LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 November 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Price of Vegetables. With the good rains and warmer weather experienced of late, vegetable supplies should come to hand more readily, with a corresponding drop in prices, said a representative of a produce firm in Wellington yesterday. They are beginning to do so already, though the quality is not always first-class.

Glorious Display. Considerable interest is being taken by visitors to the Masterton Park in the magnificent display of calceolaria in the hot house neai’ the main gate. The blooms have a wonderful range of colour and are looking their best at present. They are well worth inspecting, as too, are the many beautiful blooms in the borders?

Theft of Money by Clerk. Failure' to account for sums received by him as clerk of the Akaroa County, totalling £338 4s 4d, was admitted by Colin Stewart in the Christchurch Magistrate’s Court yesterday. He was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. A statement by Stewart was produced by the police. In it Stewart said he was a married man 62 years of age, and had been county clerk for 15 years. About three years ago he became pressed for money through illness in his family and speculations, and for the last three years he had been covering up shortages in the books. Since the audit he had arranged for the sum of £337 to be paid in to the council. Bail was renewed in a sum of £2OO, with one surety of £2OO.

Need for More Labour. “No man should argue about a few hours’ extra work in the pit, the office or anywhere else,” said the Minister of Mines, Mr Webb, when he referred to the war situation at the luncheon given yesterday in Wellington to delegates to the conferences of the New Zealand Gas institute and the Gas Companies’ Association. “We are at the crossroads now, and if the Allies go down, God knows what will happen to New Zealand.” Stressing the need for more labour, Mr Webb said there were many women who did not have to work who could go into factories and assist the war effort. He knew of a doctor’s daughter who was cooking for 30 or 40. This was the spirit wanted. There could be no greater dignity for any class than assisting maximum production in the present situation. Policemen and the War.

“It is a policeman’s duty to stick to his job in New Zealand,” said the chairman, Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., at a sitting of the Armed. Forces Appeal Board at Auckland yesterday, when appeals by the Director of National Service on behalf of a number of Police Force officers were heard. The chairman’s remarks followed the reading of a letter from one of the men affected, who stated he was willing to do his duty and did not wish an appeal to be lodged on his behalf. Mr Orr Walker said this constable’s attitude was applicable to most policemen. The board and all fair-minded people appreciated this, but it was necessary for these men to remain in the country. In respect to officers appealed for who had joined the force since the war, it was stated that their applications for admission had been made before the outbreak. _ Sine die adjournments were granted in all cases.