NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24803, 31 December 1941, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

npO-MORROW being New Year’s Day, there will be no publication of the Otago Daily Times. Vice-Regal Broadcast His Excellency the GovernorGeneral, Sir Cyril Newall, will broadcast to the people of New Zealand immediately after the one-minute silent prayer at 9 o’clock to-night. Magistrate’s Answer A plea by counsel in gaming cases that hairdressers and tobacconists would seriously jeopardise their business if they refused to arrange bets for their customers was answered by Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., in the Auckland Police Court. The position was the tobacconists’ own fault, he said If members of their association would all agree that they would not break the law the difficulty would cease They did not choose to do that. Instead they chose to make themselves obliging by breaking the law. Privileged Racehorses In spite of the restrictions on journeys of over 100 miles, accommodation on the Auckland-Wellington express, which comprised eight day cars, a sleeper and a horse wagon, was heavily taxed on Monday afternoon. Some delay (states the New Zealand Herald) occurred in bringing the train up to, the platform, and there was a scramble for seats when intending passengers finally were allowed through the barrier. “Who wouldn’t be a racehorse! ” sighed a harassed traveller, indicating the horse wagon being attached to the train. “To think that I spent the best part of the morning trying to obtain a permit to go to Wellington on important business.” Theft* of Glasce* Because of the difficulty of replacing stock lost, Wellington hotel proprietors took steps this Christmas to prevent the pilfering of glasses. t The disappearance of “ handles ” and glasses ot all sizes has represented a serious problem, particularly at holiday times, when crowded bars have made it impossible for the barmen to detect offenders or to keep an eye on all the glasses. Recently the Wellington Licensed Victuallers’ Association issued a warning that authorised persons were being retained to detect offenders and that those caught stealing glasses would be liable to prosecution. Since then the position has much improved. Some offenders have been detected and will be prosecuted.

Hone*-for Herd-tetter a Sixteen years ago, when herd-testing was first commenced in Taranaki, most of the testing, officers travelled their districts by horse and buggy. To-day a reversion to the same conditions is about to be made. Because of the petrol restrictions, not one of the twenty-two testing officers working throughout the province will be able to use his or her car when tanks are exhausted. Immediate . alternative methods of transport have therefore become imperative, and an appeal'will shorly be made by the Taranaki Herd Improvement Association asking its 560 members to hire out harness, horses, gigs and carts so that-the service may be continued. Vegetable Seed*

VNew Zealand has been in the habit of importing large quantities of vegetable and flower seeds from the United States, but Auckland seed merchants say they are not worrying about the new position created by Japan’s entry into the war. “We have plenty of stocks to see us through until the end of the season, say, in four months’ time,” said one. New Zealand growers have not been behind in planning to fill the gaps made by the absence of Europe’s supplies from the market, and In many common lines, such as peas, beans and parsnips, the Dominion is self-sufficient. New Zealand is being called on by Britain to meet heavy demands for small seeds, notably onions, and not all these demands can be met.”

Old Guns Buried Precautions against air attacks were carried a step further in Albert Park, Auckland, on Monday, when the old guns formerly placed in the enclosure by the flag pole were dismantled by a gang of workmen using a steam shovel. Of the six guns, all were buried where they stood except one small gun, composed of gunmetal The guns were dismantled at the orders of the authorities, as it was considered that their presence so near shelter trenches might endanger lives as they presented a target from the air. Attempts at camouflage had been proved useless. The assistant superintendent of parks said that as far as he knew no record had been kept of the history of the guns, the majority of which were mounted in Auckland forts half a century ago. From time to time efforts had been made to establish their identity, but without success.

Soldiers and “ Mike Fright " To many New Zealanders stationed in the Middle East the opportunity of sending messages to the Dominion by radio has a real appeal (states a writer in Fanz, the magazine of the New Zealand Field Ambulance). “To most of those soldiers who wish to broadcast, facing the microphone is a unique experience and ‘ mike fright ’ claims a large number of victims, rendering burly soldiers strangely silent, and the toughest sergeant-majors all a-twitter. The records upon completion are despatched to the Egyptian State Broadcasting in Cairo, and the rather roundabout yet interesting method of presenting them to New s Zealand listeners begins. At a certain hour each day the Egyptian State Broadcasting goes oyer to London ’ (a radio term which is self-explanatory) with the greeting such as ' Kello. 8.8. C. How is everything to-night? I’ve a few recordings for you.’ In a typically 8.8. C. voice there will probably come back, * Hello, Cairo! Go ahead, old man.’ The records are played over and recorded again in the 8.8. C. studios, where they are held until the hour for the broadcast to New Zealand, in the form of the Sunday morning sessions of soldiers’ greetings.” Cable Congestion An announcement that cablegrams from New Zealand are now subject to considerable delay because of heavy congestion has been made by the Director-general of the Post and Telegraph Department, Mr J. G. Young. “It is essential in the public interest that private cablegrams, including Expeditionary Force messages and cablegrams to members of other branches of the armed forces abroad, should be restricted, at least for some time, to an absolute minimum,” says the announcement. It is stated that the congestion reached its climax at Christmas, but messages for overseas lodged early in December had been despatched. Cablegrams lodged later in the month would be subject to marked delay. Since Japan’s entry into the war the cable situation had been made more difficult by enemy seizure of important communication points in the Asiatic zone. The congestion is also affecting inward cable messages for New Zealand. A large volume of cablegrams from Expeditionary Force soldiers returning from Cyrenaica to base camps as well as seasonal greetings from other service personnel abroad have already been handled, but it is believed that a large number of cablegrams have yet to arrive. Coffee tor 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