LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 November 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

War Expenses Fund. The total received to date in connection with the New Zealand War Expenses Fund is £2,725,667. Social Security Payments. The Masterton branch of the Social Security Department notifies that age benefits will be paid on and from November 20. Those benefits and payments normally payable on the 23rd of the month will be paid on and from Friday, November 21. Wet Fridays. About 5 a.m. yesterday, light rain fell in some parts of Wanganui, maintaining the remarkable sequence of rain, even if only a little, on Fridays. Yesterday was the thirty-third successive Friday on which rain has fallen in Wanganui. The long sequence of wet Fridays in Havelock North was broken yesterday, no appreciable rainfall being recorded. The day was dull and windy, and it is stated that several spots fell in the district, but it could not be regarded as a wet Friday. Parcels for Britain. More than 100 tons of foodstuffs were posted from New Zealand in gift parcels for civilians in the United Kingdom during October. Making this statement yesterday, the PostmasterGeneral, Mr Webb, said that this quantity of foodstuffs was contained in more than 55,000 parcels. “The weight of a gift parcel for a civilian in the United Kingdom is limited to 51b,” said Mr Webb, “and the majority of the senders took advantage of the full weight allowed. From the description of the contents given on the covers of the parcels, it is evident that the most popular gift items are tea, ) butter, cheese, jam, cake and puddings.” 9

New Zealand Minister to U.S.A. The appointment of a Minister from New Zealand to open the legation in Washington will be made before Christmas. That reply was given today by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, when he was questioned. A recent cable- message reported that a residence and quarters for the legation from New Zealand had been acquired in Washington and that they adjoined the British Embassy. Glen Afton Mine Fire. “There is no prospect of work being resumed before Monday,” said the superintendent of Glen Afton Collieries, Mr W. Parsonage, when inquiries were made yesterday regarding the fire at the mine. Concrete stoppings had been put in last evening, Mr Parsonage said, and the section was properly sealed up to prevent oxygen getting into this area, but it would take some time for the fire to be extinguished. There were I 180 men employed at Glen Afton. Mr Parsonage said the MacDonald mine, which is controlled by Glen Afton Collieries and employs 240 men, is working as usual. Railway Finance. A working profit of £74,815, a gain of £44,038 on the return for the corresponding period last year, is shown by the New Zealand railway accounts for the four weeks ended October 11. Last year’s figure was £30,777. The gross revenue for the four weeks was £832,205, which was £67,277 more than last year. Expenses at £757,390 were £23,239 higher. The operating account for the North Island shows a revenue of £451,251, an increase of £26,015, and expenses amounting to £417,852, or £20,374 more than last year. There was a profit of £33,399 compared with £27,758. The receipts of the South Island railways were £265,731, an increase of £28,563. The expenditure was £254,415, or £5395 less than last year. A profit of £11,316 replaced a working loss of £22,642. ’