In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24153, 15 June 1940, Page 6

In the News

Motor-Car Raffle “More than £lOOO is now in sight,” said Mr J. E. Cuthill, secretary of the Southland Stock Agents’ and Woolbrokers’ Association last night when commenting on the progress of the raffle which the association is conducting for the benefit of patriotic funds. The prize is a motor-car which has been on display in the streets of Invercargill. Ticket sellers had a busy day yesterday, meeting with a good response from the public. End Of Season Although the sheep and lamb killing season at the three freezing works in Southland will close on Thursday next, by which date it is anticipated that all drafts of sheep and lambs will have come forward, the Makarewa and Mataura works will remain open for the slaughtering of cattle for which the season may not close until the end of July. Vandalism Hooligans are believed to have been responsible for acts of vandalism committed at the recruiting depot near the corner of Dee and Esk streets. On two nights this week the recruiting posters have been torn from the booth and on Thursday night a window was broken. Comforts For Soldiers Because of the shortage of materials, little can be done by women who have offered their services on Red Cross committees in Southland to knit and sew garments for soldiers. The chairman of the Southland Centre of the New Zealand Red Cross Society (Mr J. D. Campbell) said yesterday that although this shortage existed, it was necessary to have an organization in readiness for the time when materials would be available and to this end a meeting would be held next week to form a joint council comprising delegates from the centre and delegates from the St. John Ambulance Association. Sub-committees are being formed in 26 centres in the province.

Women Knitters Defended “It is good for everyone to be doing something, as it has a psychological effect,” said Mrs F. Curtis, president of the Mid-Canterbury executive- of the Red Cross Society at the Ashburton Technical High School Board’s meeting on Thursday evening when speaking of the criticism made recently about women knitting garments for soldiers, when the work could be done much more quickly by machinery. Mrs Curtis added that soldiers preferred handknitted socks. South Island Centennial Flags will be flown on post office buildings in the South Island on Monday to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the proclamation of sovereignty over the South Island at Cloudy Bay. Christchurch Man In Drama’s Crew Among the members of the crew of the Orient liner Orama, which was reported missing on Wednesday, was Mr George McClatchie, a son of Mrs Trevor Foster, of Christchurch. Advice has been received from the Admiralty by Mi- McClatchie’s relations in Christchurch that the ship is missing and the crew may be prisoners of war. Mr McClatchie, who was aged 28, was a former pupil at the Christchurch Boys’ High School. After leaving school- he went to work at Auckland, and later went to Sydney, where he joined the Orient Line. Since the war the Orama has been used as a troopship, and recently was engaged in transporting Canadian troops. Home For Nurses The Hotel Cargen, Auckland, which was offered to the Auckland Hospital Board and the Government last week by Sir Ernest Davis and the Hon. Eliot R. Davis, M.L.C., for use in any way in connection with the Dominion’s war effort, is to be used as a nurses’ home. This was announced by the Minister of Health, the Hon. H. T. Armstrong, who said the offer was an extremely generous one, and that the Government and the people were under a deep debt of gratitude to Sir Ernest and Mr Davis. The building was not entirely suitable for use as a hospital, but would serve excellently as a nurses’ home, for which there was urgen l need in Auckland. Currency Of Petrol Coupons A proposal to make petrol coupons available for two-monthly periods instead of the month’s period has been declined meanwhile by the Oil Fuel Controller (Mr G. L. Laurenson) on grounds of present needs and future uncertainty. A reply received from the controller by the South Island Motor Union stated that the proposal had been considered carefully and had some merit, but such a system might tend to increase petrol consumption, particularly by encouraging longer trips. Because of the urgency of conserving every possible gallon and because of the uncertainty as to the future, he regretted that he was unable to adopt the proposal. He would be pleased, he said, to give the matter favourable consideration should conditions in the future warrant it. Viscount Gort’s Opinion A biting comment on Italy’s fighting prowess attributed to the British Com-mander-in-Chief, Viscount Gort, was quoted by Mr A. C. Brassington, in an address to the Christchurch Rotary Club. Discussing the manning of the frontier between France and Italy, Viscount Gort, so it is said, remarked: “While Italy is neutral, we must keep four divisions there; if she comes into the war on Germany’s side, two will be sufficient, but if she comes in on our side, we shall have to send eight.” Canvas Workers’ Award The question of special payment for females engaged on certain classes of work —the only matter in dispute—has been settled in the decision of Mr J. A. Gilmour, S.M., in the New Zealand Federated saddlers, canvas workers, riggers, and related trades award. Females’ wages range from 15/- during the first six months to £2/10/- after the fourth year of service. Females employed in the manufacture of sails made of materials exceeding eight ounces in weight with an area of 250 to 360 square feet, as a maximum, or employed in the manufacture of tents, horse or cow covers, or tarpaulins made of materials exceeding 12 ounces in weight, are to be paid 6d an hour in excess of the rates provided for females.

Bacon For Britain The Director-General of Agriculture, Mr A. H. Cockayne, announced to a gathering of pig breeders at Palmerston North that a cablegram had been sent to the Imperial Government stating that New Zealand would export an extra 10,000 tons of bacon this year if required, and that, if the additional pigs could not be grown, then this quantity would be taken from the Dominion’s domestic supply. He had already informed the gathering that it was the intention to ship Home 23,000 tons . f pig meats, of which 20,000 tons would be bacon. Speaking of the needed extra production, Mr Cockayne said he was not pessimistic. The decline had been stemmed, and pig breeders were displaying a will to do better than in the past.