LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 November 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Plentiful Supply of Fish. Large supplies of fish have been reaching Auckland this week and quantities came to Wellington for sale. One fisheries company reported that it was the firm’s best season since 1937. The season is at its height now and good quality flounders are particularly abundant. Schnapper is also available in large quantities. The Liquor Question. Gratification at the intention of the Government to set up a Royal Commission on the liquor question was expressed by the North Canterbury, District Synod of the Methodist Church this week in Christchurch. Synod approved a request to the general conference of the Church, which will be held in Dunedin in February, to urge universal introduction of the local nolicence issue.

A False Telegram. A young woman who was flown from Hobsonville to Hamilton and granted 13 days’ leave was at Auckland yesterday fined £5 by Mr F. H. Levien, S.M., in a charge of inciting a woman friend at Cambridge to commit the offence of wilfully causing a false telegram to be sent. Accused, Ruth Violet Mclnness, did not appear, but counsel pleaded guilty on her behalf. Senior Detective Walsh said that accused, aged 21, was a W.A.A.F. The telegram sent from Cambridge, said: “Come immediately; Jessie dying, Waikato Hospital-. Can you mind the children.— Frank.” The Air Force immediately arranged for W.A.A.F. Mclnnes to be taken by plane to Hamilton on eight days’ leave. Later it was extended to 13 days. Subsequently the Air Force authorities discovered the telegram was false, and that- none of the accused’s were in the hospital. Single Men and the War. “Is it your opinion that a single grade 1 man should not be sent to the war if he is making ploughs, though a married man with three children may have to go in his place?” was a question put to the munitions liaison officer, Mr Barrett, by the Crown representative, Mr W. F. Tracey, when appeals for 12 emplayees of V/. H. Price and Company were heard by the Armed Forces Appeal Court at Christchurch yesterday. “That is the attitude of my Department,” replied Mr Barrett. He added that he had been instructed to urge the retention of all types of engineers regardless of whether' they were married or single. “I don’t follow this,” said Mr Tracey. He added that there had been men from the top of the political world to the bottom saying that the single men were to go. “Has this been made public?” he asked. “I don’t, think so. Why should it?” answered Mr Barrett. “Because the public should know that though it is drummed in every month by politicians that single men must go there is at least one Department that is not prepared to accept that principle in its decisions,” said Mr Tracey. In all cases the decision was reserved.

Large Sum of Money Raised. Realising £2300, the street appeal in Wellington yesterday by the Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen’s Association for blind servicemen and orphan children was over 100 per cent better in the results than last year’s collection. W.A.A.C. Drummers. Advice has been received by the Wairarapa Interhouse Association that included in the well known Trentham Military Band which will play at the gala weekend will be W.A.A.C. drummers. The drummers are stated to be very smart and are sure to attract considerable attention. Interhouse Marching Contest. Keen interest is being taken in the Wairarapa Interhouse Association’s drill and marching competition, to be held in Masterton on November 27. There is stated to be a splendid spirit of friendly rivalry .between the teams, which should ensure strong competition for the marching honours. High Poultry Prices. Though poultry is fairly plentiful in Auckland, the retail prices have made it a luxury food. Prices for chickens range from 8s 6d to 17s 6d, but smaller and inferior birds may be obtained at lower charges. Some shops were selling turkeys this week at from 17s 6d to 255. Special quality turkey gobblers have been bringing much higher rates. It is expected that the prices of poultry at Christmas will be much the same as they are now. Juvenile Crime. “I sometimes wonder whether the citizens of New Zealand are doing their best to relieve the position,” said Mr Allan J. Moody at Auckland when referring to the prevalence of juvenile delinquency. He was appearing in the Supreme Court for two youths who had admitted more than a score of charges of breaking and entering and theft. He said that the kind of piffle that came over the air glorifying gangsters and similar stuff to be seen in the pictures should not be permitted.’ Some effort should be made to prevent that poisonous kind of stuff going forth to young boys. Several Thousand Eggs Destroyed. Four traffic inspector,s one military policeman, three workers with good stiff brooms and a fire hydrant were in action at the intersection of Bunny and Featherston Streets, Wellington, at about 11 a.m. yesterday when an accident, bad in its implications for the kitchen front, occurred. The casualties were several thousand eggs belonging to Combined Distributors, Ltd. The financial loss involved is estimated at between £3O and £4O. Piled high with crates of eggs, a motor-truck was swinging round the corner when some 70 crates containing more than 25,000 eggs parted company from the remainder and crashed on to the roadway. Yolks spurted everywhere under this violent treatment. Thousands of scrambled eggs which had come all the way from Canterbury slid round in a sticky mess.