LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1938, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Saleyard Appointment. Mr 11. N. McGuinness has been appointed yardman and timekeeper at the Masterton Saleyards for the Wairarapa Auctioneers' Association. Meeting of Cabinet.

The last meeting of Cabinet this year was held yesterday afternoon in the office of the Prime Minister, Mr Savage. At the conclusion of the meeting Mr Savage said that Cabinet had dealt with a budget of routine and departmental matters requiring attention before the holidays. “The Ministry will next meet early in the New Year to face up to the problems of the future," said Mr Savage. Gift from Shearers.

Advice of a gift of £3O from a party of Australian shearers in Queenstown lias been received by the Southland Hospital Board. The shearers held a concert and dance at Queenstown and handed the proceeds to Dr W. A. Anderson, superintendent of the Lake County Hospital. The action of the shearers was appreciated, and the Lake County Hospital will be richer in equipment by an invalid chair and easy chairs for the patients. The board decided to purchase those articles with the money. Cricket in Samoa.

Amusing details of cricket in Western Samoa were given in an address at the break-up ceremony of the Southland High Schools by Mr D. A. Rutherford, former Director of Education in Samoa. He exhibited a bat which had been evolved by the Samoans. This was about four feet six inches long and tapered somewhat like a baseball bat. .The use of this bat resulted generally in scores of sixes or noughts. Games were played by teams of 100 and lasted from early morning until sunset, with bowlers from each end alternately.

Big Trout Caught. A big trout in splendid condition and weighing 7!;lb was caught in the Oreti river at the Centre Bush bridge by Mr D. Boyd, of Centre Bush. A few minutes later he hooked another one about the same size in the same pool, but when attempting to land it, he had the misfortune to break the tip of his rod, and the trout escaped. Mr Boyd was fishing with a young green trout minnow, and he said that five other big trout rose, j He said that this part of the Oreti river had been neglected by fisherman for years, and although this part of the river was nearest to his place, it was the first time he had fished i there for more than three years. Rickshaw Problem. While administrators of the city of Christchurch think of their cyclist problem, Singapore’s corporation and city engineers puzzle over the rickshaw problem. Mr O. W. Gilmour, a civil engineer of Singapore, who is in New Zealand on a furlough tour, said that from 10,000 the number of rickshaws in (he city had decreased to 3500 in the last few years, and now the bicycle was presenting itself as a problem. A cyclist in Singapore who has to swerve suddenly to the side faces the danger of a gutter three feet deep. “Our problem is not how to get enough water, but how to get rid of our 100 inches a year, when it comes down,” Mr Gilmour said. “The result is very deep channels at the side of the roads, becoming deeper to six feet near the outfall.”

Supplies of Chukor. Responses from South Island societies lo requests made recently by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society to supply chukor, or their eggs, were not’encouraging. The Marlborough society wrote that a few had been liberated by the Canterbury society in the Clarence Valley and had spread to the Molesworthand Awatere districts, but no inspection had yet been made. The North Canterbury society wrote: “The difficulties experienced in rearing this bird,'combined with the inaccessibility of its habitat when liberated, culminated in the abandonment of further experiments, and the stock of birds were liberated in high country, where, it is saicUthey are thriving. The high altitudes to which the bird naturally resorts militate against its adoption as game for the-average sportsman.”

Emergency Landing Ground. An emergency landing ground is to be established at Paraparaumu and will-be available for use by both civil and military aircraft early in the New Year. The area consists of about 100 acres, and is fairly close to the beach. At present it is covered with sand dunes, the removal of which will be undertaken by contract. Tenders for the work of clearing and levelling the ground have been called by the Public Works Department, and it is anticipated that work will begin immediately after the holidays. There will be no accommodation on the ground, which will be used in case of emergency only. It will be lhe nearest landing place to Rongotai aerodrome.

Improving the Highway. The Wairarapa is not being left out of the programme of the Government for improving and increasing the safely of main highways. One of the most recent works to be put in hand-is the elimination of two bad bends- on the Masterton-Carterton Road. At the i junction of Hughe's Line the curve in lhe road is being, toned down of the j tall trees flanking the highway. This | corner has been the scene of a large number of motor accidents. About half a mile nearer Masterton another fairly sharp bend in the road is also being eliminated by a deviation. With these two works completed the Carterton Road, the scene of many fatal and other accidents, should be almost “accident proof.” Wreckage cf Plane. The cabled message published yesterday describing the finding cf the wreckage of an aeroplane 38 miles from Honolulu, and suggesting that I the machine plight be that of the Australian airman. Charles Ulm. was reI i'erred to yesterday by Mr B. Shiel, of Wellington, who was Ulm’s assistant. Mr Shiel said that the fact that the Star of Australia gave her position last when 500 miles from America, and was thereafter unable to find the radio beam, made it unlikely that the wreckage found was that of Ulm’s I machine. The radio operator, Skilling, did not acknowledge the radio mesI sages sent out, but constantly asked for the beam, which was operating for the whole time of the flight. The last message from the plane was. “Out of petrol, landing on die water, come and get us.” Judging by this signal the machine was much further away from Honolulu than 38 miles, and the failure of the machine to maintain her : position on or near (lie beam enhanced this probability. ;