LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 62, Issue 41, 28 November 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

One man acquitted on a murder charge, another is suspected . . . Such is the situation when Molly Balcon arrives at Montalban, from which point Peter Benedict tells an exciting mystifying story. “What Happened at Montalban,” is the title of his novel, serial publication of which will be commenced in the “Guardian” tomorrow.

According to information received by the Wellington Chamber of Commerce from the Chief .Postmaster envelopes which have been used previously will be accepted by he Post Office provided all postage marks, stamps, and the first- ad’ress are covered with a label. Such envelopes must also be in reasonably good condition.

The salvaging vessel Marina was out last week at the scene of the wreck of the ! Wnikoiraiti, off fDlog, Island, near Bluff. Final moorings were laid and the vessel may now be moored in a suitable psition whatever the wind 1 or tide may be. Weather permitting, salvaging operations will be started with the aid of the diver. It is expected; that the electric magnet- for raising tiho steel will be in use.

With the site; levelled in record time, and up to 1760 men; employed on building work, construction of the soldiers’ convalescent hospital on the lakeside area at Rotorua has made rapid progress. The completed block, occupying approximately 51,000 square feet- of floor space, is expected to be ready for occupation by the end of December or early in the new year. Accommodation is being provided for 150 patients.

The sun at present has 31 spots on it, arranged in five distinct groups. . Although this represents marked activity compared with the recent quiescence, there is no exceptional activity shown by any of the groups, and there is nothing comparable with the outbreak of last September. A noon observation made by the Carter Observatory today showed that two of the groups of spots were clustered round the sun’s central meridian in the centre of the disc, while the other- three were in the eastern, hemisphere' and would be crossing the meridian in a day or two.

In order to make arrangements for a quicker method of filling the Alle.nton School Swimming Baths, the assistant architect for the Education Board, (Mr O. Rignell) yesterday visited the school. It is probable that he will recommend to the Board that a four inch pipe be sent to the bottom of the present well, with a vertical action! pump with a capacity of about 2000 gallons'an hour. When the baths were last filled with the aid of the present pump, it took 10 days to run in the acquired amount of water.

Girl Guides in Taranaki are taking up -the work of making camouflage nets required by the Army Department and the aid of the Women’s War Service Auxiliary lias been enlisted. District committees of the W.W.S.A. have received a circular from the Dominion headquarters pointing out that the Army Department requires the immediate manufacture of a large number of camouflage nets and will continue to do so for a considerable time. The Girl Guides of New Zealand have already commenced' the manufacture of the nets and many have received instruction in the method to ho used.

The national Bank of Australasia comments on its November summary of conditions in the Commonwealth that there can be no doubt that much of the public spending of the past two years has been wasteful and unnecessary in time of war. A survey of the forms which this spending lias taken confirms that many of the classes of commodities in great demand by the public can hardly' be described as essential. “It adds: “Sooner or later this spending must be cur tailed if we are to approach a maximum war effort.. Otherwise, no matter how much money the Governmentactually spends on the war, no matter which methods of finance are favoured, the resultant effort, measured in material things, will not represent- the utmost of which we are capable. To fall short of that utmost is to jeopardise our future.”

A statement that the army already had a- provost section operating in Auckland, and patrolling the streets continuously, was made by the officer commanding the Northern Military District, Brigadier 1\ H. Bell, D. 5.0., when referring to the remarks of Mr F. H. Levien, S.M., on the unruly behaviour of some soldiers while on leave. In, addition, he said, an officers’ picket from Papakura camp was on duty in the city every week-end, Information he had received about the incidents described in the Auckland Pblice Court showed that the patrol had passed the scenes of disturbance from 10 to 15 minutes before. the incidents occurred, and at that time everything was quiet. Every effort was made to ensure good behaviour on the part of the troops on leave, but it was obviously, impossible for the military police to be in every part of the city at once. In the immediate vicinity' of Auckland, added the brigadier, there avere thousands of troops encamped and i» barracks. In comparison with the number v r ho were able to obtain leave in the city the number of street disturbances was comparatively small.

Arising from statements made by the Hon. D. G. Sullivan in an address at the annual conference of the New' Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation, the following telegram has been fonvarded to the Prime Minister:—“My members view w'ith concern Mr Sullivan’s statement that the Government proposes to exercise still greater control over the commercial community. Government control of imports alone has already cost New Zealand many thousands of pounds owing to delay in the issuance of import licences and the consequent rise in prices overseas and the loss of options to purchase. Furthermore such delays have invariably resulted in goods being sold on other markets, for example, silk hosiery, in which circumstances New Zealand consumers suffer unnecessary and undue hardships. We submit that State control of imports has boon the direct cause of many increases in the cost of living, and therefore urge that private enterprise be unfettered, and that Avith a view to increasing the Dominion’s Avar effort, the man-poAver at present engaged in superfluous State Departments be released to more essential services.”

Over thirty tons of whitebait were taken from the Waikato Itiver during the 1841 season, which ended on November 15, states a Pukekohe correspondent. Tire quantity distributed fresh to the public is estimated at 1 jet ween seven, and eight tons, while the amount canned was about 24 tons. Most of the canning is done by the factory at the riverside, but some of the fish is now canned in Auckland. Tli© small whitebait ran fairly well in the first three months of the season, July, August, and September, but after that it was mostly the bigger variety that was taken. This was still running in good shoals when the season ended. The season is regarded as quite a satisfactory one.

While preparing a duck for the tabic, Mrs L. Dennis, of Wliangarei, found a small nugget of gold in the bird, states a Wliangarei correspondent. The nugget was noticed by Mrs Dennis shining ,among the small pebbles in the gizzard. The duck had been fed by her for some months, but had come originally from the Poroti district. Some years ago gold was found in a duck at Waimamaku, and on an investigation being made surface gold was found where the bird had been, feeding. This led to considerable prospecting in the area, but although small quantities of gold were recovered no large find was made, and prospecting was discontinued.

iMembers of the Ashburton Ladies’ Guild of tlio British Sailors’ Society visited Lyttelton on Wednesday ana were entertained at luncheon by the board of the society. Mr J. T. Nbrton, chairman, and Mr F. Anderson, treasurer, welcomed the visitors, and Mr E. S. Matheson, missioher, explained the work of the Seamen’s Institute. Mrs J. Bussell Wells, president of the Ashburton Guild, returned thanks on be*half of the visitors. The party was shown round the harbour in the tug Lyttelton 11, and -afterwards inspected the alterations and renovations made recently to the institute building. Members of the Lyttelton Ladies’ Guild entertained the visitors at afternoon tea at the institute.