Local and General

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 June 1943, Page 4

Local and General

Business people in 'Westport and also people in the residential parts of the town are becoming gravely concerned over the number of robberies and attempted robberies that have occurred in the town recently (says the “Westport News”). The police are vigilant, but they are handicapped by a shortage of staff. Most of the offences have taken place apparently after the town lights have been extinguished.

The Postmaster-General (Mr. Webb), stated that since the inauguration of the outward airgraph service from New Zealand to Canada and the United Kingdom was introduced, to June 8, 70,506 airgraph messages were despatched. There have been 24,789 Forces messages, and 15,697 civilian messages to the United Kingdom, 23,816 Forces messages to the Middle East, and 6204 to Canada. At the commencement of the service, the number of messages forwarded from all over New Zealand averaged 1500 weekly. The number is now about 9000. Up to June 8, 75.236 inward messages had been received. The outward mails averaged 15.3 days in transmission to Canada, 17.7 to the United Kingdom, and 23 days to the Middle East.

The first personal news Mrs. J. Hargest has received from her husband, Brigadier Hargest, since his escape from an Italian prisoner-of-war camp, was contained in two letters which she received on Friday. One of the letters was from Berne and the other one from Lucerne, in Switzerland. Brigadier Hargest and Brigadier R. Miles are well and happy and have been overwhelmed by the hospitality extended them in Switzerland, state the letters. The story of how they escaped from the prisoner-of-war camp and successfully eluded recapture on the journey to the Swiss frontier, and their crossing it to freedom, will have to wait until after the war for publication.—P.A.

Referring to the high prices of certain textile goods, such as sheetings and pyjamas, the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr. Sullivan.) said to-night that all authorised increases in prices covered only the actual increase in costs. Manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers all still received only the same amount of profit a yard of material or a garment as they did when costs were very much lower than now. The Minister said it was a fundamental part of the Government’s policy of price control and stabilisation to disallow any increases in profit margins to manufacturers and traders, even though the cost of materials sold may have increased considerably. Mr. Sullivan emphasised that the policy of the Price Tribunal was unchanged in this matter of profit margins.—P.A.

The proprietor of the Gilmer Hotel Mr. J. T. Leonard, has disposed of his interest to Mr. D. Malmanche, of Westport, who will take possession next week.

To-day is being honoured throughout New Zealand as United Nations Flag Day. At Greymouth flags were flown on all Government and other public buildings.

The New Zealand Minister of Defence (Mr. F. Jones) will broadcast in the Pacific short-wave service of the 8.8. C. at 5.15 a.m. Greenwich mean time, to-day (5.15 p.m. New Zealand time).

Contributions received by the National Patriotic Fund Board, included amounts totalling £3lOO from the banks for the Sick, Wounded and Distress Fund Appeal. The money will be allocated to Provincial Councils in accordance with their quotas. - -P.A.

The monthly meeting of the Dobson W.I. was held in the Dobson Hall, Mrs. George Smith presiding. The Aspirations were read by Mrs. Thomson. The motto for the month was “Even if you can’t see far in front ol you, keep on looking.” Mrs. Batav gave a demonstration of the making of “bread brooches.” The competition, “A Smocked Article,” was won by Mrs. Shand. The roll-call, “School Lunches” was well responded to. The social half-hour competitions were “Stations,” won by Mrs. S. Smui, and FA. Soap Romance,” won by Mrs. Ramsay. The hostesses were Mesdames Uren, Thomson, Dobbin aim Upton.

A. valuable collection of books on History, Education, Religion and general literature is for sale at the Patriotic Depot.^—Advt.

In view of the disappearing egg supplies available for civilian consumption in Auckland, the reaction of two young members of the forces, a girl and a young man, when eggs for breakfast were suggested to them as a treat while on leave, is interesting (says the “New Zealand Herald”). Both emphatically rejected the proposed menu, declaring that “they were sick of the sight of them.” The girl said that, in an attempt to make the best use of the eggs that appeared regularly on the bill of fare in camp, the cooks presented them in a dozen different ways, but her company had had a surfeit of them. The boy declared the invariable question of ,the mess orderlies was “How many?”

The aim of the Government is £35,000,000 in war loans. The aim of the Runanga Volunteer Fire Brigade at their first annual ball, to be held in the Runanga Miners Hall, on Friday, June 18, is the presence ol one thousand couples.—Advt.

For Women in White Uniforms. — Maids’ and nurses’ uniforms call for immaculate freshness. Our expert laundering provides that impeccable cleanliness, sterilised cleanliness. And only professional pressing equipment will give uniforms that crisp finish, the unwrinkled smoothness that makes them look their best. Pleats and tucks are finished with skilled precision. For coloured uniforms our safe laundering methods are unexcelled. Colours remain bright and clear. ’Phone 136, Westland Laundry Ltd. Depot, 27 Albert Street.—-Advt.