LOCAL AND GENERAL

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21223, 20 September 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Reserve Bank Return The weekly Reserve Bank return was not published in last night’s Gazette and will not be available for a day or two. Awarua Makes Record Beating her previous eastbound record of 7hrs 49mins, the Tasman flying-boat Awarua arrived from Sydney early yesterday afternoon after a flight of 7hrs 31mins. She carried nine passengers, with Captain Oscar Garden in command. Humid Weather Conditions in Hamilton this morning were rather humid and the mean temperature of 57 degrees is the highest recorded since the autumn. During the past 24 hours .02in. of rain fell, bringing the week’s total to .39in. Future Wage Orders General orders made by the Court of Arbitration under the rates of wages emergency regulations, 1940, will in future be extended to existing contracts of apprenticeship, according to an amendment to the regulations published with the Gazette. Record Gold Price The price of Australian gold a fine ounce has reached a record level of £lO 14s, representing a rise of Is 6d. The previous record price was £lO 13s 3d cn February 7 last. The price of sovereigns has risen 4d to £2 9s 3d, and the price a standard ounce (22 carats) advanced Is 44d to £9 16s 2d. At the time of the previous record price sovereigns were valued at £2 9s, and gold, a standard ounce, at £9 15s ssd. Kumara Imports The prohibition of the importation of kumaras into New Zealand without the consent of the Minister of Customs is contained in a customs import prohibition order, 1940, amendment No. 2, which is published in the Gazette. In future the Internal Marketing Department will control the importation, sale and distribution of overseas kumaras in the Dominion. Parcels for Troops The appeal by the Hamilton Women’s Patriotic Committee for tins of shortbread to include in the Christmas parcels for New Zealand troops overseas has met with a ready response. Hamilton’s quota of parcels is over 700, and the committee has well over 300 tins of shortbread in hand. As the parcels have to be packed and despatched without delay further donors are asked to send in their gifts as early as possible. In Brother’s Footsteps A Waikato youth is anxious to follow in his brother’s footsteps in taking a part in the war against Hitlerism. He is the brother of AbleSeaman E. V. Sherley, D.S.M., of Te Awamutu, who was decorated for his exploits in H.M.S. Achilles during the famous Battle of the River Plate, where he was injured. Young Sherley has enlisted with the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy and this week went through his medical, dental and educational examinations in Hamilton. Waggon Derailed An empty waggon on a goods train travelling from Whangarei to Auckland became derailed when the train was approaching Kaipara Flats about 4.50 yesterday afternoon. The train was stopped within a short distance of the mishap. Assistance was secured from a gang of railway workmen and the waggon was placed back on the rails, enabling the train to proceed after a delay of about two hours. Slight delays were caused to two mixed passenger and goods trains.

Dairy Production Increase An increase of 25 per cent in the quantity of butter manufactured during the current season is reported by the'Bay of Plenty Co-operative Dairy Association, Limited, Te Puke. For the period July-August, 1939, 162 tons were made, as against 253 tons for the same period this year. The company will pay out to suppliers today £16,258, a rise of £3844 over last year’s amount, when £12,414 was paid. This brings the pay-out for the current season to £21,196, against £17,120 for the same period last season.

New Zealand’s Flowers “I was much impressed when I first came to New Zealand by the variety and quality of the flowers you have here growing in the open without protection,” said Dr. W. A. Riddell, High Commissioner for Canada, at the Hutt Valley Horticultural Society’s spring show. “New Zealand is a land of flowers. There is more variety here than anywhere else I have travelled, which includes South America, and many places in the north temperate zone. At a time when we find so many nations organised to destroy and deface, it is helpful to know that there are people striving to assist Nature in the creation of something beautiful.” Volunteer Badges Since the introduction of the special volunteers’ badges for certain classes of volunteers for military service, 302 have been issued in the No. 4 (Hamilton) military area. According to a decision of the Government, announced yesterday, the issue will now be suspended except in the case of men who were entitled to the badge before the ending of voluntary enlistment on July 22, and who have not yet received one. They have been issued to men rejected as permanently unfit and also to volunteers who have been held back because they have been placed on reserved occupations. There is still a number of. men in the No. 4 area who, being in either of those two classes, are entitled to badges but have not yet received them. They may make application to the Army Office, Hamilton. Hitler Didn’t Arrive Hitler lived up to his name and did not make his appearance in the sale ring at the Waikato Combined Breeders’ Bull Fair at Claudelands yesterday. He was only a bull, but the name he bore was in stark contrast with the euphonious titles in which the other bulls rejoiced. Hitler, the bull, was not so named because he was a ferocious, snorting bovine terror, whose character was akin to that of his human namesake, but merely because his mother was named Jewess and the owner considered that the linking of the two names had its humorous side. Hitler, the bull, was really a placid animal and made no hostile demonstration when it was decided that he should be sold privately and not submitted to auction.