LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 December 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Attendance at Exhibition. Yesterday saw 9,682 visitors at the Centennial Exhibition in Wellington, bringing the total to date to 359,553. The daily average attendance is 15,1133. Infectious Diseases. For the week ended yesterday, eight cases of infectious disease and one death, from pulmonary tuberculosis, were reported to the Wellington office of the Health Department from the Central Wellington area. The cases were: Pulmonary tuberculosis <7l and septic abortion (1). A Political Holiday. The National Party will cease all political, activities over the holiday period, said the Hon. A. Hamilton at Christchurch yesterday. It was not desired to have politics before the public at a time when they were more interested in buying presents and enjoying themselves. Political discussions might react on the business community. Today in Wellington Mr Hamilton will meet representatives of various industries and on Wednesday will attend a caucus of the party. New Bronze Coins. An announcement that supplies of the new series of New Zealand bronze coins would be issued by the Reserve Bank within the next few days was made last night by the Minister oi Finance, Mr Nash, it had previously been intended by the Government that the new design —particulars of which have already been made public would be issued for the first time on the occasion of the Centennial celebrations, but an increasing shortage ol Imperial bronze coins has made it necessary to issue the new coins at an earlier date -Ti order that the public might not be inconvenienced. Stone's Directory. We have received from the publishers. Messrs Slone, Son and Co., Ltd., Dunedin, a copy of Stones Wellington, Hawke's Bay and Taranaki directory and New Zealand annual for the current year. The directory is a most useful publication for those in business. and contains information on a variety of subjects, besides a complete directory relating to Wellington. Hawke’s Bay and Taranaki. The names and addresses have been compiled by means of a house-to-house canvas.' while th? other information in the directory has been obtained from official and other reliable sources. Refuse to Work With Soldiers. The refusal of Public Works Department employees to work alongside army engineers sent to the camp to help them, together with trouble experienced in obtaining delivery ol materials. is stated to have been responsible for the delay which has occurred in opening Waiouru for members ot the Special Force. As a result, it is possible that much of the army s advanced. training programme will be seriously affected. It was originally expected that the camp would be ready for the first three units—the 19tn (Wellington) Battalion, the. New Zealand Engineers, and the Divisional Cavahy —at least a week ago. As the result of the trouble the camp was not made ready for occupation by the soldiers till the weekend. Liquor Stolen From Police Cell. A quantity ol impounded liquor has been stolen from a locked cell kehiud the Taumarunui police station and at the side of the sergeant's residence. Recently the police made raids with the object of finding out if there was any sly grog in the town. A quantitv of’ liquor was seized—whisky, ale and port wine—and prosecutions were put in hand. Pending court proceedings the liquor was placed in a secure-Iv-locked cell, one of those attached to the lock-up. The sergeant went on leave later. One morning Constable S. Bissett formerly of Wanganui, discovered the padlock tiled through, the door open and the liquor gone, and now Detective J. Murray, 01, the Wanganui detective force, is trying to find the liquor. Johnsonville Overbridge. Following requests to the Minister of Public Works for the improvement of the road at the north end of Johnsonville where is crosses the railway line bv an overbridge, the Minister has advised the Automobile , Association (.Wellington) that he is investigating the suggestion that the road be taken over the old railway lines at a point a few chains south of the overbridge, and is making inquiries to ascertain whether the Railways Department is in a position to make available land fo the purpose. At present traffic, aftei «oing up the improved Ngahauranga Gorge ana straight through Johnsonville has to make right-angle turns at the overbridge. The proposed work would remove the traffic from the bridge and the angles. Enemy Alien Interned. The internment of a Wellington resident of enemy alien nationality was announced by the Attorney-General. Mr Mason, last night. '“lhe registration of aliens, and the restrictions imposed on the movements ot enemy aliens under the War Emergency Regulations, had been in the natuie of a survey for the purpose of obtaining full information, and did not any presumption of disaffection, said Mr Mason. “As a result of this survey, however, in addition to certain residents of Samoa whose internment in New Zealand had been decided upon, one Wellington resident of enernv alien nationality has also iccenilv been interned. This was purely a nrecautionary measure, and did riot imply that any illegal act had been cornniitteJ or allenipted. Canteen I'lofits. Complaints by some of the troops in the Ngaruawahia military camp about the prices charged in the dry canteen there were referred to by the Ministei of defence. Mr Jones, in an interview last evening. He said that profits earned by the canteens in the camps were paid into regimental funds lor the benefit of men in camp. Since the estab,lishnienl of the canteens about six weeks ago IMOOO had been handed over h> these funds. ’’As far as is possible, every endeavour is made to keep eanleen prices down.' said Mr Junes, "bill it iris to be remembered that labour costs are higher in canteens than in chain stores, solely because adult labour is engaged in the camps, whereas a large proportion of that in the stores is juvenile. 1 think it will be agreed tlv.i! the men are not being exploited .is they were in 11111-IH. AU profits are being retained for the benefit of the men and lhal would Hot be the case if the canteens were handed over to private enterprise.''