LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 July 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Woman’s Leg Broken. Mrs F. W. Aitken, of 55 Church Street, was admitted to the Masterton Hospital on Monday evening with a fractured leg. She tripped over a carpet at her home. Her condition is comfortable.

Telephone Receivers Shaken Off. The force of the earthquake in Masterton last Wednesday night was such that it threw a considerable number of telephone receivers off their hooks. This in itself was a matter of small consequence, but the release of the hooks placed such an additional load on the telephone system at the Post Office that it was feared at one time that a fire might be caused. Prompt steps were taken to shut off all affected telephones so as to relieve the overload. Hours of Defence Workers. “Because of the shorter period of daylight it has been, found necessary to reduce the hours of work on defence works,” said the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, in explaining an amendment to the Defence Works Labour Legislation Suspension Order last night. The amendment provides for a 48-hour week (8J hours a day and 4| hours on Saturdays), but these hours may be extended for particular jobs. Any time worked in excess of these hours will be paid for at overtime rates.

Penalty imposed by E.P.S. Controller. The chairman of the Christchurch Central E.P.S. Committee, Mr E. H. Andrews, yesterday held what is believed to be the first inquiry in New Zealand into a penalty imposed by an E.P.S. controller on a member of his unit for a serious breach of discipline under the powers given in the conditions to service order. Mr Andrews reduced the penalty from the maximum of £2 to £l. The nature of the inquiry the chairman is required to make into penalties is not defined, and Mr Andrews had no precedent to guide him. He conducted the inquiry personally, and took evidence on oath. He ruled that the charge was proved. Price of Cement. An increase of 7s a ton in the price of cement is announced in Auckland. The chairman of Wilson’s Portland Cement Company, Mr George Winstone, at the annual meeting of shareholders, said that the increase had been authorised by the Price Tribunal and would take effect today. “While this is considerably less than we asked for and expected, it will materially help our financial position,” said Mr Winstone. He added that cement prices were fixed in 1936 and 1937, and despite the increased costs, no relief had since been granted. The price of• ordinary cement to the consumer, including sales tax and deducting discount, would now be £5 5s 9d a ton, compared with £4 18s 9d recently. Special cement prices were also raised by 7s a ton.

Taxi Charges. A suggestion that servicemen engaging a taxi should, before undertaking a journey, inquire from the driver as to the legal fare, was made by the Minister of Transport, Mr Semple, when replying to an urgent question asked by Mr Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn) on behalf of Mr Barnard (Democratic Labour, Napier) in the House last night. In asking the Minister whether he would investigate the charges being made by taxi-drivers to servicemen, Mr Lee said that some drivers were demanding and receiving much more than the fixed rates. Mr Semple said he would be glad to have any definite cases investigated and immediate action taken to stop such abuses. He would not tolerate any exploitation of servicemen, and the Transport Department had been instructed to keep a strict watch fov any instances of over-charging and to take prompt steps- to check them. The Minister suggested that servicemen should report any instances in which they felt that there had been any. irregularity in the fare demanded.

Home Guardsmen and Sox. “As it is now compulsory for Home Guardsmen to undergo military training, would the Minister make available at least six pairs of sox annually for each man?” was a .Question of which notice was given by Mr Denham (Government, Invercargill) to the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones. Mr Denham said that the marching and manoeuvring necessary in the training of Home Guardsmen involved severe wear and tear on their sox, and to purchase them ration coupons had to be used.

Experience in Toll Room. The toll room attendant at the Masterton Post Office, Mr H. T. Hayes, had a particularly unnerving experience on the night of the earthquake. He was the only member of the staff on duty at the time. The earthquake rocked the toll switch board in an alarming manner and bricks fell from the front wall of the building. With the failure of the power the room was plunged into darkness. Mr Hayes, to get out of the building had to clamber over cupboards and lockers which had been thrown to the floor.

Passing the Estimates. Consideration of the Estimates of departmental expenditure occupied the attention of the House of Representatives when it resumed at 7.30 last night after the long weekend adjournment. Four classes of estimates, representing in the aggregate £7,066,330, were discussed and passed. The Health Department vote was under consideration when the adjournment was taken at 10.30 p.m. The following classes of Estimates were passed: Internal Affairs Department, £450,000; Social Security Department, £3,600,000; Social Security Fund. Administration Expenses and Emergency Benefits, £653,710; War and other Pensions, £2,362,620. The House rose at 10.30- p.m. till 2.30 this afternoon.