LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24370, 4 September 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Parcels for Soldiers The Auckland Chamber of Commerce, Employers' Association and Manufacturers'" Association are: to sponsor a special appeal to the commercial community for funds for parcels to be sent to soldiers overseas. A similar effort was made with success early in 1941. Old Pine Felled A large gathering of interested onlookers witnessed the fall of one of New Plymouth's oldest landmarks, a hoary Norfolk pine which had stood at the corner of Young and Dawson Streets for more than 90 years. It had grown to a stately giant 94ft: high and 6ft. wide at the base, and met its end at the hands of an expert bushman.' Extra Trains Required The end of the primary school holidays has caused the customary heavy passenger bookings on the trains. An extra south-bound express left Auckland last night at 7.35. There will also be one to-night at the same time, another to-morrow at 3.30 p.m., and one on Sunday at 6 p.m. Additional_trains will travel to "Whangarei at 9.15 a.m. ; to-day and to-morrow. Keen E.P.S. Women "The way the women turn out when the siren sounds is nothing short of marvellous," commented the chairman or a suburban E.P.S. organisation at a recent parade. He said a mild sensation had been caused when several women team workers had arrived at their posts well within the allotted five minutes of the siren's sounding at an unexpectedly early hour —perfectly dressed, including rouge and lipstick. Gas-bomb Display A demonstration of methods of countering mustard-gas bombs will be lield by the metropolitan Emergency Precautions Service at 2 p.m. on Sunday in the small reserve at the loot of Franklin Eoad, Freeman's Bay, near ; its junction with Victoria Street. A ; bomb with a small explosive charge, ! scattering harmless coloured liquid, will [ be used, and squads will be exercised • in bomb-disposal and decontamination of affected persons. . Women Tram Conductors Four tramway authorities in New Zealand have " arranged to employ women, and there are now over 120 at work, said the national secretary of I the Tramway Employees' Union. Mr. • | P. A. Hansen, in Wellington. Women • conductors were working in Auckland, 11 Wellington and Dunedin, and in Christ- - church authority had recently been r taken for their employment. So far , the Auckland Transport Board was the largest employer of women conductors , with 60 at work. . Derelict Cars "Derelict cars abandoned by their owners in the streets, are not only a nuisance, they are a positive danger," declared Mr. L. S. Drake, chief traffic officer, when consulted about the posi- • tion in Wellington. He was told that - there were three unregistered derelict ■ cars in one street, and said he knew i where there were nine in two neigh- - bouring streets. When asked what he ■was going to do about it, he replied & that he had reported on the position ' ten years ago and still had not been 5 given any power to deal with it. Penalties for Pillaging A suggestion that the penalties for pillaging cargo should be made mora ' severe and that the Waterfront Control Commission, which was costing s £13,000 a year, should be asked to take - a hand, was made at a meeting of the i Auckland Chamber of Commerce yese terday. Members expressed the view . that in several instances the broaching s of cargo had been so cleverly done that s it seemed very unlikely it could have ? been done on* the waterfront in New i Zealand. It was also agreed that the a police be asked to exercise great care a in granting permission to &o on th» wharves.