In the News

Southland Times, Issue 25680, 24 May 1945, Page 4

In the News

Children from Health Camp

The fourteenth group of Southland children from the King George V Memorial Health Camp at Roxburgh will return to Invercargill tomorrow. They will arrive by train at 1.10 p.m. The next group will leave on May 28. Wandering Stock Dangers The dangers associated with wandering stock on Southland roads were emphasized by Traffic Inspector J. A. Arthur in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. He said that cows wandering unattended on country roads were causing a lot of trouble to motorists. There had been several minor collisions, and if the nuisance was not checked there would be a serious accident sooner or later. An offender was fined £3. Empire Day Today is Empire Day, which is celebrated annually on the anniversary of Queen Victoria’s birthday. The movement started in 1902 and the first official celebration was held in 1904. It was carried on by the Earl of Meath, whose aim was to introduce into schools a training that would assist in producing patriotic citizens of the Empire. Special prominence is usually given in the ceremony to saluting the flag. The movement quickly spread and soon gained official recognition. Coffin as Boat A Gore district sportsman found a novel way of overcoming the difficulty of securing a boat at the opening of the duck-shooting season. An undertaker by profession, his thoughts turned to his stock-in-trade. By attaching two kerosene tins to each end of a coffin he made an improvized boat, which, if not water-tight, would at least serve his purpose. The contrivance was found to float, and the sportsman and a companion boarded the craft, which sank almost to the gunwales. However, with one man aboard it answered the purpose admirably. A good day’s sport was enjoyed, and the ducks were retrieved from the water without mishap.

Servicemen’s Entertainment “When you take these men to Smith’s Tearooms with their next-of-kin you have great difficulty in getting any of them to talk, but at a smoke concert the difficulty is to stop them,” said the chairman; Mr W. Bell, at a meeting of the executive of the Southland Provincial Patriotic Committee yesterday. One member suggested that the different type of victuals provided was the cause. Mr Bell was reporting on the successful smoke concert conducted recently by the patriotic council and the R.SA. for returned servicemen in the city. The men had paid some fine compliments to the patriotic organization for their parcels, he said. They all agreed that Southland parcels were the best. When about 160 men expressed their appreciation of the parcels it was a great help to the council in getting funds. Credit Requested

“The Waitemata County Council is delighted to learn that the principle of advancing interest-free credit for public amenities is now being applied,” stated a telegram sent to the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, by the county chairman, Mr H. T. Gibson. The telegram followed on the publication of the statement of the acting-Minister of Mines, Mr O’Brien, concerning the erection of a public hall at the Rotowaro mining township, to the effect that a State in-terest-free loan had been made to assist in the provision of amenities for the district. “Acting on this principle,” continued Mr Gibson’s telegram, “will you please arrange with the Reserve Bank to advance credits as required up to £lOO,OOO for urgent reading needs to assist farming industries in Waitemata County, the council to defray all administrative costs? Thanking'you.” Theatre Firemen A request that the British system of fire and panic prevention in theatres be adopted in Invercargill was received by the Invercargill Fire Board at its meeting yesterday from Amalgamated Theatres, Ltd., Fuller Theatre Corporation, Ltd., and J. C. Williamson Picture Corporation, Ltd. The British system, it was explained, had been adopted not only throughout New Zealand, but also in Australia. It provided for the employment by theatre proprietors of a male employee as a theatre fire protection watchman. The employee was first approved by the fire superintendent, and his employment was reinforced by a system of inspection to ensure that local authority requirements were carried out. In addition panic drill was undertaken by the theatre staff. The board agreed to the request, the change to take effect from July 1. At present appointments are made by the board.