LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 May 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Queen Mary’s Birthday Today. His Excellency the Governor-Gen-eral has dispatched the following message to Queen Mary:—“The Government and peoples of New Zealand, with whom my wife and I wish to associate ourselves, tender to your Maesty respectful congratulations and good wishes on the occasion of Your Majestys Birthday—(Signed) C. L. N. Newall.”

School Leaving Age. Surveys are now being carried out in the main centres of New Zealand to determine the number of children involved and the probable effect of raising the school leaving age to 15 years. Legislation is to be introduced in Parliament this session dealing with the matter, as was intimated some time ago by the Minister when speaking in the South Island.

Milk Rationed in Auckland.

Rationing of milk started in Auckland today, but it is hoped the reduction will not be greater than 5 or 10 per cent to householders, shops, milk shops, and milk bars. Supplies to hospitals and the younger school children, and also the armed forces, will be maintained, while in the case of invalids and babies special arrangements can be made with vendors. The rationing is being undertaken largely because of the dry seasonal conditions.

Increased Wages Wanted. At a largely attended meeting of the Hutt Railway Workshops employees the following resolution was adopted unanimously: “The continued increase in railway revenue and the sustained effort being made by railway workers to cope with this increase over a period of nearly three years calls for immediate recognition. This general meeting of workshops employees, realising the false position under which workshops men are working, namely, long hours t and low wage rates, calls upon the Government and Cabinet to rectify our long-standing grievances, and before stabilisation is brought into being an all-round wages increase of 6d an hour be granted to workshops men to give them equality with other workers. this increase to include apprentices.”

Wheatgrowers’ Problems.

The problems facing the wheatgrowers because of increased costs were discussed at a conference at Ashburton of delegates from the main South Island wheat-growing centres, who, while expressing dissatisfaction with the' current prices, affirmed their determination to meet New Zealand’s wheat requirements for the war if humanly possible, and recommended the United Wheatgrowers’ Association to place before the War Cabinet through the Minister the many difficulties facing the industry, including labour, wages, conservation of soil fertility, supply and maintenance of machinery and waste at the consumer end. The conference recommended payment of a bonus of £2 an acre on all land sown in wheat.