LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 64, Issue 4522, 12 January 1942, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

For the second time since the inception of the scheme locally the blue flag was flying mast high at the Te Awamutu Post Office to-day, denoting that the town’s quota of £483 per week for the National Savings scheme had been raised last week. Late last night or early this morning an attempt was made to force the lock on the paint shop connected with a local garage, the apparent object being the theft of petrol. The Police are inquiring into the occurrence, which should act as a warning to all residents. With the welcome break in the weather, the local Swimming Baths are being more extensively patronised by the young folk of Te Awamutu. Encouraged by the improved climatic conditions, the Swimming Club intend to hold a club sports meeting on Thursday evening next, when an attractive programme of events, including relay races, will be contested. Advice has been received locally that the Te Awamutu District High School will re-open on Monday, February 2nd, as already arranged, and that the bus services connected therewith will be run as usual. However, plans are being prepared for enforcement in the event of a modification of the service becoming desirable, but it is hoped that this will not be necessary. The four bells which made up the chimes of the electric clock in the Avenue, Wanganui, have been taken down from the watch tower in Cook’s Gardens. The large bell, weighing a ton, was transferred to the “look out” on St. John’s Hill, where it was hung on poles. This bell and the other three, when suitable sites have been found for them, will be used as Wanganui’s emergency alarm. Girls driving small cars belonging to the Post and Telegraph Department are doing good work in delivering telegrams in the suburbs of Wellington. Because of the scarcity of juvenile labour, the department engaged girls who could drive motor cars and deliver telegrams in the suburbs. One girl with a car is able to deliver as many telegrams in a day as could be done by five boys on foot.

A sign of the times 1 To-day no less than three gigs, drawn by horses, were to be seen in the streets of Te Awamutu. This, of course, is the direct result of the petrol restrictions, and serves as a forcible reminder of the effect of the war on this Dominion. Probably these will be the forerunner of many similar vehicles, as it seems improbable, from information received, that any modification of the petrol restrictions will be possible in the near future. Under direction from the War Cabinet, the Department of Agriculture has made a contract with the Hastings Borough Council and certain private farmers for the growing of medicinal plants which are required by the Government of the United Kingdom. The total area allotted to this scheme is 26 acres. Of this area 20 acres will be sown in Digitalis purpurea (foxglove), two acres in Datura stramomium (thorn apple), and two acres in Atropa belladonna (deadly night-shade). Bombs in Te Awamutu ! An interesting exhibit in the window of the Spence Electric Company, Alexandra Street, to-day is a live incendiary bomb and one which has been spent. The former is 22 inches long and weighs four pounds. It possesses an aluminium casing housing the detonator and incendiary materials, and has a solid steel toe. The second one is in pieces, having been used. Residents should not fail to inspect these exhibits and so become familiar with the outward appearance of the bombs. Hay-making, following a fine weekend, is in full progress throughout the district. Never before has harvesting been so retarded and hindered as during recent weeks, and it is quite apparent that with Old Sol now shedding his radiance over the locality, the farmers are applying to their work the old adage “make hay while the sun shines.” A large area has still to be garnered, and many are the fervent hopes expressed that the district will be blessed with a continuance of good, fine days and nights.

“Women are less prone to bomb shock than men. The ratio is 18 women to 30 men,” writes a medical correspondent. “It may be true that women are more emotional than men in romance, but they are less so in air raids. Their protective instinct for those they love is actually a shield against the nerve-shattering effects of warfare noises. They perform the job in hand with calmer deliberation than men. Women also recover under psychological treatment more quickly than men. Part of the treatment is the retelling of their experiences, and it is found that women can recall details with greater ease than men.” It is announced that the policy of the Manpower Committee in Auckland with regard to one-man business reservists has been that in the case of a man in the National Military Reserve the committee will recommend to the military authorities that reasonable periodic leave be granted to enable the man to control his business, subject to the exigencies of the military situation and the requirements of his unit. That has been found suitable in the majority of cases, but there have been some who have been anxious to wind up their affairs and where possible an extension of time for this purpose has been granted. An Order of the Day issued this morning by Major Graham A. Mills to members of the Waipa Battalion of the Home Guard reads as follows: “On relinquishing the command of the Waipa Battalion I desire to thank the Officers, N.C.O.’s and Guardsmen for their loyal co-operation during the short period of my command. Without this, nothing could have been done. I feel that I am leaving a Battalion to be proud of, and trust that under your new Commander the good work will continue, and that you will give to him the same support that you have always given to me. I desire to mention personally your Adjutant (Mr H. S. Weightman), to whose unflagging zeal and unremitting industry the Battalion owes an unpayable debt.”