NOTES AND COMMENTS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 34, 4 November 1942, Page 4

NOTES AND COMMENTS

An impressive testimony to the efficiency of the British hire-guard system of nullifying the effects of incendiary raids has been given by the Home Secretary (Mr. Morrison). He said that although 150 tires were starlet, during a heavy attack on a coastal town the National Fire Service wa> called to fewer than 20 of them, and al only two of these was it neves sary to bring high-pressure hoses into action. Translated into our own parlance Ibis means that, "lire-watchers" .and the "E.P.S.” dealt with Ils out of 150 incipient fires, and that fewer than 20 precautionary calls fol assistance were made to the Fire Brigade and E.F.S. On such evidenm tbe case for maintaining in any threatened community n large force o! civilians, sufficiently trained to quench tires in their early stages, is im mensely strengthened. The stirrup-pump and seoop-iiiid-shovel groups--in other words, the Fire Guard—are Britain's first line of civil defence In the instance quoted by the Home Secretary, that first line was almost sufficient in itself to repel the danger. Such a result should not. tie ignored in this country, where there has been a tendency of late to discount the importance of numerical strength and regular training in auxiliary methodof fire-fighting.

Current, renoris concerning tbe retail supply and prices of fruit and vegetables indicate that the lot of the consuming public is being made increasingly hard. Three weeks ago New Zen In lid-grown oranges, which are not subject Io price control, were being sold at the then unheard-of figure of 10(1. apiece. This week, according to a report from Auckland the price has risen to V- apiece—a fantastic' charge, and one which callfor immediate inquiry.’ It is wholly improper Hint advantage should i.e taken of the shortage of imported fruit Io place such an imposition on those who seek the home-grown substitute. The position in Wellington, in respect to apples also requires explanation. On October 24 it was announced that, the Internal Marketing Division had been instructed by the Government to dispose of the remaining apples in cool storage at wholesale prices equivalent, to a retail maximum of (Id. n Hi. This became operative on Oetober 26. but. from that, date—or shortly after—apples apparently became extremely scarce. Previously they were being offered freely nt lt)d a pound, yet- it is staled that the quantities distributed before and after”the fixing of the price at (Id. have been approximately the same. This is a mysterious and unsatisfactory iiositlon— particularly so in resjiect to the former price of IOd„ which has been termed "absolutely unjustified." If tliis was the case, what is being done about lhe matter? Consumers iiiny well also ask what cheek, if any, is being placed on vegetable prices, which today are being retained at levels incomparable with the present season of rapidly-increasing supplies.