In the News

Southland Times, Issue 25690, 5 June 1945, Page 4

In the News

Good Holiday Weather The weather was fine in Invercargill during the King’s Birthday weekend. The sporting fixtures on Saturday and yesterday were held in ideal conditions. There was very little wind and the days were cool. The sun shone brightly during the greater part of both Saturday and Sunday, but yesterday after a sharp frost of seven degrees, the sky became overcast and the day remained cold. The only rain during.the weekend fell late on Saturday night and early on Sunday morning. Muttonbirders Return The Kekenc (Captain H. Roderique) has returned to Bluff with a small party of muttonbirders from the south-east side of Stewart Island. As soon as the weather is suitable another trip will be made to the South Cape to pick up the main party. Fine weather is essential for this operation, as there are no wharves and landings have to be made on the rocky, exposed coast. Since the beginning of the season the Kekeno has brought to the mainland three loads of muttonbirds, including “passage” birds. Visit of Polish Children Arrangements have been made for some of the Polish children at the camp at Pahiatua to visit Southland next Christmas, according to a report presented at a meeting of the executive of the Southland centre of the New Zealand Red Cross Society. An invitation extended to the children has been accepted by the Polish Children’s Hospitality Committee and some of the children are expected to be in Southland during the Christmas holidays. They will be billeted in private homes. Profits from Sandwiches London cafes and milk bars are making excessive profits from sales of sandwiches, yet no effort is being made officially to keep prices within a reasonable scale, according to the correspondent of The Herald, Melbourne. Spam (tinned spiced ham), cheese, dried egg or sardine sandwiches are selling at an average price of lOd each, although the actual cost is Id. For a liver sausage sandwich costing ljd, a city cafe is charging 1/6. When told. of these extortionate rates, a Food Ministry official merely said: “If people are fools enough to pay, any price up, to 5/- may be charged for a sandwich.” Award to Doctor Advice that their son, Major S. W. Jefcoate Harbutt, R.A.M.C., has been awarded the M.B.E. has been received by Mr and Mrs S. J. Harbutt, of Epsom. The award was made for gallantry and distinguished service in Italy. Major Harbutt, who is 38 years of age, was educated at the Waitaki Boys’ High School and Otago University. He graduated as a doctor in 1930 and served for a year in the Auckland Hospital before going to England. He served in a number of hospitals there and enlisted with the British forces in 1940. Major Harbutt was in the North African campaign and in Italy, and at present he is. with a base hospital in Dorset.

King Carried Gun After a dozen lessons from a Grenadier Guards sergeant-major, the King became an expert shot with a Tommygun, says The Daily Mail, London. The Queen also became a crack shot with a revolver, which she kept in her sit-ting-room at Buckingham Palace. At one time it was feared that a parachute attempt might be made to kidnap the King and Queen or the Princesses. Whenever he travelled by car, therefore, the King took his gun with him. If an attack had been made, says The Daily Mail, the King would have fired, while the car drove on. The Royal practice range at Buckingham Palace was 100 yards long. The King also practised shooting in Windsor Great Park. Umbrellas and Hairpins

There may be more umbrellas on the market within the next few months. Supplies of manufacturing materials, which are now all imported from Great Britain, are easier to obtain, according to a statement in Consumer News. Taffeta, art silk, and oiled cotton are used for the cloth section of umbrellas, and quantities of these materials arrive in New Zealand from time to time. An improvement in the available supplies of hairpins may also be expected in the Dominion shortly. Hairpins sold here are made in England, and until recently, most manufacturers were engaged in 100 per cent, war production. At the present time locally-made bobby-pins are also on sale at most retail shops. Five Butchers Fined

Five butchers appeared before Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., at Auckland, charged under the Sale of Food and Drugs Act with having more than the specified amount of preservative in sausages and mince meat. The amount of preservative mentioned in the charges varied from 12.5 grains to the pound in one case to 4.2 grains. An inspector of health said that 3.5 grains of sulphur dioxide were allowed in each pound of sausage meat or mince meat under the regulations. The Magistrate commented that he had never seen so many butchers charged before and asked if there was any marked carelessness apparent on the part of butchers. The inspector _ replied that an examination of meat in a number of shops had recently been carried out and in some cases the amount of preservative was within the limitations. The defendants were fined amounts ranging from £5 to £lO. Production Cabinet

Having regard to the urgent need for increased production of primary foodstuffs to meet the food shortage in Europe, the interprovincial conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, held at Palmerston North, considered that the calling up of further manpower should cease and that the New Zealand Division should be recalled as soon as possible to enable personnel to be returned to productive work. “We want the Government to say if it really wants food,” said Mr R. H. Buchanan (Feilding), who added that nearly every branch of the union had asked the Government to proclaim its policy. The conference must ask the Government for a definite statement so that the producers knew where they stood. Mr V. B. Short (Feilding) said that there was a lag of 12 months in tire scheme to replace long-service personnel overseas, and that was a serious position. What was wanted today was a Production Cabinet to replace the War Cabinet. “Simply Chaotic” “The present conditions in vegetable marketing in New Zealand are simply chaotic. No worse methods could be found. We growers must get together and co-operate to achieve some better scheme,” declared Mr A. H. Waterson, growers’ member of the Vegetable Marketing Council for the Manawatu district, at a meeting of the Manawatu Produce Growers’ Association, called to consider the question of a national survey of vegetable production. Mr Waterson said he was sure that if an improved form of marketing could be developed, the Government would back them up. Mr Waterson pointed out that fresh vegetables .could be supplied to the American troops on Iwojima 48 hours after being landed, after they had been carried 6000 miles, and yet in New Zealand the growers were unable to guarantee the freshness of vegetables sent to Wellington. It was decided to set up an advisory committee to assist in the survey in the Manawatu.