In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24675, 21 February 1942, Page 4

In the News

Less Responsible Duties Addressing the Arbitration Court in Dunedin during the hearing of the Otago and Southland hairdressers and tobacconists’ assistants’ dispute, Mr F. C. Scrivener, who appeared for the employers, said that some years ago a recognized tobacconist was one who could blend and sell by weight special mixtures, and on his skill at his trade depended his business. Today they had proprietary lines of cigarettes in cartons wrapped in cellophane, cigarette tobacco and pipe tobacco in two-ounce tins, and, in place of the tobacconists’ shops were appearing kiosks or “holes in the wall.” The huge increase in the number of retailers who were still called tobacconists was due partly to the fact that the retail price was fixed, and partly to the fact that practically the whole stock comprised proprietary lines which required no skill to sell. Lines were widely advertised and prices stated, so that the actual work of a so-called tobacconist’s assistant was merely to hand over an article already wrapped or enclosed and to accept the advertised price. Men of Higher Age Groups To free for return to their previous positions in industry and commerce as many men of 46 years of age and over as possible, the Director of National Service (Mr J. S. Hunter) has instructed the Man -power Committee in each centre to review all such cases in conjunction with the Army authorities. It is intended to have urgent attention given to this matter so that wherever it is desirable for members of the National Military Reserve to return to their previous positions they will be permitted to do so as soon as possible. Quite a large number of the men were occupying important executive positions, Mr Hunter said. The cases were being reviewed, and if it was found that they could not reasonably give the whole of their time to the mobilization, they were to be transferred to the Home Guard, where they were still free to work but could do a certain amount of training at the same time. Currency Quotations Mute evidence of the toll of war over the past year is provided in the table of foreign exchange rates j supplied by the Bank of New South Wales. Among the buying and selling rates quoted a year ago were those for Greece, Hong Kong, Manila, Singapore and Shanghai. With the enemy occupation of these centres the only foreign exchange rate remaining in the table outside those for New York and various Empire countries is that for Java. Retention of Signposts Recently the Automobile Association (Manawatu) decided to remove signposts as a war measure but, after advice received from the Highways Board, will hold the matter in abeyance. The board asked for retention of the posts as they were of use to the military. Mr C. R. Murphy, mover of the original motion, thought that if the military valued them for training purposes, they would be doubly advantageous to the enemy, adding that he considered it ridiculous that the military were unable to carry out their work without these signs. It was decided to communicate with the Defence Department asking for a decision when the posts should be taken down and who was to remove them. War Publicity The importance that the Government attached to films as a medium of war publicity in New Zealand was emphasized by Mr J. T. Paul, Director of Publicity, when giving evidence before the Armed Forces Appeal Board in support of an appeal by the Director of National Service on behalf of an employee of the Miramar Film Studios. Mr Paul said that films were considered the most helpful form of war publicity and the best method of presenting phases of the war effort and maintaining public morale. This policy was being extended in Britain. The Miramar film studio was producing a war effort newsreel each week, and this was shown in almost every theatre in New Zealand. The studio was also produc- ' ing longer films, and had been asked to produce some showing the industrial side of the war effort. In addition the Army had made a request for instructional films. To Army Measure Members of the Army are, at some time or other, glimpsed attired in denims, which is the name given to the shapeless clothing soldiers wear while working when no one is supposed to be looking. In a certain military camp a quartermaster’s store (from which the denims originate) bears the following mark of soldierly wit: “Clothes Vendor, Only Two Sizes, Too Large and Too Small.” Gasbags Replace Petrol Quite a common ’sight in Christchurch, huge bags of coal gas are now making their appearance, as the petrol position becomes more acute, in Wellington. Carried on the roofs of cars, they indicate once more how in times of stress utility must perforce triumph over beauty. In general terms, it has been found that 290 cubic feet of Wellington gas (in different cities the gas has varying properties) is equal to one gallon of petrol. The only cars that have been observed employing coal gas from the balloon-like bag locally are 8 h.p. models, and the bag, of treated canvas, covers the roof of the car, and holds about 50 cubic feet. The distance the vehicle can cover, without a refill, is therefore small, but sufficient for trips round the city. In some other cities, however, the balloon-builders have pun their hearts and souls into the job, and the containers stretch the whole length of the car, from bumper to bumper, and are stayed to the mudguards with metal rods. Presbyterian Safety

Recently a patrol officer of the automobile Association (Southland) was giving an address on road safety to a senior class of a city primary school. He had gone to great pains to explain the value of and necessity for pedestrian crossings and he had taken the trouble to draw a sketch of a pedestrian crossing on the blackboard. To make sure he was being understood he pointed to his illustration and asked the class, “Now what is this crossing called?” “A presbyterian crossing,” replied one member of the class without hesitation. Koiterangi Memorial

Residents of Hokitika, Woodstock, Rimu and Kanieri have decided to erect a memorial at Kanieri to the memory of Constable E. M. Best, Messrs G. G. T. Hutchinson and H. J. M. Coulson, who lost their lives last September as the result of the Koiterangi shootings. The memorial will be in the form of gates to be erected at the entrance to Kanieri Park. Building of Homes

The need to continue the building of homes in New Zealand was emphasized at the annual conference of the New Zealand Hardware Merchants’ Guild, held in Wellington. The view was expressed that the false impression had arisen that building restrictions did not allow of the erecting of residences. This was not the case, it was stated. Anyone desiring to erect a dwelling today could do so.providing the contract price was not more than £l5OO, and that not more than scwt of steel was needed in its erection.