LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25301, 7 September 1945, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Vehicles' Road Fitness It was more important today, in view of the age of most motor-cars, that they should be checked over for mechanical fitness, states the Commissioner of Transport, Mr C. L. Laurenson, in reminding motorists to keep their warrants of fitness renewed. Traffic officers were finding a remarkably large number of vehicles to be without a current warrant. It was not desired to fill the Courts with prosecutions against careless owners and he appealed to all motorists to see that warrants were in order. Haurakl Plains Output An increase in the value of _ farm produce from the Hauraki Plains in the 1944-45 season compared with the previous year is shown in the annual report of the Department of Lands and Survev on drainage operations in that district. The values for the season are quoted as follows, the previous year s amount being shown in parentheses:— Butter and cheese, £805.895 (£736.537); pigs. £22.000 -(£20.000); bobby calves, £12.731 (£6990); cattle, sheep, etc., £32,110 (£72.117). The gross increase was £37,092. Treatment ol Prisoners "The Germans treated British prisoners of war all right, but there was a sharp distinction between the treatment we got and that meted out to Russian and other prisoners." said Private W. C. Saxon, of Ponsonby, a repatriated prisoner of war who returned to Auckland Yesterday. "At Stalag IY.B there were British prisoners who had been there since the days of Dunkirk." said Private Saxon, "They knew all the ropes and ran the camp themselves. The Germans did not interfere to any extent, but they treated the Russians like mud." Telegrams from Servicemen Telegraph operators and delivery bovs have been working at full pressure tnis week handling a large volume of ies " sages from returning bach serviceman has been given the privilege of sending two telegrams free of charge to advise next-of-kin and friends of his arrival. In addition to this, the Government itself sends a telegram to the next-of-kin cf every man. With one well-filled troop train arriving in Auckland yesterday and two more today. operators in Auckland have experienced a heavy increase in telegraphic traffic during the past two days. Generosity of New Zealanders Writing to the port chaplain, Canon H. K. Viekery, to thank him for the hospitality extended to them by the Flving Angel Missions to Seamen, one of'the party of British hoys and girls who recently left for hngland after spending most of the war years in New Zealand, also expresses appreciation or New Zealand's generosity to them. He says that the members of the party had learned to love the New Zealand countryside and the last few days in Auckland had left them with very happy memories of that generosity $0 characteristic of New Zealand and its people. Gas Industry Conditions Reference to a meeting of lepresentatives of the Auckland Gas Co. and the Gas Workers' Union in Conciliation Council next Wednesday was made m the Arbitration Court yesterday. Mr V. E. Anderson, for the company, asked if the Court could make a fixture to hear the case before it left Auckland. Mr .7. Kane, for the union, in supporting the request, added that up thought the parties would be unable to agree on various matters. 1 his crew a rebuke from Mi' Justice r lyndall. who told him that was not the spirit in which to enter upon conciliation. Iney must make every possible endeavour to reach a settlement, he said. "Do not come here with about 411 clauses in dispute." he added, "or you will gst i thrown back,"