In the News

Southland Times, Issue 24878, 19 October 1942, Page 4

In the News

New Ration Books Ration books for the new rationing period which begins on November 1 will be available for distribution at post offices from today. There will be a special staff to deal with the distribution at the Chief Post Office, Invercargill, and people are advised to make early application and thus avoid a rush of applicants towards the end of the month. Before applying for a new book a person must write his or her name and address in block letters on the counterfoil of the O coupons in the current book (tear this from the book and present it along with the old book when making application. Ohai Home Guard A desire to continue Home Guard training was expressed in a resolution carried at a large meeting of residents and Home Guardsmen at Ohai. The resolution stated that after carrying out active training for two and a-hali years, and in view of the critical situation in the South-west Pacific and elsewhere, the Ohai unit of the Home Guard should continue its activities so that it will be prepared and ready to stand with other units in the defence of New Zealand. Quota Again Attained “By prodigious use of the telephone we" have just managed to get the required amount,” said Mr W. G. Nield, district organizer for National Savings on Saturday, when reporting that for the forty-eighth week in succession Invercargill had reached its National Savings quota of £2043. Mr Nield said that a last minute investment of £5OO had saved the situation. When business ceased for the day on Friday the amount in hand was still £9OO short of the required total. Mr Nield has received a letter from Mr J. G. Young, Director-General of the Post Office, commending Invercargill and other towns in Southland on their splendid run of quota successes. Parcels Appreciated “I read in The Southland Times of the excellent work you are doing in the raising of patriotic funds,” states Major I. O. Manson, who was an employee of the City Council, in a letter to the Mayor, Mr A. Wachner, from Egypt. “The parcels are most heartily appreciated by the men, and the patriotic funds appear to be ably and wisely administered over here. The workers on the heme front are doing a most valuable service.” Cheese Crate Prices Advice has been received from the New Zealand Dairy Board by the South Auckland Dairy Association that the Price Tribunal had fixed the price limit for cheese crates at 3/- a crate, ex Frankton, representing an increase of 7d over last season’s figure. Mr A. J, Murdoch, a member of the Dairy Board, informed the association that the highest price paid was 3/11. Dissatisfaction with the increase was expressed by members, who said the association had been informed by a Waikato firm that crates could be supplied at 2/6. Exempted Single Men A complete review of all fit single men who have been exempted from overseas service was asked for in a question, notice of which was given in the House of Representatives on Saturday by Mr J. A. Roy (Nat., Clutha). His question suggested that their places should be filled by married men with families.—P.A. Potatoes Plentiful The potato parodox has reached the limit of absurdity in the past few days when, after a long period in which greengrocers had no supplies, they have suddenly come into possession of quantities that they cannot sell (says The New Zealand Herald, Auckland), On Friday, in an attempt to get the market moving again, the price of potatoes was reduced a half-penny, whole and retail. Both white Californian potatoes and South Island reds are plentiful in the shops, but, taking the trade all round, they have not been moving out as might have been expected. The president of the Retail Fruiterers’ Association, Mr S. Coleman, stated that most shopkeepers were overloaded. The quality was excellent, the Red Dakotas from the south being probably the best sample ever seen in Auckland at this time of the year, but at 6d per lb they were not selling freely. It seemed that in the outer suburbs a. good many home gardeners were already using their own crops. A price reduction to 54d per lb might stimulate purchasing.

Hospital Taxation A mass deputation to the Prime Minister representative of all _ local bodies in the Dominion, is considered by the Inglewood County Council to be the only way to settle the question of obtaining relief from the present system of hospital taxation. The council, although supporting the Waikato Hospital Board in its request that direct representations be made to the Minister of Health for a substantial and immediate increase in the payment to hospital boards from the Social Security Fund, carried a resolution urging such a deputation Support for the Waikato Hospital Board was also expressed by the Egmont County Council. Meningitis Cases Seven cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis were reported in the Hamilton health district during the last week, one case being fatal. The victim was a boy aged five, who became ill at school and died within a few hours. Forty cases of the disease have been reported in the Waikato during the last three months, two proving fatal. They came from a wide and scattered area. The disease has been of a sporadic nature and in many instances the cases have not been serious. Municipal Golf Links An indication of the effect of the war on outdoor sport was provided by figures showing the use made of the Chamberlain Park public golf course which the chairman of the Auckland City Council’s Parks Committee, Mr J. L. Coakley, presented to the council last week. In the six months from April to September, inclusive, 10,318 players’ tickets were sold, compared with 16,998 in the same period last year. Of these, 193 were purchased by cihldren, compared with 371. The revenue for the two periods was £1298 and £2102 respectively.