NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25562, 15 June 1944, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

A CKNOWLEDGMENT of the benefits which overseas servicemen are receiving from the National Patriotic Fund Board is contained in a letter addressed to the manager of the Otago Daily Times from a Dunedin soldier serving in the Middle East. He states that ho and a number of other New Zealanders recently received gift parcels, many of which were sent from the people of Otago. “It would be appreciated by us all,” the letter states, “ if you would kindly pass on to the appropriate quarter our thanks and appreciation for the parcels and also for the attendant voluntary work involved in packing and despatch.” The writer adds that he and his fellow-soldiers wish to reciprocate the expressions of goodwill which accompanied the parcels. Five Feet of Rain

Greymouth continues to uphold its reputation as one of the wettest places in the Dominion. The rainfall recorded to date this year is just short of 60 inches. £7900 for Patriotic Funds It is estimated that there will be a surplus of £7900 from the patriotic race meeting held at Ellerslie, Auckland, last Saturday. Taxation in connection with the meeting amounted to £ll\Bo6, made up as follows:—Totalisator tax, £6276; dividend tax, £5492; stakes tax, £3B. Manufacturers’ Conference Postponed Information has been received by the Otago Manufacturers’ Association that the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation has decided not to hold its annual conference this year owing to the restrictions on rail travel. The conference was to have been held in the South Island, and it is hoped if the position improves to give manufacturers the opportunity early next year of conferring on matters of national importance, particularly in relation to post-war problems. • Pillaging Continues Christchurdh firms continue to suffer periodical losses of goods through theft in transit. The monthly reports supplied to the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association show that one firm last month lost five gross of hair-nets valued at £8 16s, and another lost small quantities of tinned meat and cigarettes. All were consigned from the North Island to Christchurch. The cigarettes were packed in cartons? which were cased and double wired, and the packages had been opened by force.

Horse Flesh for Pets Permission has been given by the Government for the sale of horse flesh, lights and paunches, at a food depot for pets in Christchurch. Arrangements for opening the depot were made after representatives of the Food Controller, Mr J. E. Thomas, had conferred with members of the Animals’ A.R.P. Unit and the president of the New Zealand Master Butchers’ Federation, Mr T. W. Stephenson. The depot will be open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. As a result of the change in the meat rationing system, 60 cats and dogs had to be destroyed by the Animals’ A.R.P. Unit, nine of them in one day. “ Heritage ” Movement

The first national conference of the “ Heritage ” movement will be held in Wellington on July 19, and will oe opened by the Gov.ernor-General, Sir Cyril Newall, who is patron of the movement. Representatives ijrom the branches which have been fprmcd throughout New Zealand will attend, with the object of co-ordinating the lines along which all branches will work to carry out the main objectives of the movement. With over 1000 children of deceased servicemen on the “ Heritage ” lists, it is apparent that there is a great deal of work to be done, and a need for the development of further branches in districts which have not so far been covered, and for formulating a policy so that assistance can be given to children in outlying districts. Writing and Legibility Writing is probably taught in schools as carefully to-day as at any time, according to the senior inspector for the Taranaki Education Board (Mr A. R. Merrington), but in many schools he thought too little care was devoted to securing reasonable speed. Legibility depending chiefly on .regular letter formation and evenness of spacing, was certainly attained' in most primary schools, said Mr Merrington, but it had been found that many classes of children at the primary leaving age attained an average speed of no more than 40 letters a minute, whereas about 70 letters should be aimed at. When faced by the inevitable demand- for speed in secondary schools, children in many cases lost the form they had acquired and did not regain it. Women’s Land Service

About 200 girls are employed in the Women's Land Service in Otago, and the secretary of the W.W.S.A. (Mrs MM. Cole) informed a Daily Times reporter yesterday that she did not expect any reduction in the number because of the absorption in farm work of returned servicemen from the Pacific. Excellent reports have been received of the work done by land girls during the past year, and the W.W.S.A. has enrolled a further number who are awaiting employment in the coming spring. Some 30 girls from all parts of the Dominion will enter Massey Agricultural College at an early date to undertake a course of herd testing in preparation for the new season, and 10 of them will be selected from Dunedin.

Roxburgh Health Camp Considerable difficulty is being experienced by the Otago and Southland Health Camp Central Council in maintaining a full staff of domestic and nursing aids at the King George V Memorial Health Camp at Roxburgh There are at present 54 children fn the camp, and a depleted staff is doing excellent work in carrying on the normal routine. Advertisements and inquiries from .the man-power authorities have so far not solved the staffing position, and' the council is making an urgent appeal for volunteers for the work. Nearly 600 children have passed through the camp in the past two and a-half years, and the teacher (Mr E. McFarlane) regularly sends them a circular letter with a view to maintaining touch with them. They are given news of the camp activities, and are encouraged to take part in competitions, for which prizes are offered. Compulsory Unionism

“I take strong objection on every ground to the remit urging compulsory unionsim,” said Mr L. V. Talbot at a meeting of the Temuka branch of the Farmers’ Union. “We are urged to support compulsory unionism because (he industrial section of the community has obtained certain results by it, but its principles are opposed to the basic principles of free government and democracy.” He considered it wrong that compulsory unionism was obtained by an Act of Parliament. In the Labour movement to-day many were compelled to support things to which they conscientiously objected, he said. Compulsory unionism led to Fascism, and the day would come when democracy would have to struggle out of the grip of the Frankenstein monster it had created. Compulsory unionism would break down in a free country, and farmers would side with those against it. Theft at College “ Sneak-thieving at an institution such as the Auckland Teachers’ Training College does not allow me to extend probation ” said Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., when sentencing a Maori student. Bob Hohcpa Cassidy, aged 19, on a charge of stealing 30s. The accused pleaded guilty. As a result of a series of small thefts of cash from the clothes of students at the college,'two of the students set a trap, said Detective Sergeant Aplin. They recorded the numbers of two notes, and then placed them in a wallet in a pair of trousers which were left hanging on a hook in the change room. A watch was kept, and the accused, who had been a student there for about 18 months, was seen to remove the money. When interviewed, he admitted the offences. As a result of the theft he had been expelled from the college. The magistrate sent the accused to gaol for six weeks with hard labour.