LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 November 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

St Andrew’s Day. Today being St Andrew’s day flags are being flown on public buildings in Masterton. The local banks are observing a holiday. Warning to Motorists. Following on representations made by Mr L. B. Maunsell, notices reading "Beware of factory employees" have been erected in the vicinity of his premises in Opaki Road. This action has been taken following on the occurrence of several accidents in that locality. Miniature Cloud Burs;. Masterton experienced a miniature cloud burst just before 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon, rain falling in torrents for some time and flooding the streets. Many lawns and gardens were partly covered by water from the downpour, and damage was done to vegetables and fruit. Sixty points of rain fell in three-quarters of an hour. Sections for State Houses. An announcement that final arrangements had been made for the purchase of 33 additional sections in various towns as sites for dwellings to be built under the State housing scheme was made last evening by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary in Charge of. Housing, Mr Lee. Eighteen of the sections are in various suburbs in Auckland, three in Vivian Street, Masterton, and 12 in Rata Road, Nai Nai, Lower Hutt. Austrian Athlete’s Offer. A letter from an Austrian athlete, Ernst Plutner, received by the council of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association last night, intimated that lie was coming to .New Zealand, and offered his services free to any athletic club in the country as trainer, gymnastics teacher and active “sportier." He described himself as a first-class ice-hockey, handball and football player, and gave a list of performances which indicated that he was in world class as an athlete. He could earn his living separately, he said, as he was an "independent jeweller and had “fortune.” The council decided to refer his letter to the deputy chairman of the Physical Welfare Council, Mr J. W. Heenan.

War on iWapiti, Chamois and Thar. “I have declared war on the lotwapiti, chamois and thar,” said the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry, replying to a deputation from the Southland' Acclimatisation Society yesterday. A plea was made by a member of the deputation for consideration of wapiti because of the attraction they provided for overseas visitors, particularly sportsmen. “I am ■ not prepared to support any particular movement to induce people to coipe here at the expense of something more beautiful than the wapiti —our native flora,” the Minister added. “If we fail to conserve that bush we will be committing a grave breach of trust. I have declared war on the lot. I’m sorry, but that is the position. They are doing a lot of damage.”

Shearers From Australia.

When the Maunganui arrived at Dunedin yesterday six Australian shearers were met on the wharf by a State placement officer and were immediately engaged to work on several sheep stations in rotation throughout the season. Other shearers disembarked at Bluff and were eagerly accepted, one farmer motoring from the Lakes district to offer employment to these skilled workers from across the Tasman. This is an instance of the almost frantic rush by farmers to secure shearers. More so than any other year are shearers from Australia coming to the Dominion for the seasop, and the reason is that the art of shearing in New. Zealand will be lost unless encouragement is given to men who are serving their apprenticeship “on the board.” There are plenty of this class who can shear 40 sheep a day, and were they allowed the opportunity of widening their experience they would soon be skilled. The farmer has different ideas, however, and wants only men who can top the 100. Mastertonians Injured.

A baby car was overturned in a collision at the south end of the Main Street, Pahiatua, shortly after six o’clock on Sunday night. Mr Peter McCombie, a farm hand employed by Mr W. M. Coomber, Rangiora, Masterton, accompanied by his wife, was passing through Pahiatua en route from Palmerston North to Masterton when his car, a tourer, came into Collision with 'a light sedan car driven by Mr Chas Davies, of Pahiatua. The accident occurred at the intersection of King and Main Streets, Mr Davies being in the act of crossing the intersection in an easterly direction. His car was nearly across when the rear of it was struck by Mr McCombie’s car. After the impact, the tourer swung round and capsized almost in the middle of the road. The occupants were pinned beneath the car, which had to be lifted before they could be extricated. Mrs McCombie suffered a cut on the knee and shock, and Mr McCombie sustained abrasions and cuts. Mr Davies and his wife escaped unhurt. The injured were attended to at the scene of the accident by Dr E. B. Watson, after which they were taken back to Palmerston North by Mr Davies. Mr McCombie’s car was extensively damaged. Mr Davies’ car suffered minor damage to the rear left mudguard and the bumper bar. Nurses for South Africa.

A party of 20 New Zealand trained nurses will leave Wellington by the Awatea on December 6 for South Africa, where they will join the staff of a private hospital under the direction of a former New Zealander, Dr Campbell Begg. Applications from nurses for the positions are stated to have numbered about 200. Provisional selection was made by an agent in each centre, and the appointments are yet subject to medical inspection. The selected nurses, who are to be advanced £3O for their fares to South Africa, and will be required to enter into a 12 months’ bond of service, include a number from Wellington, two having been employed at one private hospital and one at another. Although the party will not include any Karitane nurses, who are in short supply in the Dominion at present, the departure of even 20 trained nurses is a loss the country can ill afford, it was stated yesterday, as there is a big demand for general nurses as well. The call of adventure, quite apart from the better conditions likely to be experienced in the new country, is believed to be the reason for the large' number of applications received for the positions in Johannesburg, the desire to “see the world” being particularly strong among members of the profession.