LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 18 May 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

: — «> i Expired Coupons Help, , l In regard to th,e handing in of | coupons, to the post office in the food for Britain campaign, the po'stmaster (Mr. L, A. Whitharn) emphasised yesterday. that all, coupons, even though the p.eriod- of : validity ha.s expired, should- be I handed in. He said. the authorities ! recognised that even though a cou1 pon had expired it represented a ! saving of rationed goods. j "A Condemned Board" "I think we should take full I advantage of subsidies frojtn the Soil. Gonservation Council,," remarfeed the chairman (Mr. J. Chrystall ) when estimates were undei; 1 consideration at a meeting of the Manawatu-Oroua River Board. He remarked tha,t the bpard would probably be abojished in a year. "I have heard it said tha.t a condemned man about to be hapged can get anything witnin reason," he added, and his remark raised a srniie around the table. Conditions in Police Force Conditions in the Police Fot'ce were discussed by a deputation from the New Zcaland Pohce Association which waited upon the Minister in charge of Poli.ce, Hon. P. Fraser, yesterday. It is understood. that, as "a result of the in.terview, the proposals of the Association about a 40,-hopx week- are to, be referred to. the Stabilisation 0pmmission and that arrangemen.ts are being made for a deputation from the Association to- meet the Corrimission early next week. National Orchestra "Any suggestion that the National Party, if returned to power, w.ould abandon the plans for the formation of the National Bxoadcas.tingService symphony orchestra was unwarranted," said the Lead,er ofthe Opposition (Mr. HoUandJ. in commenting on the report- that the. Prime Minister (Mt- Fraser) had told a Wellington deputation. th.at he wanted "to get the orch.estra, started before. the electi.op so tha,t should a new Government come in the thing would, be under way beyond recall." Trani on Wrong Ro.ute It is not often th.at a train motorman absently-mi.pd.edly takes the wrong turning, but this happened in Auckland recently. when a car bound for the city via, Anza.c Avenue* proceeded down Weilesley Street, After it had gone spme 50 yards down the street, pqssengers who were in a hurry to. get to the railway station before th'e departure of; the Wellington express at 7.15 p,m., protested to the conductor, whp. advised the motorman of h.is mistake. The tram was backed- to beyond the points, at. the intersection of Weilesley Street and. Symonds Street and then continued its journey on its eorrect route. "Black" Market A great deal of the. black nrarket is very, very black in.deed," said Mr. Justice Callan in the Supreme Court at Auckland. His Honour said that much of the material offered-on the black market came from the pillage of . cargo on. wharves and from organised burglary of warehouses, and he regretted to say that persons. in positi,ons of trust were concefned- in this where materials were in short supply. If nobody who had any lionesty at all would tou.ch these goods ther'e would be no. "ra.ckets," he added. They would all like to. get the master gangsters, but even if they only got those lower dpym it would help to nrake the. public realise the position.-

Sanatorium Delay "It's-really childish," said' Mr. V. J. Henry at Wednesday.'a meeting of the Stratford Hospital Board, in commenting on the fact that West Coast • hospital boards fro.m Palmerstoh North to. New- Plymouth had, not yet chosen a site fog a. tuberculosia sanatorium to. take-. oatients from the hospital areas concerned. Reference wag ma.de to the criticism of tbe Minister of Health, Hon. A. H> Nprdmeyer, re the delay in choosing a site for- the sanatorium ancf memb.ers supported the Minister's. view, There were only two possible sites — Palmerston, North and Wanganui, said the acting-chairmam MrV M. H. Gernhoefer. He favoured- Palmerston North, Possibly a deGision would be reached;. at the next meeting of representatives. of the bpards concerned, he added;. No- action was taken.

Smu,g:g;ling flife Whil'e smuggling on the Auckland waterfront haa always been a niatter of some. concern to Customs, officers, as it has. been in, every. other large port, especially- d.uring, the w.ar, the. offen.ee h%s, been on, the increase. in recent months. No, dp.ubt this is d;u.e. to, ' the acufe shortage of tobgcco, cigarettes gnd spirits, which are. the. goods- mostly seiized by Customs rnen. Qpee the&e axticles- get> ashore by the evaders of: Customs dugS:, there, is no difficulty of disposing of them. Cartons of American cigarettes bring as. much as £1- 10s and even as much as £2. At present the Customs Department has ifs; storeroom fairly well stocked w-ith cigarettes, tobacco, spirits, clothing and- silk stoc-k-ing's — goods which have b,een sei.zed: from smugglers. Honorary Rangers- Wantedt "We could do with at least- 20 honorary rangers in the Manawata district," said: the chairmam of thepalmerston North sub.-commiftee of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society (Mr. T. Doher-ty) at the monthly meeting. Several- members repdrted flagrant poaching hadocqurred, such as. the shoptirig; of pheasan^S; before the^.shb,oitidS: se§---sop opened. "I anj. d.efinitely in fayopr of hpnorary rangers being appoihted,"' the' chairman' addfed. MX-." DQherty stated that the- final Adthprisatip.ri of' honorary rangers depended on the Departjment. ofInternal; Affairs, It, was d'ecided that, since the Manawaty. was. uxgently in n'eed- of 20 honorary, rangers, a lqtter be sent to the Wellington Socidty' asking " that these; pppointments be a^ranged. exppditiqnsfy. wfth th,e.- DepAt.txnen.tj of Internal,