"profiteering'' from the sale of medicines on the Island.

He knew from his own experience that the same medication could cost $10 in the States and $30 in Bermuda, he said.

Mr. Wade also said there was a "crisis'' in accommodation for elderly people.

Government could not go on using St. Brendan's as a place to put them, he said.

Mr. Wade also criticised the "bizarre'' method he understood was used to hand out Government drugs to elderly people.

"Hours and hours are spent getting a simple aspirin from the Government.'' WOMAN AVOIDS CONTEMPT CHARGE CTS A woman who told a magistrate he was "hopeless'' narrowly avoided being charged with contempt of court yesterday.

Wilhelmina Smith, of Redcoat Lane St. George's, was abrupt and rude in her replies to acting Senior Magistrate the Wor. John Judge.

Mr. Judge was reading out the charges that Smith drove a motorcar on Kindley Field Road on November 5 while she was disqualified and without third party insurance.

"The next time you answer me like that I will hold you in contempt of court,'' Mr Judge said.

"You're hopeless,'' Smith retorted.

A social worker intervened, explaining that Smith was undergoing treatment for stress. Mr. Judge asked for a social inquiry report.

He then disqualified Smith for another for eighteen months.

RETAIL SALES UP FIN Stores are still losing out because of Bermudians shopping in the United States for Christmas.

And Chamber of Commerce Retail Section chairman Mr. Bobby Rego is trying to encourage local people to shop at home.

Overseas purchases for September added up to a total of $2.08 million worth of goods, an increase on last year of more than seven percent.

Mr. Rego said: "I am disappointed about overseas spending. And we are going to see more of it because of the lower air fares.'' Overall retail sales increased by more than eight percent from the previous September with gross turnover at $39.7 million.

PARADE APOLOGY GVT The Corporation of Hamilton yesterday apologised to people over the cancellation of a Front Street musical display.

The Bermuda Regiment Band's performance was called off because there were no traffic barriers.

Some 200 people -- many of them visitors -- had turned out to enjoy Wednesday night's event.

Yesterday Mr. Roger Sherratt, secretary of the Corporation of Hamilton, apologised to the public.

He also said he would be sending an apology to Regiment commanding officer Lt.

Col. Allan Rance.

Mr. Sherratt accepted the Corporation normally put out Police barriers for beat retreat ceremonies and musical displays.

"The Bermuda Regiment did advise us of their musical display schedule some months ago, but unfortunately, no-one from either the Corporation or the Police realised there was a display last Wednesday evening and the barriers were not put out.'' TV STUDIO NIXED PLN DeFontes Broadcasting Ltd.'s bid to turn a transmitting station in the middle of a golf course into a television studio has been rejected by the Development Applications Board.

DeFontes, which operates VSB Channel 11 and three radio stations, had illegally turned its Barker's Hill, Devonshire facility into a studio and control room.

When the change of use came to Government planners' attention, an enforcement notice was issued against DeFontes.

While DeFontes had Planning permission for the transmitting station, it did not have permission to turn it into a television studio.

DeFontes submitted a change-of-use application on March 1, but the DAB this week turned it down.

The DAB said the proposed change of use constituted a form of development which was not permitted in an area zoned "recreation''.