LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 August 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hibernian Golden Jubilee. The local branch of the Hibernian Benefit Society will celebrate its golden jubilee next weekend. Visitors are expected from all parts of the North Island for the banquet to be held on Saturday night.

Baking Industry Award. An increase of 5s a week in wages to journymen and increases on a slightly lower scale for juniors have been granted in the new Dominion award for the baking industry. In accordance with the court’s indication, the old hours of work, namely 44 a week, have been retained. The term of the award is two years. Hockey Tournament Donation.

The Principal of Wairarapa College desires to acknowledge with thanks a donation of £1 from sympathisers towards the travelling expenses of the first hockey eleven, who are to compete in the secondary schools hockey tournament to be held at Wanganui from August 22 to 27. German Cleanliness. "The countryside, cities and houses in Germany are spotlessly clean and tidy,” said Mr Gainor Jackson, while addressing the ■ Auckland Bureau of Importers. He added that it was an offence even to drop a cigarette end in the streets. Anyone detected doing so was liable to be fined on the spot by a policeman and ordered to pick up the article for transfer to a receptacle provided. Western Lake Road. “I want a good road, but I also want to keep the trees,” remarked Councillor R. W. Matthews at yesterday’s meeting of the Featherston County Council, when it was proposed to utilise unemployed labour in improving the Western Lake Road. The engineer, Mr H. F. Toogood, stated that instructions had been given to preserve all the scenic features .and to remove the minimum of growth. Councillor Matthews said he was ’ determined to do all in his power to prevent any but absolutely dangerous trees being removed.

White Slave Traffic,. A recent rumour that an occurrence said to have taken place in a Wellington theatre and involving a young woman indicated the presences of white slave traffickers in New Zealand has, if is understood, been thoroughly investigated by the Police Department. A member of the Society for the Protection of Women and Children in Wellington states that the subject was discussed at a meeting of members of the society yesterday and that information before the meeting disclosed that the police had interviewed some 200 doctors. There appeared to be no foundation for the rumour that white slave traffickers had been at work, she added. Travels of a Letter.

Warm compliments to the efficiency the Post and Telegraph Department were paid at the departmental reunion at Lower Hutt, but the Hon D. G. Sullivan introduced a new note when he was Mayor of Christchurch. He wrote to a friend from the Mayor’s room, he said, and about four and a half months later the letter was returned to him with the following note: —“Adressee cannot be found. —' Postmaster, Christchurch, England.” The audience was amused and the laughter was even louder when the Postmaster-General (the Hon F. Jones) said: “It is a wonder with your writing it ever came back.”

Whitebait Season in South. Since the whitebait season opened on August 1 in the Buller district there have been only a few small catches ranging from half-pints to four pints. The cold weather has not been favourable for a good run, but a fairly successful' season is predicted. It is not unusual for men in temporary employment to arrange for time off during the peak of the whitebait season. Last season was one of the best for some years at Westport, although no period has approached the days when the Maoris frequently caught from 10 to 15 kerosene tins full in an houi’ or two. The biggest catches are now made at Karamea, and in recent years advantage has been taken of aeroplane travel to make quick deliveries. Dominion’s Sheep Returns.

The practice of the Department of Agriculture in requiring sheep returns to be made as at April 30 each year was again criticised by members of the Canterbury Sheepowners’ Union at their annual meeting. Mr G. H. Grigg said that for years sheepowners had tried to have the date for the returns changed to June 30, as this change would enable a true record to be provided, but the reply had always been that adherence to the earlier date was required so that the returns might be included in the annual report, of the Department of Agriculture for presentation to the House of Representatives. On Mr Grigg’s motion, it was decided to ask the Meat Producers’ Board to attempt to have the date changed to June 30. I Anzac Dawn Parade. The dawn parade to be held in Auckland next Anzac Day will be led by the Governor-General, Viscount Galway, who has accepted the invitation extended by the Auckland branch of the Australian Imperial Forces ExServicemen’s Association. Advice to this effect has been received by the secretary of the branch, Mr N. R. Chapman, who has taken a prominent part in the movement to establish the dawn parade on the lines of that held in Australia. Lord Galway will pronounce the Anzac dedication, which was recited at the last Sydney dawn service by the Governor of New South Wales, Lord Wakehurst. The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage, will also be present at the service.