NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25384, 16 November 1943, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

MAKING an appeal for increased production, Mr W. W. Mulholland, Dominion president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, addressing farmers at the Wanganui Show on Saturday, said that an additional two pounds in weight on each export lamb would mean 10,000 tons of extra meat for the people of the United Kingdom. “We are carrying on production under difficulties, and it may be that some of these difficulties are due to bad administration and mistakes,'! said Mr Mulholland. “Some of them could have been avoided, but at the same time the issues at stake in the present war are so great that we cannot hesitate in our efforts.” Food was one of the most difficult and most important of all the factors involved in an Allied victory. “It is all a question of man-power,” Mr Mulholland added. “ In my opinion, a man on a farm today is worth more than a man in the armed forces. I would ask the Government to give earnest consideration to these questions.”

Best Troops in World An American war correspondent, describing the Mareth victory in an article for Harper’s Magazine, speaks of the New Zealanders as “ simple, unspoiled men with a great sense of democracy, and, so far as I could discover, no fear whatever.” In another place he declares that the New Zealand infantry—“ gallant veterans of Greece. Crete, and El Alamein ’’—were “ probably at that moment the best troops, man for man, in the world.” Message a Year Late

A postcard has been received by his wife from Pilot Officer E. E. Rex, formerly assistant town clerk at Hamilton, from the Netherlands East Indies, stating that he is safe and well. Pilot Officer Rex was serving in Singapore at the time of the Japanese invasion. He managed to get to Batavia, where he was captured. His message was despatched in November, 1942, and m it he wished his wife a “ Merry Christmas.” He little guessed that the message would take a year in transit. Tramway Uniforms The Wellington City Council has decided to issue the following instruction to all tramwaymen required to wear uniforms: “Uniforms are to be worn as issued, without alteration or addition, and only when on. duty or proceeding to and from duty. Employees shall report for duty shaved and clean. No flowers, embellishments, or decorations other than military ribbons, good conduct emblems, or street collection emblems are to be worn or displayed.”

Grouping of Farm Gear

“Almost every farm in Southland is over-capitalised through having much machinery which lies idle for the greater portion of the year. The position can be remedied only by districts having a group system of work • for tractors and farm implements,” said Mr R. Sim (Waianiwa) at a meeting of the Southland Council of Primary Production. He added that the months during which the machinery lay idle made the cost excessive. He knew of a block of 1000 acres where five tractors were periodically operating, instead of one.

Shortage of Staff at Hospital The reason given by the medical superintendent, Dr H. L. Gould, in a statement to the Waikato Hospital Board, for the Hockin wing at the Waikato Hospital not being fully occupied was that there was a shortage of domestic staff. Mrs H. Ross said it was ridiculous that women should be directed to work in milk bars and other so-called essential industries while a hospital was understaffed. Mr J. Banks quoted the case of a young woman who wanted to be a hospital nurse. She was directed to a mental hospital. The board appointed a deputation to wait on the man-power officer to see what relief could be obtained. How Opium Came to China

Mr C. M. Green, formerly editor of the North China Daily News, writing in World Dominion, describes as “entirely untrue” the prevalent belief that Great Britain made war on China in 1841 to force opium upon her. Opium, he says, is not mentioned in the Treaty of Nanking, and after the treaty was signed British merchants in China were warned by their Government that they could expect no protection if they were caught smuggling the drug. Incidentally, Mr Green adds, the British were not the first or the only people to bring opium to China; Portuguese, Americans, and Dutch were all active in the traffic, which continued largely because of the profits made from it by the mandarins. Americans’ Help in Pacific A tribute to the help given New Zealand soldiers in the Pacific by their American Allies is contained in a letter received from an Auckland officer. “Absolutely without exception,” he says, “ I have found them most courteous, helpful, cheerful, good-tempered, and willing to go to almost any lengths to help in the most trifling things, let alone important matters. A recent newspaper cutting quoted an American officer as saying that the New Zealanders got the same treatment as an American unit no more and no less. From my experience I think we get a great deal moreenough to *try their- patience and generosity often, if it were not for the fact that they are such nice chaps, and I believe this view is fairly general among New Zealanders in these parts.” “ Difficult Period Ahead ”

“The coming term of Parliament will probably witness one of the most difficult periods in our Dominion’s history,” said the Minister of Supply, Mr D. G. Sullivan, at a Labour Party function at Aranui, near Christchurch. The loyalty of all supporters would be required by the Government during its newly-won term of office, continued Mr Sullivan. The Government would continue to regard as its primary task the winning of the war, and to this end whatever steps were necessary would be taken by the Labour Government, fearlessly and effectively as in the past. The Government, however, would continue its progressive social policy, and among the most urgent matters to be dealt with was the need for more homes for the people. The housing construction programme would be pressed forward as quickly as circumstances allowed. Central Otago Irrigation

Commenting on the meeting which was held in Dunedin recently to discuss proposals for the development of Otago, the Minister of Works, Mr R. Semple, in a letter to the Mayor, Mr A. H. Allen, said that the meeting was to be congratulated on the progressive attitude it had adopted towards the improvement of Central Otago lands by way of irrigation where this was practicable and justifiable. The Minister pointed out that his department had already made thorough investigations of the Maniototo and Cromwell-Hawea areas, and had called on the services of other departments in order to secure complete information. The final analysis of the large amount of data would have to be deferred for some time yet, on account of the shortage of skilled staff, he added, but he intended to resume the examination of these proposals as soon as circumstances permitted.

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