NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 33, 3 November 1942, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF

Pram Stolen; Baby Left A Wellington mother Went' into a butcher’s shop the other day to buy meat and as many people were ahead of her waiting to be served she pushed her baby’s perambulator to one side and took her place in the queue. Having at length made her purchase, she went back to get her perambulator, and to her dismay was unable to find it. She did, however, find' her baby' playing happily with the sawdust on the floor, where he had evidently been placed by the person who had stolen the perambulator while her attention was otherwise engaged.

Dredge Sinks. Advice has been received in Dunedin that the dredge of the Okarito Five-Mile Bench Company sank at 10 p.m. on Friday. No further details have come to hand. —P.A.

Oranges One Shilling Each. With imported oranges no longer available in Auckland, Dominion-grown fruit, mainly from Kerikeri, was fetching high prices at the end of last week. The price in the majority of cases was 1/- each. American Blood Donors. A number of Americans in Auckland have registered with the St. John Ambulance blood'donor service, according to a statement by Mr. S. E. Langstone, secre-tary-manager of the St. John Ambulance Association, who said that a proportion of these had already given of. their blood to assisj; those who needed it.

Automobile Association. The Automobile Association (Wellington) elected 24 new members at last night’s meeting, in addition to 14 at the annual meeting recently. Its financial, statement for October showed an excess of receipts over payments of £BB4. Subscription receipts for the month were £1413.

No Guy Fawkes Celebrations.Just as was the case last year, there will be no traditional celebration of Guy Fawkes Day on November 5, which is Thursday next, this year. Under tlie Lighting Restriction Emergency Regulations, 1941, it is an offence for any person to light any fires or set off any fireworks during the hours of daylight or darkness on Guy Fawkes Day. Returned to Jail. After leaving jail only on October 1< from serving a sentence for being idle and disorderly, Lindsay Dugtiid, labourer, aged 57, was sentenced in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, for being a rogue and a vagabond. He pleaded not guilty. The police told Mr. Stout, S.M., that he had been drinking methylated spirits. Duguid was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment.

Grant to Boys’ Brigade. A grant of £5O was made to the Boys Brigade by the Wellington City Council yesterday. The mayor, Mr. Hislop, said the brigade received a grant from the council earlier when it was erecting a permanent camp at Waikanae. This cos: £4OO more than anticipated and £2OO was owing which the brigade was trying to raise from various sources. The cause was a good one. Another Outbreak of Measles. For the second time this year a serious outbreak of measles has occurred in Wellington and the surrounding districts. As before, the patient suffers a light attack of German measles followed later by a more serious attack of ordinary measles. Generally speaking German measles have been the commonest form of the malady, but this year the severer type has made its appearance on a widespread scale. Diamond Ring Stolen. Six months’ imprisonment with hard labour was imposed on Albert- Leonard Hansen, labourer, aged 43, when he appeared in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday before Mr. Stout, S.M., charged with the theft of a diamond ring valued at £l5 at Christchurch. He pleaded guilty. On two other charges of stealing a camera and slippers, he was convicted and discharged. An order for the return o£ the property was made.

Patriotic Collection. The Wellington (street collection in aid of the Metropolitan Patriotic Sund, organized by the Y.M.O.A. last Friday, resulted in £6BO/8/o being raised, Ike directors of the Y.M.C.A.I thank the women and the organizations who aided in the effort. The money is to be handed over to the Metropolitan Patriotic Committee as a part of the £lOOO which the YMCA, undertook to raise on its behalf.

On Defence Work. Applications for licences for the lorries employed by the Hutt Valley Cciistruetion Company were heard by the Transport Licensing Authority (Mr. J. P. Skoglund) in Wellington yesterday. It was stated in support that all builders of the Hutt Valley were united for the purpose of defence works, so that it could be said that they were doing a special job. Licences were granted lor only so long as the lorries were employed on defence construction works. Critical Financial Position. The application was being made .n view of the association s critical financial position, said the mayor, Mr. Hislop, at yesterday’s Wellington City Council meetino- when the Wellington Free Kindergarten Association requested a grant. Mr. Hislop said the association applied earlier but the request was held over nil after September 30 The council could deal with the matter at next meeting after it had had the opportunity, meantime of looking into the association s position.

Theft of Ammunition. Q 1 A soldier, Clifford Leslie TV hitham 21, was sentenced to six months hard labour in the Magistrates’ Court. Auckland, yesterday, for the theft of 700 rounds or 303 rifle ammunition valued at i-W, belonging to the Army. The police said (hat when seen taking the ammunition Whitham stated he was fond ot pb, shooting and it would come in handy. “Leniency is impossible for. such a serious offence,” said the magistrate, Mr. Luxford, who stressed the gravity ot interfering with ammunition placed in a position for tactical purposes. 1 .A. . Christmas Holidays. Christmas happens opportunely next month as far as retail trade is concerned. Christmas Day occurs on That means that the late night, , t( it cat be called one, will be on the Thuisday preceding Christmas Day, and on Neu Year’s Eve, the following Fhursdaj. For such businesses which have to open up between the Christmas and New Year the calendar has arranged for four clear trading days between the two holiday periods.

Esperanto Textbook. The Karori Esperanto Society has received from the International Esperanto League (Central Office), England, coin® ls of a recentlv-published Esperanto textbook by Dr. -f! Szilagyi. In an accompanying letter, which was read at the society’s- last meeting, the secretary of the I.E.L. stated that, despite handicaps arising from the war, the league was making good progress, and new member were being enrolled almost daily.

Seaside Houses. . . . 1 „ (A i "We are being positively inundated with applications for seaside places iov the holiday period at the end ot tm. vear,” said a Wellington land agent jesterday. "The trouble is that owing t . certain conditions there are fewer places than ever available for holiday letting* * most of the houses at the 'j 11 ' 1 "?® side places are let permanently (teou i,iiout the vear. This has occasioned an unI'sual demand inasmuch as some peopm are prepared to buy places rather than be shut out altogether from having the r holidays at the seaside. After al . it i’ a sort of investment, tor they can then let or otherwise, as they think fit.

A Clearer Manners Street. . Gradually the western section ot Manners Street, Wellington, is regaining a normal appearance. The exterior repair nor< to Begg’s warehouse and .the lingey property has now been completed aud tnc scaffolding removed. The new front to the Roxv boarding-house, which wn consist mostly of wooden frames and struts and glass windows, is now well under way, and should be con pie tod D the end of the month. As practically the whole of the southern and eastern nabs of tlie Duke of Edinburgh Hotel Im i t be rebuilt, that job may take till tin. end of the year, but most ot the heaiy work is expected to be completed in time for a clean-up by Christmas time. Repairs to the Regent Theatre arc now in hand.