LARGE WOOL CHEQUE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24542, 26 March 1943, Page 2

LARGE WOOL CHEQUE

THE SEASON TO DATE SUM OF £1,600,000 PAID j Woolgrowers in the Auckland Pro- 1 vince have now received £1.629,038 for their clip so far this season, which ; compares with £1,385.905 for the corre- i sponding sales last season. Bales • handled' to date total 83,813., compared with 80.624 for the first five appraisals j in 1941-42. Returns for the fifth appraisement, . which began on March 4, were announced yesterday by Mr. J. E. Connor, secretary of the Auckland Woolbrokers' Association. Ihese show that 23,862 bales were appraised, with a net weight of 8.580.571 lb. The total value was £459,360. and the average price £l9 5s a bale or 12.85 d per lb. At the corresponding appraisal held in March. 1942, a total of 21.941 bales was appraised, realising £376,976. The average price was £l7 3s 8d a bale or 11.63 d per lb. . With two further appraisals fixed for this season, on April 14 and May 18. it seems likely that last season's re- , cord of £1,770,742 for 103.612 bales will . be exceeded. | RAIN IN WAIKATO ; NO LASTING BENEFIT HEAVY DOWNPOUR NEEDED (0.C.) HAMILTON. Thursday Steadv rain tell in Hamilton for some hours last night, .27in. being recorded. However, it was not sufficient to be of lasting benefit and a great deal more is needed. The autumn in the Waikato has been unusually dry > and the fields arc rapidly becoming parched. On many farms the cows are i drying off and production for the ■ season is drawing to a close. i For the month to date only I.Sin. 1 of rain has fallen, and for the year ■ to date 4.7 in.. or less than a third of . the average for the period, has been > recorded. ; AUCKLAND'S DRY SPELL MARCH RAINFALL ONLY .361 N. The seriousness of the continued lack of rain in Auckland is shown by the fact that in the last six weeks the highest fall has been one of .43in., while the largest this month was ,23in. The rainfall for March to date is ,36in., against the average of 3.17 in. In both January and February the falls were well below the average for those months. The fall for the 24 hours ended midnight was again ,00in. MESSAGE TO TROOPS MINISTER OF DEFENCE (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service) JERUSALEM. March 23 in a personal message to the New Zealand troops the Minister of Defence, the Hon F. Jones, said the country was not unmindful of their interests at home. "I bring you, from the Government and people of New Zea- . land, best and heartfelt thanks for the great job you are doing in the Middle [ East," he' said. "You hold the foremost place in our thoughts and we are ! doing all we can to keep the flag flying " until you return. We are looking for- ' ward "to the day when we will be able to welcome you back." ; WAR ARTISTS' WORK PRAISE FOR AUCKLANDER ) (N.Z.E.F. Official News Service) JERUSALEM. March 23 A New Zealand artist, Sapper Ken- - netli Turner, of Auckland, has received high praise from judges and press critics - reviewing an exhibition by service s -artists in Cairo. His work included 2 pastels and water-colours. He lias other I works in hand for inclusion in the Cairo ; Salon spring exhibition 3 The official New Zealand war artist, Captain Peter Mclntyre, holds his third I Cairo exhibition this week with 30 - paintings. He recently travelled huu--1 dreds of miles across the Sahara with t the New Zealanders' Long Range t Desert Group and produced a series ot paintings which capture the atmos- > phere of the desert and give vivid li impressions of the adventurous achievements of the group. There are also impressions of the Battle of Egypt and t the advance of the New Zealanders through Cyrenaica to Tripoli. S WOMAN FRACTURES THIGH ) When she slipped on the safety zone r near Vulcan Lane, at mid-day yestorI day, Mrs H. W. Fiddes, aged 59, of ' Napier Avenue, Takapuna, fractured "• her thich. She was admitted to the 0 Auckland Hospital, n e BOOKS FOR ARMY CAMPS [1 (0.C.) HAMILTON. Thursday The Hamilton librarv committee has II undertaken the collection and distribus tion of books and reading matter for the •recreation huts in the military camps in the district. A central shop has been rented and the assistance of Boy Scouts has been enlisted to collect r literature from householders. Members '• of the committee have undertaken to sort and pack the books. The patriotic 3 committee has been asked to appoint i- the library committee the sole collection and distribution agency.