NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25443, 26 January 1944, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

rTHE 185th anniversary of the birth of 1 the Scottish poet Robert Burns fell yesterday. He was born at Alloway, near Ayr, on January 25, 1759, and died at Dumfries at the age of 37 on July 21, 1796. The son of William Burness (as the surname was then known), the poet was born in humble circumstances. He worked hard in his early years as a ploughman, left that occupation to become a flax-dresser, and returned to the land as a farmer. Misfcrtune dogged his ventures, and he abandoned the land to become an excise officer, and was serving in that capacity at Dumfries when a fatal illness overtook him. His first volume of works was published at Kilmarnock, but it brought the poet only £2O. Many of his finest works were published posthumously.

Mishap to Telegrams The Kiwi News, which is published for the 2nd N.Z.E.F. in the Pacific states that a mishap on the service caused some New Zealand greetings telegrams received at Noumea on December 9 and 10 to become damp and unreadable. Nine could not be delivered. As at least 1000 telegrams a day were dealt with during this period it was not possible to verify addresses, but it was known that all the telegrams affected were addressed to units beyond New Caledonia. Camp Garbage

A proposal to use the garbage from an air station for fattening 1300 pigs a year was briefly discussed by the Canterbury District Pig Council at a meeting on Monday evening. The supervisor (Mr H. W. Mclntosh) said he had made a report on the project to the Air Department some weeks ago, but he had heard nothing further about it. For some time 1000 gallons of garbage a day had been buried. The pigs that this food was capable of producing would provide 4000 men with 2oz of pork a week.

Unusual Prisoner A cell at the Dunedin Police Station at present houses one of the most unusual “prisoners” ever held in captivity there, and one which even the sturdiest members of the force approach with some trepidation. It is a young harrier hawk, which was picked up near Vauxhall during the weekend' and which was taken to the Police Station. The bird has a leather band on one leg, suggesting that it may have been kept as a pet. If so, the process of taming it has not advanced far, as it shows a pair of business-like talons to anyone approaching it. Barley Meal Imports A telegram asking for a proportion of the Australian barley-meal arriving in New Zealand in February to be allocated to the South Island is to be sent to the acting superintendent of the pig industry (Mr H. M. Peirson) by the Canterbury District Pig Council. Advice of the arrival of a substantial shipment shortly was received from Mr Peirson by the council at a meeting on Monday evening. The price was £9 15s a ton, ex wharf at Auckland, Wellington, and New Plymouth. Members of the council said that barley crops in the South Island had “ practically failed” this season, and part of the shipment was urgently needed. New Aircraft Carriers

A large American aircraft-carrier which is under construction at the Navy Yard, Norfolk, Virginia, has been named the U.S.S. Tarawa in, commemoration of the recent recapture of Tarawa Island in the Gilbert Group. An escort carrier, which is being built at the Kaiser Company’s shipyard at Vancouver, Washington, will be named the U.S.S. Makin Island, after another success in the same campaign. In a United States Navy Department statement, which has been received in New Zealand, it is stated that these two vessels, with others, will seek to avenge the loss of the escort carrier U.S.S. Liscombe Bay, which was sunk by an enemy submarine in the Gilbert Islands area. It was the only vessel lost in the operation. Shipping Company’s Gift A cheque for £1468 17s 3d was handed over to the secretary of the National Patriotic Fund Board yesterday by Mr E. Bevan, New Zealand manager of the Shaw Savill and Albion Company, for the benefit of the personnel in the New Zealand forces. The money (states a Press Association message from Wellington) represents the profits from the canteens that the company is required to maintain on its transports. Though the money belongs to the company, the principals in London do not wish to retain such profits, and all sums realised are being handed to service charities in the United Kingdom and the dominions. New Zealand’s allocation is to be allocated to the 11 provincial councils and credited towards the current year’s quotas on a population basis.

The Greymouth Bar A vast improvement in the condition of the Greymouth bar, holding out hopes for an early resumption of shipping at the port, was ascertained by soundings taken on Monday morning There was an all-found increase in depth to 18ft 6in on the inner bar and 19ft 6in on the inner bar at high water. The improvement is attributed to the effects of a recent fresh which swept much of the deposits away, the heavy seas of last week carrying them well beyond the bars. Although the improvement is substantial, it is, however, still not sufficient to accommodate the majority of the ships which normally work the port. Several small coastal ships have been able to work the port of Westport. With the spring tides approaching. larger vesseis should not experience trouble this week. The Kaimiro and Kaimai sailed on Sunday night for Auckland. Control of Mosquitoes Advice to the public on the control of mosquitoes is given by Dr D. Miller, chief entomologist at the Cawthron Institute, who points out that though we are fortunate that no carriers of human malaria yet occur in New Zealand, it must be .clear that the present world conflict has brought us dangerously near, if not within, the zone of these insects; and the section of the population already infected with malaria affords ample reservoirs upon which mosquitoes could draw. Even in the absence of carriers, however, the attacks of mosquitoes remain an important influence upon public health. The control of mosquitoes is a simple matter once the preliminary difficulty of stimulating a community effort has been overcome; the success or failure of a campaign depends upon such a unity of purpose, he states. Though some relief from mosquitoes can be secured by protection against their attacks, the key to efficient control lies in the systematic removal or treatment of their breeding grounds. “ Morality at a Discount ”

“It is impossible to view with any degree of equanimity the portentous increase of gambling in connection with the various racing and trotting meetings held in New Zealand during the recent holiday season,” says an article in the current issue of the New Zealand Methodist Times. “We cannot but regard these increases in days such as these we are passing through as giving occasion for moral pause. We are quite aware that people must have amusement even in times of war, and we do not assert that indulging in a ‘ flutter ’ on the betting machine is a deadly sin. But at the same time, it is no matter for satisfaction to those who have at heart the moral welfare of the community that the increases in betting have taken place and these gambling records have been established. There is generally evident a slackening of moral tensions, a loosening of moral restraints, which bodes ill for the body politic unless speedily arrested. Ordinary morality is at a discount on too many hands. We have only to peruse our newspapers to note how thieving, embezzlement, and crimes against the person have developed in recent years. Many young people appear to be growing up in an immoral atmosphere, in which any element of restraint is unknown. In view of the supineness of the Government in moral matters, the responsibility for coping with these things seems to lie with the churches. What can be done to arrest the moral landslide? The matter is urgent.”

For rings, watches, and jewellery, try Peter Dick, jewellers. 59 Princes street. Dunedin. —Advt.

The Editor does not handle business letters—these should be addressed to the Manager.