LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 December 1938, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Vital Statistics. The vital statistics registered in Masterton in November were (figures for November last year being given in parentheses): Births 27 (25); deaths 8 (15), marriages 10 (5). County Building Permits. Two building permits were issued by the Masterton County Council in November for a value of £5OO. In November last year 7 peimits were issued for a value of £3500. Road Safety Campaign. Advice has been received by the Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, that the Transport Department lorries which will be touring the North Island in furtherance of the road safety campaign will not be visiting the Wairarapa. Swimmers Robbed.

A party of visitors from South Wairarapa who indulged in swimming in the Waipoua river at Masterton yesterday had small sums of money stolen from their clothes, which they left on the bank. Fortunately the thief or thieves overlooked a bundle of notes amounting to £35 in the coat of one of the visitors.

Licensing Poll Figures. Official returns showing the number of valid votes recorded in each licensing district at the licensing poll in October are published in the current Gazette. The votes cast totalled 906,334. They were allocated as follow: — For national continuance, 546,995 votes; For State purchase and control, 96,131 votes; For national prohibition, 263,208 votes. College Activities.

The repeat performance of the Wairarapa College pupils demonstration in the Assembly Hall last night was viewed by a large audience. Those present also had the opportunity of inspecting the various class-rooms, and seeing the pupils at work. The display of arts and crafts and work of various kinds', together with the mannequin parade, was most impressive. Warrants of Fitness.

There appears to be a fairly general belief among some motorists that warrants of fitness cover a period of twelve' months. This is not the case. These warrants are issued for sixmonthly periods only and motorists should make a point of seeing that they are renewed every six months, otherwise they are laying themselves open to prosecution. Far East Relief Fund.

A decision to. send another £lOOO to China for the relief of refugees was made by the Joint Council of the Order of St John and New Zealand Red Cross Society Far East Relief Committee, in Wellington yesterday.* The decision' was made in response to a cablegrame from Hong Kong, stating that the south China refugee problem was assuming alarmingly distressing proportions, and that there were hundreds of thousands of' people homeless and starving. Price of Butter too High.

A charge of Is 7d a pound for butter sold over the counter, which some grocers have indicated they intend to charge following the adjustment of the wholesale price, was criticized yesterday by the Minister of Marketing, Mr Nash. He said such a price was altogether too high and unfair when compared with the rise in wholesale rates. The Government had power to fix the price to the consumer as well as the wholesale price, but up to the moment it had not contemplated any action. Motor Drivers’ Licences. Motor drivers’ licences issued by the Masterton Borough Council in November totalled 53, making 2187 to date for the current licensing year. For the twelve months of last licensing year the total was 2244, so that there is every indication of that figure being exceeded by a fair number. In 1926 the borough issued 1325 drivers’ licences. The Masterton County Council issued 16 drivers’ licences last month, making the total to date 1251, as compared with 1174 at the corresponding period last year. Olympic Games. A decision to advise national associations that it had been suggested New Zealand should send a very small team to the Olympic Games in Finland in July, 1940, that it should arrive in England three or four months before that date, and that it should consist only of those competitors who were really in top world class, was made by the council of the New Zealand Olympic and British Empire Games Association at its meeting last evening. National associations are to be asked to consider the position and advise the council within three months, when a definite decision will be made. Refugee Problem. That New Zealanders were unlikely t > display “that irrational prejudice” known as anti-Semitism was an opinion expressed by Dr I. L. G. Sutherland, professor of philosophy at Canterbury University College, and formerly of Masterton, speaking at a meeting convened by the Christchurch branch of the League of Nations Union to discuss measures for facilitating the entry to New Zealand of refugees from Europe. “It is commonly assumed,” he said, “that the refugee question is a Jewish problem. It is by no means wholly so. There are many refugees who find themselves without a country because of religious and political persecution.” Effect of .Light on Wool. The covering of sheep to prevent the fleece being affected by light was mentioned as a possible development in New Zealand by Dr P. McMahon, of Massey College, who has returned after spending three years abroad doing wool research work. Dr McMahon said that from the point of view of growers of open fleece crossbred wool the matter was of considerable importance. Light produced unevenness along the length of the staple, making for unlevel dyeing by the manufacturer. It also affected the dyeing affinities of the fleece and reduced its strength, which meant an increased loss in short fibre in the process of combing. Parking of Cars. Business men in Masterton have been complaining about the practice of unrestricted parking of cars in Queen Street. In some cases, when a car is left in front of a shop for some hours, it is a matter of considerable inconvenience to the proprietor. According to the borough bylaws the specified parking time for motor vehicles in Queen Street is 45 minutes. A case brought before the Masterton Magistrate’s Court this week was dismissed, on account of there being no notices erected in the street indicating the time limit on parking. It is understood that notices are being prepared for erection.