LOCAL AND GENERAL

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 66, Issue 5604, 12 April 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Maori War Effort A concert and dance organised by the Te Kopua Tribal War Effort Committee was held on Saturday night at the Te Kopua pa, the net proceeds amounting to £l5 4s 9d. Music for the dances was played by the Turitea Rhythm Boys, and Mr W. Kohi officiated as M.C. The competition for the duck was won by Miss Myra Neha, and the live pig by Mrs A. Hughes. Soldiers’ Pensions

The increasing of the basic pension for soldiers to £3 10s a week was suggested by the executive committee of the Christchurch Returned’ Services’ Association at its meeting last week in a recommendation to be forwarded to Dominion headquarters of the New Zealand Returned Services' Association. It was also recommended that equal treatment should be given to all other forms of war pensions, and that the allowable income, including full pensions, should be increased by 75 per cent. Caterpillar Plague

About seventy years ago many parts of New Zealand were visited by plagues of insects, and for some time, states Forest and Bird, a plague of caterpillars crawled over the country in vast numbers. Crops were destroyed, and in many places traines were stopped by the rails being made greasy from the crushed insects. One train had the insects crawling all over the carriages, both inside and out. After the introduction of insectivorous open-country birds the plague ceased.

Naval Chaplain’s Duties The multifarious duties which fell to the lot of a naval chaplain were outlined by Commander C. A. Dittmar, an American chaplain, in an address to the Auckland Rotary Club. Apart from religious work, a chaplain had ample scope for a busy life in the organisation of sport and recreation, and he was often called on to give guidance when a marriage ceremony was to be arranged for one of the men in the service. He worked in close co-operation with the ship’s officers, who appreciated his efforts, and his reward came in the love and respect of the men he endeavoured to serve. No Joke Donald Duck, called up for military service, was granted a deferment recently by Canadian draft officials. It vas not a joke. The Canadian namesake of Walt Disnqy’s noisy water-fowl, a slim, nice-looking youth, asked permission to help his parents with the spring planting on their 100acre farm on Lake Erie. Then he intends to join the Royal Canadian Air Force. Now thoroughly inured to fooling, the lad told reporters: “ I’ve been Donald Duck for 22 years, and I intend to stay that way. The moniker is good enough for me. and incidentally I had it first.”

Imports of Carpets Additional licences for imports for carpets from the United Kingdom or British India during the seventh period will be granted to the extent of 50 per cent of the amounts of licences granted for imports of similar goods from the United Kingdom during 1941. This advice has been received by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, which has also been informed that any seventh period of licences which have been issued in excess of the original allocation for the period will be regarded as part of or absorbing the additional allocation. The chamber has been advised by the Customs Department that the seventh period allocation of imports of pens and pencils from the United Kingdom has been increased from 100 to 150 per cent of the value of the applicants’ imports from all sources in 1938. Licences under the extra allocation will be available for imports from Canada.

Not to “Run” E.P.S. “Training officers are not appointed to run the E.P.S., and they have got to understand this. The sooner they get it into their heads the better it will be, for otherwise there is a conflict coming.” This statement was made by the Mayor of Christchurch and Chief Warden (Mr E. H. Andrews)) at a meeting of the Christchurch City Council, when the subject of a paid E.P.S. organiser was discussed, states the Star-Sun. He referred specifically to a statement by one of the local training officers claiming that the officers had power to arrange and organise trials. “Some of them are getting the idea that they are going to boss the whole show,” said the Mayor. These men are training officers only. For example, they have no control over the wardens, who are controlled by the district wardens. In an emergency, you can forget about the training officers. They are. for training alone, to bring the personnel to full efficiency.”

Early Police Dayra Just at the time when promotions and changes throughout New Zealand are being made in the Police Force, many former members who live in Auckland are recalling earlier days and the fine class of men who were at the head oL affairs notably Inspectors Purdy mid Cullen. The former, who was in charge of the Taranaki district at the time when the Maori troubles at Parihaka were very disturbing to the settlers, had often to swim rivers to get to the Maori strongholds before the days of bridges and was saved from drowning on one occasion by Sergeant Hendry, who was afterwards inspector at Auckland. Mr Hendry was a man of powerful physique, who had risen from the ranks by sheer study and ability. Commissioner Mcllveney, who, before his appointment was a member of -the Auckland Justices of the Peace Association, was the first New Zealander to be appointed Commissioner of Police, an appointment which caused a thrill among young colonials.