NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25718, 14 December 1944, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

“ rpHT# E are many views as to the methods of satisfying the spiritual needs of life,” remarked the headmaster of Wellington College (Mr E. N. Hogben) when addressing those present at the college end-of-year ceremony. "We believe that at morning assembly, when all boys meet in this Hall of Memories, there is an opportunity of attuning the mind to the things of the spirit. It is here that we may study the counsel given by the greatest of all Books, and learn that we are not in this world as playthings of blind chance, but that we have a responsible life to live and a personal reaction to make to the call of a higher self.” Carols from Western Front

At 8.45 p.m. on Tuesday, December 26, the 8.8. C. will broadcast in its Pacific transmission a carol service from Field-marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery’s headquarters on the western front.

Acclimatisation Control A unanimous decision to oppose the proposal of the Government to extend the control of the Department of Internal Affairs in a lake district that would embrace a part of the Southland area was made at a special general meeting of the Southland Acclimatisation Society last night. The meeting (says a Press Association telegram) passed several resolutions and outlined its reasons for opposition to the proposal. The society conducted a postal vote of the licenceholders, 1282 voting for the retention of control by the society and 10 in favour of control by the department. Christmas Dinner for Troops A cable message has been received by the National Patriotic Fund Board from Lieutenant-general Sir Bernard Freyberg, G.0.C., 2nd N.Z.E.F., expressing appreciation of the board’s action in making a grant of 2s a head to provide Christmas dinner extras for New Zealand Service personnel overseas. In his cablegram General Freyberg stated that Brigadier Falconer, the board's acting commissioner in the Middle East, told him of the subsidy being given from patriotic funds for Christmas. "Needless to say,” he added “ this will be appreciated. and on behalf of all ranks I send our grateful thanks.” The Apple Crop

Although the Canterbury apple crop will be seriously reduced as a result of the hail damage at Loburn and frost damage at Papanui, it will not have much effect on the Dominion total, as Canterbury’s usual contribution is about 150,000 cases, but this season’s estimate of 120,000 cases has now been reduced to about 75,000 cases. The Dominion crop, however, will also be affected as a result of the hail storm that hit part of the Nelson district, and the frosts that seriously affected Central Otago orchards. Much, it seems, will depend on the Hawke’s Bay and Auckland crops whether there will be a noticeable shortage of apples this season. Butter Saved for Britain

One year of butter rationing in New Zealand has saved for Britain about 18,000,000 pounds of butter, or 1,500,000 pounds each month, states Consumer News, issued by the Economic Information Service. During this time, New Zealanders consumed one-third less butter than they did in the year before rationing. “All this saving has gone to Britain,” the article continues. “Despite other calls on shipping, the need of the people of Britain is so urgent that ships are kept available to take all the butter we can supply. While increasing our export of butter to Britain, we have continued to send fresh and tinned butter to the United States Pacific forces. Gift of a Hat

The arrival of a Christmas present in the form of a bowler hat for the Mayor, Mr H. A. Anderson, caused considerable amusement at a supper following a meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council. An anonymous letter saying that the donor was a humble ratepayer accompanied the gift. “As an ardent admirer. of the way you have conducted the affairs of the borough during your years as Mayor,” said the letter, “ may I utter a slight regret that your sartorial appearance has on occasion caused me anguish? I refer to your bowler hat, which by the look of it has given, like yourself, long years of service; but, unlike yourself, is due for retirement. May I be permitted to crown that lofty and shining dome with a hat more in keeping with the exalted office you occupy with such distinction, and present you with a new bowler? You can then, like Mr Webb, raise it with the knowledge that you will be holding in your hand a masterpiece of the craftsman’s art.” A Noted Publisher

Mr Arthur Hays Sulzberger, publisher of the New York Times, who is visiting New Zealand, is regarded as one of the ablest men in American journalism. Born in New York City in 1891, he was educated at secondary schools in his native city and at Columbia University, where he took the degree of Bacheior of Science in 1913. In 1917 he married Miss Iphigenie B. Ochs, daughter of Mr Adolph Ochs, the proprietor of the New York Times. Mr Ochs had acquired it in 1896 when it was financially derelict, and he had built it up into a commanding position, both on the business and the editorial sides. Mr Sulzberger joined the staff of the paper in 1919, eventually becoming its vice-president and director. When his father-in-law died in 1936 Mr Sulzberger succeeded him as principal proprietor. He is a director of the Times Printing Company and the Spruce Falls Power and Paper Company, Ltd. He is a trustee of the Baron de Hirsch Fund, the New York Foundation, an<J the Rockefeller Foundation.

American Hospital Closed The 39th General Hospital at Cornwall Park, the last of the large American hospitals in New Zealand to remain actively in use, is now virtually closed. The patients have been removed and no more are being accepted. Although no official statement is forthcoming about the closing of the hospital as an American unit, there is every reason to believe that the change will be accompanied or followed soon after by the removal of the general American Army base in Auckland. The approaching return of the American radio station IZM to New Zealand control is another sign that the army will not much longer survive the United States Navy, which is now represented in New Zealand by the barest minimum of staff. The 39th General Hospital is one of the most costly built by New Zealand as part of its reverse lend-lease programme of aid to the American forces. It was officially stated in 1943 that the hospital had cost £566,470, and it is probable that this figure has since been added to substantially. The hospital is as large as the Auckland Hospital, and could accommodate up to 1500 American patients, as well as about 70 officers, 150 nurses, and 500 male attendants. Payment During Sickness “ During the year representations have been made to the Minister of Social Security concerning the desirability of allowing employers who pay full wages to their workmen during sickness to draw from the Social Security Fund the amount that would otherwise have been paid to the worker,” states the third annual report of the Research Fellow in Social Relations in Industry (Dr A. E. C. Hare) “As the law at present stands, if the’worker has an income of more than £5 a week whilst he is sick, he can draw nothing from the Social Security Fund. Thus the employer who out of good will offers his workmen the security of full wages during sickness bears the full cost of so doing. and the Social Security Fund contributes nothing. The law thus discourages business men from looking after the interests of their employees and good industrial relations are discouraged. It is unfortunate that the Social Security Act should thus discourage progressive employers from individual efforts to give their workmen the security which it is the purpose of the Act to provide, and an amendment to the Act is urgently required. Representations to this effect have met with no success.”