In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24654, 28 January 1942, Page 4

In the News

Hollywood Gesture

Twelve specially constructed fracture beds given by Hollywood film stars are now being used at New Zealand base hospitals for the treatment of some of the more seriously wounded men from the Libyan battlefields. The beds arrived in the Middle East toward the end of last year, states The N.Z.E.F. Times, and were used for the first time for casualties from the Cyrenaican campaign. They are built of white enamelled metal and have brass plates at the heads, with the donor’s name inscribed on each. Two of the beds were given by Claudette Colbert and two by Randolph Scott, while the following sent one each:—Anna Neagle, Amos and Andy, Bette Davis, Deanna Durbin, Kay Francis, Edward G. Robinson, Gary Cooper and Jeanette MacDonald . Long March The longest trek which has been undertaken by an infantry battalion in New Zealand has been made by a territorial unit in the northern military district. It marched 65 miles in four days, covering 11 miles in the morning and six in the afternoon on each of the first three days and finishing on the fourth with 12 in the morning and two in the afternoon. Having already marched 30 miles in two preceding days, the unit covered almost 100 miles Within a week. Beans for Overseas On Friday afternoon the Christchurch Women’s Voluntary Land Army will commence work on the drying of beans to be sent to Britain and to men on minesweepers. The Mayoress, Miss Evelyn Couzins, will officially open the dehydrating oven for the first consignment of beans. The oven has been unofficially tried out, the experiment proving most successful. The beans have retained their colour, and the dehydrat* ing process has reduced the water content from 221 b to 2Jlb. Prisoner’s Notepaper Evidence that writing paper in Germany is becoming scarce, or that the authorities there are displaying considerable ingenuity in the use of captured material is suggested by a letter from a prisoner of war in Germany to his parents in Auckland. It is written on the back of a printed form issued and used by the British Army. A similar form has been utilized to improvise ah envelope to carry the letter. The forms, which are numbered, w6re part of British materials captured, it is thought, either in Greece or Crete. Priceless Liquid

The value placed on a \drop of petrol was illustrated when a truck pulled into the kerb in the centre of Victoria street, Hamilton, and the tank was observed by a passerby to be full and overflowing... Not long afterwards the person emerged from a nearby .tobacconist .shop with three empty tobacco tins under his arm. Placing these under the opening in the tank he , caught the drops in his tins and when he had filled all three he put on the lids and walked off with a satisfied air. Fresh-water Sand An inquiry why “Fresh-water sand” is specified in the Emergency Precautions Service directions for smothering incendiary bombs has been received from a correspondent, who also asks whether thoroughly washed and dried sea sand is not equally suitable (says The New Zealand Herald). The reason given by fire-fighting experts for not using sea sand is that the salt in it sets up a chemical action in contact with the bomb and causes spluttering. Moreover, its presence hinders sand from drying completely. No objection to washed sea sand appears to have been raised by any authority. Armistice! It was near a military encampment “somewhere in New Zealand.” The soldiers were skirmishing over a farm. Shots were being exchanged with the “enemy” and many “casualties” were taking place. “Dead” were lying all over the place. Suddenly there was a cessation of fighting, and silence reigned supreme. Then a brawny officer approached the owner of the farm. “Excuse me, sir, is it safe to go through that paddo'sk with the bull in?” Slit Trench Mishap When he was walking among slit trenches in the reserve opposite Grafton Bridge, Auckland, Jack Ratahi, a Maori, single, aged 24, of Otahuhu, fell into a trench and suffered a compound fracture of the arm. He was admitted to the Auckland Hospital. i Pukeko Eats Ducklings Instances of ducklings being killed and eaten by pukeko in the Stirling district were given in a letter received from a farmer by the council of the Otago Acclimatization Society. “One morning recently,” he wrote, I saw a pukeko run after a duck with a clutch of ducklings. The bird caught one of the ducklings and ate it. The following morning I saw the same thing occur, and soon after I watched two pukeko get a duckling each. I ran after them, but they flew away with the ducklings in their beaks. I had some half-grown tame ducks myself, but one day recently they wandered near a pukeko which was sitting on eggs. The bird left the nest and ate the heads off four of the ducklings.” The writer said that if he were sent some .22 cartridges he would do the • rest. The council decided to place the farmer’s request before the Department of Internal Affairs, with the recommendation that a permit for cartridges should be granted. Getting “Worst Deal” With a view to inquiring into conditions under ■ which the National Military Reserve is carrying out its duties, and having a desire to provide some extra comforts, a sub-committee of the New Plymouth patriotic committee is to interview the officer commanding the New Plymouth Battalion. “These men of the last war are getting the. worst deal,” said Mr F. L. Frost, M.P. “They are going direct to battle stations , while others are sent to de luxe camps. Well and Truly Buried A native youth in the New Plymouth district has provided striking evidence of the fidelity of his race. He is in the employ of a farmer, who, on going to town on business, instructed him to bury two drums of benzine, which had been stored in an outhouse. The youth obeyed the instructions. When the farmer returned home and asked about the benzine, he was told: “Yes, I bury him, but what shall I do with the drums?” Valueless Silk Stockings

Gifts sent by men of the forces overseas are always appreciated by those at home, but to the womenfolk none are so welcome as silk stockings. Some women have been the envy of all their friends when they have displayed expensive hose sent home by thoughtful husbands and friends, but lately some have not been so fortunate. Several cases are known of apparently expensive stockings turning out to be perished. It is thought that heat has perished the stockings in transit or that unscrupulous dealers have palmed off old stock on inexperienced purchasers.