LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ngahauranga Road Work. Masterton County Councillors and members of the executive staff of the council will make an inspection of the Ngahauranga Gorge Road deviation work on Monday. The arrangements have been made by the Public Works Department Liberty Ended. An escaped Maori prisoner, Tom Tu Taaka,. alias Tu Whakarara, was recaptured in Ongarue yesterday. Tu Taaka escaped escaped from Waikune Prison Camp for-the second time on February 27. His first escape was on February 22; he was recaptured on February 26. but next night he broke out again. Motorists’ Experience. A party of Wellington motorists who are touring the north were caught in a scrub fire on the Kerikeri-Waipapa road and had to retreat from their car. Blinded by the smoke, the driver ran the car into the ditch and, with flames leaping on either side, the occupants had to retreat. When the fire had passed if was found that the hood of the car had been burned and parts of .he body scorched. Young Woman’s Death, The South Dunedin police were advised yesterday morning that a single woman, Amelia Winifred Ball, aged 29, was missing from her home at 105 Musselburgh Rise. A search was immediately instituted and at 10.45 a.m. j message was received that a body had been found on St Kilda beach, near Lawyer’s Head. It was identified as that of Miss Ball, and the fact that the head was badly injured appeared to indicate that she had fallen over the cliff. Onekak?. Iron Deposits. To investigate and report to the Government on the Onekaka iron ore deposits, Dr T. P. Colclough, technical adviser for an English firm of consultant engineers, H. A. Brassert, Ltd., arrived in Auckland yesterday by the Rangitata. With him is an engineer, Mr H. K. Scott, who is attached to the same firm. While it is evident that Dr Colclough knows more about the prospects than he will say, his invariable reply to questions yesterday was “You had better ask the Government about that, I think.” Dr Colclough and Mr Scott have been globe-trotting for many years. Still Missing. When the liner Rangitata arrived at Auckland yesterday on her first return voyage since the theft of more than £l6OO from the safe in the captain’s office almost three months ago it was stated by persons on board that no trace of the money had yet been reported. It was stated that after the vessel left Auckland on December 16 further investigations were made on board. A search was also made by Scotland Yard detectives on arrival at London, but neither investigation had been successful. Members of the crew said that they had not been subjected to a personal search at London. They were not prevented from going ashore freely after docking at London. Scholarship Grants to Maoris. Part of moneys granted by Parliament to the Taranaki Maori Trust Board in compensation for lands confiscated from West Coast tribes is being used to assist young Taranaki Maoris to receive education on approved lines as a result of the establishment of the Runa Wakarua Memorial Fund in honour of one of the original members of the board. Scholarship grants were made yesterday to three Maori boys who propose to study medicine, motor engineering and railway engineering. The grants will enable them to attend an approved secondary school or university college. Workmen for Overseas. More than 100 British workmen arrived at Auckland yesterday by the Rangitata from London. The majority of them were carpenters, but there were also a fairly large number of Welsh miners who are going to Westport to work in the coal mines there. From 40 to 50 tradesmen engaged in Australia by Mr J. Hodgens, M.P., to work under the State housing scheme will arrive in Auckland on Tuesday in the Awatea, according to advice received by the Minister of Housing, Mr Armstrong. They will comprise the second party under engagement to arrive in the Dominion, the first being due in Wellington on Monday. Cruise Ship Arrives. A cyclone was experienced by the liner Strathallan between Sydney and Brisbane, which was the last port of call before the vessel left Australia on her cruise to New Zealand. The liner arrived at Auckland yesterday afternoon with 950 passengers, 30 of whom are making the round voyage from England. The Strathallan was scheduled to arrive at Brisbane from Sydney last Sunday morning, but did not arrive till Monday morning. The cyclone was encountered on Saturday night and the vessel hove-to for 12 hours, many of the 850 passengers on board suffering from seasickness. The liner sails tonight for Wellington and Sydney. A number of the passengers are travelling overland to Wellington. The Strathallan is the last of eight cruise ships to visit New Zealand this season.