DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 August 1942, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

SAFES BLOWN OPEN. ... AUCKLAND,. August 13. . Safebreakers entered three premises in Wellington, .Street, last night; blew open the safe of the Auckland Meat Company, and stole about £lOO in cash. In premises opposite, they blew open a safe, and. found seven shillings;, and in the third building moved .the safe, to the top s of the stairs, but evidently Were disturbed and departed. TRAIN STRIKES CAR, x , CHRISTCHURCH, August 13, Dr; J. W. Bridgman, of Christchurch, suffered injuries to his head and abrasions when the motor-car he was driving was struck by a train at the Colombo Street crossing about 2 o’clock this morning. He was admitted to the Christchurch Public . Hospital. His condition this evening was reported to be satisfactory. The car was badly damaged.

FLAX FACTORY FIRE. INVERCARGILL, August 13. Fire broke out at 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon in the linen flax factory at Winton. It quickly spread to other departments, causing damage to machinery and material and the building. Employees removed numerous bales of finished products and also equipment to a place of safety. It is believed the outbreak was caused by a spark when an electric motor fused in the department where tow receives the finishing process. STRENGTH OF BEER WELLINGTON, August 13. Under the Manufacture of Liquor Emergency Regulations, which will come into force on Saturday, no beer with a specific gravity higher than 1036 may be brewed for sale except with the consent of the. Minister of Customs and under such conditions as he may prescribe. The Minister of Customs (Mr. Nordmeyer) said that the regulations would compel those brewers who had not reduced the alcoholic content of their beer to come into line with the majority of brewers who had loyally fallen in with the .Government s wishes. , , . , Under certain technical _ circumstances, such as for blending, the specific gravity for both beer and stout may be higher than 1036. The regulations also prohibit, except with the Minister’s consent, the use of spirits of wine in manufacture for the sale of intoxicating liquors. FRUIT MARKETING WELLINGTON, August 13. Mr. H. E. Stephens, chairman of the Fruit Advisory Committee, suggested to the fruitgrowers’ conference today that the fruit industry should set up a board similar to the Wheat Board. There must 1 be scope for adjustment between the 5/3 a case paid to growers and the market price of 15/-. There were too many brokers and too many shops handling fruit. He advocated the extension of the powers of the Internal Marketing Department and the opening of depots to supply fruit direct to retailers. Brokers should be compelled to organise so that fair competition should prevail. He suggested as an alternative a produce board similar to the Wheat Board. Growers would have to have certain guarantees and Government assistance. The conference approved the demand of the pear growers for 6d a case more than the price received for apples, and also agreed to a proposal for a separate pool for pears.

BULLER PETROL SUPPLIES WESTPORT, August, 13. . Buller transport operators, B. storage agents, and petrol resellers interviewed the Commissioner of Transport, Mr. G. L. Laurenson, with reference to the marketing of petrol in this district. The oil companies recently notified the resellers that their depots in Westport would be closed down as from August 27, and it would. Then be necessary for them to purchase petrol at the main centres, and to make. their own arrangements for transporting their supplies to Westport. Mr. Laurenson said that the oil companies would not be allowed to adopt that attitude. They would be required to market petrol in Westport, as in the past, unless the present storage depot agents formed a company of their own to undertake the marketing and distribution of petrol in the district. Mr. Laurenson stated that the present method of transportation of petrol by road, to Westport would have to cease, owing to a necessity to conserve rubber and petrol. The Automobile Association made an effort to make representations regarding the high price of petrol in this district, as compared with other parts of New Zealand, but they failed to make contact with the Minister.