The Franklin Times PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON. MONDAY, MARCH 20, 1939. Local and General.

Franklin Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 31, 20 March 1939, Page 4

The Franklin Times PUBLISHED EVERY MONDAY, WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY AFTERNOON.

MONDAY, MARCH 20, 1939. Local and General.

Office and Works: ROULSTON STREET, PUKEKOHE. ’Phone No. 2. p -°- Box 14 ‘ “We nothin? extenuate nor aught set down in malice.” ____

A. and P. Society’s Raffle.

The secretary, Mr G. R. Basham, reported at Friday’s meeting of the executive of the Franklin A. and P. Society that so far tickets to the valu_. 0 f £lO3 had been sold in the raffle of the refrigerator. The draw would ie made at the dance on April 1. Compulsory Training.

“I agree with the Hon. W. E. Barre rd that we should have a compulsory quota,” said the Franklin president Mr S. D. Rice, when addressing members of the Pukekohe branch of the R s.A. in reference to defence on Saturday night. “To carry on in the p; esent way is an absolute farce. I only hope something will ne done to introduce a compulsory quota and bring the units up to strength.

Silver Cup for Competition. As a token of appreciation of its efforts, and in recognition of its very fine dispay of physical and squad drill on the occasion of the military gymkhana at Bledisloe park some time ago, the Pukekohe branch of the Franklin Returned Soldiers’ Association has donated a silver cup to St. Stephen s school, Bombay. The trophy is for annual competition between the N C O’s’ and will be awarded to the most efficient. The cup was handed over last week by the then chairman of the branch, Mr J. Comrie. Strength of R.S.A.

“We have a membership now of approximately 760 men,” said Mr S. D. Puce, president of the Franklin R.S.A., at the annual meeting of the Pukekohe branch on Saturday. “As there are 62 associations, this is quite a good recot'd.” There had been an increase of 51 members this year, showing that interest in the' movement was being maintained, he added. However, attention must be drawn to the fact that it was the number of financial members on the books which was taken into account for the distribution of benefit moneys—a fact which always had to be borne in mind by the officers.

Anchor Butter in Honolulu.

Mr H. Dell, senior, of Pukekohe, who returned last week after an extended tour of Canada, the United Slates of America, Mexico, Honolulu and the Pacific Islands, informed a Times reporter that when visiting Chinatown, Honolulu, he was surprised to find Anchor (N.Z.) butter advertised for sale. The butter, he said, was attractively displayed alongside the American product, in a cool glass chamber. When asked what the New Zealand butter was like, the Chinese shop assistant replied: “Oh American very good, but the best is New Zealand.” Mr Dell was informed that quite a large quantity of New Zealand butter found its way into the homes in Honolulu.

Relations With Commonwealth.

“Our potatoes are not welcome in the Commonwealth, though they are the best in the world. Even our banknotes are looked askance at. These are the irritating things that break up Dominions,” said Mr J. Comrie, the chairman, when speaking on Saturday to local “diggers” on the visit of the Australian returned men to New Zealand in the centennial year. Tt was therefore up to the association to do e\erything that would ensure the “Aussies” being given as hearty a welcome in New Zealand as our “diggers” had had extended to them last year, he said. The branch subsequently decided that the local associations be requested io invite a subscription of 2/- a member to raise funds for the entertainment of the visitors next year. New Zealand Money Valueless.

“New Zealand currency is absolutely valueless overseas,” declared Mr 11. Dell, senior, of Pukekohe, who has just returned from an extended tour of Canada, America, Mexico, Honolulu and the Pacific Islands. Questioned on the subject, Mr Dell said there was very little he could add to that already known. It was a fact that New Zealand money was no good overseas, and this he was inclined to feel was not in the best interests of the Dominion, when viewed from the angle ol the overseas trader. Asked how he lared for money on his lour, Mr Dell said he made ample provision for his requirements before leaving the Dominion. The large hotels which he visited acted as banks and exchanged British notes and travellers’ cheques. “1 was in no way financially embarrassed” he said. Mr Dell spoke in glowing terms of the courtesy of the Americans in both business houses and hotels. They cannot do enough for you and are only too pleased to give you all the information they can about their country but added, Mr Dell, as an afterthought, “one has got to pay all the time for the attention they bestow on one. For instance,' at one hotel at which my daughter and I stayed, it cost us £5 a day each. That is a sample of what the hotel charges are like.”