NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26530, 4 August 1947, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

First World War Thirty-three years ago to-day Great Britain declared war on Germany following the violation of Belgian neutrality by the latter Power. Hostilities in the First World War began on August 1, 1914, as a result of the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria at Serajevo on June 28. German troops crossed the French frontier on August 2, and on August 3 Germany formally declared war on France. Belgium was invaded the next day and at midnight Britain honoured her treaties and declared war on Germany. At the cessation of fighting on November 11, 1918, war casualties amounted to over 1,000,000 killed and 2,400,000 wounded The “Ball of Fire” The strange object observed in the northern sky on Friday night has been identified. Described as a “huge ball of fire,’’ the “ phenomenon ” was probably nothing more than an extra large rocket. At about the time when the object was seen, one of these rockets was fired from Sawyers’ Bay. a resident of that district told the Daily Times on Saturday. Does Treason Pay? A French court ruled a few days ago, according to a London correspondent of the Sydney Morning Herald, that execution for treason is a war risk. The court gave its decision in a case in which the widow of Jean Boero. who assassinated a Socialist Minister, Georges Mandel, during the war, claimed her husband’s war risk insurance of £3OO. She claimed that the policy covered all war risks, including execution. She won, and the insurance company has to pay up. Whooping Cough Treatment A three-year-old child was taken to 10.000 feet in an Auckland Aero Club aircraft as treatment for whooping cough on Friday. The child had been suffering severe spasms, and it was decided to try this method of treatment, which has had some success overseas. Using a Whitney Straight plane, the club’s instructor, Mr R. Prentice, took the child up to the rarefied atmosphere, where he remained for 45 minutes, then descended slowly and steadily. The child had only one spasm during the flight, and its condition had improved by last night. Planet Near Moon A recent clear sky gave warning of a celestial spectacle to be witnessed next month The moon, then at the first quarter, passed very close to the planet Jupiter, the rapid motion of the former among the stars being revealed to many in a short watch. In September the moon will again pass close to Jupiter, so closely indeed that in this country the planet will disappear for a time behind the moon's disc. One occultation of Jupiter has been seen this year, but that which will occur next month falls at a more convenient hour, about 10.40 p.m., as against 2.30 a.m. earlier this year, and the spectacle will provide considerable interest to many observers. Rubber and Tin Production Singapore had not been appreciably damaged in the war, except for the airfields and dock area, said Sir John Bagnall, a Singapore businessman, in an interview in Christchurch. The rubber estates of Malaya were now more or less back to normal production, but the. tin industry would require two or three years still before it could resume its former prosperity. Before the war Malaya and the Netherlands East Indies each produced about the same quantities of natural rubber. It could be presumed that pre-war supplies of the natural product were then ample for all world needs. Since then, synthetic rubber had been developed, and the Americans would retain as much of their productive capacity for the synthetic material as they considered advisable. So far as could be ascertained, the rubber consumer preferred the natural product, but each type of rubber had certain good features peculiar to itself.

Money to Bum An amusing tableau was presented to a crowd of pedestrians in the main street of Invercargill a few days ago when an inebriated investor in the national savings campaign came along with the money he had drawn from his account. After taking out all the money he could find in his pockets with much ceremony, he began playing pitch and toss with £5 notes. Tiring of this, he. spread about £4O or £SO out on the footpath and invited the crowd to take their choice with a “be in pals, it’s your birtjiday.” When no one took advantage of his offer he asked for a match to light a £5 note, so that he could light his cigarette. Before anyone could comply with his request the. law appeared —and the money disappeared, back into his pocket with amazing rapidity. He was a picture of innocence as he answered the constable’s questions, telling him t he had been advising the crowd to* invest in national savings. Ho was sent on his way with a caution. War Tax on Petrol

Dissatisfaction with a reply from the of Finance, Mr Nash, dealing with the war-time, tax on petrol, was expressed at a meeting of the South Island Motor Union in Christchurch. The union had written asking that the 4d a gallon war tax on petrol be abolished. The Minister replied that the matter would be examined in relation to the financial position of the Dominion when the Budget was before the Government for consideration. The chairman, Mr W. R. Carey, said that it was not fair to hold up a war-time measure two years after the cessation of hostilities. “ The Minister disregards the reason for the imposition of the petrol tax. It has nothing whatever to do with the country’s economy. It was purely a war-time measure and should now come off,” said Mr Carey. “ New Zealand has one of the highest petrol rates in the world except for perhaps two other countries, where circumstances are entirely different from our own.” Foi rings, watches and jewellery try Peter Dick, jewellers. 59 Princes street Dunedin —Advt