LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waikato Times, Volume 132, Issue 22137, 8 September 1943, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Rain and Fog The weather in Hamilton yesterday improved as the day progressed and by evening conditions were fine and calm. However, rain fell again during the night, 0.1 lin. being recorded up to 9 a.m. today. There was a fog this morning, which soon gave indications of clearing, the sun later breaking through. The barometer had little movement at 29.95in. Polling Places Gazetted The latest Gazette contains a list of polling places for the general election. Hamilton electorate has 24, Hauraki 58, Raglan 54 and Waikato 46. Services Appreciated An appreciation of his services during his association of over 30 years with the board was conveyed to Mr N. G. Gribble, clerk of the Te Rapa Drainage Board, when he resigned his position recently. Tribute was paid to the loyal and efficient manner in which he had performed his duties. Journey Lengthened Heavy rain during last week-end causing flooded rivers and roadside slips in the Poverty Bay district were primarily responsible for many travellers from Tauranga and neighbourhood having to travel through Frankton yesterday, en route to Gisborne via Palmerston North and Napier. Normally the trip would have been by rail to Taneatua, and thence by road to Poverty Bay. Early Coal Strike

It is recalled by an old Waikato resident that in 1878—65 years ago—coal was being won near Huntly, and that in that year the miners engaged in the Taupiri mine struck for an increase in the rate of wages for hewing coal from 2s 6d a ton to 3s. It is recorded that the increase was conceded. That must have been one of the first industrial strikes ever to occur in the Dominion. Orphans’ Club Patriotic Efforts In addition to its social activities considerable sums of money have been raised for patriotic purposes during the present war by the Hamilton Orphans’ Club. From a concert staged in the Theatre Royal in December the sum of £254 was given to the patriotic committee and a recent musical recital sponsored by the club resulted in £52 being raised for R.S.A. funds. In the past four years £56 has been contributed to the Red Cross Society through the “ pence box ” handed round at the regular meetings. A week ago a patriotic concert was staged at Te Awamutu, and at the end of this month the club will entertain men returned from overseas who are on furlough at a concert in the Theatre Royal. Manpower Commitments “ If the Government is returned, in six months’ time you will have boys down to 19 and men between 40 and 45 conscripted for overseas service,” said Warrant-Officer A. E. Allen, Democratic Soldier Labour Labour party candidate for Hamilton, when criticising New Zealand’s manpower commitments at a meeting at Frankton last night. The speaker claimed that the Dominion’s forces should be concentrated in the Pacific, as an industrial collapse was in sight unless the position was reviewed. The Leader of the Opposition, who had previously concurred with the Government’s manpower policy, had performed a political somersault and was now claiming for election purposes that New Zealand was over-committed in regard to manpower.