NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 282, 27 August 1942, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Tea And Sugar Coupons Those persons who have not used their August tea and sugar coupons before August 31 will be unable to do so after that date, when coupons 13 to 1G for tea and 19 to 22 for sugar become available. Amendments and additions to the list of coupon values aiid instructions to traders are advertised in this issue. Women Tram Conductors. There are now more than 60 women conductors on Wellington trams, according to a statement by the general manager of the Tramways Department, Mr. Hutton, and a small additional number will begin regular work in a few days. There are vacancies for about 40 more. Totalizator Statistics. Totalizator investments during the first six mouths of 1942 amounted to £3,302,910, as compared with £4,937,10b during the similar period of 1941. Racing days in the first six months of this year numbered 102, compared with 189 in the same period of 1941.

Relief Goods Reach London. The Red Cross War' Purposes Committee has received advice from the liaison officer of the war organization of the British Red Cross Society and Order of St. John that.a further 42 cases of relief goods have reached London from New Zealand.

West Coast Gale. The Grey district experienced a stormy night and a heavy gale. The Grey Trotting Club's grandstand at Victoria lark had half the.roof and its north end destroyed, a loss estimated at £4OO. The caretaker, Mr. Watson, had a narrow escape from injury. Minor damage 'was done throughout the district.—P.A. Seventy-nine Savings Flags Flying. Last week 79 places (including seven provincial centres) were successful in attaining their national savings quotas, an increase of 18 on the previous week’s figures. The latest return included a number of places which for some weeks previously had found their receipts insufficient to permit of the flying of their, national savings flags.

Farm Labour Suggestion. “We should like to see the Army compile a list of married grade 2 men with farming experience and make them available for release to take the places of fit men whose release from camp is sought by farmers,” said Mr. A. Hayward, a member of the No. 1 (Hamilton) Armed Forces Appeal Board, when a farmer appealed to the board for the release of a son from the Army.

College Patriotic Collection. In less than three months the pupils of Wellington College have raised £6O/8/o, and this has been made up to £7O by donations by the headmaster, Mr. Armour. At the college’s request the money is to be devoted to the sick and wounded and prisoners of war. A letter of appreciation has been sent to the headmaster by the Wellington Metropolitan Patriotic Committee.

Sales Tax Returns. Sales tax receipts in June, for ordinary revenue purposes, amounted to £294,656, as compared with £325,275 iu May and £301,881 in June, 1941. The introduction of rationing of clothing, footwear, and household linen, as from May 29, the July Abstract of Statistics suggests, has no doubt been responsible for the decline of the June figures, though the imposition of rationing has not yet had time to show its full effect.

Oriental Bay View. The new building at the boat harbour, Oriental Bay, was temporary, and would not exceed, iu height, 10 to 12 feet above road level, said the acting-chief engineer, Mr. K. T. Jenssen, at last night’s Wellington Harbour Board meeting. He was replying to Mr. Will Appleton, who said some residents were concerned at the prospect of the view from their homes being affected permanently by high buildings.

Empire Solidarity. . The following cable has been received from the London office of the Royal Empire Society by the Wellington branch: “British Empire was never more united and we in the Mother Country, are constant in thought beside our kinsmen in Australia and New Zealand.’’ It is signed by General Sir Alexander Godley, G.C.8., K.C.M.G., chairman of the Royal Empire Society. Praise for Honorary Work. At this week’s meeting of tiie Wellington Metropolitan Patriotic Committee Mr 11. Green commented upon the splendid' work Mr. Vincent Ward was doing as secretary in a purely honorary capacity. Other members of the committe agreed with Mr. Green, and made appreciative references io the tinie andenergy which Mr. Ward was giving as honorary secretary to both the Provincial and the Metropolitan Patriotic Committees.

Remand on Theft Charge. Raymond John "Watts, aged 28, an Air Force sergeant, appeared yesterday on remand before Mr. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, on a charge of failing to account to Moojworths (New Zealand), Limited, m Wellington, for £331/13/5, thereby committing theft. A further remand on bail was granted till September 9, o' l the application of Detective-Sergeant McLennan.

Tram Overcrowding. , Notices posted in trams a few weeas ago appealing to people who could travel home early to avoid the workers rush period had little effect at the time, the general manager of the Wellington J.raniways Department, Mr. Hutou, said yesterday. Lately, however, there Ims been an improvement. Overcrowding was likely to continue, lie said, in rush periods, but the public realized that the pest use was being made of available rolling stock.

Cargo Pillaging. Supporting the Canterbury Chamber, of Commerce in urging severer penalties tor pillaging of cargo, the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce cites local losses in recent weeks. In hosiery, drapery, footwear, and overcoats, three firms lostxuJi. In a further instance of a case sealed by the Customs mid transhipped Jo Dunedin -0 pairs of gloves valued at 15/- a pair were abstracted. Wharf workers refused to handle the case because it had been opened and it was later found tnat a further 9()’ pairs had been pillaged.—P.A.

Defaulters’ Detention. Nelson Goldsbury and lan Logan Boyu, both conscientious objectors, whose appeals bad been dismissed ami who had served sentences for failing to report for military service when called up. were committed to defaulters’ detention by Mr. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates' Court, Wellington, yesterday, on ehaiges of failing to render service when ordered. In the ease of Boyd, the police stated that the appeal tribunal hud ordered him to perform non-combatant service in the military forces?. Samoan Ambulance. The New Zealand Red Cross Society has been informed by the National Patriotic Fund Board that the New Zealand Minister in Washington, Mr. Nash, has advised that an order for an ambulance costing 2606 dollars has been placed through the British-American Ambulance Corps" The ambulance, whieh is being purchased from moneys raised by the Red Cross' in Apia, is to be inscribed, '•Western Samoa Ambulance,” mid sent to the Middle East in accordance with the wishes of the sponsors.

Headlamp Masks. A number of headlamp masks along (|n> general lines of those used in Great Britain are shortly to be tested under actual trafiie conditions in Auckland, with a view to ensuring that motor-car lights conform with the reduced lighting restrictions. Tests with the fiinnple hoods, whieh are being manufactured in N'i'iv Zealand, will be carried out in ail tile main centres, ami the results will show whether they will be practicable for universal use. It is not known yet if they will be declared compulsory.

School Roll Decline. The Southland primary school population hits la-en declining slowly but steadily for almost 30 years, and the total number of children on the rolls has fallen bv about 1500 in that period. The full in the birthrate appears to be responsible principally for the downward trend. Just before the last war began the school rolls reached u peak of about 12,000 pupils. By September. 1918, the number h-id fallen to 11.795. The latest figures availaide for May of this year show that there are 10.565 children registered at primary schools in the province.