LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20996, 26 December 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

i Publication or Waikato Times The Waikato Times will not be published on New Year’s Day. The Waikato Times will be published on the other days over the holiday period, and readers who will be absent from their homes during the season are advised to make arrangements to obtain their copies from agents at the various resorts. Rise In Price Of Petrol The price of petrol in Britain has been increased by one half-penny to Is lOd a gallon, the highest price since 1214. Christmas in Churches The churches in Hamilton and district observed Christmas with special services, when large congregations attended. Holy Communion was celebrated in a number of churches, and several sermons made reference to Christmas and the existing state of world affairs.

Company Income Company income during the 193839 tax year shows an increase of 535, equal to 9.8 per cent, in the number of tax-paying companies; £1,170,650, or 6.3 per cent, in the amount of assessable incomes; and £407,395, or 7.6 per cent, in the amount of tax assessed. These returns are included in the current issue of the Abstract of Statistics. Mischief at Mine Whether on mischief bent or with more serious intention, some person or persons opened an amalgam churn at the Addison’s Flat Gold Mining Company’s property, Westport, and either allowed the sand and amalgam to flow down the race or removed part of the amalgam. The loss to the company is estimated to be in the vicinity of £BO. Totalisator Investments Totalisator investments have been maintained at a consistently high level throughout the present year, says the Monthly Abstract of Statistics. The aggregate amount invested during the eleven months ended November was £7,324,035, corresponding figures for the same period of the immediately preceding three years being: £6,016,204; 1936, 4,670,406. Sales Tax Lower The amount of sales tax collected during November was £291,844, as compared with £321,125 in October and £304,381 in November, 1938. For the expired eight months of the current financial year the tax has yielded £2,421,808, an increase of £78,539 over the total for the corresponding period of the previous financial year. Wanted Newspaper on Christmas Day A pressman staying at a hotel at Auckland at the week-end was surprised to hear a woman protesting at the breakfast table because the newspapers were not published on Christmas Day. He pointed out to her—more politely than he felt!—that there are only four days in the year on which newspapers are not published, and that, while she continued her holiday on Boxing Day, the newspaper man would be back at his job.

Post Office Savings Deposits with the Post Office Savings Bank during November amounted to £1,912,213, as compared with £1,913,192 in October, 1939, and £2,336,932 in November, 1938. Withdrawals totalled £2,085,668, comparative figures for October, 1939, and November, 1938, being £2,033,516, and £3,193,545 respectively. Although the excess of withdrawals in November at £173,455 was greater than in the previous month by £53,131, compared with November, 1938, it shows a decrease of £683,158. Purchase of Wool The Minister of Agriculture, the Hon. W. Lee Martin, states that while licenses have been issued under the Wool Emergency Regulations to dealers to buy direct from producers, farmers must understand that on selling wool to a licensed dealer the tarmer gives up all his interest in the wool and therefore cannot participate in any distribution of money from the suspense account which may be derived either from the 5 per cent held back from wool payments or from New Zealand’s share in profits gained from wool resold to other countries by the United Kingdom Government.