LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 May 1938, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Frost in Masterton. A frost of 8.7 degrees was registered in Masterton this morning. Veterinary Help. At a meeting at Pukekohe in connection with the outbreak of eczema among livestock, it was stated by an official of the Agricultural Department that in England the number of veterinary officers averaged one to every 14,000 head of livestock. In New Zealand the average was one to every 57,500 head. Loud-speakers Banned. A by-law to regulate the use of loud-speakers in public streets is being drafted by the Whangarci Borough Council. This pction follows complains received from business firms concerning the use of loud-speakers in the main business centre of the town during a carnival. Borough Housing. Replying to a questioner last evening. the Mayor (Mr T. Jordan) said: "The outgoing council considered the matter of launching a housing scheme, but it was decided that it was not desirable that we should take on the job of landlords. The council co-operated to the fullest extent with the Government in its housing scheme.” Local Body Elections.

Speaking at a meeting in the Opera House last night. Mr G. W. Morice, a candidate for the Borough Council, expressed the opinion that May was not the best time of the year in which to hold local body elections. Many teachers and parents, he said, were away during the school holidays, and in consequence were disfranchised. No “Hansom” Profit.

A Sydney paper says:—“A group of visiting New Zealand Diggers have found that, in Sydney, hansom cabs don’t pay. When they arrived they clubbed together and bought a hansom cab for £2O. They engaged a cabby to ply for hire, and sat back to watch the money roll in. A few days before they left the gross takings amounted to 2s 6d.” East Coast Railway Repair.

Approximately 100 men are engaged in repairing the Napier-Eskdale section of the East Coast railway, which was damaged by the flood. With the aid of a steam crane workmen are taking up twisted rails and relaying the track. Although no official reports have yet been made, it is unlikely that the line to Wairoa will be open for some months. The rebuilding of the Esk bridge is probably the biggest work to be undertaken, and this is certain to take some time.

Telephoning Overseas. ■ New Zealand’s telephone system through the overseas radio channel to Australia and the United Kingdom gives a remarkably wide range of communication which New Zealanders utilise quite substantially. No fewer than 1725 radio calls have originated in one year from the Dominion, the increase over the previous year being over 57 per cent. Of the 1725 calls, 632 were to Australia and 158 to the United Kingdom, while in the same period 885 were made from Australia and 50 from the United Kingdom.

Jigger Struck by Train. The Wanganui police are at present investigating the presence of a railwayjigger oh the railway line near Fordell station on Thursday night. It is not believed that the matter is serious, the jigger probably having been placed there as an act of mischief. The jigger was struck by a train passing through Fordell on Thursday night, although the driver was apparently not aware that he had struck anything. It was found lying broken on the station platform when employees arrived at work on Friday morning, and from marks along the concrete kerbing of the platform it appeared that the jigger had been left on the line and pushed along by the train some distance before being thrown clear.

Liquor at Dances. The consumption of liquor at dances, observed Councillor J. Ninnes last night, when speaking at the Opera House, was causing considerable concern, not only in Masterton, but all over the world. It was a very difficult matter to deal with. The remedy, he suggested, was chiefly in the home. Some of those who attended dances had already had a cocktail party in their own homes before they came to the dances. It was only one or two who were the worse for liquor and caused trouble. The Council gave a leaflet to all hirers of the municipal halls, asking them ot disallow the practice of people leaving and returning to the hall, and if they did, to make them pay a second time. That was the best the Council could do under the present conditions, and he considered there had been an improvement in the last 12 months.