LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 February 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hot Weather. In Masterton yesterday the temperature in the shade reached 89.2 degrees in the afternoon.

Longbush Rainfall. Mr A. C. Gawith recorded 68 points of rain at Longbush in January. The average fall in January for the past 22 years was 2.29 inches.

Today’s Temperature. The shade temperature in Masterton at 12.15 p.m. today was 78.4 degrees, which, was considerably less than that registered yesterday, 89.2 degrees. -

Obstruction of Ranger. John D. Cates was fined £3 in the Ashburton Magistrates’ Court yesterday for obstructing an acclimatisation ranger, £2 for stroke-hauling, and 10s for using an illegal rod. He was ordered to pay £3 12s costs and gear valued at about £7 10s was confiscated.

Kauri Gum Found. Said to be the first in Taranaki, a piece of kauri gum has been found by the custodian at Burgess Park, New Plymouth, Mr F. Dent. It was not known that the tree was bleeding until fern around the base was cleared. The tree, situated behind the kiosk, is approximately 30 years old. Bequests to Hospitals.

About £l4OO has been distributed to each of the Auckland, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin public hospitals by the Public Trustee from the estate of the late David Latimer, former police sergeant, who died in the Dunedin Hospital on March 7, 1926. The will provided a life interest for his widow, who died in Auckland on December 18, 1938, and the residue of the estate was bequeathed equally among the four hospitals. Damage to State Nursery.

The havoc wrought by the recent heavy westerly winds among tree seedlings and young tobacco plants in the nursery of the State Forestry Department at Pongakawa was shown the Minister for Internal Affairs, the Hon W. E. Parry, during a visit to the nursery at the weekend. Pummice sand was piled thickly over a considerable area of the nursery where before the wind storm promising young trees and tobacco plants had flourished. Protection of Forest.

The vigorous campaign to protect the areas of native bush is reflected in the widespread use of notices warning visitors against the hazard of fire. Throughout the Waipoua State Forest, North Auckland, and in many parts of the Waitakere Ranges posters have been erected pointing out that the careless ' throwing of a match or a cigarette butt may result in the destruction of thousands of acres of forest which have required hundreds of years to reach majestic maturity. Lost Its Charm.

Honolulu has lost its charm, according to Dr A. B. O’Brien, of Christchurch. who recently revisited the place after an absence of thirty years (remarks the “Star-Sun”). Formerly, he said, the people were simple and had simple ways. Honolulu was now a big City with wonderful buildings, larger than anything in Christchurch, while the people had become sophisticated. Dr O'Brien was also struck by the number of Chinese and Japanese there, and the extent of the military activities. The naval base was a particularly busy place. New Shipping Light.

After a recent visit to Great Barrier Island, Mr J. Thorn, M:P. for Thames, made representations for the installation of an automatic light at False Head. It is considered that such a light would be a useful guide to local craft and yachtsmen, as well as to coastal vessels. The position has been investigated, and the Minister for Marine, the Hon P. Fraser, has advised Mr Thorn that he will make application to the Cabinet for funds for the light under the Estimates for the next financial year.

Bogus Inspectors. Hotels, boarding houses, and restaurants in Dunedin have been troubled recently with visits from persons who have passed themselves off as inspectors of various kinds. They have, it is reported, entered private portions of hotels, boarding houses, tearooms, and similar establishments, and questioned the employees, without any right whatever, about their wages and hours of work. It is emphasised that anyone who may be suspected of making an unauthorised entry of this kind should be asked to produce evidence that he is a genuine inspector. Taxis Boycott Ship.

The drivers of two principal taxi companies and private taxis combined this morning to boycott the cruise liner Oronsay on arrival from Brisbane. This was by way of protest against the Government’s monopoly of tourist sight-seeing trips. As a result passengers who disembarked at the distant Western Wharf owing to port congestion had to walk to hotels in the city. Pickets were placed at the end of the wharf warning drivers of the boycott. A subsequent meeting decided to boycott all wharves for taxi city traffic from overseas ships till a satisfactory agreement is reached with the Harbour Board, the Transport Department, and the Tourist Department. Has Never Seen a Movie.

To be 81 years of age and never to have seen a silent or talking film, never smoked a cigarette or tasted intoxicating liquor is the boast of Mr Arthur Rose, of Levin, who is on holiday in Wanganui. This is the first holiday he has ever had in his life and was possible only because he was unlucky enough to fall from a ladder and fracture two ribs. Mr Rose worked for a paint firm in Wanganui many years ago and for a while farmed in the Springvale district. About 52 years ago he left Wanganui in an old spring cart, taking with him a £5 note, his wife, and three young children and a cow which followed behind the cart.

A railway servant on a Scottish line was granted a holiday for a special occasion—his wedding. In addition to the holiday he was given a free pass for the honeymoon trip. When the ticket collector arrived, the bridegroom, flustered as bridegrooms are apt to be, pulled out his marriage certificate instead of his railway pass. The ticket collector stared at the certificate, and then observed, "Eh, mon, you’ve got a ticket for a lang and weary journey, but it’s no’ on this line!”