LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 August 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hutt Gun Dog Trials. There will be several local competitors at the Hutt Gun Dog Trials on Saturday next. In view of the North Island Gun Dog Championships, to be held in Masterton on the following Saturday and Sunday, August 27 and 28, the Hutt meeting will have a special interest. Killings at Abattoir. The following stock was slaughtered at the Masterton Municipal Abattoir during July: Cattle. 578; calves, 182; sheep, 1683; lambs, 109; pigs, 100. Receipts for the month totalled £292 2s 6d, leaving outstanding £319 18s 7d. Killing fees were £26 12s 7d lower than those for July of last year. To date, the fees were £l4l 6s 3d lower than those for the corresponding period of last year.

Optimist Club. The Chief Smiler, Optimist Frank Gillions, presided at the usual weekly meeting of the Masterton Y.M.C.A. Optimist Club last night. Following tea and a sing-song, a most interesting address on “Psychology” was given by Mr H. R. Keltie. On the motion of Optimist A. E. Bate, a hearty vote of thanks was accorded the speaker. Next week, two club members will deliver short addresses.

Taste in Carpets. The taste of New Zealanders in carpets was complimented by Mr T. C. H. Lea, a representative of Carpet Trades, Ltd., Kidderminster, who has arrived in Christchurch, during a business tour of the Dominion. He said that the “appalling” modern designs of the more extreme kind had never been accepted to the same extent in New Zealand as in England, where, however, they were now beginning to lose favour. New Zealanders preferred more restful floral designs and tone on tone colourings. Mawley Park.

During July 9 motorists availed themselves of the facilities at Mawley Park motor camp. Fees paid to the Town Clerk amounted to 15s. The custodian suggested in his report to last night’s meeting of the Borough Council that a small sand corner be made together with a swing for the amusement of children camping with their parents. Councillor G. D. Wilson, chairman of the Parks Committee, stated that the committee did not consider a swing or a sand corner desirable.

Chicago a Quiet City. Contrary to what might be expected of Chicago in view of its record of crime, that city is now one of the quietest and most law-abiding in the United States, said Mr J. B. Bayley, of Fernside, Rangiora, who has returned from a tour of America. After dusk, Mr Bayley said, motorists were not allowed to sound their horns. Larrikinism, too, had almost disappeared. In spite of its quietness,' however, Chicago remained a busy industrial centre, with aeroplanes and trains arriving every seven minutes and three minutes, respectively. Licensing Showmen.

A standard set of bylaws for the licensing and control of sideshowmen had been adopted by 25 associations, stated a letter from the Royal Agricultural Society received at Monday’s meeting of the Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association. A licence fee of £1 for showmen and 2s 6d for attendants and other controlling provisions were included in the regulations which these associations were to put into force this year. The secretary, Mr H. Kissling, said that since the letter was received the Manawatu association had fallen into line with the proposals. Billiards and Snooker.

Further games in the Y.M.C.A. Cup competition for billiards and snooker were played last night, when St Patrick’s Club beat Post Office by 6 games to 4. The details are as follow, St Patrick’s players being mentioned first in every instance: —Billiards: L. Rees lost to J. Dunbar, F. O’Connor lost to B. Thompson, M. Remine beat H. Worthington, F. Dwyer beat H. Marsh, J. Curry beat W. Miller. Snooker: L. Rees beat J. Dunbar, F. O’Connor beat B. Thompson, M. Remine beat H. Worthington, F. Dwyer lost to H. Marsh, J. Curry lost to W. Miller. Tomorrow Daniell’s will play Y.M.C.A. A, and next Tuesday the former will meet St Patrick’s Club.

Visitor Impressed. Speaking of his visit to the Wairarapa College yesterday afternoon, Mr Gregory Koshnitsky said that he had visited most of the colleges in Australia and New Zealand, but found none that so impressed him as regards modern equipment as the Masterton institution. The general atmosphere of efficiency, said Mr Koshnitsky, was striking and refreshing. Both the academic and technical sides of education had been excellently provided for, and the keen, happy interest of both masters and students was most noticeable. Mr Koshnitsky was especially interested in the workshop, and considered it the most up-to-date and splendidly equipped of its kind in the southern hemisphere.

Fijian Fire-walkers. Notification has been received that Fiji intends to participate in the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition. Whether the colony will erect its own separate pavilion, or what form its exhibit will take, has not been announced. It is possible that it will comprise a native house, complete with inhabitants, as at the Dunedin exhibition, or that as at the Christchurch exhibition, the famous firewalkers of Mbenga will attend. The fire-walkers belong to a single tribe, who alone of the Fijians possess this curious accomplishment. They are natives of the small island of Mbenga, about 30 miles from Suva, and frequently they visit that port and demonstrate the rite for the edification of tourists.

The Mountain Fatality. Two police constables and 12 tampers left Wellington yesterday morning to recover the body of Mr Arthur Fredric, aged 22, Queen’s Drive, Lyall Bay, who collapsed and died near the Alpha Hut in the Tararua Ranges on Sunday. Mr Fredric was a member of a party of six tampers from the Victoria University College Tramping Club. ' The party endeavoured to cross the ranges from Kaitoke by the Hector Track to Otaki Forks, but had to turn back because of the bad weather. The party, which left Wellington yesterday, was fully equipped, arid intended goirig to the Alpha Hut by way of Kaitoke. They expected to reach the hut last night, and will probably get back to Kaitoke at about 5 o’clock this afternoon. No members of the original tramping group accompanied them.