Interest Free Loans.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 264, 5 October 1940, Page 6

Interest Free Loans.

The latest contributions to interest free loans and donations include £IOOO bv Mr Byron Brown, of Wellington, for tlie duration and six months. This makes a total of £2.557,115. Closing Hours of Shops. The chairman of the Labour Bills Committee, to which the Shops and Offices Amendment Bill, was referred by the House, announced yesterday that the committpc would meet next Wednesday morning at 10.30 to hear evidence. Kaiser’s Grandson.

Prince Frederick of Prussia, 29-year-old grandson of tho Kaiser, has been in internment since last April. This fact was revealed in an interview hy Mr Henry Channon, M.P., with whom the Prince stayed at his Essex home. Mr Channon added that lie believed the prince had gone to the isle, of Man.

The Waipawa Seat. No fewer than eight persons have already been mentioned as nominees for the National Party candidature in the Waipawa by-election. They are:— Mr J. I). Ormond, jqnr., at present with the Second Echelon in England; Mr C. G. Harker, Waipawa; Mr Robert, Tapper, National Party organiser for the district; Mr D. Eddy, Tikokino; Mr It. H. White, Otane; Sir Clutha MacKenzie, Auckland; Mr It. W. Carpenter, Mayor of Waipukurau. Ratana Pa.

Reference was made at a meeting of tho ltangitikei County Council on Thursday to the conditions at Ratana Maori Pa, two members of the council expressing the opinion that they were deplorable and that some further action should be taken to improve them. Mr J. V. Flowers, health officer, reported on a number of visits made to the pa. He stated that a new committee was being formed there, and lie hoped that, as a result of the time spent at the pa, both by Dr. Duncan Cook, district medical officer of health, and Mr Holder, and the friendly spirit in which thev were met, an improvement would be noticeable in the near future.

Now and Then. The attitude of some members of the party now the Government toward conscription in the last war was referred to by Mr Dickie (Opposition, Patea) in the debate on war finance. In view of the fact that a great number of members on the Government side opposed service in the last war on the ground that they wanted conscription of wealth, said Mr Dickie, it was interesting to 'hear the statement by the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, that conscription of wealth now was nothing like so drastic as that put into effect in the last war. “It looks as though those gentlemen who in the last war were running round trying to put a spoke in the wheel and singing the Red Flag will have to look around for another excuse, Mr Dickie said.

Cherry Blossoms At Esplanade. The flowering cherry trees in tlie Esplanade are now in full bloom, and will remain at their , best for the next week or so. Cherry blossom time in Palmerston North is an eagerly awaited event, and not only will hundreds of local residents take tlie opportunity of passing through the Esplanade drive to-morrow to see the blooms, but numerous visitors from outside centres also, are expected to view them. Whether there will be as many visitors this year as previously remains, to be seen, but the efty curator (Mr P. Black! has already received several inquiries about the blossoms from persons resident in outside centres. The beds of tulips in the Square arc also now in full bloom, and make a fine showing, which has been attracting considerable attention. A good range of varieties are to be seen, tho tulips being set out with beds of pansies and arabis, while one plot near the War Memorial also contains polyanthus.

National Patriotic Fund. Donations to the National Patriotic Fund now total £158,389, including £3OO as the fifth instalment from the staff of the Post and Telegraph Department (making a total to date of £1800).

Aid From Newspapers. “The newspapers, in the Sick and Wounded Fund Patriotic Appeal, gave us far more publicity than I ever imagined,” said Major J. Abel, honorary organiser for the £1,000,000 Patriotic Heart to Heart Appeal, to open shortly, when speaking in Palmerston North to-ilay. “They gave us wonderful publicity,” he added. The Volunteer System. “The volunteer system, of recruiting was abandoned in this country not because men were not coming forward, but because they were not enlisting iii the right proportions,” said the Minister of Finance, in replying to the war finance debate yesterday. He said it had been decided that the fair way was to bring in everybody who had a like responsibility and like sacrifices to make. Airman Governor-General.

Appointment of Air-Marshal Sir Cyril Newall marks the first occasion that New Zealand has had an airman as a Governor-General. Since the last war it has had an Admiral of the Fleet, Viscount Jeilicoe of Scapa, a noted Army general in General Sir Charles Fcrgusson, an expert in agriculture in Lord Blcdisloe, and an Army leader in the present Governor-General, Viscount Galway, who succeeded Lord Bledisloe at the beginning of 1935. It is recalled that in Air-Marshal Sir Philip Game New South Wales also had an airman as Governor.

Departure of Recruits. In connection with the entraining of the Fourth Reinforcements at the Palmerston North railway station this week, which was the subject of a letter in the “Manawatu Standard” last evening, an officer of the Defence Department stated to-day hat any inconvenience caused to the men was the fault of the public in crowding the platform when the troops were seeking to join the trains. A loud-speaker was used all the time to inform the men where to go. In future, he added, the public would be kept off the platform when troop trains were due to leave. Palmerston North’s Leadership.

Commendation of the Palmerston North and Kairunga Patriotic Committee’s effort for tne recent Sick and Wounded Fund Appeai was expressed by Major J. Abel, honorary organiser tor the present £1,000,000 appeal, when speaning at a meeting in Palmerston North to-day. The ’energy and foresight of the committee in opening the appeal with a considerable sum had been instrumental in securing thousands and thousands of pounds for the fund. The speaker had been able to use the amount raised here as an example in other parts of New Zealand. For instance, the fund here had led that at Wellington for several days. Major Abel also spoke warmly of similar efforts made at Wanganui and Napier.