LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 November 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Banks and War Pressure.

The chairman of the Associated Banks states that, in view of the increasingly acute staff position, the banks may.be compelled to close some of their branches on one or two days of the week, a Wellington Press Association message reports. These days, according to the recently-published Bills of Exchange Emergency Regulations, 1942, would be ncn-business days for purposes of the Bills of Exchange Act, 1908. Post-war Russia.

The position which Russia will occupy in the post-war world was referred to by the president of the United Kingdom Manufacturers’ and New Zealand Representatives’ Association, Mi’ J. Matthews, addressing the annual meeing in Wellington yesterday. He quoted from a memorandum to the Board of Trade from the National Union of Manufacturers in Great Britain that “any plans for future world trade can only be made effective if they have the cordial assent and co-operation of Russia. If Russia, with the help of England and Amei ica, is able to smash Germany, she will probably be the most powerful single state in the world.”

Labour in Freezing industry.

With the freezing industry of the Dominion on the eve of the lamb killing season, in the course of which millions of spring lambs will be slaughtered, dressed in carcase and stored, the Industrial Manpower . Department Will be faced with a major task in securing the necesary male labour. For the works in the Westfield district, where three establishments will handle 16,000 lambs daily in the peak of the season, it is estimated that aproximately 1000 additional hands will be required. Many of thfe men employed at the works last season have since been called up for service and are now in camp, while others have gone to work on the wharves and in other essential industries. The managements have declared their requirements, and it is understood that steps are being taken by the Army authorities and the Industrial Manpower Department to arrange for the release of men necessary to staff the industry during the season,

Trend of the Times.

“Never did so much do so little. It takes a lot of money to go a little way,” observed the Mayor of Masterton, Mi’ T. Jordan, with a smile, at last nights meeting of the Borough Council. Hotel Gutted by Fire. The Exchange Hotel, one of the oldest hostelries in the Reefton district, was completely gutted before midnight on Monday. Mr F. G. Lynch, the proprietor, and his family escaped in what they stood up in. The Princess Theatre adjoining was badly damaged. Order of St John Conference. Mrs A. F. Stewart, commandant' of the voluntary aid detachment, Order of St John, is today attending a conference in Wellington. This conference, which it is anticipated will have an important bearing on the future of the St John voluntary aid movement in New Zealand, will be attended by provincial commandants throughout New Zealand. Dance at College Hall. In our report of a discussion at the meeting of the Wairarapa College Board of Governors on Monday evening on the subject of a military dance held in the College Assembly Hall, the Act-ing-Principal of the College (Mr F. J. Gair) was credited with the statement that he had rung the “officer in charge of the military unit concerned” and told him that the dance had been far from satisfactory. Mr Gair’s actual reference was to the officer in charge of the arrangements for the dance, and not to the officer in charge of the military unit concerned. E.P.S. Defaulters. The failure of many persons to fulfil their obligations to enrol in the E.P.S. was the subject of a warning by the Minister of Civil Defence, Mr Wilson, yesterday. He described such default as “either gross carelessness or deliberate shirking of duty in a national crisis,” and said that action was being taken to enforce compliance with the regulations. Mr Wilson reminded employers of their obligation to see that employees were enrolled in the E.P.S. and Home Guard. As defaulters had ample notice of their obligation to enrol the authorities were determined to prosecute in cases of failure to enrol, whether the fault lay with employers or employees. '