LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 February 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

State Houses. The Department of Housing Construction proposes to erect a further 49 houses in Strathmore Park, Miramar. Tinui Prize-winners. At the Tinui Sports on Saturday the children’s points prize resulted as follows: Miss E. Bellis. 1; B. Stevens. 2; G. Wagg and Miss M. Speedy, equal 3. Opium Smoking. Fines totalling £227 10s were imposed by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court. Wellington, yesterday when nine Chinese appeared charged with offences relating to opium smoking. All pleaded guilty.

Breach of Prohibition Order. A first offender for drunkenness was convicted and discharged when he appeared in the Masterton Magistrate’s Court this morning before Messrs R. Krahagen and E. M. Hodder, J’s.P. The same defendant was remanded until tomorrow on a charge of a breach of his prohibition ordei; Flowers in the Park.

An attractive combination of blue ageratum, white alyssum and pink antirrhinums in a bed near the rotunda in the Park attracts the notice of visitors to the Park. The arrangement of the bed is most effective, though there are many other plots in the Park that have a ready appeal. Fruit Crop Prospects.

The Director of the Horticulture Division of the Department of Agriculture, Mr W. K. Dallas, has received the following report from his officers regarding the fruit crop prospects in the Wairarapa at the end of January: Apples. Cox’s Orange average crop; other varieties from light to average; pears, average crop.

Nghauranga Gorge Work. Acting in conjunction with the District Engineer, Public Works Department, arrangements were made by the Masterton County Council, at its meeting yesterday, to make a visit of inspection to the Nghauranga Gorge to see the work being done there by the Department. The visit is to be made on Monday, February 27, and it was stated that all councillors would take advantage of the opportunity. Excuses in Court.

“One hears so many excuses in these cases,” said Mr F. H. Levien, . S.M.. when listening to explanations from defendants in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court as to why they were on licensed premises after hours. One defendant said he had summer sickness and he entered the hotel on his way to work to get a port wine and brandy. “It would have been cheaper to go to a chemist,” he said, as the Magistrate imposed a fine of £l, with 10s costs. Butchers from Waingawa.

Some 30 butchers and other workers from the Waingawa works arrived at Hastings on Monday evening to continue killing for Thomas Borthwick and Sons (Australasia) Ltd. at the Hawke’s Bay Farmers’ Meat Company’s works in Whakatu. Sheep and lambs for killing arrived from the Wairarapa and other districts on Monday and yesterday. It is expected that the gang will handle about. 1500 sheep and lamb daily.

Show Jumping Championships. The following Wairarapa horses have been entered for the big jumping event at the Pahiatua Show on Saturday: H. G. George’s (Alfredton) “Lord Kearoa,” Mrs H. Scales’ (Masterton) “Clinker,” B. R. McGuinness’ (Carterton) “Scout,” F. L. Sk.eet’s (Masterton) entry, W. Meech’s (Pongaroa) “Blue Boy,” Miss Muriel Morrison’s (Masterton) “Rogue,” Miss J. Bartons (Masterton) “Santa Claus,” H. G George’s (Alfredton) “Uncle Sam.” Party Caucuses.

Members of the Parliamentary Labour Party and of the Opposition are to hold caucuses, in Wellington tomorrow. The Opposition caucus was originally called for today, but to meet the convenience of some members it has been put forward by a day. Proceedings will be limited to the one day, for the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Hamilton, has arranged to, leave Wellington for the South Island tomorrow night. The caucus of Government members is expected to extend over two days. Pioneer Mothers. Support for the proposal to erect in Auckland a memorial hall in recognition of the pioneer mothers of the Auckland province has been given by Archbishop Averill in a communication which he has sent to the Auckland Provincial Centennial Council. “The celebration of the centenary will be incomplete unless we acknowledge what New Zealand owes to the brave, courageous pioneer women,’’ he stated. “Ever since I saw that wonderful monument to the pioneer women ‘of the covered waggon days’ at Pasadena. California, called ‘The Madonna of the Trail,’ I have always hoped that New Zealand would honour itself in 1940 by honouring its pioneer women. ’

Military Camp.

Though the number of men attending the annual camp at Waiouru of the Ist Battalion, the Wellington Regiment (City of Wellington’s Own), was satisfactory, and showed a considerable increase over last year’s figures, there was still room for improvement, said Colonel E. Puttick, officer commanding the Central Military District, yesterday. Out of a total strength of 30 commissioned officers and 508 other ranks in the battalion. 25 officers and 363 other ranks were in camp. The sth Field Battery, also in camp at present, had out of a total strength of five commissioned officers and 74 other ranks, four officers and 48 other ranks at Waiouru.

Work of Early Missionaries.

“I hope that when the centenary comes, due regard will be paid to the work of the early missionaries who showed such faith and courage and who did so much to soften the impact of our Western civilisation, or what :s sometimes paraded as such, on the native culture," said Bishop West-Watson in his letter in the latest issue of the “Church News.” “In these days of ‘relativity’ one marvels at their depth of conviction and’their simple-minded devotion. Difficulties .thicken in 'be way of missionary work today, but doors are still open. We shall w.rt with anxious interest the report of the World Missionary Conference at Madras. I hope that when Bishop Bennett returns he will be able to visit us and give us its message personally.”