In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24605, 29 November 1941, Page 6

In the News

Drawing Lots for Liberty How a recent escape by New Zealand soldiers from Crete was decided by lot was told at a sitting of the No. 3 Armed Forces Appeal Board at New Plymouth. A Taranaki soldier, Private H. Marshall, of Te Tawa, Inglewood, was the unlucky man who was left behind. Mr H. R. Billing, appearing for the father, Alex Marshall, in an appeal for a younger son, told the board that news was recently received that three or four New Zealand soldiers who had been left on the island had a chance of escape in a small boat that would not accommodate them all. They drew lots for places and the appellant’s son lost. He stayed on Crete and was apparently still living in the hills. News of him was conveyed to New Zealand by one of the men who finally reached safety in the boat. Names in the Cable News Two words much in the news at present during the offensive in the Western Desert are “sidi” and “bir” as prefixes to place names. “Sidi” is an Arabic word for lord and is applied to descendants of Mohammed. Thus where a place is named after its patron saint the latter’s title is prefixed. “Bir” is an Arabic word for well and, consequently, indicates the presence of an oasis or water supplies. Good Camouflage Home Guard stories are becoming almost as prolific and colourful as fishing stories (says The Auckland Star). After the periodical manoeuvres of city units there is usually a fresh crop of incidents and anecdotes, and the palm must be awarded this week to an episode (vouched for as true by the narrator with his hand on his heart) which was reported .as having taken place in the Henderson district, where the Mount Albert battalion was engaged in tactical exercises. The guardsmen were told to camouflage themselves while attacking a position. They did so, using grass and leaves to decorate their hats. As they were crouching in a ditch awaiting “zero hour” several cows meandered up, apparently unaware of humans in the vicinity, and started to munch the vegetation on the guardsmen’s millinery. If this particular section did not get top marks for effective camouflage it deserved it. First Arrest A youth was arrested in Dunedin recently by Temporary Constable Callaghan. The event was of some importance, for Constable Callaghan was the first policewoman in Dunedin, and probably the first in New Zealand, to make an arrest. The case proved to be one for the Children’s Court. Assembly Humour Flashes of humour from the General Assembly are contained in the latest issue of The Outlook, the Presbyterian journal. Speaking of early experiences in the Maori Mission field, the Rev. J. G. Laughton told the assembly that on one occasion he and another were trapped between two flooded rivers for several days without food and without companions save several battalions of fleas, which until their arrival had been in a state of extreme starvation. Before the waters fled they were no longer starved. The Rev. Murray Feist said that during the Coast for Christ Campaign he went visiting with a Salvation Army officer and a Church of England minister. One man opened a door to them. “What! Three of you! What have I done?” Not for Him The sudden and unexpected cracks of two rifle shots caused the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, to pause for a moment while speaking in Dunedin to a parade of the Sea Scouts. “Are those shots for me?” he inquired, amid laughter. It was explained that a Home Guard unit was conducting rifle practice next door. “Then don’t interrupt the Home Guard. I have had to speak through almost every kind of commotion at one time or another,” Mr Frasei' added, laughing with the crowd. The Lindrum Way In recent games in the North Island Horace Lindrum, Australian snooker champion, has in at least three cases cleared the table without any points being scored by his opponents. In one of his Wellington snooker games, he scored 120 to nil. At New Plymouth, against an R.N.Z.A.F. representative at Bell Block Aerodrome, he scored the required points in a billiards match (300) in the one visit which he made to the table after his opponent had made a scoreless break-up. At Te Kauwahata Lindrum followed his opponent’s opening shot by clearing the table with a break of 134. Discovery in Harbour A boy named George Fry, Mount Albert, made an unusual discovery in the Auckland harbour when rowing a boat beside the western viaduct. It was a large clam shell with a painting of a well-known steamer - on it. The shell was attached to a bottle by a piece of string, but the bottle was lost while the shell was being detached from it and it is not known whether there was any message inside. Mystery of Nugget in Drake A possible explanation of the mystery of the gold nugget found in the gizzard of a drake at 13 Keyte street, Whangarei, a few days ago is offered by Mrs D. Kehoe, of Te Papapa. She says that her parents formerly owned the property, and that her mother, Mrs W. E. Keyte, who is now dead, had a small gold nugget given to her many years ago by a brother. “I think the nugget came from Broken Hill, Australia, where my brother lived for some years,” Mrs Kehoe added. I have often handled the nugget, but when the home was sold and things sorted out it must have been thought of no value and been thrown away.” Flood Causes Fire Flood waters coming in contact with burnt lime at the Mount Somers Lime Company’s works in the Upper Ashburton district on Wednesday night started a fire which caused damage estimated at £3OO. Albatross Sanctuary Mr L. E. Richdale, who has done so much to protect the birds in the royal albatross sanctuary at Taiaroa Head, Dunedin, conducted the Prime Minister and his party over the sanctuary on Thursday afternoon during an official tour of inspection of the area. Both Mr Fraser and Mrs Fraser showed great interest in the five nesting birds, four of which are within the restricted area itself. Mr Richdale explained in detail the known habits of the albatross, and answered many questions by members of the party. Mr Fraser expressed gratification that the birds had become established there, and said that he had been particularly interested in the unique sight he had seen. Objection to Benefits “Do you conscientiously object to taking Social Security?” was a question put by Mr A. A. McLachlan, S.M., to a man charged in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch with defaulting in maintenance payments. The defendant, who had explained that he had beenunwell and receiving treatment for some time, said that he had never had Social Security benefits. The Magistrate: “You object to applying on principle?”—“Yes.” The Magistrate: “Oh, that is very noble of you. However, you will be convicted and sentenced on the charge.”