NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25659, 6 October 1944, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Chief of the New Zealand Naval J- Staff, Commodore Sir Atwell Lake, R.N.; recently received tributes to the service of the R.N.Z.N. in the South Pacific from Admiral W. F. Halsey and his chief of staff, Rear-admiral R. B. Carney. The latter said: “New Zealand’s naval contribution to- the South Pacific campaign has invariably been loyal, thorough, whole-hearted, rugged. Your lads are grand sailors and have earned the respect and admiration of our people. My association with your outfit leaves a fine taste in my mouth, and they will never have a better friend than me.” Shop Entered by Thieves Some time between 5.45 on Wednesday evening and 8.30 yesterday morning, thieves entered the premises of Messrs McFarlane and Co., grocers, 284 George street, by forcing open a back window. The office was ransacked and the cash register opened. A small sum of money was taken. Assistance for War Widows The suggestion that returned men might devote one Saturday a month to doing gardening and other odd jobs for the widows and mothers of men who have died overseas was made by Mr W. F. McQuin at a meeting of the executive of the Dunedin Returned Services’ Association last night. These jobs, he said, were a serious problem for women who had been left alone, and in Dunedin it should be possible to find at least 200 ex-servicemen of the present war who would be preoared to support the scheme. Property Sales in Canterbury Contrary to expectations, the number of freehold properties sold in Canterbury has increased rather than decreased since the Servicemen’s Settlement and Land Sales Act came into* operation a year ago. The total number of freehold transactions for the average year before the Act was passed was about 5000, and for the nine months of this year. 4214 sales have been transacted. The average number of sales each month is about 500, so that, if this number is maintained in each of the remaining months, the total for the year will be considerably in excess of previous years. Shot by Nazis 1

A list of the names of the 47 flying officers who were shot in an attempt to escape from the German prison camp Stalag 111 on March 22 this year has been received by Lieutenantcommander R. L. Cross, R.N.Z.N.V.R., of Wellington. Among them is the name of his nephew, Squadron Leader lan Cross, D.F.C., of the Royal Air Force. The numbers of officers pf the Allied air forces who were shot are:— Tweny-five R.A.F., 6 Canadian. 3 Australian, 2 New Zealand, 3 South African, 1 Fighting French, 4 Polish, 2 Norwegian, and 1 Hellenic. The names of the New Zealanders are Flight Lieutenant A. G. Christensen and Flying Officer P. R. J. Pohe. Secondary School Staffs The Otago High Schools Board has given its support to a resolution adopted recently by the Wellington College Board of Governors, that no alteration should be made in the regulations affecting appointments to the staffs of post-primary schools without consultation with the secondary school ; boards. The board has informed the Minister of Education (Mr H. G. R.

Mason) that it is strongly of the opinion that no regulations affecting the powers of boards and the administration of secondary schools should be gazetted, amended or revoked without the boards being* first consulted. It has asked that the boards be given equal rights' with other organisations in expressing their views on the amended regulations, which, it understands, are now being considered.

School Children’s Effort The books and magazines which were collected by school children throughout Otago and Southland for despatch to the troops overseas have now been sorted and packed. The collection was a notable success, and the Army Education and Welfare Service, which arranged the collection on behalf of the National Patriotic Fund Board, has acknowledged with gratitude _ this splendid contribution by the children to the welfare of the Dominion’s soldiers. Nearly 80 large packing cases, as well as a number of cartons, were required for the packing bf the 777 books, 1200 magazines and “ Penguins ” and 6700 Digests which were collected. 'Most of the volumes received were in first-class condition, though there were some which were unsuitable or so disfigured as to be useless. Thirty caffes of books and magazines will be carried on troopships used by New Zealanders. Cargo Pillaging

A serious case of cargo pillaging has caused considerable loss to a wellknown local drapery firm. Yesterday the firm took delivery of a packing-case which- had just arrived from England, but when it was opened it was practically empty. An investigation revealed that 39 dozen of thq 40 dozen glass cloths that had originally been part of its contents had disappeared, together with four gross and a-half of hair-nets, and two pieces of curtain net, totalling 210 yards of material. All the articles that remained in the case were one dozen glass cloths and five pieces of curtain net. Although the same firm has previously experienced a series of losses, principally in bundles of wool, these were minor cases compared with the latest one, which represents not only a monetary loss of over £BO, but also the loss of the import licences covering some of the goods, thereby making their replacement impossible until next year, 'international Red Cross At a recent meeting;’ of the war organisation of the British Red Cross and Order of St. John, whim was held in London, the chairman, Fieldmarshal Sir Philip Chetwode, advised those present that the funds of the International Red Cross Committee were not as buoyant as they should be, and it was suggested that the British and Commonwealth Societies be asked to contribute specified sums of money towards the expenses of the International Red Cross Committee for 1944. The Joint Council of the Order of St. John and the New Zealand Red Cross Society was asked if it would subscribe a sum of £2500 sterling. The matter was placed before a meeting of the Joint Council, when the members were, on hearing of the position, unanimous in their decision to approve of the donation being sent. The National Patriotic Fund Board was then requested to make arrangements for the transmission of this sum, and on receiving the request immediately arranged to transfer the. money to Geneva. A letter has recently arrived in the Dominion indicating that _ the International Red Cross Committee was exceedingly gratified by the handsome response made by the British and Commonwealth organisations. Housing Board Suggested

The constitution of a housing construction board to take full control of housing and to give particular attention to certain matters, including the encouragement of the private contractor, is suggested by Mr R. A. Large, president of the Wellington branch of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand in the report to be submitted to the annual meeting. The housing position is very serious, he says, and is not improving, and in spite of the publicity it has received there seems to be no progress. A housing construction board should make a complete survey of present housing costs, giving special attention to the removal of sales tax on all building material and other items where it is thought that costs could be reduced. It should consider the present output of houses in relation to the number of hands employed in the industry. “Itis my opinion that 100 men employed by, say, four or five private builders, will turn out more work than the same number of men under one control,” states Mr Large. “If this is proved to be the case, then open the doors wide to the private contractor with some building for renting and others for sale. The present outlook for housing for returned servicemen is very black, and therefore we must build for their requirements. The majority of these men would prefer to own their own homes.”

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