LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, 4 February 1927, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Twenty-seven motor vehicles were registered at the Masterton Post Office in January.

Excellent progress is being made by the Wairarapa South County with the forming of a bitumen road on the main highway south from the Waingawa boundary, the new work so far having reached Norfolk Road.

The committee of the Whatman School will hold a picnic for the scholars of the school on Saturday, at the Solway Showgrounds. The annual prize-giving ceremony will take place at the picnic.

Matters in connecrioii with the proposal to form a company in the Pirinoa district to establish a lime crushing plant are at a temporary halt, as another expert opinion is to be taken this month before anything definite is decided upon.

A fire at Huntly (Waikato) yesterday destroyed residences occupied by Messrs J. Magill and P. Sefton, miners, and 11. Kinnaard, taxi proprietor. The three residences were side by side and beyond the water area of the township. The furniture in Kinnaard’s and Sefton’s was removed to safety.—(P.A.) The Masterton County Council has completed the resurfacing of the portion of the road between the end of the new road at Solway and the Waingawa Bridge. There is now a paved surface through the heart of the borough from Lansdowne right to the Waingawa River.

Fire practically destroyed a fourroomed dwelling in Warden Street, Opoho (Dunedin), shortly before 4 a.m. yesterday. The house was owned and occupied by F. J. Heise and was insured for £5OO with the Victoria Company and the contents for £l5O with the South British Company.—(P.A.) A meeting will be held at Carterton to-day to make final arrangements for the first cull ccf.v drive of the season, which will collect cows from the Carterton district on Monday, February 7. Drives from Greytown and other centres will follow as soon after as possible.

The Department of Immigration has advised various farmers’ organisations in this district that numbers of experienced farm workers arrived from England by the Pakeha on January 28, and that more are due to-day by the Bimutaka and on Monday by the lonic. Any farmers seeking labour are requested io apply direct to the Immigration Office at Wellington.

Entries for the second annual fleece competition under the auspices of the Wairarapa Farmers’ Union are coming in well, and it is expected to reach last year’s total. Judging will take place before the Masterton Show, at which fixture the prize-winning fleeces will be exhibited. So far, Mr. W. Perry has been unable to secure the services of an associate expert owing to the frequency of wool sales. The improvements to the Opaki racecourse undertaken some weeks ago by the Masterton Racing Club as the result of the profit it made from the meeting which was hold at Trent ham, arc almost completed, the only work rem Uning “being the erection of a new rail around the track. The remodelling of the stewards’ stand is well in band, and. will be completed in time for the autumn meeting njx: month. An extraordinary meeting of the shareholders of the No. 2 Workers’ Mutual Benefit Building Society of Masterton was held last evening for the allocation of £4OO by sale by tender. Mr. R. Krahagen (chairman of directors) presided. Five tenders were received for the £4OO, and one of £193 was accepted. The chairman announced that an appropriation of £4OO by ballot and £4OO by sale would be held in March.

When the inter-colonial steamer Moeraki was leaving Dunedin at about 3 a.m. yesterday, it was found that one of the stokehold hands was missing. The rest of the stokehold crew demanded that the vacancy be filled, and the vessel was compelled to anchor outside the Hoads. Communication was established with the shore after daybreak, but several hours elapsed before another man was secured. The vacancy was eventually filled, and the Moeraki resumed her voyage shortly before 11 a.m., to Lyttelton, Wellington and Melbourne# —(P.A.) An excellent programme of music was played in the Park last *evening by the Municipal Band. There was a fair attendance of the public, but it is hoped that people will turn out in much larger numbers to hear the band concerts which are to bo given every Thursday evening during the next few months. Listening to the band is a very pleasant way of spending a sultry evening, and a good guidance of th* 1 public will encourage bandsmen to make the effort and sacrifice of time that are necessary in order that music of a high standard may be provided.

The high standard set by the London 4 ‘Times” in its special issues is well maintained in a- New Zealand Number, to be published on February 22, of which we have received an advance copy. The number is splendidly printed and illustrated on excellent paper and is a most interesting and comprehensive record of the presentday progress of the Dominion. Primary and secondary industries, scenes of tourist travel and sport, public works and hydro-eleetrip development, with many other aspects of the life of the Dominion in town and country all receive adequate attention. Our island dependencies also provide the subject matter for interesting articles and pictures. Special articles are contributed by the Prime Minister (Mr. Coates), the Hon. W. D. Stewart, Mr. C. E. Beale (British Trade Commissioner), Sir George Richardson, Viscount Jellicoe, Sir Andrew Russell, and Sir Alexander Godley. Descriptive matter apart, there are informative articles on trade, defence, and other questions, and an interesting account of previous Royal visits to the Dominion.