LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 4 March 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Sheep Being Transferred Large numbers of sheep are still being taken from Hawke's Bay to pastures where there is suffcient feed to support them, and many are passing through Palmerston North. Special trains and those scheduled to run only in a time of emergency continue to be used, and there appears to be no slackening of the demand on already over-taxed locomotives and rolling stock. Fair or Not? There was a brief discussion at a meetihg of the Foxton Borough Council last week on the fairness or otherwise of State house tenants voting at loan polls. It arose when the council decided to place before ratepayers a proposal to acquire a block of land. It will probably surprise many to learn that State house occupants have the same status as ratepayers. A Dry Month February in Levin was the driest month of the summer. Mr. H. Harvey records that rain fell on six days and the total for the month was 1:33 inches, as compared with 2.29 in February, 1945. The coldest temperature was at 6 a.m. on February 20, when the mercury fell to 33 degrees, while the highest registered was 81 degrees at 1 p.m. on February 14.

36-Hour Week Opposed The practice adopted by one or two employer's in the clothing industry of offering workers a 36hour week for a 40 -hour week's pay in order to retain labour is condemned by the New Zealand Federatioh of Labour. "This is one way of destoying stabilisation, and it may even cause disturbances in other industries," declared Mr. K. Baxter, national secretary of the New Zealand Federation of Labour. Cruiser at Dunedin On arrival at Port Chalmers on Friday afternoon was the cruiser Belfast, making her first contact with New Zealand. Some idea of her size and modern equipment were conveyed as she berthed, and great public interest attaches to the fact that she fired her first shells at Normandy beach on D-Day and took part in the historic action with the Scharnhorst. The cruiser leaves for Wellington on Wednesday.

Youth Drowned A youth was drowned at Aramoho when a small boat, of which he was the only occupant, capsized and sank in the Wanganui River late on Saturday afternoon. The victim was Cyril Ernest Crombie, aged 16, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. G. Crombie, of Plimmerton. He was on a visit to Wanganui. The boat was actually the wing tank of an aircraft, with a hole cut in the top, and large enough for only one. Crombie took the boat out for a short distance and was returning when it capsized about a chain off the bank. Crombie subsequently disappeared. The body was recovered yesterday morning near the locality of the accident. A Rainless Month For the first time in living memory no traceable rain fell during the month of February at Napier or Hastings. There were odd spots in both centres, but not sufficient to be recorded at either of the meteorological stations. The average rainfall for February at Napier is two inches and is slightly less at Hastings. The month also was notable for a record temperature of 7.5 degrees being recorded at Hastngs. At Hastings, the previous lowest monthly rain recording was 03in. in December, 1912. The lowest monthly recording for February previously was .11in. in 1937. In most parts of Hawke's Bay less than two inches of rain have been recorded during the past four months, which has been the driest spell in the history of the province. Methodist Garden Party A most successful garden party was held at Mr. and Mrs. A. W. Parton's residence on Saturday by the St. John's Methodist Ladies' Guild The afternoon was occupied in games and competitions, keenly contested and won as follows:— Treasure hunt, Rex. Bowater; nail driving, Rev. G. R. Harris; fishing, Mrs. E. Cowley (Foxton); straw competition, Ian Harris; cork spearing, Miss Betley (Feilding) ; and quoits, Mr. E. Cowley (Foxton) . The needlework, produce and other stalls did brisk business, effecting a total clearance. Visitors from the Foxton and Manakau Guilds were present while Otaki Guild forwarded a donation. After a dainty afternoon tea the visitors made a tour of the lovely gardens, which were greatly admired. Mrs. A. C. Kennerley heartily thanked Mr. and Mrs. Parton for lending their grounds, and presented Mrs. Parton with a posy. Butterfat Payments The serious consequences, which are a result of the prolonged drought, were discussed at considerable length at a meeting of the Cambridge Dairy Company when, on the motion of Mr. M. Wells, it was decided to send an urgent request to the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Roberts) to make an immediate announcement of what help could be given to farmers who are faced with the loss of their herds. Viewing the present conditions as a national disaster, the directors asked that a supplementary payment of at least 4d a lb. for butterfat supplied over the whole season up to January 31 be paid to purchase fodder to enable herds to be carried over until the opening of the next season. The directors considered that the Earthquake Fund be utilised. It was also pointed out that there was a balance of £7,000,000 in the Dairy Industry Account. ■ . I