In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24650, 23 January 1942, Page 4

In the News

Rationing of Stockings The executive committee of the New Zealand Public Service Association has decided to make representations to the Government urging the rationing of silk stockings. Its action was taken at the request of the newly-formed Public Service Women’s Club.

Machine-Gunners in Action Machine-guns crackled on the rifle range at Otatara last evening when the machine-gun section of the Invercargill Battalion of the Home Guard held a firing practice. It was the first time that most of the men had sat behind a machine-gun with live ammunition in the belt. The guns worked without a hitch, the only stoppages being those caused deliberately to give the men practice in applying the correct remedial measures. The standard or shooting was surprisingly good, indicating that the men. had received thorough instruction in machine-gun work.

Stockings for Nurses Eight hundred pairs of stockings for sale to members of the nursing staff are to be purchased by the South Canterbury. Hospital Board, according to a decision reached hy the board at its meeting at Timaru. The purchase will be made on the recommendation of the DirectorGeneral of Health, who pointed to the probable shortage. For the same reason the board agreed to purchase materials for the manu-

facture of nurses’ uniforms, and to discontinue the uniform allowance.

Hurried Return to Malaya

Hearing, in New Zealand waters, on the tiny radio of a fishing boat that Japan had invaded Penang, a Penang rubber planter is rushing to Singapore to pick up a rifle, states The Sun, Sydney. The planter was Mr J. M. Arbuckle, who was fishing for sharks at Mayor Island, off the New Zealand coast,. at the time. He packed up his fishing gear, hurried back to the mainland, and secured a priority booking on the trans-Tasman flying-boat. On arrival in Sydney he was looking for another priority from-the Qantas Empire service in his eagerness to get home and take up active service as a member of the Malayan Volunteer Defence Force. With him on the same flying-boat were three others of the Malaya Defence Force who were- on holiday with their families in New Zealand and whose homes appeared to have been captured or threatened by the Japanese. “I fear that my 2500acre plantation is gone, and I want to get back to Singapore to have- a go at the Japs,” said Mr Arbuckle.

Preparing a Dressing Station

When members of a northern company of the National Military Reserve (Medical Corps) pitched camp they found that they were required to set up a dressing station as quickly as possible with the only material supplied, a Public Works Department tent. The carpenter of the group was set to work, and within a short time he had converted a door into quite a creditable table. For the floor over 30 yards of building felt was “borrowed” from a Public Works camp nearby. A distilled-water bottle presented a problem until someone suggested a large sauce bottle from the camp store. The dressing station was completed in the given time and the men complimented on their initiative. Potato Crops Recent rains have provided a remarkable stimulant for potato crops, and it is now expected that the yield will be far above what was anticipated at the beginning of the season. The last estimate by the Government Statistician (says The Christchurch StarSun) was made before the late plantings were sown, and a decrease of 1200 acres was estimated on the previous season’s figure of 17,000 acres—the final tally. It is not expected, however, that late plantings this season will account for an additional 1200 acres, but the yield might possibly offset the reduced acreage. Because of the shortage of seed, however, some of the late plantings will be affected as the quality of the seed was below the average used in the main crop. Indiscreet Letter Writers Six writers of indiscreet letters were fined in the Suva Police Court recently when they appeared before the Resident Magistrate on charges of attempting to communicate information which might be useful to the enemy. The information, which for the most part referred to shipping and troop movements, was contained in letters which had been intercepted by the censor. The magistrate stated that the prosecutions were the first of their kind in Suva and it was pointed out that the offences were more unwitting than deliberate. Fines ranging from £3 to &1 were imposed, the Magistrate stating that future offences would be more severely dealt with. South Island Railway The first train has run over 26 miles of a new line of 32 miles south of the Clarence, from Aniseed to the Blue Slip; reported Mr J. Wright, resident engineer of the Public Works Department at Kaikoura. The construction work has now reached a point one mile south of Aniseed, but the completion of the line to Kaikoura, because of the withdrawal of men for more urgent work, has been delayed and no definite indication of the date can at present be given, added Mr Wright.

Request to Travellers The Commonwealth Civil Aviation Department has issued a circular for air passengers departing from and arriving in Australia, urging them not to speak of measures of defence, of places where bombs have fallen, and of any activities of the forces, or of shipping observed en route. The circular reads in part: “The safety of the men in the ship below you, the lives of those who man our defences, the very existence of this Commonwealth, depend in no small measure on your capacity for silence.” Retreading of Tyres Arising apparently, out of the fact that the Government has introduced regulations controlling the supply of tyres, a doubt exists in the minds of some motorists in regard to their right to have their tyres retreaded. The provisions of the new regulations do not ■ affect the retreading of tyres in any particular, and no order is required from the transport officer by anyone requiring to have his tyres retreaded or repaired. The district transport officer advises, however, that a reseller selling retreaded tyres is required to obtain approval. Japanese Trick

Counterfeit money is being dropped by Japanese airmen with the object of winning favour with the natives at Singapore, according to a letter received in South Taranaki from Sergeant Pilot V. Arthur, Inglewood, who is stationed in the Far East with the Royal Air Force. “Lately the Japanese have been dropping pamphlets,” he wrote. “They have also been dropping a bit of counterfeit money with the hope that they will win the natives over to their cause. This is a crafty piece of work, for most natives value money more than anything else. Some of the phamphlets have something in them about ‘burning the white devils with the sacred flame of victory.’”