NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25301, 11 August 1943, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

rpHE statement that enhanced values J- were placed upon motor vehicles released by the army for civil purposes was made at a meeting of the Auckland District Council of Primary Production. The chairman, Mr R. C. Clark, said the Government was carrying out a policy that was not in accordance with the terms of the Motor Vehicles Impressment Act. A vehicle priced at £290 had been taken over by the Government after four months’ service at the fair valuation of £250, but following 18 months of army use it had been priced at its value when new. The people who were protesting most against this system were the motor dealers. It was decided to draw the attention of the Government to the position. Train Delayed As the result of engine trouble, the Central Otago train was an hour late in reaching Dunedin last night. Output of Linseed Oil Since May 1 an average of 5000 gallons of linseed oil a week has been exported to the North Island from the new factory in Dunedin. This announcement was made by the chairman (Mr R. S.-Thompson) at a meeting of the Otago Hai'bour Board last night. In addition. Mr Thompson said, an average of 50 tons of linseed cake a week had been exported. The factory had only started, he said, and the trade would grow, thus assisting the board’s finances and the coastal shipping from the port. War Damage Premium The intention of the Government to reduce the war damage premium as from February 28 next in the event of there being no call on the fund in the meantime was reiterated by the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, during consideration of the vote of the War Damage Fund in the House of Representatives yesterday. He said he could not at this stage give the exact amount of the reduction, but it would be considerable. The Minister said the amount in the fund at the end of this year would be £4,500,000, provided there was no destruction involving claims. The fund was under the complete control of Parliament, and none of the money could be expended on anything but war damage without its sanction. It was not possible in equity to reduce the premium now. It was not possible to have a compulsory period for some covering two years and one for others covering 18 months. Army Nurses’ Allowances Larger clothing allowances for nurses, both when they proceed overseas and when they return to civil life, were sought by Mr H. Atmore (Ind., Nelson) in an urgent question which he asked on behalf of Mr W. E. Barnard (Ind., Napier) in the House of Representatives yesterday. The Minister of Defence, Mr F. Jones, replied that a uniform grant of £SO, plus an annual maintenance grant of £2O, was payable to officers, both male and female, who were required to serve overseas. The members of the New Zealand Army Nursing Service thus received the same monetary consideration as did all the other officers. The question of nurses’ clothing, said the Minister, was now the subject of correspondence with headquarters, Middle East, representations having been made that some new system of issue was needed because of the difficulty that nurses had experienced in making direct purchases in the war theatres. ' The mufti allowance payable to men and women on discharge from the forces had recently been increased, and it was not proposed to make any further increases.

Maori Rock Paintings Interesting information concerning the rock paintings at Duntroon and Otekaike, North Otago, was given to the Oamaru Presbytery at its meeting yesterday by the Rev. J. T. V. Steele (Duntroon), who reported that the moderator of the assembly (the Right Rev. J. G. Laughton), a well-known Maori scholar, had recently visited the district and had expressed the opinion that the paintings were clearly ofMaori origin, and not Moriori, as some people thought. There was ample evidence that the district had been a Maori camping ground, and that the Maoris had gone up the Waitaki Valley principally to hunt the moa. It had been reported that the body of a man in a sitting position had been found under a rock painting, and Mr Laughton said that it had been put there as a human sacrifice. The paintings must have been there for about 500 years, the paint being of the blood of the sacrifice. The designs were lines with a dot in the middle, under which were signs of fish, and this indicated plenty of hunting and fishing. Mr Steele added that Mr Laughton’s was possibly the first real expert opinion passed on the rock paintings. “ Victory ” Issue of Stamps “ Consideration is being given to ,the question of issuing a series of ‘ Victory ’ or ‘ Peace ’ stamps in New Zealand after the war,” states the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, in a letter to Mr F. W. Doidge (Oppn., Tauranga). The Prime Minister was replying to a recent suggestion by Mr Doidge that New Zealand should issue a series of war stamps. Mr Doidge had said the idea had been submitted to him by ardent stamp collectors, and he felt it was one that should commend itself to the Government, not only for publicity purposes, but as a means of raising revenue. The Prime Minister replied that the proposal was considered by the Post and Telegraph Department some time ago, but it was decided not to proceed with the matter, the main reasons being the difficulty of obtaining suitable designs, the shortage of stamp paper, and the time that would necessarily elapse before the stamps could be placed on sale in New Zealand. The Government Printing Office was not yet equipped for the production of high-class stamps. In the circumstances it would seem better to concentrate on a post-war issue, with which New Zealand could be early in the field. For rings, watches, and jewellery, try Peter Dick, jewellers, 59 Princes street, Dunedin.—-Advt.