LOCAL AND GENERAL

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 22998, 15 September 1944, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Membership Drive.—Mrs W. G. Tweedy, chairman of the Timaru Centre of the New Zealand Red Cross Society, at the quarterly meeting on Tuesday, expressed a wish that the membership within the Centre would be increased from the present 1300 to 1500 before the end of the year as a victory effort.

Railway Passengers Increase.—Since the removal on September 6 of the restrictions requiring permits before travelling on the express trains for more than 50 miles there has been an increase in the number of passengers from Timaru. Inquiries yesterday showed that accommodation on the through expresses to Invercargill had been fully taxed, although on the Dunedin trains the demand had not been so heavy.

Thief Causes Fire.—When petrol which he was siphoning from a truck in the Napier-Wellington Transport Co., Ltd.’s, premises in Station Street, Napier, blazed up. the thief beat a hasty retreat, leaving the burning fuel to wreak whatever havoc it could until someone discovered the fire. It is not known how entrance to the premises was gained, but when the fire was discovered it was not extinguished until considerable damage had occurred to the truck.

Children's Play Centre.—ln response to requests by country mothers the Timaru Children’s Play Centre Committee has agreed to open the play centre on Fridays as well as on Wednesdays, commencing from to-day. During the period the play centre was closed owing to the scarlet fever epidemic many additions were made to the equipment. They include two dolls’ houses, children’s tables and chairs and rocking boats. Tunnels, bridges and slides are in the course of construction.

Volunteer Entertainer.—An inebriate, moderately so, helped the entertainers of The Bond Waggon which visited Timaru yesterday, by performing an eccentric dance which had some semblance to a Highland Fling. During a patriotic song he stood with bare head in the road clearance and at intervals expressed his ardour by saluting. He disappeared for a little time, but returned shortly afterwards with a bottle of beer for the performers. Two of the party graciously quenched their thirst before the volunteer entertainer was led away.

Vocational Guidance.—ln his report to the Timaru Technical College Board of Managers last night, Mr G. Hill, principal of the College, stated that, during last month, Mr B. K. Dawber, a Vocational Guidance officer from Christchurch, visited the Timaru Technical College to make preliminary arrangements for the visit of Mr G. M. Keyes and Dr R. Winterbourn in September. The visiting officers intend to establish a temporary office in Timaru. They have offered to address parents and students and also to carry out special testing of a limited number of pupils during their stay in Timaru.

Breach of Price Order.—-Fines and costs totalling £9/4/- were imposed on Young On, formerly in business as a fruiterer in Timaru, by Mr H. Morgan, S.M., at the Timaru Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when, through Ndr R. Stout, defendant pleaded guilty to having committed two breaches of the Control of Prices Emergency Regulations, 1939. Mr W. D. Campbell (Crown solicitor) said that an employee of the defendant had sold 11b 4oz of the fruit for 1/- when the price should have been 91d. No price order or statement on the prices of apples and pears had been exhibited in the shop. Defendant was convicted and fined £2. with costs 10/- and solicitor’s fee £2/2/- on each charge.