General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 228, 28 September 1942, Page 4

General News

Brownout Time The time for the drawing of blinds in Wanganui to-day is 6.45 p.m.

Cnristmaj Parcel Post. The publfc is reminded that Christmas parcels and newspapers for the United Kingdom and the Middle East should bo posted not later than September vO.

Incipient Fire A all to an incipient fire in a dwelling at 110 oomme Parade, occupied by Mr. M. Verrail, was received by Central Station at 4.13 p.m. on Saturday. One machine was despatched and the fire was extinguished before any damage could result.

Fine Week-end After the boisterous conditions experienced on Thursday and Friday the weather broke beautifully fine for the week-end and yesterday was the mildest and sunniest day Wanganui has had for some time. Hundreds oT people took advantage of the opportunity to visit the Virginia Lake Reserve and the Centennial Memorial Winter Gardens. Castlecliff Beach also had a large quota of visitors.

AH Purposes Appeal. Waimarino (Zone L) contributions toward the current patriotic appeal of £1,000,000 now stands at £2204, states the “Chronicle’s” Raetihi correspondent. The latest list, issued on September 25, is: Previously acknowledged, £2196 6s lOd; Mr. K. Lynch, £1 Is; Rangataua Liberty Baby patriotic effort, £2 2s; Ohakune Women’s Institute, £4 15s 3d; total, £2204 5s Id. River Silting. Siltation is still a major problem causing much inconvenience, stated the annual report of the Wanganui Rowing Club in a reference to the difficulty of launching boats. The pontoon still lies on the mud for a portion of the tide, and as it is inadvisable to extend further into the river, the executive committee has decided to watch the trend of the river before beginning new operations. Tribute to Sea Power.

A leaflet placed before posting in a London weekly magazine received in Auckland showed in colour a convoy of merchant ships, escorted by destroyers and aircraft. It bore the words ‘‘Arrived safely—thanks to sea power.” On the back, the same sentence was repeated in English, French, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Norwegian, and several other languages not readily identifiable, though one appeared to be Arabic.

Fresh Meat Supplies. Now was the time for the Government to preserve the meat supplies of the Dominion by prohibiting the killing of immature stock and especially of calves, stated an Auckland butcher. F/Railers would not oppose the idea on business grounds, he said, because veal was the least profitable line, at present prices, in which they dealt. A serious diminution of the quantity of fresh meat available for civilian consumption was already in sight, and any action, to be fullv effective, should be taken immediately.

Heavy Express Train. Running 45 minutes late on Saturday afternoon, the express from Wellington to New Plymouth was a heavy train arriving at Aramoho. It was hauled by two locomotives and consisted of 11 cars and two vans. The New Plymouth-Wellington express on Saturday was normal. Since restricted services came into operation, express trains between Wellington and New Plymouth have been running on a tri-weekly basis, instead of daily, as previously. Only persons with urgent business are permitted to travel more than 50 miles by rail, and as the number of trains has been greatly reduced the demand for accommodation is keen. Musical Spies. On the strength of reports from Hitler's musical spies, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Gestapo “Abteilung Kunst” (Department of Art) arrested the well-known pianist Wilhelm

Backhaus after his return from a concert in Buapest (reports Cavalcade). Remarks which he made concerning Hitler and the Nazi regime to Hun-

garian friends were repeated after the musical spies had returned from their concerts in the Hungarian capital. To prevent a public scandal Goebbels intervened and Backhaus was released from the prison at the Gestapo H.G. in the Prinz Albrech Strasse, Berlin. But he is no longer invited to play before Goering’s guests at Karn hall Palace, as formerly. Famous conductors are reported to be among Hitler’s musical spies.

Flag From Tobruk. Bloodstained from fighting in the Tobruk carridor and torn by desert sandstorms, a flag flown in Tobruk last year by some Blenheim members of the Maori Battalion has reached Auckland alter being found by Privat'e B. W. Smith, a son of Mr. A. E. Smith, of 4 Baker Street, Auckland. Private Smith, who fought alongside the Maoris, brought the flag with him from Tobruk and gave it into the keeping of an uncle. Sergeant A. March, Australian Imperial Forces, who was a member of a supply column which was sent up to Tobruk. The last time Sergeant March had seen his nephew was when the latter was an infant. Sergeant March later brought the flag back to Australia and gave it to Mr. Smith, who. as a member of the crew of a merchant ship was then visiting the Commonwealth, Dominion Day. Although to-day will be observed as Dominion Day in accordance with the Public Holidays Act of 1910 which fixed the fourth 'Monday in September for such observance, to-day is the real anniversary of the date upon which New Zealand was officially elevated in status from Colony to Dominion. By Order-in-Council, dated September 9, 1907, and by Proclamation the following day, the style and designation of the colony was altered, the change taking effect on September 26 that year. For 35 years, therefore, New Zealand has been a Dominion. Dominion Dc v is no general holiday and the wheels of industry will not cease, the main celebration of the anniversary being the flying of flag's from Government and public buildinns. It will not even be a bank holiday as had been customary in the past.

Cyclist in Blackout. Reports on the last blackout at Christchurch showed that some cyclists did not understand the lighting requirements yet, said the chairman of the Emergency Precautions Services organising committee, Mr. W. Machin. During the blackout a giri on a bicycle without a. light rode into a rope used to cordon off 'incident,” fortuntely without 1 Suffering serious injury. She said she had been told that she bould not ride her machine with a light in a blackout, and other reports showed that a number of persons had the same impression. Mr. Machin said the girl was not an E.P.S. worker, and should not have been riding her bicycle at all. Tn any case, a bicycle should have a front light, masked with the equivalent of two sheets of paper, and a taillight, and then could only be ridden by an authorised person.