NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25214, 1 May 1943, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

building permits of a total value of £13,953 were issued by the city building surveyor’s office during April. Three of the permits were for new dwellings, and one was for substantial additions to a factory. The others were mainly for repair work and alterations to buildings. The figures for April, 1942, were 11 permits of a total value of £7760.

Infantile Paralysis One suspected case of infantile paralysis was admitted to the Dunedin Public Hospital yesterday. The patient is a girl aged six years, who lives in Duhedin. The district health officer (Dr T. McKibbin) said yesterday that in all the positive cases, except one, the paralysis was light. Boy with a Bomb The Wanganui police are searching for a schoolboy, aged about 11 years, who was recently seen near Queen’s Park, in the centre of the city, with a Mills bomb in his possession. When asked where he had found it. the boy ran away. Reporting this, the police urgently requested that, for the safety of children and the public, parents and teachers should ascertain the identity of the boy so that the bomb could be secured.

Hospitality in Britain “The hospitality here is wonderful,” writes a New Zealand airman who recently arrived in Britain from Canada. “ People will go without food themselves to put on a good spread for you. Although food is rationed and we, too, have ration cards, it is surprising what can be had in the way of meals, afternoon teas, etc.” This airman, whose judgment must be accepted as unbiased, and based on wide experience (he was born in Australia, educated in New Zealand, trained in Canada, and he now serves in England) adds: “ The best Irish stew I have ever tasted was served in Scotland.”

Soya Beans Industry The growing of soya beans in New Zealand on a more extensive scale was advocated by Mr Earl A. Emmerson, representing the United States War Production Board, and a member of the Anglo-American Mission which has been touring New Zealand. During a visit to Eltham Mr Emmerson said that from what he had seen there was no reason why soya beans could not be grown in New Zealand. In the United States the growing of beans was becoming a great and expanding industry. Full advantage should be taken of their food and oil production value. He emphasised the need for more production of butter, cheese, and meat of all kinds. No Regimentation of Youth

The Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry, remarked at a recent meeting of the National Council of Physical Welfare and Recreation that, despite his several denials of allegations that the Government had in mind a regimentation scheme for youth, certain critics still persisted with their misrepresentation of the position. There was no element of compulsion for anybody in the national policy. In its administration of the Act the department wished to have friendly, helpful cooperation with existing sports bodies and other organisations. The officers did not interfere in any way with the domestic concerns of clubs or other bodies, which they were always willing to help with advice or expert instruction. “ New Type of Sailor ”

In a letter to a Christchurch woman thanking her for gifts of comforts for men on minesweepers, the Rev. Denis Daly, chaplain and secretary of the Missions to Seamen, Glasgow, writes of a new type of sailor. He says: “ The woollens you sent have come in very usefui, especially for the new type of sailor of the invasion barge who has to stay on duty in isolated parts of the coasts in winter and summer waiting for the great day. The sailor of the invasion barge was usually a yachtsman in the days of peace. His barge is anything but a luxury liner, and has not the ordinary comfort we give to our minesweepers. I have, therefore, taken these men under my wing; one day they will make a terrific lot of history.” New Health Stamps

The 1943 health stamps will probably be issued early in October,' and will be withdrawn from sale not later than the end of February, 1944. There will again be two denominations—ld postage plus id health, and 2d postage plus Id health. The lower denomination is green aind bears a head and shoulder portrait of Princess Margaret, and the other denomination is brown with a portrait of Princess Elizabeth. The stamps are triangular in shape, and will be the first triangular stamps to be issued by the New Zealand Post Office. Other features of the design include a coronet in the apex, a spray of English dak with acorns in the lefthand corner, and a spray of New Zealand manuka in the right-hand corner. The stamps are based on a design submitted by Mr J. Berry, Wellington.

Egg Rationing Christchurch people will have to face a much more severe rationing of eggs for the next few weeks, as with the intended diversion of more eggs to Wellington the supplies to shops will be reduced. This (states a Press Association message) was announced yesterday by the managing director of Central Egg and Flour, Ltd. (Mr C. Ferguson), who said that from Monday he would be reducing the supplies to the Christchurch shops to about half what they were receiving at present. The reason, he said, was that the Wellington public had not had a delivery of eggs for the last two weeks, while Christchurch had been receiving comparatively substantial quantities. It would be necessary to reduce the quantities going to the Christchurch shops for at least the next three weeks, which would on the average cover the shortest supply period of the year. Police Patrol Cars “ It is a pity the police are not more up to date with radio apparatus to acquaint their patrol cars of stolen vehicles and other matters. In this case the accused could have been caught immediately and a lot of trouble would have been saved, but they are carrying on in the same old way,” said Mr F. H. Levien, S.M., in the Auckland Police Court when David Peri, a Maori labourer, aged 23, denied converting - a car valued at £350 to his town use. Evidence was given by Detective Cromwell and two constables that they had seen the accused, who was well known to them, driving a car near the Town Hall at 1.30 a.m. They were able to see the accused quite plainly, but, as they had no record of the vehicle being missing, their only action was to take the car’s number. Later they found that it had been taken. The accused was interviewed. but denied- being in. the car. In evidence, the accused denied taking the car or being in it. He admitted having previous convictions, but none for the conversion of cars. A sentence of three months’ imprisonment was imposed.

Absenteeism and Overtime An aspect of absenteeism in industry which has escaped general attention is that employees who remain away from their work in order to obtain the advantage of “long week-ends,” as welt as at other times, draw a larger proportion of their wages at overtime rates than those who observe the normal hours. It has been pointed out that those who absent themselves from their work, particularly on Mondays, know that they can make up wliat in normal times might be a serious loss of wages by working at overtime rates later in the week, and it has been suggested that it is unfair that such employees should receive overtime rates although they have not served for the normal 40 hours a week at ordinary rates. The matter has been officially taken up by at least one branch of industry, but it was informed that there was no possibility of the Government enforcing a rule that a specified number of hours must be worked each week before overtime rates would become payable. One reason for this decision was the difficulty in establishing whether absence from work was excusable, and another was that such a ruling would conflict with existing awards and special regulations.