the Post Office Savings Bank who deposit the sum of £IOO or more will receive official written notice of the fact. Previously (states a Press Association message from Wellington) the bank gave written notice to depositors of £2O or more, but under Post Office' Savings Bank Amending Regulations, 1941, issued with last night's gazette, this has been amended. The reason for the alteration, which is a wartime measure, is to save labour and stationery, and depositors' interests are quite securely safeguarded by the entry in their pass books.

" Poaching " of Labour The serious results of the "poaching" of labour between firms, with a consequent fictitious value being placed on services, were mentioned at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Manufacturers' Association on Tuesday. A long discussion was taken in committee. It was decided that the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation should be requested to discuss with the Employers' Association ways of suggesting to employers generally the need for avoiding this practice, which was having a detrimental effect on industries, particularly those engaged in war duties. Army Lorry and Tram Collide

A collision between an Army lorry and a cable car proceeding up Rattray street occurred at 11.52 a.m. yesterday, as the result of which, Mr W. T. Wilson, who was sitting on the outside of the cable car, suffered slight head and leg injuries. He received attention at the Hospital before proceeding to his home. The collision occurred just before the tram reached the curve at the junction of Maclaggan and Rattray streets, and slight damage was done to both the car and the Army lorry by the impact. : Other passengers on the car received little more than a shaking. Bronze Mallard Duck* A gift of more than 100 Canadian bronze mallard duck eggs has been received this season from a sportsman in Auckland by Mr J. Steven of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. More than 300 eggs of this breed had been hatched last year, Mr Steven said, and in places wher.e they had been liberated large clutches were to be seen. The bronze mallard was •faster on the wing and larger than the mallard now in South Canterbury and in every respect was a better game bird. Sportsmen in South, Canterbury were indebted to Mr Steven for improving the shooting facilities of the district.

No School Pay Members of the High Schools Board were rather surprised at the monthly meeting yesterday. when, on an application being received from a member of the teaching staff of the Boys' High School for leave to attend next year a short refresher course at Burnham for Home Guard officers, the secretary (Mr C. R. McLean) explained that the applicant cease to receive his school pay during his absence. "What, no pay? ", asked a member, and Mr McLean replied that there was no authority to make the ordinary school pay. Mr J. Robertson, a member of the board, said that the applicant would receive military pay, and the discussion ended. A Successful Plea When Sarah Elizabeth Smith made still another appearance before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., in the City Police Court yesterday on a charge of drunkenness, she made an eloquent and successful appeal to be allowed to have her Christmas in Dunedin. She explained that she had spent the last few Christmasses "in homes or otherwise away," and that she would dearly like to spend this Christmas in Dunedin. The magistrate had doubts about the advisability of granting her request, but he convicted and discharged the accused and was rewarded by her heartiest wishes for a Happy Christmas and a Merry New Year. This was the accused's third conviction for drunkenness in six months.

New Wharf at Napier The second of two ferro-concrete wharves at Napier, constructed as part of the deep-sea port scheme, is nearing completion. The wharf, which js 761 feet in length, will accommodate the largest cargo vessels regularly trading to the Dominion. The depth of water in the berth alongside is 35ft at low water, while the approaches are now being dredged to 30ft at low water. The wharf is designed for export purposes and will be equipped with five lines of railway tracks with numerous connecting crossovers to facilitate the speedy and efficient handling of produce. Provision is made for the future installation of fullportal five-ton electric wharf cranes on both sides of the wharf should these be necessary.

Rock from Mole Quarry After having been closed for about six years, the Harbour Board's quarry near Aramoa at the Heads will be opened again shortly after Christmas to provide stone for the building up of the Mole to high-water level. The board is raising a loan of £24.000 for the work, which, it is estimated, will take two years to complete. Just before the quarry was closed down in 1935 a large "shot" brought down about 20,000 yards of rock, and this will provide spoil for the first year. At least 40,000 yards will be required to build the last 400 feet of the Mole up to the full height. A railway line runs from the quarry to the end of the Mole, a distance of two miles, and the work of replacing rusted rails and replacing rotted sleepers has already been commenced in preparation for the carting and tipping of the spoil early in the new year.

Coffee 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