LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 December 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

No Publication on Monday. Tile ’•Times-Age" will not be published on Monday, January 1 (New Year's Day). Trentham Camp Closed on Sunday. The Central District mobilisation camp, Trentham. will not be open to the public on Sunday. The Army authorities wish to make it clear that the camp will be definitely closed to visitors that day. Centennial Exhibition. The attendance «at the Centennial Exhibition at Wellington yesterday reached 30,518. The total number of visitors to the Exhibition since it opened is now 656,052. the daily average being 15,254. Alleged Drinking at Dance. The "Pahiatua Herald” states that the names and addresses of three people were taken by the Pahiatua police at the dance at Mangatainoka on Tuesday night. It is understood that prosecutions under the recent legislation on drinking at dances may follow. Payment for Wool. Payments on Wanganui wool clips submitted for the first appraisement under wartime conditions were made yesterday, and for about 23,000 bales a total of about £400.000 has been distributed. The payment represents 95 per cent of the total due, the remainder being held by the Government for future dispersal. Overseas Telegrams.

It is announced by the Controller of Censorsip that, as from Monday next, January 1, overseas telegrams in code may be exchanged with the following Empire countries: Australia, Canada, India, Pacific Islands (Samoa, Cook Islands and Tonga), South Africa, United Kingdom. Except in the case of the Pacific islands points, to which Bentley’s Complete Phrase only is permitted, the following published codes may be used unless otherwise indicated:' Bentley's Complete Phrase. Bentley’s Second Phrase, ABC Sixth Edition (except to India), Petersen’s Third Edition (except to India and South Africa). Destruction of Deer.

1 Plans for this year's ■ official campaign for the destruction of deer have been completed by the fields division of the Department of Internal Affairs and are to be put into operation within a few days (states an exchange). The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon W. E. Parry), said that an extensive area of deer-infested country of the North and South Islands would be simultaneously attacked this season. The number of men engaged at the outset would be 120, of whom 30 would be operating in the North Island and 90 in the South and Stewart Islands. The Minister said that in view of the increased value of deer-skins special efforts would be made to increase the proportion of skins recovered.

Spirit of Determination. “There is not the least fear, no consternation, and no hatred, but a spirit of determination and self-sacrifice that is dominant everywhere and is invincible," declared the Minister of Education and Health, Mr Fraser, when speaking of the people of Great Britain at the civic reception tendered the General Officer Commanding the Special Force, Major-General B. C. Freyberg, in the Wellington Town Hall yesterday. Mr Fraser said it was not easy for New Zealanders 12,000 or 13,000 miles away to grasp the stress and strain on the people of the Mother Country. We could only dimly comprehend it at this distance. 'I do not believe a people in the history of the world have risen .to greater moral and spiritual heights than the people of Britain at present.” Mr Fraser said. "The people are unruffled, and their attitude is that they did not want war and regretted that it had come, but that the sort of thing that was going on in Europe, the tyrannies and cruelties, had to end some time.” Fruit Shops Busy.

Fruit shops in Wellington experienced the usual improvement in trade immediately before Christmas, and with so many people living in fiats and unable to grow their own vegetables, the demand for green peas and new potatoes was extremely brisk. All the shops appeared to be well stocked yesterday with the fruit and vegetables in season at this time of the year and though a lull in trade usually occurs between Christmas and New Year, there was little evidence of it yesterday as all the shops, in the main streets at least, appeared to have plenty of customers. Peaches, which made their appearance in the shops a few days before Christmas, commanded luxury prices for Al quality, and yesterday were selling at Is a lb. Best quality raspberries sold at Is 8d a punnet and others at Is. Cherries are priced at from 3s a lb. For watermelon. 6d a lb was asked. Hothouse tomatoes were priced as high as Is 4d a lb. with other tomatoes selling as low as 8d a lb, and inferior quality at 21b for Is.

Army Dress Regulations. The traditional Sam Browne belt is no longer a compulsory accessory of an army officer’s uniform. Cloth belts may be worn instead. This provision is made in the regulations governing military dress for the duration of the war. Newly-appointed officers, except those of horsed units, will not provide themselves with swords. The wearing of the Sam Browne .is optional. and in its place there may be worn a cloth belt of material to match the service jacket, similar in design to that worn by the officers of the Royal Air Force. This belt, which is two inches in width with a plain brass buckle, may be worn by all officers as an alternative to the Sam Browne. Warrant officers (class 1) will not wear the cloth belt. An important change embodied in the new regulations is the complete prohibition of the carrying of canes by other ranks. This will affect members of the Special Force, many of whom are carrying swagger canes while on leave. Full dress, undress and mess dress will not now be worn on any occasion, service dress or battle dress being' the uniform for all ranks on all occasions. The wearing of medals will also cease, but medal ribands will be worn on both service and battle dress.

Doctor: "You should take a bath before you retire." Patient: "But. Doctor. I don't expect to retire for at least twenty years yet.”

Husband (furious): "Elsie, do you realise that you are married to a bank clerk?" Wife: "Of course, 1 do." Husband: "Well, you surprise me! When I saw tliis dressmaker's bill 1 thought you were under the impression that you had married a bank. ’