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Evening Star, Issue 25887, 3 September 1946, Page 6

Six ships chartered by the New Zealand Government from the British Ministry of War Transport and the American War Shipping Administration will load nearly 50,000 tons of American coal for New Zealand at Portland, Oregon, this month. The first ship will begin loading this week for Wellington, and will be followed by a vessel for Auckland, the sailings alternating to provide three cargoes for each port. The barquo Pamir, bringing 4,000 tons of coal, is already on her way from the United States to Wellington.

About £6OO in cash, most of it being last week’s bar takings, was stolen from the safe in the Alexandra Hotel, Parnell (Auckland), yesterday afternoon. The robbery was discovered by Mrs H. Edser, wife of the proprietor, at 7 o’clock, when she went to put away the day’s takings. A gold watch valued at £l4, the property of the proprietor, was also taken by the thief. Mr Edser said that the intruder had apparently found a key to the safe, which stood on a table beside the bed in his room. There were' two keys to the safe, one of which he had in his possession. The other, had been mislaid. Usually the previous week’s takings were banked on (Mondays, but this was one of the rare occasions on which this had not been done.

According,to a decision of the Naval Board, the Dunedin branch of the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve is to be . again established. The newly-appointed commanding officer is Commander A. C. Swanson, R.N.Z.N.V.R., who is now reorganising the unit. It is hoped that the pre-war strength of 120 ratings, plus officers, will be reached.

Believed to be the first civil aircraft imported from Britain since tho war ended, a Percival Proctor has arrived at Auckland to the order of Mr L. E. Clark, of Christchurch. 'lt is being assembled at Mangere, and will bo test-flown by the owner, who will operate it from Christchurch. A more advanced type of aircraft than the popular Moth, the Proctor isgpuitable for air taxi work or for clufp use by more experienced pilots,. . especially former air force pilots requiring a comfortable enclosed plane with a fair turn of speed. Two others are on order for Mr Clark, who was well known befoi'e the war as the “ flying farmer ” who flew a Percival Vega Gull aircraft from Britain to New Zealand.. Mr Clark served with the R.A.F. during.the war. He won the Distinguished Flying Cross on operations, and later served with the (R.A.F. Transport Command, being stationed at Whenuapai for some months. A bill for £9B from the Customs Department was presented to an Air Force officer who arrived on the Port Huon at Auckland, bringing with him a moving picture projector that cost about £IOO in the United States. The charge 1 included duty, surtax, and ,50 per cent, sales tax. A report that a deputation of motorists had waited on the Minister of Labour to see if the emergency declaration necessary when petrol was being bought after normal hours could be removed, was made at last night’s meeting of tho council of the Wellington Automobile Association. It had been pointed out that tho necessity for the declaration must have ceased to exist with tho partial removal of petrol rationing, and with the war over. The Minister, it was stated, had said he would go into tho matter. —Press Association. Religion was a more essential part of the social, structure in the United States than in British countries, said the (Rev. Dr J. W. Burton, presidentgeneral of the Australasian Methodist Church, in an interview after his arrival from Sydney for a two months’ visit to New Zealand. American ministers were particularly well equipped for their task, and wonderfully well trained. Religion was news, Christianity was practical, and churches were community centres. Dr Burton recently spent eight mouths in the United States and travelled widely while there.