LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 February 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

» No Bankruptcies. No bankruptcies were recorded in the Wairarapa last month. Potatoes from Australia. | Australian new potatoes were for sale in the Wellington public markets yesterday at 2|d a lb. At the same time Canterbury potatoes could be bought at 2d a lb. The Australian potatoes are medium-sized and smoothskinned. Supplies are arriving at the markets from the Manawatu and Canterbury, and it is expected that prices will ease during the month, as digging proceeds. Drivers’ Licences. In January 21 drivers’ licences were issued by the Masterton Borough Council, making the total to date for the current licensing year 2,228. In January last year 35 licences were issued, making the total to date 2,392. The Masterton County Council issued 10 drivers’ licences last month, bringing the total for the licensing year to 1,176. In January, 1941, eight licences were issued, making the total 1,229. Longer Hours for Tramwaymen. To meet the position caused by shortage of staff, the Wellington tramways are now working a 48-hour week and a Government announcement covering the whole of New Zealand is expected shortly. Representatives of the tramways union and the New Zealand Passenger Transport Association discussed the problems caused by the calling-up of large numbers of tramwaymen at a conference in Wellington convened by the Minister of Public Works, Mr Armstrong, on January 20. The Wellington action is an outcome of the conference. Under; the new arrangement the men who formerly worked a five-day week of eight hours daily—Sunday has always been paid for at double-time in Wellington—can now be worked a six-day week of eight hours daily. For time worked in excess of the 40 hours they are being paid overtime at the rate of time and a half. This will represent a minimum increase of 30s a week. I

Building Permits. For the month of January, the Masterton Borough Council issued four building permits for an estimated value of £4lB, as compared with three permits for a value of £9OO 18s 6d for the corresponding month last year. No permits were issued in either case by the Masterton County Council. I Petrol Stolen. As the result of the theft of about eight gallons of benzine from the Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board’s ambulance at Napier on Friday night, the ambulance ran out of petrol while carrying a patient to hospital on an emergency call shortly after midnight on Saturday. The ambulance was called out on three occasions, and it is thought that the benzine was taken shortly before it was about to make the'-fourth and most urgent run. A garage proprietor was called out, petrol was procured, and in due course the patient was taken to hospital. Record Production of Tobacco. The Minister of Supply and Munitions, Mr Sullivan, has congratulated the tobacco growers of the Nelson district on achieving a record production of 3,133.8131 b of leaf tobacco last season. According to figures supplied to the Tobacco Board the indications are that a greater area has been planted and a greater poundage contracted for in connection with the 1942 harvest, he said. Such an increase in production was very necessary, having regard to the war conditions and the necessity for conserving shipping space and dollar funds. Soldiers Sentenced. Sentence of 28 days’ jail with hard labour has been imposed on three soldiers at a North Island camp who took possession of an Army truck without authority and, on being stopped by an officer and ordered to return to the camp, drove off in another direction, frustrating his attempts to stop them by swerving across the road. They were charged before a district courtmartial, their names being Trooper Stanley Henry Bowden, Trooper Russell Lloyd Cecil Thomas, and Trooper Angus Donaldson Welsh, all of the 3rd N.Z. Army Tank Battalion, Second N.Z.E.F,