DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 2 August 1940, Page 10

DOMINION NEWS

MANY THEFTS ADMITTED CHRISTCHURCH, August 1. Having stolen goods valued at £470, in the course of the last eighteen months, Henry Herbert Pearce, aged 37, admitted 45 charges in ttie Court to-day. Pearce was sentenced to two years’ gaol. The police said van-loads of stolen goods were discovered at Pearce’s Nome. Thfey included rifles, guns, jewellery, electric motor paint,.petrol surgical instruments, typewriter, ana a sewing machine. linen flax. WELLINGTON, July 31. A notice under the Supply Control Emergency Regulations calling for returns of stocks and goods by all persons who in the normal course of business store and sell cordage, twines, or threads which are manufactured from linen flax or hemp was Signed to-day by the Minister for Supply (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan). The notice also provides that no sales of these materials may be made until tne prospective purchaser has declared on an application form which will ne provided by the seller the exact pmpose for which he requires the materials.

“This action,” said Mr Sullivan this evening, “has been taken to enable us to co-operate fully with the supply authorities in the Kingdom where very strict control has been lnstiuted to conserve stocks of linen flax and hemp. Linen and hemp goods are essential for a large number of wartime purposes. Supplies from the Continent to Britain have virtually ceased. The jute adviser to the Ministry of Supply in London is formulating a scheme for the substitution or other materials in New-Zealand. The supply controllers concerned are already experimenting with a view to introducing (cordhge, twines, and

. threads made from materials other ■ than linen flax or hemp. “I would like to emphasise that t*.e notice issued to-day applies only to ■ cordage, twine, and thread manufactured wholly or in part from linen ; flax or hemp. It does not interfere I in any way with cordage, twines, or threads manufactured f’tpm cotton, jute, sisal, manila, or New Zealano flax. The notice does not apply to manufacturers holding stocks of the > controlled materials for their own ' manufacture providing they have nor. ' in the past, in the normal course, or business, sol'd these materials to other [ persons. ! “As soon as a survey is completed a * decision will be made as to the he--1 gree of control necessary in the im- ; mediate future. There .may be some ’ personal inconvenience during tne next few days, but with the co-opera-tion of all concerned I am satisfied that the whole matter can be put on an efficient and speedily controlled basis.” ROLLER SKATING CHAMPIONSHIPS CHRISTCHURCH, August 1. The Canterbury roller skating championships were begun at the De Luxe Rink last night. After the parade of competitors th e 18 pair s gave an exhibition of skating and the judge, Mr A. L. Power, president of the New Zealand Roller Skating Association, awarded the first prize to Miss Maureen Watson and Mr v. Pitcaithly. The winners of the men’s and woi men’s solo will not be announced until Saturday night. The quarter-m’le speed race was contested by seven entrants and was won by H Allchurch. The rink was filled to capacity. The championship meeting will be concluded on Saturday night, when the pairs gliding competition will be held, and also the half and one mile speed race. The two-step competition was won by Miss Rhona Thomas and Mr H. Allchurch, and the waltzing pairs was won by Miss Rhona Thomas and Mr H. Allchurch. PUBLIC SERVICE TESTS. NELSON, August 1. A Nelson public servants’ general meeting unanimously passed a resolution of protest against th e Commissioner’s report on efficiency tests for public servants, and supported the executive’s efforts to have the proposed tests abandoned. The Nelson section expressed the emphatic opinion that the enforcement of the tests, while many servants were on active service, would be wholly unjustified and unfair.