NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24911, 9 May 1942, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

of the present generation arc *, aware that Princes street, from about Dowling street to almost ' the Octagon, was formed by cutting through Bell Hill, the portion of street being known for years as “The Cutting.” Later the portion of Bell Hill between Princes street and the Harbour was levelled, mainly by Maori prisoners of war from the North Island. The road known as Maori road was afterwards formed between Serpentine avenue and Arthur street by these : prisoners. At that time there were deep valleys in Smith street, Arthur street and Royal terrace. These interesting details formed- part of an informative talk on “The Old Identities ” given by Mr Peter Barr at the Dunedin Rotary Club’s weekly luncheon.

Grant to Ex-soldiers

Through the Perpetual Trustees and Agency Company, the Dunedin Returned Services’ Association has received a grant of £3OO from the Grace Lillian Mitchell fund. As has formerly been the case with grants from this fund, the amount will be used on behalf of those who were adversely affected by the last war and their dependents. Mail for Sweden

Although postal communication with Sweden, which has been interrupted for. some time, is still not available by surface despatch, letters for Sweden may again be posted for despatch by air from the United Kingdom. An announcement to this effect (states a Press Association, message from Wellingon) was made by. the Postmastergeneral (Mr P. C. Webb) last night. Syrian Money “The currency in Syria is at first rather confusing and of low value,” writes a New Zealand soldier. “On our first pay we drew nine Syrian pounds (the equivalent of £1 sterling). The notes are rather like blankets, very gaudy and terribly ffimsy. You are inclined 'to fancy yourself ‘ a bit of a Croesus with nine .or ten pounds in your i pocket, but the feeling soon wanes when you come to spending them.” . '

Army Education The following resolution (states a Press Association, message from Wellington) was passed at a meeting of the full Executive Committee of the Senate of the University of New Zealand:—" That in the opinion of the executive the time has arrived for the introduction of a comprehensive scheme of army education in the New Zealand Forces; that the Government be advised of the executive’s view, and that its attention be drawn to the fact that schemes of army education are already in existence in other parts of the Empire.”

Southland V.C. Winner Further news of Sergeant J. D. Hinton, the former Colac Bay man who won the V.C. in Crete and is now a prisoner of war in Stalag 9C m Germany, has been received by Mr Charles Hinton, of Reefton, a brother. Writing on the official card, which was dated December 26, 1941, Sergeant Hinton sdid he was in good health and had enjoyed a happy Christmas. He was looking forward to spending next Christmas at home in New Zealand. The card was written from the camp hospital, where Sergeant Hinton has been assisting the doctors in caring for sick men.

Encouragement of Inventors A plea for the encouragement of inventors with ideas for war weapons or other equipment iSvas made by Mr J. O’Brien (Govt., Westlarid) during the Budget debate in the House of Representatives last night. Mr O’Brien (telegraphs our parliamentary reporter) said that the Government should give inventors, particularly young men with ideas, a better chance. 1 He. cited instances in which he thought inventors with ideas for helping the war had not been as sympathetically received as they should have been. Inventions of which he knew had seemed to him to be worthy of assistance.

Municipal . Organ Recital A programme of interesting organ music will be presented by the city organist, -Dr V. E. Galway, in the Town Hall, to-morrow night- Special mention may be made of Bach’s “ Fugue in E flat major,” “Prelude on Rhosymedre” (Vaughan Williams), and the march from the “ Damnation of Faust ” (Berlioz). Other interesting items to be nerformed are "Air Varied ” (Hiles). “ Two Pieces from a String Quartet ” (Robin Milford), "Lullaby” (Elgar), and “.Nocturne in G minor ” (Chopin). Miss Mavis Macdonald will play “Symphonic Variations for Piano and Orchestra” (Cesar Franck), and the orchestral part will be played on the organ. There will be no charge for admission. Pay for E.P.S. Workers

No definite provision had been made for the payment o'f E.PiS. workers in an emergency, said the Director of National Service (Mr J. S. Hunter) in a letter received by the Central Executive of the Ashburton Emergency Precautions Service. It was obvious, of course, that if the emergency was so serious as to necessitate lengthy absence from usual employment (assuming it had not been eliminated by enemy action), the question of payment would arise, particularly in respect of those members whose earnings might have been terminated, the letter added. This was a matter which would have to be left for consideration in the light of all the varying circumstances that might arise as the outcome of enemy action. British Filins {or Russia Biutish news films and “ shorts ” are going to Russia at the rate of five a week, and in the last two months alone 64 newsreels and 20 short films have been sent away, states a cablegram received by the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand from the Federation of Chambers of Commerce of the British Empire. The cablegram adds that a programme of 24 specially prepared “ shorts ” and newsreels is under way. Among those which have already left is one showing how production is kept going in Britain’s aircraft and munition factories, another how convoy ships work, and a third how Britain’s armed forces are trained. Special films sent to the Soviet are now being done entirely in Russian with Russian commentaries.

Boy* Make Munitions Part* Engineering students at the Hastings High School have made a useful contribution to the war effort. A representative of the Department of Munitions recently visited the school and informed the principal, Mr W. A. G. Penlington. that the production of a certain type of weapon for the army was being delayed owing to the shortage of certain essential parts. It was arranged that the school workshops should undertake the manufacture of these parts to meet immediate needs. Senior boys were brought from their classes, and the lathes were soon turning. At the end of each day the work was taken up by evening students until the parts, 75 in all, were finished. One of the students has since been engaged as a full-time munitions machinist. Hurricane Warning In a letter received in Wellington a soldier in Fiji gives an account of a recent hurricane warning on the island. “ Quite recently,” he says, “we had a hurricane warning, which to me was a novel experience. When the approach of the hurricane was reported a number of yellow flags were flown in pairs at different points in the town, as a warning to the civil and military population. Our first action was to erect two Oregon beams, specially kept for this purpose, in a criss-cross fashion in the centres of the huts and to secure all windows and shutters. In the town the civil population is in a state of constant preparedness. Shopkeepers and householders have, for the last few months, had their, windows barricaded, this being the usual procedure during the monsoon season. As this particular hurricane was reported to be approaching the island at 120 miles an hour, you can well imagine the havoc that would have been caused if it had caught us unawares. Fortunately for us, it missed the island.”

A. F. Anderson, dentist, will visit Ranfurly, Friday, May 15; Omakau, Saturday, May 16.—Advt.