ITEMS OF INTEREST

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 7, Issue 66, 21 April 1944, Page 3

ITEMS OF INTEREST

Soets* African Rationing

While; New Zealanders have just been introduced to meat rationing', South African housewives have been experimenting for some months with meatless breakfasts and meat-, less Wednesdays. There were insuperable obstacles in the. Avay of a national meat rationing plan, owing to the. differing needs of the white and native population, so the meatless daj-s and meatless breakfasts were introduced to meet the situation. J When They Took N.Z. Two interesting souvenirs of this war Avere shown to a representative of the Thames Star recently. They were shilling and half-shilling Japanese Government bank notes printed in English, given to. a citizen of this Dominion by a Japanese prisoner of Avar. So sure Avas the Japanese Government that it was going to take Ncav Zealand and Australia that it issued to its soldiers when leaving Japan these bank notes Avhich, when the' Japanese captured these, silands, would then have become legal tender.

Czech Women in Underground l

A group of Czech women were caught handing out copies of the same paper in a crowded Prague strieet. When tliey saw that, an un-i dercover agent had discovered them and signalled the police, they rushed him, stuffed his po'.ckets with the

illegal sheets and succeeded in escaping in the ciwd. The police found the man himself with his pockets full of treasonable printed matter and dragged him off to the Gestapo. They were convinced that he had signalled them merely to divert attention from himself by accusing someone else, and he was punished with a long term in prison. Vegetable Prices The Price Tribunal office advises that the. following prices for vegetables apply during April in the North Ifesland: Potatoes, 2d per lb; onions, 2Yod; pickler onions, 3*4 d; cabbage, 3d; carrots, 2%d; parsnips, 3d; swedes, iy 2 d; silver beet, 3%d; pumpkin, 2%d; kumara, 4d. The

price of 2d for potatoes applies to Auckland, Wellington, New Plymouth, Wanganui, Napier and Gisborne.. The price outside these areas is 2%tl per lb. The price for cabbage remains unchanged in the North Island, Nelson and Marlborough, but it is increased elsewhere by 14d per lb.

Filling a Need

For some considerable time there lias been a shortage of enamel hollowwarc in New Zealand, and housewives have had extreme difficulty in making replacements. Despite strong efforts on the part of the trade supplies could not be procured. The need was acute. So the Ministry of Supply made repeated representations through its overseas representatives and by persevering was able

to secure some. 1 OO.'OOO pieces. These have now come to hand and have been distributed for sale in the shops and a real need has been met by the Ministry of Supply locating and itself purchasing the supplies. Democracy in New Zealand Democracy must be changed and its dclccts remedied, said Professor F. P. Worlcy, of the Auckland University College, in a discussion on democracy at the annual meeting of the Royal Empire Society. He SUSSSiCSted tll.'lt AFnw TVnlon/l

Democracy must be changed and its dclccts remedied, said Professor F. P. Worlcy, of the Auckland University College, in a discussion on democracy at the annual meeting of the Royal Empire Society. He suggested that New Zealand was more advanced in democratic government than other countries, and far more so than England. "We cannot say that Ave arc entirely satisfied Avith tile people who represent us in Parliament," he said, "but I say that without refer ring in any way to party politics, for the matter under discussion- is bigger than that." Butter Rationing Committees '1 he question of the disposal of surplus butter, Avhich has become a problem on ports of the East Coast, was taken up in Wellington recently by Mr W. Sullivan, M.P., who has been advised by the Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, that dairy companies in districts affected. haA'e provided for the collection of cream formerly used iji making home-made butter, while collection services been arranged for farm butter in districts not ordinarily serviced by dairy factories. "Apart from these two courses," the Minister added, "special arrangements haA'e been made in particular cases and particular districts to dispose of dairy butter on the spot, and the formation of local rationing committees, which is- under Avay, will enable all outstanding cases to be examined

quickly."