In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24651, 24 January 1942, Page 4

In the News

Boy’s Dangerous Prank

A motorist driving down Valley road, Mount Eden, had a narrow escape when an arrow fired by a boy standing on the footpath entered his car. The shaft was a home-made one, but was sufficiently heavy to have damaged an eye. Actually it grazed the driver’s neck and fell into the back of the-car without striking the other occupant. Teaching Staff Depleted The problem of maintaining an adequate teaching staff, which the Wanganui Education Board has found progressively difficult under war conditions, has been accentuated by the general mobilization of the military forces. Of the board’s teachers, 59 are on active service. A matter which is causing concern is the staffing of coun- ' try schools, particularly those with sole teachers. Bells Replace Sirens Replacing the sirens on its engines with bells, the Lower Hutt City Fire Brigade has fallen into line with the action taken by the Wellington Fire Brigade. Furthermore, it no longer uses the station siren at night to call volunteer firemen from their homes. These firemen can now be called by a bell and telephone, but Superintendent Hume said the station siren was still necessary in the daytime to call them from widely-scattered places of work and business. In the past, a rising and falling siren note had been used to gain carrying distance, but as there was a possibility of this broken note being mistaken for an emergency warning a steady note would be used id future. Telegrams For Mr Fraser During the compiling of telegrams to the Government on the subjects of egg prices and the inquiry about the essentiality ot poultry production as an industry, it was suggested at a meeting of producers in Christchurch that each member of the audience should telegraph or write their opinions • to the Government on the subject. One woman said that the Prime Minister should be asked outright if the industry was essential or not. I “If he gets 150 telegrams he will drop dead,” she exclaimed. “That s what we want,” said a voice in the audience, amid laughter. Maize Crops Backward

The unseasonable weather during the past two months has retarded the growth of Bay of Plenty maize crops, which, are not nearly as advanced as at this time last year. On Matakana Island, at the entrance to the Tauranga Harbour, the Maoris have again planted a large crop, estimated, at between 1250 and 1500 acres. This is in response to the appeal to farmers to grow more maize, as a result of which the Native Department throughout the Bay of Plenty last year organized the planting of about 2500 acres. N.Z. Short-Wave Station The Government is considering the establishment of a short-wave radio station in the Dominion. The matter is being considered .in conjunction with plans for the co-ordination and reorganization of the broadcasting services. With the extension of the war to the Pacific there is a greater need for a short-wave transmitter in New Zealand. This has been demonstrated by what happened in the Philippine Islands when they were first attacked by the Japanese. The broadcast' stations went off the air, but the power of the short-wave transmitters was increased, with the result that the broadcast stations continued on shortwave on the 31 and 49 metre bands. By this means the people were given instructions throughout the raids. In the event of an emergency which might cause‘the broadcast stations, to go off the air, a short-wave station located at some secret point distant from cities or towns would prove of ■immense value. Australia has several short-wave stations and it is proposed to establish another one costing £250,000. Fugitive Soldier Arrested After five days’ liberty, the soldier who escaped. from his military escort on the north-bound express near Orari on Saturday, was arrested in Christchurch on Thursday. He will probably be confined to barracks and fined for his offence. The soldier was being escorted to camp to join the Ist Battalion of the Qtago Regiment, and when left alone for a few minutes jumped from the train, which was stated to be' travelling at 40 miles an hour. Impressment of Vehicles “It is no use persons asking me to interfere with the decisions of the licensing authorities when their trucks are impressed, for I won’t do it,” said the Minister of Transport. (the Hon. R. Semple) in an interview at Christchurch. The complaint of Mr J. W. McGlinchy (Government member on the Poultry Board), made at a public meeting on Wednesday, that the Minister had declined to interfere was referred to Mr Semple for comment. The licensing authority acted as a court, and decisions made were based on law and the evidence, replied Mr Semple. He was not on that tribunal to hear the evidence, and it would be utterly absurd if he interfered with any judgment. The court would become a farce if he intervened. Appeals to him to interfere were futile. The owners would have to depend on the judgment of the licensing authority. He would interfere for no one. Tooth Brushes Ignite

When ■ a customer accidentally dropped a lighted match on to a counter of tooth brushes at a department store at Whangarei, stock valued at £3O was destroyed. The handles of the tooth brushes and the cellophane coverings flared up almost to the ceiling. Forty dozen tooth brushes were destroyed. Donation of £lOOO.

A cheque for £lOOO has been given to the Cancer Campaign Society by Mr Charles Todd, Wellington, with the wish that the money be used specially for the work of the Wellington division. Blinds Drawn at 8.15 p.m.

The Mayor pf Wellington, Mr T. C. A. Hislop, as head of the City Emergency Precautions Services, has stated that in future all who fail to comply with the order to draw blinds or curtains over windows of rooms used at night will be prosecuted. As “dusk” or “dark” are very indefinite times, the Wellington Lighting Controller will, from time to time state the actual time by which blinds and curtains in used rooms should be drawn. His instruction now is: Until the end of January draw your blinds at 8.15 p.m. The Crossed Cheque

A firm of stock and station agents in Australia had a bill of £2O/9/6 to pay. It drew the cheque, and the cheque (crossed) was signed, but then it got wrapped up in a newspaper which was sent with others to the troops in the Middle East. The boys found it eventually, and 30 of them headed by a lieutenant, tried to cash it, but the local banks would not do so. Therefore the cheque with its 30 endorsements was returned to sender with the stern instruction: “In future cheques of this nature should not be crossed.”