In the News

Southland Times, Issue 25478, 26 September 1944, Page 4

In the News

Cups and Saucers The production of porcelain in New Zealand has increased almost 50 per cent., according to the annual report of the Department of Industries and Commerce. A new factory is almost ready, and this will enable a further heavy increase to be made. Cups should come through at the rate of 10,000 a day and saucers at 5000 a day; 1,500,000 caps were made in 12 months, and the manufacturers expect to make 2,500,000 cups this coming year. Up to the present there is a satisfactory supply of labour in the district for this work. Small Oyster Catches

The oyster fleet left Bluff yesterday morning, but little time was spent at the beds because of the strong northwest wind and high seas in Foveaux Strait. Some boats obtained small catches, but others returned without any oysters. During the month the weather has been largely unfavourable and as a result oysters have been in short supply for some time. The 1944 oyster season will close on Saturday. Money for Patriotic Fund

As a result of the Southland Patriotic Competitions Festival held at Invercargill recently about £550 will be handed to the Southland Provincial Patriotic Council. This was reported at a meeting of the Southland Patriotic Competitions Committee last night. The increased interest taken, in the competitions this year was shown by the fact that the proceeds exceeded last years figures by more than £lOO.

Armistice Day The Mayor of Wellington, Mr W. Appleton, said yesterday that thought was being given to arrangements for full and safe and reasonable observance of armistice day and probably there will be some announcement and a discussion at the next meeting of the City Council.' How soon or how delayed that day might be no one could know, but it would be wise to have plans in train. One proposal on which he had acted was that besides a great outdoor jollification there should be a really worthwhile musical festival and a meeting of interested societies and bodies had been called.—(P.A.) Women Aged 30 to 40 The results of the registration of women aged 31 to 40 inclusive are shown in the annual report of the National Service Department. There were 953 women in that group in the Invercargill man-power district. Of that number 481 were single, 424 were married without children and only 4? were married with children. For the whole of New Zealand the figures were: Single, 11,973; married without children, 11,541; married with children, 2203; total, 25,717. Pacific Draft

A draft of servicemen from the Pacific area will arrive in Invercargill by the express on Thursday night. Aboui 60 men are expected to return to the No. 12 Military Area. A list of theii names will be published on Thursday morning. Rubber Industry Expands

Reference to the expansion of the rubber industry is made in the annual report of the Department of Industries and Commerce. The major innovation, it says, was the manufacture on a large scale of reclaim rubber. The Christchurch factory came into full production during the course of the year, and the Auckland factory also increased its output. The total production from the two reclaiming factories was about 700 tons, which was used mostly in the manufacture of battery boxes, B grade retreads, soles and heels, and general mechanical lines. A second unit entered on the manufacture of cycle tyres and tubes, which had the effect of easing the supply and distribution problem. A Christchurch factory has now attained a production level of some 400 pairs of gum boots a day. Increased Kail Traffic

An idea of the increased volume oi traffic which the railways have been called on to handle since the outbreak of war is given in the annual report of the National Service Department. In 1938-39 the passenger journeys per annum, totalled 23,266,000; in 1943-44 they had risen to 38,611,000, an increase of 66 per cent. The goods tonnage handled rose from 7,539,000 in 1938-39 to 9,027,000 last year, a rise of 19.7 per cent. Goods revenue was £9,345,000 and £15,325,000 respectively, an increase of 64 per cent. During this period the staff decreased from 25,765 to 23,422, the latter including 2000 females compared with 627 before the war. Soil Erosion

“The Government has issued a bulletin on the menace of soil erosion and its effect on our rivers,” said the chairman of the Wellington Acclimatization Society, Mr D. J. Gibbs, at a meeting of the council of the society. “Nd one is better able to observe the result of the removal of the bush together with the subsequent fires and over-grazing than the sportsman who see the loss of feeding grounds for our fish and birds and the cover for their protection. 1116 country must have areas cleared for the production of butter, meat and wool, and it also requires timber for housing, but I think the time has arrived to check up and see that conservation is kept in mind when areas liable to slip erosion are being cleared and that proper precautions against fire are taken when timber is cut, so that sufficient protective vegetation will be left to save the soil. I recommend the bulletin to all thoughtful persons.”