General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 225, 24 September 1942, Page 4

General News

Brownout Time. The time for the drawing of blinds in Wanganui to-day is 6.45 p.m. Commerce Conference. The annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce will be held in Wanganui on November 11 and 12-. Ft will be attended by delegates from all parts of New Zealand. The last time this gathering was held in Wanganui was in 1933. Presentation of Bat. At tire annual meeting of the Wanganui Women’s Baseball Association the presentation of a baseball bat was made to the association by Mr. and Mrs. D. Harris, Gonville. They were accorded a vote of thanks for their gesture.

Railway Restrictions. The restrictions on rail transport, introduced last week because of the Waikato, coal strike, were felt at the weekly Wanganui sale yesterday. The auctioneers reported that due to the restricted freight traffic the offering was confined almost entirely to fat stock, only oddments or store and dairy cattle coming forward.

National Savings. Last week 113 towns (including twelve provincial centres) attained their National Savings quotas. This is an increase of 25 on the previous week and is the highest number recorded for several months. The reason is stated to be that more and more National Savings accounts are ‘‘going on active service in the spring offensive on the home front.” Borrowed Theme Song.

Many people have been puzzled over the lilt that serves as the theme song in “To the Shores of Tripoli” film, says a Wellington paper. It is one of the catchiest tunes ever composed, for it. is an adaptation of “The Bold Gendarmes” duet, from the old opera bouffe “Genevieve de Brabant.” The duet was revived in 1941 by Oscar Natzke and Kenneth Neate in their concerts in New Zealand.

Opossum Season. The open season for trapping opossums closed on September 1, and since then 4487 skins 4aave been examined, compared with 4500 in 1941. This information was given in the report of the rangers' committee, which was presented at a meeting of the council of the North Canterbury Ac climatisation Society this week. Oni month is allowed for the examination and certification of skins.

Staff Holidays. In war time the changes are made that would have been regarded as impossible under peace conditions, says the Otago Daily Times. Many retail firms are finding it increasingly difficult to provide for annual holidays for the staff and still give adequate service to their customers. An unusual course of action has accordingly been decided upon by one of the biggest drapery firms, which will close its premises entirely lor two weeks atfer Christmas Eve, enabling all the employees to take their annual holidays simultaneously. Compulsory Service. Men rejected for Army Service because of medical reasons, or called in ballots and awaiting notice to report to camp, must join the Home Guard or the E.P.S., said the No. 7 District Controller, Mr. T. L. Seddon (Feilding), addressing an E.P.S. meeting in Wanganui. It was believed that many mon coming under this category were not doing anything, though it was not suggested that in every case the evasion was deliberate. Mr. Seddon added that the Army authorities had agreed to check their lists and notiU the E.P.S. of men whose services had been postponed. Prices of Export Stock. “It is not the policy of the Government to increase the prices of any commodities, and in my opinion farmers need not expect an increase in the price of stock killed for export this season,” said Mr. A. Macnab at a meeting yesterday of the Wanganui Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. Mr. Macnab is a West Coast member of the Electoral Committee of the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board. Mr. W. Morrison (Maxwell) said he did not think farmers wanted an increase in prices, provided the costs of production diet not increase. “False Bottoms,” One way of overcoming the difficulty caused by higher costs of ice cream was suggested by the president of the Wanganui Retailers’ Association, Mr. G. E. Bennett, at a recent meeting. Mrs. M. McFarland complained that the wholesale price of ice cream was increased in Wanganui recentfy by 20 per cent. The retailers started passing on the increase, but under-cutting occurred and the price dropped back again. Mr. Bennett commented that a possible remedy was that adopted by the liquor trade, which loaded glasses and handles with heavy bottoms. This idea, he suggested with a smile, might also be applied to ice cream cones. Higher Wool Price. The Government had no right to withhold from growers any of the 15 per cent, increase on the price of wool purchased by the United Kingdom Government during the coming season, said the president, Mr. T. Currie (Brunswick?, at the monthlymeeting yesterday of the Wanganui Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union. Mr. Currie added that the British Government was paying the increased costs to help the industry in New Zealand meet higher production expenses. If the New Zealand Government withheld any of the 15 per cent, the only honest thing to do would be to return the money to the United Kingdom Government.

E.P.S. Motor Stickers. The difficulty caused by every E.P.S. area having its own official stickers for motor vehicles was commented on by Mr. T. L. Seddon (Feilding), No. 7 District Controller, addressing /an E.P.S. meeting in Wanganui. Mr. Seddon said that under existing arrangements men on traffic control could not be expected to be familiar with so many stickers. In an emergency, or a time when rapid transport was essential, the system would cause confusion and much delay. To overcome the difficulty standard stickers were proposed and if the scheme were adopted would be confined to three types. One would apply to vehicles which would not go beyond a particular area, another would be for vehicles travelling in an E.P.S. controller’s district, and the third type would be issued to vehicles which require access to any part of the country. Accommodation Unit.

For the purpose of providing food and shelter for people who may be homeless as a result of enemy action, an E.P.S. Accommodation Unit is being formed in Wanganui. Mrs. J. J. Scott has been appointed controller and members of the W.W.S.A. canteen section, of which she is in charge, would be seconded to the unit in time of emergency. It is proposed to set up depots in each suburb with a leader and sub-leader in charge. They will deal with applications and direct persons to their temporary quarters. The Wanganui Education Board is to be approached for the use of school buildings, particularly hostels. Permission for the Aramoho camping grounds to be used by the Accommodation Unit has already been given. People prepared to shelter homeless persons in an emergency arasked to enrol at the Wanganui W.W.S.A. office.