LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

No Bankruptcies This Year. No cases of bankruptcy were reported in Masterton in March. Since January 1 Masterton has had a clean sheet in the matter of bankruptcies.

A Clean Health Sheet. No infectious diseases cases were reported to the Inspector in Masterton during March. A similar state of affairs existed in Masterton in February.

King Carnival. As the result of a King Carnival held at Otaki £5OO was raised toward paying the liability on the beach pavilion debt. A sum of £lOO is still owing. The voting was: Pakeha King, 86.899 votes; Maori King. 25,609 votes.

Import Licences. From second period import licences issued in Wellington so far, it appears that the Government’s policy is to cut foreign importations even more drastically than in the January-June half of the year. Restrictions on many British lines are also being extended. Power to be Cut Off.

Users of electric power in the boroughs of Masterton, Carterton, Greytown, Featherston and Martinborough are advised that in order to allow the Public Works Department to carry out repairs to their line, power will be cut off tomorrow between 1 p.m. and 3.30 p.m. Struck by Water Gusher.

Struck by a powerful gusher of water, which shot with a roar 50 feet in the air, when a fire hydrant in Manners Street, Wellington, burst last night, Mrs S. F. Brailsford, Karaka Bay, was hurled from her feet. At the expense of a ducking, a young man dashed out from the pavement and assisted Mrs Brailsford, who was thoroughly drenched and suffering from shock, into the foyer of the Grand Opera House. Later she was taken home in a taxi. Overseas Trade. The returns of overseas trade for February, a summary of which was issued by the Customs Department yesterday, show the value of exports at £6,172,000, an increase of £456,000 compared with those for February, 1938, but £1,559,000 below those for February, 1937. Imports during February were value at £4,795,000 an increase of £ 399,000 on those for the corresponding month of last year and £1,082,000 in excess of those for February, 1937. t Land Mark Demolished.

Baker’s Building, the six-story block which stood upon the corner of-Hunter Street and Featherston Street, Wellington, is no more. The last of the ground floor masonry has been removed and the two-story building of the Royal Insurance Company adjoining in Featherston Street is now being razed to the ground. These buildings had ta be removed to. clear the way ' for a major extension of the A.M.P. block, which will then extend from Customhouse Quay to Featherston Street.

Doctors and Social Security Act. Doctors in Taranaki, it is understood, are unanimously opposed to the Social Security Act as far as it affects them through medical benefits. A recent statement in the Press to the effect that they were in agreement with the Government proposals is emphatically denied. It was stated last night that, if anything, the attitude of the doctors- was hardening against the Government proposals and that the indications, as one doctor put it, pointed to an early “show down.” Achilles to Return.

The Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, announced last evening that H.M.S. Achilles, which left New Zealand on December- last for England to discharge the time-expired Imperial section of officers and crew and to take aboard replacement personnel which New Zealand was not yet ready to provide, left Portsmouth on February 21 for Gibraltar, where she engaged in a month’s “working up” practice with one of the Mediterranean Squadron. In resumption of her voyage she left Suez on Thursday for New Zealand via Aden, Colombo and Singapore. The warship was due to arrive at Auckland on May 8. Price of Milk Increased.

The Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council decided yesterday to increase the price of milk'in the city by id a quart during the winter. The chairman, Mr. I. J. Goldstine, said that the increase would come into force on April 15, remaining till September 30. There were many reasons which had made this increase necessary. Farmers had been faced with difficulties following facial eczema, there had been an abnormal winter, and an unfavourable spring and summer, and, finally, there was the present prolonged drought.

Drought Conditions. With herds fast drying off, butterfat production decreasing daily, and still no sign of the autumn rains normally expected during March, dairy farmers throughout the lower half of the North Island are concerned at the results of the prolonged dry spell of weather, which amounts to a drought in some districts. Feed and water’ become daily more scarce; many herds are already dependent on supplementary feed, and water is being carted for domestic use. Farmers everywhere are in accord that unless rain comes very soon the outlook for the winter season is black. The Waipukurau dairy factory is to close down as a sufficient supply of butterfat cannot be maintained. Homer Tunnel. A prediction that the bottom heading of the Homer Tunnel, which starts from Hollyford Valley, would be completed by next Christmas before tho road from Milford was completed, and that work on the road would be finished and the tunnel enlarged and ready for use within a year was made by the Minister of Public Works, Mr Semple, at Auckland, yesterday. It was explained by Mr Semple, who visited the tunnel last week, that progress was now exceptionally rapid. "When we get the bottom heading through by next Christmas it will not take long to break down the walls and widen and improve the tunnel,” he added. “We will not then have ventilation troubles or difficulty with the water, which we now have to pump back.”

In todays issue the Railway Department advertises train arrangements in connection with the Easter holidays. Special trains and cheap fares are featured for the Tauherenikau Races. Tickets may be purchased at any time in advance of the data of arrival.