LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 November 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Movements of Enemy Aliens. Enemy aliens in New Zealand now require written permits to be absent from their registered places of abode longer than 24 hours. This is the general effect of the amended Alien Control Emergency Regulations gazetted last night. Reserve Bank Statement.

The principal features of the latest weekly statement of the Reserve Bank of New Zealand are a further increase in sterling exchange funds, another substantial rise in dairy produce advances, another reduction in the advances to the State for "other purposes,” a further increase in the note issue which is now at the high level of £17.371,820, and a large increase in State deposits.

Marketing Legislation. An assurance that the question of continuing the marketing legislation passed during the last session of Parliament would be brought before the House after the war and that it would be for the House to decide whether it ought to go on or not, was given by the Minister of Finance and Marketing, Mr Nash, when replying to a question on the point at a deputation from the executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union which waited on him last evening. War Pensioner Robbed.

Left lying on the ground by two assailants who made off after assaulting and robbing him at Auckland last night, Hugh Twiddle, a war pensioner, aged 47, of Glen Eden, was admitted to the Auckland hospital suffering from an injury to the eye and extensive cuts to the face. The assault took place outside the Kauri Timber Company's premises in Fanshawe Street, an ill-lighted portion of the road. The watchman in the timber yard telephoned the police, but no trace of the assailants was found.

Damages for Widow and Children. After an hour’s retirement late yesterday afternoon the jury in the Supreme Court, Wellington, that heard the claim for £5036 damages for the widow and eight children of a man killed in a motor-car collision near Te Horo in March, returned with a verdict in plaintiff’s favour, fixing damages at £3029. Responsibility for the accident was placed on the driver of the car in which plaintiff’s husband was travelling, though the driver and the owner of the car with which 'it collided also were named as defendants. Labour Party Dance. A most successful and very enjoyable dance under the auspices of the Social Committee of Masterton branch of the Labour Party was held in the Y.M.C.A. Hall last evening. The winners of the Statue and Monte Carlo waltzs were Mr Mclntyre and partner and Miss Butler and Mr Hollings respectively. The music was supplied by Messrs Barnes and Longworth, extras being played by Mr DeWar and Mr Barnes. Mr Pat Ward, as M.C.. ably controlled the gathering. The ladies’ committee provided a tasty supper. The next of these popular dances will be held in the Y.M.C.A. on November 16. Air Raid Incident. A woman living in the Dykeroad district of Brighton (England) heard the air raid sirens on a recent Sunday morning, and immediately retired to her basement. Neighbours saw nothing of her until the following Wednesday morning, when she explained that she had not heard the "all clear” siren on Sunday and had remained in the basement until she heard it on Wednesday. She added that she had previously stocked the basement with provisions, and had slept on rugs. "I thought it was a very long raid,” she said, "but I felt quite at ease.” Acquisition of Aircraft.

With the acquisition by the Government of service aircraft other than the Lockheeds, the last flight in the Palmerston North-Napier-Gisborne service conducted by Union Airways was made the other day. Union Airways’ services between Palmerston North and Gisborne and Auckland and Gisborne, have been most successful, and have been carried out in almost all conditions without a mishap of any kind. Union Airways took over the service from East Coast Airways on July 1. 1938, and the Auckland service was inaugurated on March 20. During the time Union Airways was operating on the Gisborne-Palmerston North run. 9172 passengers were carried in and out of Gisborne, these figures disregarding the number between Napier and Palmerston North; and for the six and a half months of operation on the Auckland service 1264 passengers were carried in and out of Gisborne, these figures excluding those carried between Opotiki and Auckland.

Farm Labour Problem. The statement that at the moment there wore 240 vacancies for experienced farm labour in the North Island which the department did not have men to fill and that in the South Island there was tt surplus of 65 experienced farm workers available, was made by the Minister of Labour. Mr Webb, in replying to representations which a deputation from the New Zealand Farmers' Union made last evening. Of the North Island vacancies, the Minister said, 73 were from Hamilton. and about 38 from Whangarei. He said he agreed the problem was a vexed one and not easily grappled with, ’rhe Dominion president of the union. Mr W. W. Mulholland: I think the relation of the cost of labour to the return is a big factor. The Minister said that last year more than 600 farmers had availed themselves of the subsidy of £1 a week to keep labour on. Young men wanted some permanency in their employment the demand was for young labc the i great ' oik o f it under lof he J to er was be,Vail-