NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25801, 23 March 1945, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

A S a guide to the home gardener and in order to stimulate interest in vegetable growing, the chairman of the “ Dig for Victory ” Campaign Committee (Mr W. G. Crawford, of the Department of Agriculture), recently prepared a vegetable production calendar for the Otago district. This calendar contains full data relating to crops, and other details of the general cultivation of all the basic varieties of vegetables grown in Otago. Copies are available from the Department of Agriculture. and already several hundred applications have been received for the publication, which is issued free of charge.

A Popular Seaside Resort On their way to the Mole yesterday, members of the Otago Harbour Board inspected the board's property at Aramoana. The chairman (Mr R. S. Thompson) said that the board had in mind the laying out of additional sections, which would assist in developing what was becoming one of the most attractive seaside resorts adjacent to Dunedin. Celebration of Peace The action to be taken by school teachers in the event of the war suddenly ending was raised by the acting chairman, Mr A. Burns, at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board on Wednesday. He thought it possible, he said, that games and special festivities could be organised in schools the day peace was announced, and a holiday arranged for the following day. The matter was referred to the Executive Committee for a report.

Judges’ Knowledge “ Some people start off and assume that a judge is a congenital idiot,” said Mr Justice Blair, when counsel was dealing with some items of evidence in an appeal case. His Honor said the facts in the case were simple, and he might be assumed to comprehend them fully. In spite of that, however, some people talked as if a judge had to be told it was daylight when the sun rose. Some of the matter being dealt with “ had barnacles on it,” as far as his Honor was concerned.

Public Bequests Under the will of Mrs Maggie Edith Smith, of Dunedin, the payment is authorised of £ISOO to the University of Otago and £SOO to the Otago Education Board from moneys hitherto held on trust under the will of the testator’s late husband, James Waddell Smith. Provision is also made by Mrs Smith for the payment from her estate of £l5O to the Moray Place Congregational Church, £IOO of this to be devoted to general purposes and £SO to the purposes of the choir fund. Supplies of Sugar Last year, New Zealand's allocation of sugar was 100,000 tons, said the Acting Minister of Supply (Mr A. H. Nordmeyer), in an address at Hanmer Springs. Of this amount, said Mr Nordmeyer. 92,000 tons were for immediate consumption, and the remainder for the reserve. Only 78,000 tons had actually been received in New Zealand. Several complaints had been received about sugar for breweries. If the amount of sugar allocated to breweries were distributed to the public, it would amount to an increase of only Jib for each person in a year. Prisoner-of-war Parcels

It was officially stated last night (says a Press Association telegram from Wellington) that parcels held in store in London for prisoners of war would continue to be held until the men to whom they were addressed had been released; but where there were articles likely to deteriorate in the parcels these would be removed, and if fit for consumption sent to servicemen in hospitals. The contents of parcels addressed to men who had since been reported deceased would, with the exception of food, be dealt with m accordance with the postal regulations. Airmen Return Home

A party of about 20 airmen from Otago and Southland who have returned from the United Kingdom arrived by the express from the north yesterday. Eleven of the men left the train at Dunedin, and those who desired transport to their homes were provided for by the E.P.S. transport section. The * remainder of the men continued their journey to stations further south. The Mayor (Mr D. C. Cameron), the Mayor of St. Kilda (Mr N. D. Anderson), as well as representatives of the R.S.A., the National Council of Churches, and other public bodies, were present on the station when the train arrived.

Deer Stalking A party of sportsmen who recently returned from a deer-shooting trip to Glenorchy reported that aeer were very scarce in that district. In a period of 10 days they had shot only 10 deer. Others state, however, that this party was probably unfortunate in its choice of location, which might have been shot over recently. The general experience is that aeer are still fairly plentiful in the back country of certain parts of Otago. Information regarding a choice of locality may be obtained from the Forestry Department at Invercargill or from the Department of Internal Affairs. Plastics and Medical Skill Doctors will in future be able to diagnose chest ailments more efficiently owing to a recent development by the British plastics industry. This is a new kind of stethoscope chest piece, described by the technical journal Plastics as an "excellent example of precision moulding,” marketed by a wellknown United Kingdom firm of surgical instrument makers. It is mouldeu of distrene —one of the new ' plastics materials which is made by British Resin Products—in 29 parts, with a diaphragm of celluloid. The principal advantages over the previous types of stethoscopes are claimed to he warmth when placed in contact with the' patient, lightness, and —most important —insulation of desired souna from extraneous noises which are introduced in the case of the metal instrument. Indian Demand for British Goods

Indian imports of British goods (says the industrial correspondent of the London Daily Express) are likely to reach and maintain a level of £60,000,000 a year. In the discussions which ended last week in London, the British Government has affirmed its policy of encouraging and promoting the industrialisation of India. This development, besides bringing heavy orders lor the production ol goods, will also mean a transfer from the land to factories of thousands of workers, who will also create completely new markets for the consumption goods. One important result of the development of Indian industries during the war is the decision of leading British firms to start factories in India and to cooperate with Indian firms. An Indian industrialist has been touring British industrial centres inviting executives and leading technicians to supervise Indian industrial expansion. It is stated that the important United Kingdom textile concern of Courtaulds proposes opening a factory in India. This follows an announcement that Nuffield Motors, the biggest English automobile concenp is concluding working arrangements with an Indian firm. Other British firms already have been assured of orders worth millions for machinery, machine tools, and locomotives.

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