In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24682, 2 March 1942, Page 4

In the News

Late Night Abandoned

Shops in Auckland are to- close earlier on the late night. This is the first action taken under the Closing of Shops (Late Night) Emergency Regulations which were issued recently. The Minister of National Service (Mr Semple) stated that, through the Mayor of Auckland, he had authorized the local authorities in the Auckland E.P.S. area to fix the earlier closing time of 6 p.m. for the late night. This authority is to apply only to shops for which the ordinary closing time, except on the late night or on the half-holiday, is now 5.30 p.m. or earlier. There is to be no alteration in the closing hour of such shops on other days of the week. “An assurance has been given me by the representatives of the shop assistants that, in order to make good the hours lost by closing at 6 p.m. on the late night, the employees affected will be prepared to commence work at 8.30 a.m. on each day of the week,” said the Minister. The Big Sunspot

Although it does not seem _io have materially increased in size, the big spot on the sun is undergoing rapid changes it crossed the sun’s meridian early yesterday, and the Carter Observatory authorities consider that the chances of auroras and other disturbances following this crossing are about fifty-fifty. The spot is easily large enough to be seen by the naked eye through a piece of smoked glass. Appellant’s Narrow Margin Under the National Service Regulations provision is made for the reclassification of reservists who, although called in the ballot of married men without children, became fathers before the issue of the ballot on January 20 last. One appellant who appeared be-' fore the Auckland District Manpower Committee succeeded in his appeal against entry into camp by a narrow margin when he stated that his first child was born one day before the ballot was published. Helping Home Guard A statement that he would give £2OO himself and raise £lOOO within a month for the Hamilton Home Guard for ths promotion of the defence of the town and district was made by Mr P. O. Bonham, of Hamilton. Mr Bonham said Hamilton and district should set an example to New Zealand by demanding total organization for defence, including compulsory Home Guard training, and mobilization of all machinery plants. The commander of the Hamilton Battalion of the Home Guard, Major T. H. Melrose, described the offer as very generous. Immediate steps would be taken to produce war equipment for the Guard, as well as road blocks. Technical advisers would assist in overcoming difficulties.

Record Totalizator Returns In spite of the curtailment in the number of race meetings held in the Dominion toward the end of last year totalizator investments during 1941 established a record of £8,524,000. This was £12,000 more than the 1940 total and compared with £8,238,000 in 1939, £7,446,000 in 1938, and £6,723,000 in 1937. Time and Wages Lost Industrial disputes, judged by the number of actual disputes during 1941, were more prevalent than in any year, at least since 1920,” reports the Government Statistician. “However, if consideration is given to the numbers of firms affected, workers involved, working days lost, or estimated loss in wages, the 1941 figures, although high, are by no means a record.” Disputes in 1941 numbered 90, with 15,566 workers involved, 26,542 working days lost, and £34,917 estimated loss in wages.”

Possession of Boarding House

Vacant possession of a house in Hanson street, Wellington, which was the subject of an action in the Supreme Court, is to be given by the soldier’s wife who rents it to the owner, according to the judgment of Mr Justice Ostler. The house is owned by William James Curtis, as trustee of the estate of Ellen Corbridge, and he claimed possession of it from Irene Winifred Devlin, a soldier’s wife, alleging that -by keeping four boarders she was using the house for a business and she was therefore not protected by the Fair Rents Act. A magistrate had refused to make an order for possession. His Honour said the premises had been used for the keeping of four boarders. Therefore, . whatever the motive of defendant in keeping the boarders, the premises were used principally for business purposes, and that being so defendant was not entitled to the protection of the Fair Rents Act. Home-made Mortar Although it is only a few weeks since he was asked if he could make a trench 'mortar to a pattern adopted very widely by the Home Guard in Britain, a member of the demolition squad attached to the Onehunga Home Guard has, with assistance, already built a fairly large number of almost similar weapons and has successfully tested them. He is Mr R. Mackrell, who, with other members of the squad, spends most of his spare time in an electrical welding shop making several types of supplementary weapons for the Home Guard. They form one of a number of groups of Home Guardsmen whose ingenuity has greatly impressed army officers, and their use of waste materials has demonstrated how easily effective weapons can be made. The mortar can be easily produced in numbers, Mr Mackrell saying he can, with his present facilities, make 12 a week. Bombs are just as readily made, both shrapnel and percussion types being produced in numbers. No Quarter Given

It happened that two Christchurch E.P.S. wardens, returning home from a tour of inspection of their respective areas met and engaged in a moment’s conversation (says The Star-Sun). “How are things in your street?” asked one. “Not bad at all,” replied tlie other, “but there was one house with a couple of blinds up and the light streaming out. I’ll have to report that. Number — it was.” “No you won’t,” came the reply. “That happens to be my place.” Bible Translations In the annual report of the British and Foreign Bible Society for the year 1941; it is stated that the total number of languages in which the Bible is printed is now 747, six new languages being added during 1941. The Scriptures issued during the year total over 11,000,000. In New Zealand, the society was called upon for Scriptures in 22 languages. Shot Down in Malaya

Shot down into the sea by Japanese fighters while on a low-level bombing attack on enemy transports, Pilot Officer A. E. Lyttle, of Christchurch, in a letter to his wife, tells the story of his encounter with the Japanese in Malaya. Pilot Officer Lyttle states: “I took off about 6.30 a.m. to do a lowlevel bombing attack on enemy road transports. We dropped our bombs and then went out to the coast to do some reconnaissance. I had gone about a third of the return journey when my gunner shouted out that we were being attacked by fighters of the navy O type. We were at 1500 ft so I put her into a dive with full throttle and pulled out 10ft above the sea. Bullets were hitting the machine all over and I zigzagged to try to put the fighters, off their aim, but they kept on attacking one after the other. There were holes all round the cockpit and four just near ,my head.”