In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24003, 19 December 1939, Page 6

In the News

Farewell To Troops A civic farewell to the members of the special force now on final leave will be held in the Rose Gardens at 7.30 tomorrow evening. The Mayor, Mr J. R. Hanan, and the president of the Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association, Major H. C. Mackenzie, will deliver addresses, and selections will be played by the senior and junior Regimental Bands. The men are to assemble at the Post Office at 7 o’clock and, preceded by the bands, will march to the Rose Gardens. All men on final leave are requested to attend, and it is hoped that there will be a large attendance of the public. South Island Stock “Throughout the South Island the stock position appears to be excellent,” remarked the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. W. Lee Martin) on his return to Christchurch after a week’s tour as far as Invercargill. The Minister said he was impressed by the really excellent conditions in Southland, both from the stock and feed standpoints, especially as he had understood that winter conditions had been more than unduly severe. The Royal Show at Invercargill was described by the Minister as being a magnificent display of all kinds of stock. He doubted whether the equal of the stock had ever been brought together at any of the previous Royal Shows. Brighter Tone In conformity with the new regulations Invercargill’s pedestrian crossings have taken on a brighter tone. Brilliant yellow now marks the crossing between the Brown Owl cafe and Hallenstein’s corner and poles striped with black and white paint indicate the crossing running west from Hallenstein’s. Assistance for Travellers Southland motorists who intend going to the North Island during the Christmas holiday period will doubtless be pleased to know that the Automobile Association (Wellington) is making arrangements for the steamer express to be met. A letter received yesterday by the Automobile Association (Southland) stated that Lyttelton and Picton ferries would be met on arrival by one of the association’s patrols during the period from December 19 to January 10. The Nelson ferry would be met on request.

New Railway Bridge Another large bridge on the West-port-Inangahua railway was completed this month. This is the Stable Creek bridge over a tributary of the Buller River, 16 miles from Westport. The Stable Creek bridge is a modern reinforced concrete bridge of a type new to railway construction in New Zealand.—Press Association.

Condition Improving* The condition of Corporal William J. Young, of Roxburgh, who was involved in the troop-train accident last Thursday night, is improving.

Boy’s Neck Broken A boy who suffered a broken neck in a fall some weeks ago was successfully taken from New Plymouth to Wanganui, a distance of 100 miles by train. The boy, Geoffrey Bartrum, fractured a verterbra in his neck in a fall in a gymnasium .of the .New Plymouth Boys’ High School. He was admitted to hospital, and for some weeks remained semi-conscious. Last week,., however, he rallied, and it was decided to send him to the Wanganui Hospital. Special arrangements? Were made with the Railways Department to ensure a smooth and careful journey by the express train from New Plymouth. A specially-sprung stretcher was swung ir. the guard’s van, and a nurse accompanied the patient to. Wanganui. The train staff undertook to exercise every care on the journey by avoiding jolts during the stopping and starting of the train. All stations at which the train stopped were asked to afford every facility for the comfort of the boy. The patient reached Wanganui none tire worse for his journey. Naturalization Sought Yugoslavs predominate in the latest list of those desiring to acquire the rights of naturalized subjects of New Zealand—there are 20 of them. Next come Italians, with half that number, with five’Swiss, five Swedes, two from Denmark, and . two from West Samoa. There is a Japanese physical culture instructor, a Latvian, a Russian, a Syrian, a - Palestine storeman, a Belgian, a.Frenchman, a Lebanese, a Pole, a Finn—and strange to relate, an English commercial traveller. Vocations as usual cover a wide range, from an Italian professor of languages to a wicker worker from Switzerland. Thirtyfour married women have expressed their desire to become naturalized New Zealanders, while 23 other women desire to retain’while in-this country the rights of a British subject. Auckland Wool Proceeds Approximately £360,000 was distributed to wool growers in the Auckland province yesterday, the prompt date for the first appraisement for Government purchase under the arrangement with the United Kingdom. About 23,500 bales were appraised at Auckland. The distribution of the cheque in time for Christmas will do much to stimulate business, particularly in the country centres. It compares with £339,896 received from the first auction in Auckland last season, when 24,028 bales were sold. Payment was made on December 10 last year, so that the present distribution comes at a time when Christmas spending is at its peak, and the release of this sum should considerably increase the volume of trade. Brokers are now busy preparing further clips for the second appraisement, and the wool is coming in steadily. The cheque distributed yesterday represents 95 per cent, of. the total due. The remainder is retained by the Government in the form of a suspense account, and will be distributed at the end of the season, when any adjustments may be made. Weight-Guessing Competition The fat-bullock guessing competition conducted by the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association in conjunction with the Centennial Royal Show was won by L. J. Brown, of Waihoaka, who guessed the weight of the animal within half a pound. The weight of the show bullock was 752J1b arid the winner’s card showed 7521 b. A. Cochrane, of Edendale, was runnerup with an estimate of 7501 b, J. Graham, Kennington (7561 b was third and Mrs Copeland, Otatara (747 Jib was fourth.

Making Democracy Safe “Do not think the winning of this war is going to solve all the problems of our nation,” said Mr W. H. Cocker, president of the Auckland University College Council, speaking at the Auckland Grammar School prize-giving ceremony. The last war, he continued, was fought to make the world safe for democracy, but they now had to make democracy safe for the world. It was a difficult system, and if they were not prepared to put their shoulders to the wheel democracy must fail.