LATEST IN PIRATES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21150, 19 July 1943, Page 4

LATEST IN PIRATES

FLOWER RACKETEERS TRANSPORT TO LONDON LONDON, June 1. With tulips selling in London at £1 a dozen, carnations at 12s, daffodils at 7s, a new race of pirates came to I’enzance. , Dulfodils from the Sally Isles, oft Land's End. are sent across to Penzance, on the heel ot England, and bought there by London racketeers at a shilling a dozen. Transport of (lowers by rail is banned, but by catching the 7.20 a.m. the racketeers, with suitcases 'Crammed with daffodils, can reach London in time for that day’s market. A return ticket costs £3 2s 6d, so profit on two suitcases, each coniaining 120 dozen, is nearly £7O. Railway officials are also finding cut (lowers hidden in crates with vegetables, and in crates securely fixed and labelled ‘ Glass—with care. Publicity given to the Penzance pirates has now forced action, and Hi is week it was made an offence to carry on trains flowers intended for sale. . : Other aspects of wartime living in Britain: More retail shops are opening for shorter hours, releasing assistants for part-time war work. This applies chiefly to dealers in non-essentials, jewellers, antique, picture and music shops, who are mostly observing a l'our-day week. Many butchers, fishmongers and bakers put un their shutters when the day’s supplies arc exhausted. The Ministry of Labour’s further step in the mobilisation of women is aimed specially at getting older married women into part-time war work and introducing compulsion, instead of persuasive direction. Following discovery of 2,250,000 irrepiacable milk bottles in London s household refuse last year, the Food Ministry announces penalties for destruction, misuse or retention of these bottles from circulation.