LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 April 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Pension Payments Tomorrow. Pension payments will be made at the Masterton Post Office tomorrow (Friday), April 21, not on April 23, as was inadvertently stated in yesterday’s issue. College Ball. The Wairarapa College Parents’ Association is holding the annual College ball on Wednesday, June 14, and intending debutantes should communicate as early as possible with Mrs G. G. Hancox at College House or Mrs H. E. Pither, Lansdowne. Film Stars to Marry. The film stars, Tyrone Power and Annabella, have filed notice of their intention to marry, a Hollywood cablegram states. They must wait three days for a licence. Annabella gave the name of Suanne Georgette Charpentier and her age as 25. Rail-Car Damaged. A rail-car which left Wellington for Masterton yesterday at 6.4 p.m. struck a stone near a tunnel on the south side of Kaitoki. Some damage was done to the cowcatcher and springs but the rail-car was able to continue its journey after a short delay. Bird Intervenes. The intervention of a bird put a sudden stop to a children’s game at the Hamilton Lake Domain. The children were playing cricket near the lake foreshore, and a heavy stroke landed the tennis ball they were using into the lake. A fieldsman had commenced to wade out for it, when a large bird swept down and flew off with the ball in its beak.

Rugby Tour. The executive of the New Zealand Rugby Union last night decided that the All Blacks will leave Wellington for the tour of South Africa next year about the middle of May. The Horowhenua union advised that it would bring the following remit forward at the annual meeting of the New Zealand union: “That the selection of the team for South Africa be made early in 1940, and that two managers be appointed.”

Vegetable Shortage in Auckland. There is a decided shortage of many lines of vegetables in Auckland at present, and high prices are being maintained. The shortage is attributable mainly to the absence of penetrating rains over so long a period, causing stunted growth. Another factor was the excessive Easter demand, and the absence of growers and pickers for their own holidays is now beginning to be felt. The position cannot be compared with that facing the market at the same time last year. The effects of the white butterfly were being shown at this time a year ago, and only diligent growers were serving the market. All waged strenuous war against the pest this season, only to have their output reduced by another and equally drastic cause. Intoxicated Driver Gaoled.

Fourteen days’ imprisonment was imposed by Mr W. H. Woodward, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Waitara, yesterday, on John Martin, Awakino, for intoxication while in charge of a mot-or-van in Awakino on February 5. Martin, who collided with a car driven by John M. Hardcastle, company manager, Auckland, denied that he was intoxicated but admitted negligent driving and driving without a licence. On the last two charges he was convicted and discharged. George Batley, who was with Martin and who told the police in the first place that it was he who drove the van, was fined £5 for knowingly supplying false information. He said he did so to shield Martin.

Hospital Meat Supply. There was a sequel at the meeting of the Wairarapa Hospital Board yesterday to criticism by Mr P. R. Welch, of the meat supplied to the Masterton Hospital. When the board resumed after lunch, Mr Welch said that they had been served with a different type of beef for dinner—beef steak pie. It was very good and everyone had done full justice to it. On the other hand meat in recent months had been tough and leathery, and he considered that steps should be taken to bring the quality of the meat up to standard. The chairman, Mr H. H. Mawley, said it was very necessary that good quality meat should be served. “We must have fluked it today,” he added. It was decided that the chairman, Matron and the Managing-Secretary investigate the meat question. A Dog’s Journey. With two sacks of biscuits, as luggage, and his ticket tied to his collai, a Russian sheep-dog, Peter, is on his way to Auckland by the Akaroa to join his mistress, Miss Marianne Nemhauser, formerly of Vienna, who reached New Zealand in January from London. The Akaroa is due at Auckland on April 21. Leaving Austria for England nearly a year ago, Miss Nemhauser arranged for Peter to follow her. He made the journey by air; but on arrival in England was placed in quarantine, and before the period of nine months had elapsed, his mistress came on to Auckland, where she is now living. Anxious to have her pet with her in her new home, Miss Nemhauser made arrangements for him to come to New Zealand immediately the quarantine period had expired. She said that a London film had arranged the dog’s transport at a cost of £l5. A hundredweight of dog-biscuits left London with Peter to provide food for him on the voyage.

“Glaring National Faults.” The necessity for a reawakening in New Zealand to develop better humanity and a culture similar to that of the Old World is emphasised by the Bishop of Waiapu, the Right Rev G V.' Gerard, in an Easter message. The bishop states that here in the cradle of the Pacific New Zealand is free to develop, if she will, a new and better humanity, reproducing the culture of the Old World and avoiding its mistakes. But at present there are things in her midst for which no blood could justly be shed., “Laziness, self-satisfaction, resentment of criticism by strangers, and hypocrisy are glaring national faults,” he continues. “Classes and groups vie in blaming each other for faults that are common to all. Under the cloak of respectability, laws are made and openly broken, drink and gambling are furtively pursued, contraceptives are secretly distributed to young people, who develop characteristics of sneaking and pretence. Sympathetic acts of theft are committed and condoned by many who ought to know better. Modification of the law in some respects, together with its stricter enforcement, would do much to raise the tone of society.”