LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 July 1938, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Clinic for Animals. The women’s auxiliary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is attempting to raise funds to provide an ambulance and clinic for animal welfare in the Wellington district. Already £lOB is available, but £5OO is needed for the success of the venture. Success at Poultry Show. At the Hutt Poultry Association’s show last wek, Mr Wally Harding, of Masterton, was very successful with his English Game entries. He secured five firsts and a third. One of his birds was declared to be the champion bird of the show. He also won other honours, exhibiting the best game bird and the best fancy bird in the show. “Not So Savage.” In Te Aroha’s main thoroughfare the other day, two ancient Maoris were discussing the political situation. Their conversation was loud and somewhat vehement at times, and could be distinctly heard some yards away. “Well,” said one, “I think Mick Savage a good rangatira.” The other amused bystanders by retorting: “I think Gordon Coates the rangatira; he not so savage.” New State Houses. The new State houses just completed in Cornwall Street were thrown open to public inspection yesterday, when some hundreds of people took the opportunity of viewing the dwellings. The interest shown in the houses was somewhat remarkable, and the scene at the locality was akin to people flocking to a picture theatre rather than to inspect a dwelling. Social Security. It is anticipated that the report of the Parliamentary Committee which investigated'the Government’s social security proposals will be tabled this week. The report is awaited with keen interest, for it is expected to give a fair indication of the nature of the superannuation and health service legislation, which is to be the most important measure this session. Enjoyable Scout Evening. An enjoyable social was held by the Mo Katoa Scout Group at their den in Dixon Street on Saturday evening. Games and competitions were indulged in, while the Scouts contributed a number of excellent items. The ladies’ committee was in charge of the supper arrangements. The visitors included Mr J. Robertson, M.P., and Mrs Robertson. A very happy time was brought to a conclusion in the customary Scout manner. Charity Ball.

Although it will not take place until August 3, keen interest is already being taken in the Charity Ball, one of the most popular and enjoyable social events of the year. Energetic committees are busy with preliminary arrangements, and indications point to the ball again proving an outstanding success. Owing to the widespread popularity of the ball and its established reputation, it has been decided not to issue personal invitations this year. Plunket Medal Won by Chinese. A Chinese student, Mr W. Wafa, won the Victoria College Debating Society’s thirty-second annual Plunket Medal oratory contest for a prepared speech, held at the Town Hall Concert Chamber, Wellington, on Saturday night. Mr Wah spoke with 1 quiet sincerity of the tragic life of Wiremu Tamahana, Maori kingmaker. The contest was keen, and of a high, standard. Mr R. W. Edgley was placed second, Mr A. R. Perry third, of the eight speakers. Budget This Week. • There is a fairly general expectation that the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives will conclude about the middle of this week, and that the Budget will be introduced before the end of the week—not improbably on Thursday. Any remaining inevitable delay in the presentation of the Budget is said to relate purely to the printing of the Estimates. The House is likely to give some time, at afternoon sittings this week, to several minor Bills now before it.

High Entertainment Costs. “Previously we were able to hold our social evenings for £3 15s to £4, but expenses now amount to about £6,” said Mr E. P. J. Trevena, chief of the South Auckland Caledonian Society, at the annual meeting. With the charges now being enforced by the Musicians’ Union, and other increased costs, it was difficult to provide a social evening without a loss, Mr Trevena said. He added that the society was not the only body to suffer, as the situation had to be faced by every dance hall proprietor. Protection for Workmen.

As a measure of protection against injury from passing traffic, employees of the Auckland Transport Board engaged on track work have been provided with a red flax affixed to a short stick and held in position by a special belt. The flag is so arranged that when the man is bending at his work the flag is displayed on the side of oncoming traffic. The manager of the board, Mr A. E. Ford, states that these men were exposed to danger as they worked in the midst of traffic, and the flags had been supplied to minimise the risk.

Money for Chinese Relief. Details of how she spent money sent her from New Zealand to relieve distress in China were given by Miss E. M. Moore, formerly of the Church of Scotland Inland Mission, in a letter to Dunedin. “It realised 405.75 dollars, and it has assisted many in many varied ways,” Miss Moore wrote. ‘lt has bought medicines, cloth, disinfectant, passages home, water for returned and sick soldiers who had no money to buy tea en route up the river. Some had gone to Shanghai and Nanking, some in bedding, some in labour for the helpless, some in food for the starving. I enclose a letter from a Chinese gentleman asking for aid with his passage fare to Chien King, where work was awaiting him. The Government arranges with the shipping companies to pay half the steerage fare for such distressed folk, and we help with the other half, that is, we give lOdol (which just now is about 11s) for a passage of 460 English miles. The children can travel for nothing with their parents, so that for 40dol, of which I paid half (20dol), four parents and four children were taken to Chien King, which is about jd a mile.

The name of a dog entered in a recent show was Plum Jelly. Appropriately enough it was a Red Setter. The new recruit was quite hopeless. Everything he did was wrong, and, try as he would, his drill was just awful. The infuriated N.C.O. in charge of the squad had tried everything he knew. Now he could stand it no longer. “What were you before you joined the army?” he roared. “Very happy, corporal,” came the truthful but sad reply.