LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 65, Issue 269, 24 August 1945, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Timaru Competitions. Keith Tonks, of Ashburton, was third with 80 points in the song, own selection, boys under 16, at the South Canterbury Competitions Society’s festival at Timaru yesterday. He was also highly commended in the song, own selection, girls and boys under 16. Ashburton Bandsmen’s Entries. About 16 members of the Ashburton Silver Band will compete in solo competitions, brass section, at the South Canterbury Competitions Society’s festival at Timaru to-morrow. The bandsmen will be accompanied by the conHuctor (Mr R. Milligan). Army Blankets. The 'release of Army blankets for civilian sale was suggested in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr J. T. W'atts (Opposition, Riccarton). Mr Watts gave notice to ask the Minister of Supply if he would consider the immediate release of Army blankets, which would enable returning servicemen to get supplies that were not now available. —P.A. Message from Mr Churchill. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) has received from Mr Churchill the following message:—“l have to thank you for your two kind messages to me. Our work together was always most, pleasant, in spits of the gravity of the affairs with which we had to deal. Britain will never forget the long, glorious story of the New Zealand Division. I send you every good wish.” —P.A. Compulsory Training. “If New Zealand adopts compulsory universal military training for boys, pompulsory universal training' for girls in domestic science and mothercraft peems equally justified,” said Mr A. Heigh Hunt in his presidential address to the annual meeting of the Dominion Settlement and Population Association! He suggested that after training each girl might undertake a period of field service in the homes of the people. Prisoner Jumps From Train. Jumping from the Napier-Wellington express on Wednesday, just after it moved off from the Palmerston North station, James Trevor Morgan, formerly of Palmerston North, who was being escorted by a warder, made his escape and was at liberty until about 7 p.m., when he was re-arrested. On Tuesday Morgan was sentenced at Napier to 12 months’ gaol on a charge of having converted a motor-car valued at £SOO. In Court yesterday Morgan was remanded to Wellington on a charge of escaping from custody. —P.A. Location of N.Z. Forces. “As there appears to be no further need for secrecy, and having regard to the fact that relatives are naturally consumed with anxiety, will the Minister make an announcement on the location and movements of members of the forces overseas and announce the expected dates of arrival of returning drafts?” Notice of this question to the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) was given in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo). —P'A.

Mouse Versus Bombs.

An amusing story of London’s air raids was told by the general manager of the Farmers’ Co-operative Organisation Society of New Zealand, Ltd., Mr C. G. Trotter, to the annual meeting of shareholders at Hawera. He explained that at the height of an air raid wardens were ushering people into air raid, shelters. One woman resolutely refused to enter, although there was grave danger from V-boinbs. When asked why she refused to enter, she replied tersely: “I’m scared; I saw a mouse in there.”

Children in, Bathing Suits. Although spring, perhaps almost summer, was in the air to-day, even the keenest swimmers have not yet thought about resurrecting bathing costuifi'es f?om the mothball-laden remesses of their wardrobes, for it is still August, regarded by many as the last month of winter, although the calendar does not agree. However, though it is only five weeks since people slogged to work through 16 inches of snow, children played in a side-channel this afternoon in bathing costumes. They were quick to deny any implication that they might be cold.

Mistaken Identity. To one contributor to the appeal for clothes for UNRRA at least the occasion will be a memorable one. A farmer living about 15 miles from Stratford, he was comissioned by bis wife to take, a parcel of clothing into one of the depots at Stratford. He neglect! ed to do so until later in the day, and then returned home. To his consternation, he discovered that the parcel he had deposited had been a costume, newly purchased by his wife, and that lie had carried the parcel intended for UNRRA home again. Another hasty trip was made to the town and the parcel rescued before it was taken to the central depot. National Service Office. To meet the requirements of increased staff and scope of activities, the Ashburton office of the National Service Department will transfer during the week-end from the Triangle to the portion of Pyne’s Buildings, in West Street, which formerly housed Sutherland’s tea-rooms. The office in the Triangle will not be open for public business to-morrow morning, but activities will be carried on as usual at the new premises on Monday morn-, ing. The Ashburton office of the Rehabilitation Department will possibly be transferred in a few weeks to the quarters vacated by. the National Service Department. Bank of New Zealand. If the case for taking over the Bank of New Zealand were really a good case, the people of New Zealand should be told about it, said Mr R. M. Algie (Opposition, Remuera), speaking in the Budget debate in the House of Representatives last evening. Instead of official Government statements, the people had to be content with the fulminations, innuendos, and nebulous reasons of the gospel according to Saint Francis, but not of Assisi. Mr Langstone had assumed the task of telling the country why the bank should be taken over, but he stood on untenable ground. He had a knowledge of finance which was sketchy and unsound on his own showing. He was not-entitled to exert the influence the people were led to believe he exerted over his very able colleague, the Minister of Finance, to whom the country owed much for the courageous way he had kept the country on the road of orothodox finance, and it was much to be regretted that he was being driven from it.—P.A,