LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 January 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Gasworks Closed. At this week’s meeting of the Foxton Borough Council the Mayor reported that the finance committee would met to-night to consider compensation claims lodged by consumers following the closing of the municipal gasworks. The works closed down on December 25. The manager's services are now to be dispensed with. First Visit to Pictures.

The children of the Masterton Methodist Home were the guests of the management of the State Theatre at a matinee yesterday afternoon, at which the picture "Owd Bob” was shown. Some of the children had never before seen a moving picture, and were thrilled with their experience. When "Owd Bob" won the cup at the sheep dog trials, the children wildly cheered the success of this splendid animal. War on White Butterfly.

Hearty congratulations are to be sent to the Cawthron Institute on the success achieved in freeing Canterbury from the white butterfly pest. A decision to this effect was made by the North Canterbury provincial executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union on the motion of Mr J. E. H. McGrath. ‘‘We know how bad the pest was last year,” said Mr McGrath, and his remarks were supported by the acting-chairman, Mr J. W. D. Hall, who said that paddocks which in the Christmas before last looked as if they were in a snowstorm were now comparatively free from white butterflies. Two or three might be seen but no more.

Imports and Secrecy. In a telegram sent to the president of the Auckland Importers’ Association. tb.e Minister of Customs, Mr Nash, expresses regret that information on the basis employed in issuing import licences must in the meanwhile remain confidential. Further consideration will be given applications where special circumstances are shown to exist, the Minister states. The importers sought the following information from the Minister: (1) The list of British goods you have prohibited. British goods partially prohibited and British goods the importation of which will not be interfered with; (2) ditto Empire goods; (3) ditto foreign goods.

Hawke’s- Bay Bush Fire. 1 The danger to life and property in the forest fire in the Whakarara hills passed during Tuesday night when it became apparent that the fire was burning itself out, a Waiptokurau message states. Once the wind dropped and rain set in the minds of settlers were eased. A survey will not be possible for a few days, but the acres of timber destroyed will represent a heavy loss. Portions of the mill tramline running into the bush have been destroyed and also some logging equipment. It is believed by men working at the mill that the fire started from the ashes of a fire lit to boil tea by a logging gang engaged in cutting timber in the bush about two miles out.

The Intoxicated Driver. "Under the Fisheries Act if a man in a boat poaching oysters is convicted his boat is confiscated and forfeited to the Crown. Similarly, I cannot see why, where a man is convicted for being intoxicated while in charge of a car, his car should not be forfeited to the Crown,” said Mr Levien, S.M., in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court yesterday when sentencing Alexander William Anderson, an Onehunga baker, to seven days’ imprisonment and cancelling his driver’s licence for 18 months. ‘‘lt is my opinion,” added Mr Levien, "that if this were done it would stamp this practice out very quickly. Ah oyster poacher is merely a picker of oysters, but an intoxicated driver may be a picker of human lives.”

Expansion of Industry. Manufacturers, generally, are reluctant to discuss proposals for trade extension, probably because of lack of specific knowledge of what avenues of production will have to be exploited, a Wellington message states. They claim, however, to be confident of their ability to fulfil the increased demand for Dominion products that is expected to result from the restriction of imports, a Wellington message states. It is generally agreed that the chief difficulty facing manufacturers is the shortage of labour, but the opinion is held that a number of clerical workers and storemen, who. may be displaced from importing firms, will be absorbed into the manufacturing industry. The head of a softgoods importing firm said yesterday that apprentices were hard to get. If production was to be increased. workers must realise that when they had got good labour conditions, they must protect them by speeding up their work. Electoral Petition.

Notice of the withdrawal of the petition against the election of Mr C. W. Boswell for the Bay of Islands electorate was filed with the Registrar if the Supreme Court in Whangarei yesterday by the petitioners, Clive Rutherford Cameron and Sydney Walter Smith. The grounds for withdrawal include the difficulty of examnation of the genealogies of 240 Maoris for four generations back. The cases of 40 absentee Europeans would dso have to be examined and evidence obtained from all over 'New Zealand. Also 200 witnesses would be required. It was explained ‘authoriatively in Wellington yesterday that hough notice of withdrawal has been jiven. a formal sitting of the Election Court fixed for the hearing of the petition on January 17 will take place. The Electoral Act and the rules of the Court made under the Act provide for '.his formality, the object of which is .o give an opportunity to others if ■ hey wish to take up a petition if the original petitioners withdraw from it. Bird Protection. An assurance that there need be no uneasiness that the policy of the Government for the protection of New Zealand’s native birds would be slackened in any circumstances was given by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry, when he was invited to comment in an interview yesterday on a reference by the president of the Forest and Bird Protection Society. Captain E. V. Sanderson, to the coming visit to the Dominion of a party from the American Museum of Natural History. Captain Sanderson expressed the hope that the expedition would not be allowed any latitude in collecting native birds. Permits to take specimens of .New Zealand birds were, the Minister said, frequently sought during the first two or three years of the Government’s regime, but the applications did not now come. "I think it is well known here and overseas.” added Mr. Parry, "that New Zealand will countenance no interference with the protection placed on its native birds.”