LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 June 1938, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Free Land and Free Men. The attraction which British countries have for oppressed minorities in Europe is again emphasised in a letter received in Auckland in which a Budapest artist proclaims a desire to live in New Zealand because “I wish only to live in a free land together with free men.” Fewer Motorists in Court. A considerably smaller number of motorists than usual appeared in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court on Wednesday, when approximately 70 defendants were fined for various offences. In recent weeks as many as 150 motorists have been fined in a single day. Defence Aircraft. No difficulty is anticipated by the authorities in obtaining delivery when required of the 30 Vickers Wellington aircraft ordered- by the Government for the Royal New Zealand Air Force. In his speech at Dargaville about a fortnight ago, the Minister of Defence, the Hon F. Jones, announced that the Government had approved of the formation of two new operational stations —one at Ohakea, near Feilding, and the other probably at Whenhapai—and that the aircraft would be flown to the Dominion as the stations were ready to receive them. Mr Jones said last evening that he anticipated that the work at Ohakea would be completed early next year. There was the levelling of the ground and the construction of hangars to be carried out as well as the training of personnel. By the time Ohakea was ready there should be no difficulty in obtaining an initial instalment of the aircraft ordered from England.

Farmers’ Union Ball. The annual ball of the Carterton branch of the Farmers’ Union, which is to be held in the King’s Theatre (next to the Showgrounds), Carterton, on Monday, June 13, promises to be a most enjoyable gathering of its kind. In past years this ball has proved very popular. An excellent programme has been arranged, and Udy's Orchestra will supply the music. Masterton Band Concert. The Masterton Municipal Band will play the following programme in the Hospital grounds tomorrow afternoon, commencing at 2 o’clock: —March, “Boomerang” (White); valse, “Queen of the South” (Trussell); trombone solo, “Mercury” (Greenwood); march, “Arethusa” (Newton); fox trot, “Ten Pretty Girls” (Kennedy); valse, “Fleur de Lis” (Lithgow); march, “Winsford” (Greenwood); fantasia, “Minstrel Melodies” (Bourne); march, “Perseverance” (Mogg). Devotional Exercises. The New Zealand Educational Institute being against the holding of devotional exercises in schools, the Otago branch, at its annual meeting yesterday, decided that the present opportunity afforded teachers to conduct devotional exercises before the daily opening of school work should not be interfered with. The following motion was carried: “That this annual meeting of the Otago branch of the New Zealand Educational Institute is of opinion that the opportunity afforded by boards, with the concurrence of school committees, to conduct devotional exercises in schools for five minutes before the daily opening, should not be interfered with.”