In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24115, 2 May 1940, Page 8

In the News

School Holidays

Primary schools and the Southland Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools break up for. the first term holidays on Friday. Technical College day classes also break up on Friday, but evening classes will end on Saturday. All Technical College and primary school students resume classes on Monday, May 20, but High School pupils start the next day.

National Patriotic Fund It is announced that in actual cash received the National Patriotic Fund has reached the £lOO,OOO mark.—Press Association. Petrol Licences Holders of special petrol licences and new applicants will not be able to obtain fresh licences after May 31 until their vehicles are re-licensed and the new number plates received. Similarly, holders of ordinary permanent licences are not permitted to use these after May 31 until their vehicles are re-licensed. The Chief Postmaster, Mr H. Miller, pointed out yesterday that the purpose of this regulation was to ensure that petrol licences would be given only for vehicles in use and not for unlicensed vehicles. Chimney Fire The Invercargill Fire Brigade was called to a chimney fire at a house on the comer of Tyne and Nith streets at 7.57 last night. Selecting N.C.O.’s A change in the method of appointing non-commissioned officers for the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force has been decided on for all reinforcement drafts. The prospective N.C.O. s for one reinforcement will be chosen from the preceding draft after it has been mobilized for a period. No men will be held back by area officers after enlistment with a view to sending them to special training later as prospective N.C.O’s. Subversive Forces Reference to “the enemy in oui midst” was made by Colonel A. B. Charters during a service in Wellington. After speaking of the valorous deeds of the Anzacs 25 years ago and of the splendid part played by the New Zealand members of the ship’s company of H.M.S. Achilles and young New Zealand airmen in this war, Colonel Charters went on to say: “A most serious position is, however, the enemy in our midst—those persons now professing the various isms. Any person who, in time of war, endeavours by persuasion or by propaganda to prevent our young men from enlisting is an enemy, nay, more—a traitor. Members of these various bodies are working assiduously among our young men with the object of giving them an excuse should compulsory service be introduced. These principles will be their excuse for not doing their part in defending their country and their womenfolk from a relentless and implacable foe. Such underground propaganda will have to be stopped.” R.S.A. Officials Enlist A statement that three former presidents of the Gore Returned Soldiers’ Association were now in the forces was made by Major T. Fyfe in a letter to the association. Major Fyfe stated that Captain J. Gillies was in camp on the instructional staff and he hoped to go overseas eventually. Major Fyfe and Captain Gillies, who are both at Bumham, are former presidents of the association. The third former president of the association who is with the forces is Mr L. Roberts, who is in camp at Trentham. Historic Pohutukawa Tree Efforts are being made to strike some cuttings from a pohutukawa tree at Eastbourne, Wellington, which is said to have been the first Anzac memorial established, for presentation to the states of the Commonwealth of Australia and to the Federal Territory. The president of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association (the Hon. W. Perry, M.L.C.) announced this at the centennial luncheon of the association in the Wellington Town Hall. Mr Perry said the tree was planted on Arbor Day, July 14, 1915, to commemorate the landing at Gallipoli, only a month and a-half after that memorable occasion. Carefully treasured, the tree had grown magnificently. It was outstanding in size and beauty among the pohutakawas adorning the streets of Eastbourne. Mr Perry presented to each Australian guest at the luncheon a sprig from the historic tree.

Ruapehu Erupts Mount Ruapehu erupted one night last week for the first time since May 1936. No noises were noted by people at Chateau Tongariro during the night, but the next morning dark grey streaks were seen on the glacier and also on Para-te-tai-tonga. Guides ascended the mountain that afternoon and found that the snow for about a mile from the summit was covered with blue mud, in some places over six inches deep. It was found that an eruption had evidently occurred in the crater lake, as its waters were considerably disturbed and steam was coming off. It is estimated from the area over which mud has been thrown that the eruption must have been about 1000 ft high. Signs of violent activity in the crater lake on the summit of Mount Ruapehu were last found by a party of climbers who ascended the mountain on May 11, 1936. The snow slopes on the southern side of the lake were on that occasion covered for an area of about a square mile with a layer of dark grey mud. The most recent previous eruptions were in August and December 1934, and February 1935.

Cargoes hi Enemy Ships With cargoes for New Zealand and Australian consignees, the German steamers Cassel, Franken and Stassfurt have been sheltering in the Dutch East Indies throughout most of the war. Negotiations for the release of the cargoes have reached the stage where the London Chamber of Commerce has advised the New Zealand Associated Chambers of Commerce that a Batavia lawyer has been instructed to apply to the courts for orders for deliveries. On the release of cargo, owners are to pay the London Chamber 5 per cent, of the c.if. value as an adjustable deposit to cover legal expenses. Success had previously attended efforts for the release of several items from the cargo of the Stassfurt.

No Dollar Exchange Applications by intending travellers for dollar exchange (states The New Zealand Herald) have been declined by the Reserve Bank, and the indications are that in many instances there will be difficulties in obtaining this form of finance. On the other hand, applications for exchange by persons intending to visit Australia or Britain are being met in much the same manner that ruled before the recent passing of the Finance Emergency Regulations. As all applications by travellers for overseas funds have to be considered by the Reserve Bank, and a fair amount of time is sometimes occupied in making the necessary investigations, intending applicants are being advised by the trading banks to make early application.