LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 August 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Drivers’ Licenses. A total of 128 drivers’ licences was issued by the Masterton Borough Council last month. In July of last year the total was 110. The Masterton County Council issued 46 licences in July this year, as compared with 44 in the same month last year. Outsize in Herrings. An outsize in herrings, having a length of 18 inches and a circumference of about seven inches, is reported to have been caught by Mr M. • Coakley, when he was fishing from the stern of the steamer Kiwitea, at Greymonth. Not This Year. "There are lazy relief workers, but there are lazy farmers, too,” said Mr J. G. Barclay, M.P., at New Plymouth. "And lazy politicians?” queried a member of the audience. “There are lazy businessmen, too,” continued Mr Barclay, “but no lazy politicians in election year.” Waterloo Plate. At the Waterloo Coursing meeting at Invercargill on Saturday, the Waterloo Plate resulted as follows: —Semifinals: Glen Eagle (Southland) beat Master Aromet (Invercargill), 3-2; Fairy Divot (Dunedin), beat Ajax (Southland), 3-0. Final: J. Wilson’s Fairy Divot beat J. Grindlay’s Glen Eagle, 3-0.

Measles and Non-smoking. “The incidence of measles among non-smokers in a Christchurch firm may possibly provide a good subject for an advertisement of a tobacco company, and also raise the question whether smoking provided immunity from this complaint. The firm in question, a reporter was told, has a staff of 36, and the eight employees who have contracted measles are . the only nonsmokers on the staff. Prehistoric Skull. .

Dr Robert Broome announces the discovery of a fossil skull at Sterkstroom, in Cape Province, which is probably most important to world history, inasmuch as it existed two million years ago, a cablegram reports. It is the nearest approach to man ever found among fossil anthropoids. The size of the brain is 600 cubic centimetres, and therefore it is definitely sub-human. Women Police.

Legislation will be introduced this session to permit the appointment of women police, as announced to a deputation some time ago by the Minister in charge of the Police Force, the Hon P. Fraser. The Minister stated on Saturday that only a small amendment to the Police Force Act would be required to give effect to this decision. The amendment would probably be inserted in a Statutes Amendment Bill or a Finance Bill.

Snowballing Popular. . The Wellington-Wairarapa main highway on the Wellington side and up to the Summit resembled a Wellington main street on a late shopping night yesterday . and on Saturday, when thousands of motorists made the trip to the Rimutakas, some to see the snow, others to become children again and engage in friendly snowballing fights with companions. Transport Department and Automobile Association officers, acted as “points duty”; men at the Summit on both days. There were the usual hold-ups, but no accidents beyond the minor mishaps of scraped mudguards or fenders. Dance at Tinui.

The combined Bible Classes of the Tinui district held their annual dance in the Tinui Hall recently, and there was a good attendance in spite of the inclement weather. Mr A. Buchan acted as M.C. The opportunity was also taken to farewell Mr and Mrs R. Atkinson, who are leaving the district. The Rev C. Dobbs, the vicar, spoke on behalf of the church members, and Miss Joan Perry presented Mrs Atkinson with a posy, and the pair with a crystal vase, on behalf of the Girls’ Bible; Class. Mr C. Wiseley also made a presentation of a silver entree dish on behalf of the younger members in the district. An Unenviable Experience.

An unenviable experience befell Mr J. H. Smith, manager of Hannah and Co.’s Pahiatua branch, on Friday night, when he was attacked by two men and received a bad shaking before being able to shake off his assailants. It appears that Mr Smith was making his way to his home in Cambridge Street soon after nine o’clock, when, without warning, two men sprang out from the hedge bordering Mr C. Isakson’s property, and dealt him a blow in the face, knocking him into the ditch. After a hectic melee in the muddy ditch, Mr Smith managed to escape, making off into Mr Isakson’s residence. Mr Smith states that he can give no reason for the attack, as his assailants made no attempt to search him, and the only missing article is Mr Smith’s hat. The police are making investigations.

Guaranteed Price. The announcement of the new guaranteed price for dairy produce for the season which opens today is expected within a fortnight, according to a statement made by the Minister of Marketing, the Hon W. Nash, in an interview on Saturday. Mr Nash said that the advisory committee under the chairmanship of Sir Francis Frazer had not yet completed its work. The committee sat in Wellington last week, but the members had returned to their homes for the week-end and would resume their sitting tomorrow. It was probable that the report would be made public at the time of the announcement of the price, but if not then, probably with the Primary Products Marketing Report, which was expected soon. Provision has been made, as it was last year, for the present price to continue until the new price is announced. i Work of Parliament.

The Budget debate in the House of Representatives, in which 30 speakers have so far taken part, may be expected to run for the whole of the coming week, as there has been no indication that the Government has any desire to hurry it along. It is possible, however, that toward the conclusion of this debate the sittings of the House may be extended to midnight. The social security legislation, which has been in the hands of the Law Draftsman, Mr J. Christie, for some time, should be reached in about a fortnight, and as it will be the major event of the session, and possibly of this Parliament, it will be awaited with the keenest interest not only by members of Parliament but by the people of New Zealand as a whole. It has been estimated that the passage of the Bill may occupy a full three weeks, and, if that is so, the remaining business of the session will have to be dealt with in quick time if the House is to adjourn by the end of September.

One Bankruptcy in July. , One bankruptcy was recorded in Wairarapa last month, making a total for the year of two.

Opening the Lake. An effort is being made by the South Wairarapa River Board today to open the outlet from Onoke Lake to the sea. A party of men is at work with a dragline scoop. The outlet has been closed since last Saturday week. Previously it had been open for five weeks. It has not been open for more than seven, weeks at a time, it is stated, during the last two years.

Accident Victims Progressing. Mr J. J. Reich, of Belmont Road, Lower Hut, who was seriously injured when the car he was driving was struck by the engine of a train at the Melling railway crossing on Friday, was reported late last night to be progressing satisfactorily. Mrs Reich, who was injured in the* same accident, was also reported to be making satisfactory progress. Mrs M. R. Johnstone, Upper Plain, Masterton, is a niece of Mr Reich, and is now visiting Lower Hutt.

Car Invades Shop. In a hurry to get away in a car, a thief caused a sensation in one of the main streets of Rotorua on Saturday when he drove a car across the footpath, smashing tne plate glass window of a stationer’s shop and scattering the stock in all directions. He then drove away at great speed to elude the efforts of Constable Quirke to stop him. The car had been left with the engine running and the thief apparently put it into reverse gear. A search is proceeding, a Press Association message states.

Victim of Crossing Smash. The man who was killed when the car of which he was the only occupant was struck by a train from Wellington at the West Street crossing in Palmerston North on Saturday is believed to have been Mr Arthur Gray, farmer, Okoia, Wanganui. A number of motorists and pedestrians saw the collision, and it seems that as Mr Gray approached the crossing he was unaware of the danger, though he passed two stationary cars which had stopped a few yards from the line. Just as Mr Gray’s car reached the line the engine hit the forward right-hand section of it, hurled it ahead and across the cat-tle-stop, and rolled the vehicle over twice. The victim was beyond aid when a doctor and the Free Ambulance arrived shortly after the collision. Mr Gray, who was aged 37, was a married man with two young sons. He was a farmer at Long Acre Valley, Okoia, and had lived there all his life. He was known in the district as “Kitchener’ Gray.