LOCAL AND GENERAL

King Country Chronicle, Volume XXXII, Issue 4640, 16 May 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Treasury acknowledges receipt of the following amounts forwarded by persons unknown as consciencemoney to the New Zealand Governmetn: —3d and £4 to the Post and Telegraph Department; 6d and Is to the Railway Department; £1 5s and 10s to the Treasury; £1 10s to the Pensions Department; 2d to the Customs Department; £5 10s to the Land and Income Tax Department.

When an opium dealer is caught by the authorities in China no time is wasted on elaborate processes of law. He is beheaded immediately. The Rev. C. J. Patchett, of China Inland Mission, told members of the Christchurch Rotary Club that opium growing in China had decreased by over 50 per cent, since Chiang Kai-shek assumed control. On the other hand, over 90 per cent, of the narcotics in the world were controlled by the Japanese.

An air service linking Mount Cook and Queenstown with Timaru and Christchurch will be in operation next summer, states the “Press.” Two twin-engined Vega Gull machines will be placed on the service by the Mount Cook and Southern Lakes Tourist Company, and a new aerodrome on the shingle flats of the Hooker River, immediately in front of the Hermitage, will be constructed. The company’s machines will make use of the new aerodromes at Timaru and Queenstown. Only small areas of both these fields have been sown in grass up to the present. The inauguration of the air service linking Christchurch, Timaru, Mount Cook, and Queenstown is included in the scheme now under way for giving improved access to Mount Cook —the alpine sports ground of New Zealand. From Lake Pukaki to the Hermitage bridging and road improvements are being carried out and better communication is being established by telephone and road between the headquarters and the base for alpine and winter sports, the Ball Hut, 14 miles away from the Hermitage. The existing aerodrome at the Hermitage is three and a half miles from the hostel, too long a distance for the requirements of fast modern transport. The ground is shaped like an A, with runs of 600 yards. This aerodrome will be kept open, and the new ground will be used in fine weather and in the prevailing northerly wind. It will have a runway of 600 yards.

“The Leader of the Opposition says you don’t want to spend money on public works in boom times, but you should wait for a slump; I wonder if your local body men who waited on me to-day with reasonable requests for urgent works in the Waikato would agree with that. These are not boom times; we’re just back to normal and you won’t see clothes drives and soup kitchens—slump conditions —here again while the present humane Government is in. office,” said the Hon. R. Semple at Morrinsville the other evening.