LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21196, 20 August 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Frost at Te Aroha Ten degrees of frost were recorded at the Te Aroha Domain yesterday morning. This was the first frost experienced in the district since the heavy rains. Renown Collieries Dividend A dividend of 7 per cent, on preference shares and lOd a share on ordinary shares, was approved at the annual meeting of Renown Collieries, Ltd., in Auckland yesterday. The report and balance-sheet (previously published) were adop + ed. Promotion of Airman Advice that his son, Flying-Officer Derek Ward, has been promoted to Flight-Lieutenant has been received by Dr. S. H. Ward, of Whangarei. Flight-Lieutenant Ward, who received his first instruction in flying at the Waikato Airport from FlightLieutenant W. H. Lett, and who secured his A license in Hamilton, was shot down in flames over Holland in May.

Workers’ Preference Several members of the executive of the Auckland Manufacturers’ Association expressed the view at a meeting yesterday that, because of the extra cost of living, large sections of workers would welcome the opportunity to work a 44-hour week at normal rates of pay for the extra four hours. It was again agreed to make representations on the subject to the Government.

Fire at Hillcrest Shortly after 4 p.m. yesterday the Hamilton Fire Brigade received a call to an outbreak of fire in a dwelling owned and occupied by Mr C. S. Sutton in Cambridge Road, Hillcrest. The fire originated in the hot water cupboard and travelled into the ceiling. On its arrival the brigade had to run out 600 feet of hose from the road to the building, but the fire was confined to the kitchen, the only damage being to the cupboard and the ceiling. Fog and Frost The town and outskirts of Hamilton were this morning enveloped in a dense, damp fog. Visibility was limited to a short distance until a late hour, and the sun was completely obscured, making conditions cold and damp. The fog, which arose late last night, was particularly dense about the banks of the river. A frost of 6.8 degrees was recorded at Ruakura this morning, while the Hamilton reading was 6 degrees. Snake in Camp In a letter to relatives in Hamilton, a member of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force in Egypt mentioned the killing on the previous day of a poisonous snake, an asp. This was the second of its kind which had been destroyed in the camp, and was about 2 feet in length. According to history the asp was the serpent which Cleopatra used to end her life and so avoid the disgrace of entering Rome a captive. Wool Council Election The following nominations have been received for the election of four "wool growers’ representatives on the New Zealand Wool Council: Sir William Perry, Masterton; Messrs H. D. Acland, Christchurch; G. J. J. Buchanan, Dannevirke; L. T. Daniell, Masterton; A. N. Hayes, Oamaru; L. Maclean, Hastings: A. B. Moore, Whangarei, G. C. Warren, Darfield. The sitting members are Sir William Perry and Messrs Acland, Maclean, and Warren. Pictures of Waikato Hunt The party of American newspaper men on their way to Rotorua on Saturday arrived in Cambridge just as the Waikato Hunt was leaving the Masonic Hotel after a breakfast. The pressmen stopped to take a number of pictures. Among the visitors was Mr Peter Edson, of Acme Newspictures Incorporated, which distributes pictures to hundreds of newspapers. He took a moving picture in colour of the followers and hounds. His last picture was taken kneeling in the middle of Duke Street, a hound obligingly posing.

Railway Goods Weights Criticism of the charges made by the Railway Department for checking weights of goods was made by the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce last night, and it was decided to make representations to the department. It was stated that weighs of goods on the charge dockets sometimes appeared to be excessive. If a consignee desired the weights to be checked, however, he had to pay a fee even if the check showed the railways to be in the wrong. Members expressed the opinion that in such a case no charge should be made, although they agreed that in cases where the original weights were shown to be correct the consignee should pay for the check.

Newspaper Habit The growth of the newspaper habit in England over the past 70 years was illustrated by Mr F. W. Doidge, M.P. for Tauranga, in an address on the British press to members of the Auckland Rotary Club yesterdaj'. Mr Doidge said that 70 years ago there were only three national papers in London and their total circulation was about 200,000. To-day the London newspapers with a national circulation sold a total of 12,000,000 copies daily. Of these papers, the Daily Express, owned by Lord Beaverbrook, had a net paid daily sale of 2,600.000 copies, while the Daily Herald had about 2,000,000 subscribers. On the other hand, the world-famous London Times, which was almost a national institution, had a circulation of less than 400,000. Clearing Postal Boxes A decision to ask the post office authorities to delay the final clearance of Hamilton street boxes in the business areas in the evening for another hour until 6 p.m. was made at the monthly meeting of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce last night. Mr A. M. Bisley stated that the 5 p.m. clearance was of great inconvenience to the business community and it was difficult to complete the day’s mail by that time. Petrol was being wasted "by private cars travelling to Frankton to send mail on the express. The acting-postmaster at Hamilton, Mr C. E. Brian, stated that the change had been one of the war economy measures. Ten per cent of Post and Telegraph Department staffs had volunteered for active service, and the staff could not be provided for working the long normal hours. Petrol had also to be saved by fewer clearances. Mr Brian suggested that businessmen could cooperate in the war effort and re-ar-range their business to fit in with the new hours of clearance.