LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Summer Time. Summer time will come into operation on Sunday, when the clocks will be advanced half an hour. Householders will probably find it most convenient to adjust their timepieces before retiring for the night on Saturday. State Houses in Masterton. A contract for the construction of eight single-house units and one two-house unit in Masterton has been let by the Government to Jenkins Brothers. Rural Reticulation. It was decided at yesterday's meeting of the Wairarapa Electric Power Board that deputations be arranged to county councils within the board’s area to explain the board’s policy with regard to rural reticulation and to ask that where possible county cottages be made “all electric homes.” Band Concert at Park. Weather permitting, the Masterton Municipal Band will give an open air concert in the Park on Sunday afternoon, commencing at 2.45 o’clock. The concert announced for last Sunday was postponed owing to adverse weather conditions, so that the programme for Sunday will be that arranged for the previous concert. Visit of Minister. When the Minister of Education, the Hon P. Fraser, visits Masterton next Thursday he will be asked to meet the Wairarapa College Board of Governors and discuss matters relating to the College and the Hostel which have been outstanding for some time. A proposal will also be put forward regarding additions to the Hostel to accommodate girls. Excelsior Hockey Club. The Excelsior ladies’ hockey club has had a very successful season, probably the best in its career. Besides having secured the senior and junior championships the club won the six-a-side senior and junior tournaments. The club will play the finals for the Kia Toa and Morris Challenge cups tomorrow. A number of trophies have been donated to the club, and these will be presented to the respective winners at the club’s championship dance in the Arcade Hall tomorrow night. Echo-Sounder in Mission Ship. An electric echo-sounding device is to be installed in the Melanesian Mission ship Southern Cross before she leaves Auckland for the New Hebrides at the end of the month. When the instrument is in use continuous readings are given of the depth of water. As the vessel has to negotiate treacherous and badly-charted stretches of water the device will be a valuable protection. A similar instrument is being installed in the Auckland Harbour Board’s pilot launch Waitemata.

Began Life in Prison. A humorous remark, which brought a humorous reply, was made by the Rev. A. C. Watson when introducing Dr. Ralph S. Harlow, of Massachusetts, at the Christchurch Rotary Club’s luncheon. Speaking of Dr. Harlow’s qualifications, Mr Watson said that the visitor’s best qualification was, that he had begun his career as a minister of the Presbyterian Church. (Laughter). “I began my life iti I prison,” replied Dr. Harlow, amid laughter. “My grandfather was warden of a large prison, and I was born in the warden’s house.”

Mr Savage’s Health. One of the reports coming from all over New Zealand, the Rt Hon M. J. Savage stated in his address in Wellington last night, was that the Government was hurrying on the election because he as Prime Minister would pass away before election day. (Laughter). One swallow did not make a summer, and if he did pass away New Zealand would still survive. Mr Savage said he was hoping to live long enough to see the reactionary forces of the country smashed. If he could see the reactionary forces of New Zealand smashed for all time he would be ready to die then and he would die in peace.

Second Arbitration Court. The New Zealand Federation of Labour is not proceeding with the calling of nominations from its affiliations to fill the vacancy on the Second Court of Arbitration caused by the resignation of Mr A. W. Croskery, the workers’ representative. This decision is regarded as indicating that the term of existence of the court, which expires in November, will not be extended. It is understood that Mr Croskery, whose resignation was to take effect from the end of September, will continue with the court until the work it has in hand is cleared up. The court went into recess at the beginning of this month to adjudicate on outstanding disputes, of which there were 12. Since then two awards have been issued. Carpenters’ Dispute. When the hearing of the application for a Dominion award for carpenters, joiners and joiners’ assistants was resumed at Wellington yesterday, settlement was reached on a number of clauses. The major matters referred to the court were wages, the term of the award and suburban and country work... The >following clauses ■ in; the present award were agreed to:—Hburs of. work; overtime; .general provisions with the exception of that relating to work in water; piece work; meal money and other machinery clauses. It was agreed to allow the exemption of parties provided in the present award to continue, but to call a special conference of representatives of county councils and other local bodies and the workers’- assessors to discuss general conditions of work. House Shortage. When approached yesterday, a leading Wellington land anu estate agent said that house-hunger in Wellington was as keen as ever it was. “It was bad enough last year,” he said, “but it is even worse this year. It is quite common to be offered a premium by people in search of a house of any quality at all. I have been offered several premiums lately. The agent said that most of those employed in the building trade were working for the contractors, for the most part those who were erecting State houses. “By starting the State houses, the Government has smashed a big industry in New Zealand,” he said. "Speculative builders have been pushed out. None of them would think of embarking upon any kind of building programme until they see how the cat’s going to jump next month.”

Decision Reserved. The Heathcote County Council has not yet committed itself either to rejecting or supporting the proposal to enlarge and improve the Canterbury Museum as the province’s memorial of the Dominion centenary in 1940. “Now that South Canterbury has pulled out from the scheme the position is altered materially,” said the chairman, Mr A. G. Williams. He added that he did not think the special representative subcommjttee now examining the position had gone far enough for the Heathcote County to express an opinion one way or the other. The meeting agreed to pay its allocated share of the cost of the provincial court at the centennial exhibition and of the cost of the publication of a history of Canterbury, but reserved its decision about the provincial memorial.

Contented Scandinavians. “The Scandinavians are the people who are calmest through all the strain in Europe,” said Miss Gwladys Byrne, the representative of a New York firm, who was in Christchurch recently, and who was in Europe at the time of the German putsch in Austria. “Scandinavians are interested in wha.t is going ■on but they have no wish to be involved.- They;are maintaining a progressive and industrious regime, and are taking from outside only what can be good for themselves. They have found the solution to contentment.” The Dutchman is very heavily taxed though, according to Miss Byrne. Queen Wilhelmina was a very good queen, but she drove a hard "bargain with her subjects. However, she had succeeded in making Holland self-supporting.

Fish Skeleton at Balfour. An interesting discovery has been made at the Balfour lime works, Southland, at a depth of about 12ft. This is the complete skeleton of a fish between six and seven feet long and two and three feet in depth. The vertebrae of the backbone aie between four to five inches thiough. Since the works have been in operation at Balfour several complete and well-preserved sea shells have been found from time to time, these in some cases being of the same species as those found today in Stewart Island waters. The discovery of the fish skeleton has caused wide interest in the district, and Mr D. L. Popplewell, of Gore, has agreed to ascertain if it would be possible to identify the fish. It is thought that some new light may be thrown on the district’s already highly interesting geological history as a result of the discoveries at Balfour.

Broody Hens. - . > J 1 A Wanganui resident recently advertised broody hens for sale. He states that, judging by the number of applications he received, about onehird of the residents of Wanganui intend to hatch out a brood of early chickens. His supply of broody hens was soon sold, and he was then left to deal with many callers. • The Night Passed Too Soon. The axiom, “Early to bed, early to rise,” so inseparably a part of the dairy’s farmer’s lot, had a rather hu•norous application on a farm not far from Te Awamutu on a recent weekend. As 9 p.m. approached members of the family became rather sleepy, and one after the other trooped off to bed, the last of the younger members retiring quietly at 9.15, while father and mother entertained visitors. A few minutes later the one who had last left the living room returned in his shirt sleeves to tell -the company about his room mate. The latter had sleepily rubbed his eyes when the electric light was switched on, had sat up in bed, and then manfully struggled to his feet. “Where are you going?” asked the one who was disrobing in readiness for a night’s repose. “Going,” said the other. “We’ve got to milk the cows this morning, haven’t we?”