STOP PRESS

Evening Star, Issue 23870, 28 April 1941, Page 10

STOP PRESS

~ WESTERN DESERT. J LONDON, April 27. —According to military authorities in Cairo tbo situation in the Western Desert can •bo compared roughly with that of last September, when the Italians (reached Sidi jßarram, although the ■present force is believed to be considerably less than the four to six divisions used then. Two enemy motorised columns, chiefly Italian troops, advancing castwiard. south of the Solium escarpment, have entered Egyptian territory at several points. It is believed that the enemy is nut more than 20 miles ifrom the sea. There is no indication of a sweep .southwards. The British are continuing their harrying tactics, causing some losses to the enemy. FAILURE TO ENROL. > Charles Berie Oliver, a married man. was convieted and discharged and George Stellar, single, aged do, was convicted and sentenced to three days' imprisonment by Mr Woodward, S.M., in the New Plymouth Police Court to-day for failing to enrol in the First Division of General Reserve. Referring to Oliver's case, the magistrate said there seemed no intention to shirk, but he pointed out that there was a heavy penalty for failing to enrol —a .CIOO fine or 12 months. Sergeant MTvie said that not till he * was seen by the police did Stellcr enrol on March u. He deliberately evaded his obligations, and took no steps whatever. —Press Association. DRAPERS AND PRICE TRIBUNAL Replying to statements by the New Zealand Federation of Drap- , ers and Clothiers’ Retailers, which claimed that the tribunal's formula was upjust and unworkable, the Price Tribunal says it had always endeavoured to treat each case on its merits. Soon after the outbreak of war the Drapers’ Federation asked the tribunal for special treatment in regard to the administration of price control. The Federation claimed that if allowed to increase their prices only liy the amount of increased costs, their trade would ho bankrupted. The tribunal states that investigation showed that the drapery turnover had been increased over pre-war figures, and there was no fear that the results prophesied by the drapers' would occur. The tribunal also says it has been disappointed with the lack of co- . operation shewn by the drapery trade. It worked out a system to avoid individuial applications being / , made for price increases, Ibut in several of the large towns the drap- I ers consistenly failed to co-operate. —Press -Association.