Palmerston North Seat.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXIII, Issue 236, 3 September 1943, Page 4

Palmerston North Seat.

"Why-is the National Party in Palmerston North not putting up a candidate?" was a question asked of Mr M. H. Oram at Feilding last night. "That's a queer one to ask me," said Mr Oram, "I don't know anything about it."

Unpopular Department. "So far as tho cost of living is concerned, wc believe the Internal Marketing Department should be abolished, and if the National Party gets into power it will be abolished," stated Mr M. H. Oram, National Party candidate, when addressing electors at Feilding last evening. Safe After 1\ Years. The very welcome news that his son, Private Roy Nielsen, who was reported missing two and a-half years ago, is now safe in an N.Z.E.F. camp, has been received by Mr N. A. Nielsen, of Marton. Private Nielsen took part in the Crete campaign, and was reported missing on April 26, 1941. Trenches Being Filled In. Workmen of the City Council are engaged in filling in the slit trenches in the Square and it should not be long before this beautiful section of the city resumes its normal appearance. The unsightly mounds have been an eyesore to many people, and their disappearance will be widely welcomed. Women on War Work.

Women are employed in many types of work to replace manpower, but something new compared with the more usual clerical, mechanical, and similar jobs so far undertaken by women is that of drainage work. A woman is assisting her husband, a drainage contractor, in such work on the Foxton Line.

Totalisator Figures. Although the number of racing days during the year has been considerably reduced, cash put through the totalisator has greatly increased. The Government Statistician, dealing with returns for the first half of 1943, states that investments amounted to £5,163,907 compared with £3,362,910 for the first half of 1942.

Bombed English Churches. Archbishop West-Watson announces that the dioceses constituting the province of New Zealand have raised subscriptions totalling £2BIO odd to forward the work of restoring English churches ruined er damaged by bombing. He has written to the Archbishop of Canterbury asking when and how the English authorities wish this money to be forwarded to England.— Press Assn.

Raising of Patriotic Funds. i "That this conference is of opinion that the present methods of raising patriotic funds are inequitable and urges that all amounts required for patriotic purposes be raised by additions to the national security tax and handed to patriotic boards lor distribution." This remit has been passed by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce for presentation to the Associated Chambers of Commerce conference. In its original form the remit suggested that the Government subsidise patriotic funds £1 for £l. Enterprise Curbed. Expressing the conviction that the licensing of industries under the Industrial Efficiency Act discouraged initiative, curbed enterprise, discounted ability and fostered the growth of monopolies, the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce adopted a remit to be presented to the forthcoming conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce urging the repeal of these provisions in the interests of the community and especially in the interests of returned servicemen.—Press Assn. War Expenses.

"The position with regard to war expenses is unsatisfactory, especially the control of the War Expenses Account," stated Mr M. H. Oram. National candidate, when addressing electors at Feilding. "The comments of the Auditor-General showed that all was not well." Mr Oram advocated an' independent commission to advise the Government on all matters pertaining to war expenditure so that the people could he satisfied they, were getting value for their money and that economies, where necessary, could be effected.