LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

'■ ■» Masterton Case. An order for restitution of conjugal rights was made in the following case at the Wellington Supreme Court yesterday:—Charles Nicholson Cole (Mr R. R. Burridge, Masterton) v. Thirza Ivy Cole. National Savings. Interest in National Savings quickens from week to week. Last week Wellington, Wanganui, Palmerston N., New Plymouth, Nelson, Blenheim, and 81 other towns throughout the Dominion saved for war purposes their weekly quota, and thus were entitled to fly their savings flag at the Post Office masthead. The honour of having flown their flags for three weeks in succession goes to New Plymouth, Wellington and Blenheim.

Names Not in Ballot. A number of men are eligible for military service ballots who have not been included therein, or for whom appeals have been made before armed forces appeal boards, set up for the specific purpose of dealing with appeals against overseas service. Such cases have aroused curiosity, but the explanation is simple. During the volunteering period before conscription, employers could appeal to manpower committees in respect of employees who had volunteered, but whose services the employers felt were essential in New Zealand. In cases of fit volunteers, where postponements were granted, their names have been withheld from ballots, and the postponements originally granted have been reviewed at regular intervals by the manpower committees concerned.

Silk Stockings Problem. “I have not given up hope, but I cannot even hazard a guess as to the position,” said the principal of a large Wellington importing firm yesterday, in commenting on the position regarding the importation of supplies of silk stockings from Great Britain. The statement of a Dunedin importer that his firm .had been able to place orders for satisfactory quantities of silk stockings in Britain was referred to the Wellington business man, who said that his firm had not yet had a reply to its cabled inquiry of over two weeks ago regarding the availability of English stocks. “Our agents in the United Kingdom may still be negotiating for stocks or for an export quota,” he added, commenting that the absence of a negative reply pointed to this conclusion “If we are not able to secure stockings from England, then the position will be serious,” he said, “as local I supplies are not adequate for the demand.”

A Practical Example. A practical example in leading the new national savings campaign has been given by members of the Kaikoura County Council, who have personally agreed to give £lOOO, spread over the next 11 months. There are 10 councillors. Labour Caucus. A. caucus of members of the Parliamentary Labour Party will be held in Wellington today. The business will include the selection of. a representative of the Government party to visit the United Kingdom at the .invitation of the British Empire Parliamentary Association. The Opposition has already selected its representative, who will be the party leader, Mr Holland. Factory Manager Attacked. Two men violently attacked Mr Brian Preston Stevenson, general manager of Whittome, Stevenson and Company, Limited, when he surprised them on the company’s premises at 81 Carlton Gore Road, Newmarket, at 8.40 on Tuesday night. Mr Stevenson was repeatedly hit on the head with what he believed to be a sandbag and was twice rendered unconscious. He suffered contusions to an eye and the scalp and was treated at the casualty department of the Auckland Hospital. Forty-three Men Fined.

As a sequel to raids made by the Wellington police on the night of October 21 last on pakapoo dens in the Mt. Cook district, 43 men appeared in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday afternoon, and pleaded guilty to having been found in common gaming houses. Each man was fined £5 and 10s costs. Two accused, concerning whom there was no proof of service of summons, had their cases adjourned for a week. The owners of the premises came before the Magistrate’s Court on October 22, when Mr Stout inflicted fines totalling £2595 upon 57 Chinese and Europeans for keeping and being found in common gaming houses.

Reports on Rejected Men. Army regulations now provide that where a man rejected for service on medical grounds is suffering from a serious complaint or is threatened with one, the medical board concerned shall immediately inform him of the nature of his trouble. In other less serious cases the man concerned may apply for a report on the spot to the regional deputy (the senior medical officer), who may use his discretion as to the amount of informtaion it is advisable to disclose. In no case will any charge be made for the information disclosed. The previous practice was that where a man was rejected as permanently unfit, he could, on payment of 10s 6d to Army Headquarters, obtain a copy of the medical report.