LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 63, Issue 41, 27 November 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Ashburton, Rakaia- and Rangitata Rivers are reported to be in ideal condition for fishing oyer the week-end.

Eighty-one towns flew their National Savings flags last week, having attained their National Savings quotas. I ollowing so closely on the Liberty Loan campaign this is regarded as a satisfactory result. Of the successful . towns five were provincial centres, namely, Blenheim, Invercargill, New Plymouth, Wanganui and Westport. ' “When myself and 'Mrs ©reaver travelled to Nelson by air," said Mrs Arthur Grigg, M.P., during her address on the Women’s Land Service at the Foresters’ Hall last evening, “there were some vervi gloomy prophecies regarding what would happen to the aeroplane. We got through without mishap, however,” she added amid laughter.

Airgraph letters have been arriving in this country for some time, but probably the first one to arrive in Ashburton was received by Mrs C. Brown from her son (Leading Aircraftman T. Brown), on November 16, a fortnight ago. The airgraph measured 5 inches by 4£ inches, and took a month to reach New Zealand from overseas.

“New Zealand is only a little country,” said Mrs Grigg, M.P., at a recruiting meeting for the Women’s Laud Service at the Foresters’ Hall last evening, “but I have a saying which I think splendidly illustrates the relative unimportance of the size of a country in winning a war. ‘lt’s not the size of the dog in the fight that matters—it’s the size of the light in the dog.’ ”

The Price Tribunal yesterday announced that a price order had been gazetted fixing the maximum margins of profits which may be charged by traders when s selling eggs retail. The margins so fixed are precisely the same as those defined in previous orders, and the order now issued will, it is contemplated, remain in force until the peak-price period is reached next autumn, when it will bo suspended by a fresh order fixing, district by district, the maximum wholesale and retail prices for eggs of stated gradings and ungraded eggs.—'P.A.

The Women’s Royal New Zealand Naval Service Emergency Regulations, gazetted last night, set out the basis on which that organisation is constituted as part of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Women recruited for the service are required to serve within New Zealand for the duration of the war and 12 months thereafter, unless previously discharged, and they may also volunteer to serve overseas if required. Members of the are subject to the provisions of the King’s Regulations and Admiralty instructions, and the Naval Discipline Act. —P.A.

The only contest between mother and daughter in o, will case in the Supreme Court, Auckland, was as to which of them should be more generous to the other. The husband and father had left in a home-made will everything to his wife in trust for his daughter, but both were agreed that the mother should he provided for out of the estate. “This is an unprecedented position,” said Mr Justice Callan to the counsel appearing in the case. “Each of you is trying to get your client not to *be so foolishly generous.” His Honor adjourned the case in order that the terms of the proposed variation of the will might be made more definite.

Now that an extra 31b of sugar is to be made available to each consumer, in addition to extra tea, for December, an interesting query has arisen (says “The Dominion”). Thousands of people living in Wellington have their tea and sugar rations collected and issued to them by boarding-house and private hotel proprietors, who deal in bulk as registered customers. Many boarders are far from satisfied that they actually receive their correct ration, and the question now is whether the landlord or the actual consumer will benefit from the increase. Boarders at places where jam is rarely seen on the table are under no illusion as to what will happen to their 31b of sugar, which could well be used by themselves at Christmas or even for jam-making in their own distant homes.

A giant transformer passed through Ashburton on a trailer behind a Public Works lorry this afternoon.

A French party held in the Ashburton High School last evening by the Sixth Form was an outstanding success. Over 70 pupils of the Third and Fourth Forms were present, a condition being that only French be spoken. French games and competitions were held. Music for dancing was supplied byi Brian Gabites.

In order to conserve paper, telegrams' are being delivered without envelopes. A self-enveloping form is beiim- used, similar to that of the last warf 1 It is double-folded to ensure secrecy and adhesive paper is stuck on the side to keep the folds together. The now forms are coming into use gradually, as stocks of the old style are still on hand. They are in use at Mayfield, but not yet in use in Ashburton.

Making light of the unappetising food they sometimes got, the English soldiers in the last war used to crack many jokes, said Mrs Arthur Grigg, M.P., at the recruiting meeting for the Women’s Land Service last evening. One of their stock jokes was about the quality of the margarine, and was to the effect that a huge net was placed across the mouth of the Thames River, and everything that floated down was salvaged by this net and made into margarine.

i < Uniforms for two of the three postwomen employed as letter-carriers at the Ashburton Post Office have been received. They are of the same pattern as the Women's War Service Auxiliary uniform, but of a slate-grey colour. Chocolate-brown ties and grey caps-are worn. The girls made their' first appearance in tlieir new uniforms to-day, attracting much attention.

An interesting meeting is related by Sergeant T. Pethick in a letter just received by his parents, Mr and Mrs T. Pethick, of Wakanui Road. Clambering on to a truck in the. Western Desert, Sergeant Pethick found himself in the company of a “Tommy.” They spoke of their respective home towns, and it was found that the British soldier came from Ashburton, in Devon, and that he was with relatives of the New Zealander in a town near the older Ashburton.

The. Ashburton Sub-branch of the Red Cross Society will entertain the next-of-kin of prisoners of war from the Ashburton County, the next-of-kin Of men serving overseas, and returned men and' their next-of-kin at the Foresters’ f Hall on Monday, December 14. Major J. Abel, of the War Purposes Committee, will not be present as was arranged, having been detained on Red Cross Executive business.

A departmental inquiry into absenteeism in industry is to be carried out in the four centres, according to an announcement by the Minister of Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb). Mr Webb said yest-erday that this was in accord with the recommendation of a special committee of > the Industrial Emergency Council. Recent inquiries by the Department of Labour in Wellington had • disclosed that absence varied very materially in the-different centres. One noticeable feature was that the cause of absence was not recorded by most employers. Therefore, it was not oossible to distinguish between legitimate absence and absence without proper cause.—P.A.

Estates of a value of £665,211 were reported and accepted for administration by tbs Public Trustee during October. The total value of the estates and funds under administration by the Public Trustee on March 31 was £64,685,685, and the new business for the seven months ended October 31 was £4,116,883. Grants of administration made by tho Court in favour of the Public Trustee numbered 244 for the month. During the month 807 new wills appointing the Public Trustee Executor were prepared on behalf of testators and lodged for safe custbdy, aiid 404 existing wills were revised to provide for changes desired by! testators. The total number of wills now held in the Public Trust Office on behalf of living persons is 119,035.

The dignity of the No. 2 (Auckland) Armed Forces Appeal Board was disturbed when three children accompanying their mother made themselves completely at homo. While tlieir mother was giving evidence the children, whose ages ranged up to, six years, found their .way on to the platform used by the board members, foraged through a pile of old papers which the3 T scattered in all directions and gave squeals of delight from time to time. OiU a number of occasions the chairman of the board sought silence by shaking an admonitory finger at the young offenders and telling them to be "quiet while the evidence was given. For a considerable time his efforts were of little avail. The climax came when one of the children seized a ruler from the board table and made off with it.