In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24597, 20 November 1941, Page 4

In the News

Clothing and Machines The need for care when washing machines are used was stressed at an inquest into the death of Ima Taafe, daughter of Mr and Mrs J. T. B. Taafe, of Kaitaia, who died from strangulation as a result of a silk scarf she was wearing catching in the wringer of a washing machine. The Coroner warned people using such machines to take care there were no loose ends to their clothing. He said the machine was fitted with every possible safety device. A witness suggested that control of the wringer on a washing machine by depressing a foot switch would make for greater safety. Practical Outlook “As I am just on the verge of 91 years of age, I hope you will not waste too much time in talk before getting on with the job. I would like to think that I might get something for my money by being able to have the use of the proposed facility.” This injunction was contained in a letter received at a meeting of the Nelson City Council from a Takaka man who offered to donate £25 towards the cost of the crematorium which the council proposes to erect. The council accepted the offer with thanks. Ewes for Milk The South Island runholder who complains that he cannot make any profit out of 10,000 sheep, ranging 100,000 acres of foot-hill country, might make a fortune if only he would take the trouble to milk his ewes and turn the milk into cheese. This is how the Polish sheepfarmers turn into profit the poor mountain country, so Count Wodzicki revealed in an address to the Canterbury branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand. They have bred a line of sheep that produce more milk, for the fodder consumed, than do cattle or goats. Each shepherd has charge of a small flock. He milks the ewes, and makes cheese of the milk. He gives the owner of the flock one cheese for each ewe, and the rest of the products of the flock are his own. Windy Wellington Wellington had the windiest weekend it has had for a long time. Northwesterlies started in real earnest last Saturday morning, and have continued practically ever since, intermingled with them being one or two periods of rain. Gusts with a velocity of between 50 and 60 miles an hour were frequent, and on several occasions 70 miles an hour was registered by the wind gauge at Kelburn. The champion gust was one with a velocity of 73 miles an hour, at 3.35 a.m. on Sunday. In some more exposed places the wind no doubt was even stronger than that, and conditions were decidedly unpleasant. A plate-glass window in Taranaki street was blown in by one gust, and several other instances of minor damage have been reported. Part of Australia “We have done quite a bit here to put New Zealand on the map,” writes a Napier airman from Singapore. “We are often referred to as the ‘Australians from New Zealand.’ This rather amused us, and naturally we had to go into details explaining all about our island home. Really, it is surprising how little people know about New Zealand. A number of the chaps here thought it was part of Australia.” Abolition of Hanging Another grand jury opinion on the abolition of capital punishment has been given, this time in a presentment made to the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, in the Supreme Court at Gisborne. “The Grand Jury,” it was stated, “desires to convey to your honour its unanimous opinion that the recent abolition of capital punishment by the Legislature is a retrograde step in the interests of the country. In its opinion only by the retention of capital punishment can sufficient deterrent exist for the prevention of the crime of murder.” High Finance A retailer witness was explaining to the Price Tribunal in Wellington his practice in allowing a working profit on vegetables. If he bought an article at 3d, for instance, he would sell at 4d; if at 6d, he would sell at 7d. The chairman (Mr Justice Hunter): “And if you bought at 1/-, what profit would you allow?” Very seriously, the witness replied, “I should have to look into that.” No Uniform Big Enough The Australian Army has no uniform big enough to fit Les McNabb, a 21 stone boxer, who went into camp recently as a universal trainee. For the present he is serving in the 103rd Australian General Hospital, in civilian clothes. Before he left to enter camp, he said that the authorities had informed him that until a special uniform, including a hat, had been made for him, he would have to wear civilian clothes. Tank Blown into Sea Some idea of the force of the wind on Saturday may be gained from the fact that a heavy galvanized iron tank, with a capacity of 4000 gallons of water, was blown out to sea at Kaka Point (says the Clutha Leader). The tank had been put in position at the new pavilion erected by the Balclutha Swimming and Surf Life Saving Club. As the tank had very little water, if any, in it, there is a hope that it may float into some sheltered bay or inlet along the coast, and if this happens the club would be very grateful for notification. The wind was so strong around Kaka Point on Saturday that it was found almost impossible to shut the door of a bus against it. German and Yet Mild During his visit to Burnham camp at the week-end, the Prime Minister (Mr Eraser) spent a good deal of time at the camp hospital where he chatted with all the patients. He even insisted on being taken through a large marquee in which are accommodated a number of convalescent cases. He was inquiring about the health of these men when the medical officer (Major E. Y. Comrie) told him that they were suffering from German measles, a mild form of the complaint. “Mild, are they? Well, it’s the first German thing I’ve heard of that could be called mild,” was Mr Fraser’s comment. New West Coast Railway The first locomotive from Inangahua to reach Te Kuha, on the Westport side of the railhead, arrived there on Saturday. It was driven to the head of the rails on the Inangahua side and towed a distance of 120 yards between the railheads by a bulldozer. On reaching Te Kuha it commenced hauling from a slip which occurred there recently. Vegetable Seeds for Britain More than 201 b of vegetable seeds have been provided by Christchurch gardeners who have responded to the appeal of a committee set up to deal with the urgent request for seeds received from England by the Mayor (Mr E. H. Andrews). One hundredweight of seeds is wanted by 300 allotment holders in Hampshire, and must be sent to England by January. Several pounds of seeds have been given by city seedsmen, and a number of donations, including £1 from the Fendalton Garden Club, have also been received. The money will be used to make up any shortages of certain seeds. The committee now has almost the required quota of onion seed.