NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 20, 19 October 1943, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Ration Books

In the week ended Saturday, October 16 30,032 new ralion books were issued in the Wellington city area. This left about 100,000 still to be claimed.

Demand on Hotels. Most hotels in Wellington are fully booked out for next weekend, when the Wellington Racing Club's meeting will be held at Trentham.

National Party Caucus. A caucus of the Parliamentary section of the National Party will be held in Wellington today. It will be continued tomorrow.

Dear Vegetables. Green peas and beans grown in Auckland hothouses attracted much attention in a city fruiterer’s last -week, but few customers were tempted to buy at the prices asked. The beans were selling at 5/- to 5/6 and the peas at 2/4 to 2/10 per lb. £lOOO Stolen From House. A sum exceeding £lOOO in notes and small denominations was stolen from a dwelling in George Street, Dunedin, between 3 and 9 a.in. on Sunday, durin;' the absence of the occupants. The money was in a steel safe, the handle of whicn had been broken.—P.A.

A.A. Wellington. Approximately 55 members of the Automobile Association (Wellington) attended the annual meeting last night. Sir Alexander Roberts presided. Officers elected were :—President, Sir Alexander Roberts; council (four vacancies), Messrs. E. H. de J. Clere, A. J. Curtis, 11. W. Shortt, and Dr. Graham Robertson.

Workers’ Badges. The Auckland Transport Board decided yesterday morning that it will issue workers’ badges for all workers using trams, if authority for this action is given by the Government. The proposal includes the levying of a penal fare of 3d. on all travellers who do not possess badges and who use the trams in peak hours. The badge will be in the form of a button to be worn on the lapel.—l .A. Heavy Staff Reduction. The staff of the Hokitika Mental Hospital was 33 1-3 per cent, below the normal level, said Dr. T. Childs (medical superintendent) when giving evidence to the Industrial Manpower Committee at Greymouth. He said the shortage meant that overtime had to be worked and thao to a certain extent the health of the staff was affected. In addition, it was very difficult to look after the patients as well as was desired. Theft from Marines. . Before justices of the peace in Palnatua, two New Zealand soldiers, whose names were suppressed, were convicted and admitted to two years’ probation for the theft of Colt pistols and over 300 rounds of ball ammunition from Uniteci States marines. The marines were on a hunting trip, and after drinking with the New Zealanders found that the pistols and ammunition were missing. The police later recovered the missing property.— P.A.

A Hope for the Future. . In the abbreviations section oi tne Oxford Dictionary, A.A. was given as automobile association, but at present most people associated the abbreviation with anti-aircraft, said the president, Sir Alexander Roberts, at the annual meeting ot the Automobile Association (Wellington) last night. He hoped the time was not far distant when the people would know of no other meaning for A.A. than automobile association.

Lyall Bay Bowling, Club At the opening oi the Lyall Bay Bowling Club’s season on Saturday afternoon, the president, Mr. F. Faulkner, ™ a “® reference to the loss the club had suffered by the deaths of the late president, Mr. J. M. Brackenridge, and Mr. A. E. Morris. Mrs. Brackenridge presented to the club a framed photograph of her late husband and asked members to accept it in memory of one whose motto tnrougli life had always been: “Do unto others as you would be done by.”

Protecting Pedestrians. , Some attention should be given oy the authorities to the control of main pedestrian crossings at busy periods, said the president, Sir Alexander Roberts, al the annual meeting last night of the Automobile Association (Wellington). He considered that not more than 00 per cent, of motor-vehicle drivers respected pedestrian crossings. He was a pedestrian for 360 days a year and liked his rights as such to be protected; sometimes he had to jump for his rights.

Cheque for £lOOO. . Iu fulfilment of a promise made last month, the trustees of the Auckland bayings Bank have forwarded to the Auckland Returned Services Associetion a cheque for £lOOO as a donation toward the the association’s building fund, lhe promise was made subject to the passing of validating legislation, and the trustees have now been advised by the .Government that this legislation will be introduced during the next session of Parliament.

Stolen Money Replaced. The sum of £lB. which had been set aside for presentation wallets for soldiers and which was stolen from the Mount Albert Borough Council, Auckland, last Wednesday night was more than made up by Aiount Albert Grammar School boys and their families on Friday. The boys took cakes aud produce to school and raised £l6 before a truck left with- the goods for the Aiount Albert Overseas Gift Fund Shop. The produce was sold at the shop and at the end of the'day £3O had been taken.

Sales Tax Collections. Referring to the sales tax as a prolific source of revenue, when addressing a meeting of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce. Mr. P. S. Pattrick. a member of the taxation vigilance committee of the Associated Chambers of Commerce, quoted the following IHures: —In 1933 the amount derived from the tax was £38,000; in 1934, £1,847,000; in 1940. £3,510,000; in 1941, £3,502,090. plus £2,248,000 for war purposes : and in 194-2, £3,600.000, plus £7.345,000 for war purposes. The grand total to date was £44,000,000. The cost of collection had not been high.

Fire Watchers’ Assommodation. Since active fire watching in city buildings was discontinued some months ago many owners of large city premises have kept the specially provided equipment and. sleeping accommodation in readiness for a resumption of the service should this be suddenly required. In response to many inquiries as to the need for keeping this equipment, ® ;i the mayor of Auckland Mr. J. A. C. Alltim, as chief warden, sought the advice of the Director of .Civil Defence and has now been advised that steps may be taken to dispense with the accommodation and to store the beds and bedding, pending advice that this equipment may be entirely dispensed with. Worth Weight in Gold. Mascots acquired by various units of the Second N.Z.E.F. in the Middle East were in most instances more or less respectable- canines, but one formation made history in the Tunisian advance by adopting a hen. Writing to his father in Christchurch, a soldier stated that during those strenuous days, the hen's eggs were worth their weight in gold. On the nineteen-day trip back to Maadi, “Lulu” missed laying on only two days. She would sit in one of the trucks in. eonvoy like a tame pup, and at each stopping place she would hunt for lizards. grasshoppers, and beetles. One day, while ou the move, a soldier was bolding “Lulu" on his lap when she laid her daily

Cost of School Cleaning. Release of school committees from financial burdens arising from the cleaning of schools is the object of a motion which Mr. T. K. Moody has given notice to move at the next meeting of the Wellington Education Board. The motion is as follows: “That this board is of the emphatic opinion (1.) That the Government should originate a scheme whereby it form ally recognizes the status of the Union of School Janitors, and provides regulations for cleaners’ award wages to be paid to all primary school janitors, thus relieving all primary school committees of financial worries and, moreover. tending to better safeguard the health and well-being of primary school children. (2) That sufficient capitation moneys should bo provided for supply of all required requisites and the necessary maintenance of all primary school buildings and grounds.”