LOCAL & GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 May 1939, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL

Opossum Season. The season for the taking of opossums in the Wellington acclimatisation district is from noon on July 20 to noon on September 1, inclusive. From Union to League. At a meeting of the Board of Control of the Wellington Rugby Football League twenty players from the Union code applied for and were granted registration. Influenza Epidemic. While the peak of the influenza epidemic appears to have been passed there are still a considerable number of Masterton residents laid aside with it. In the Eketahuna district the outbreak has been severe in type. Price of Lemons. The highest price for lemons since the 1919 epidemic was obtained in Hamilton on Thursday when the first consignment under the Government marketing scheme realised 52s a case. There is an acute shortage, and high rates are likely to rule for about ten days. Disappointing Fishing Season. Because of the generally low level of the streams, the fishing season in tne Wanganui Acclimatisation Society’s district has been disappointing. The society ‘received 1000 yearling trout from the Taranaki Acclimatisation Society at no cost other than cartage, and these were liberated in Reid’s Lake, Nukumaru. The lake, though not free from perch and shags, offered the best possibilities of the lakes in the district. Centenary Memorial. Taukau can probably claim the distinction of, being more advanced than most towns in New Zealand with the construction of its centenary memorial, which is to take the form of a park and playground at the public swimming pool. The ground has been cleared, ploughed and worked down ready for grassing, and the Department of Agriculture is being consulted as to the best varieties of grass to sow and the best method of establishing a good sward.

Keas in Berlin.

According to a letter received in Dunedin from the director of the zoological gardens in Berlin, a shipment of eight keas which were sent to Germany from the Dominion about two years ago have become quite acclimatised and spend both summer and winter in the open air. “Visitors to the gardens ana we ourselves rejoice over the lovely nature of these birds and their loud calls,” states the letter. “They represent one of the most interesting varieties in our collection, and now that they nave become accustomed to the food we give them we hope to keep them for a long time.” x

caretakers’ Salaries.

Referring to what it describes as the “intricate and difficult question of caretakers’ salaries,” the annual report of the Canterbury School Committees’ Association states that no association of school committees in New Zealand had endeavoured, to the extent that the Canterbury association had, to evolve a scheme for a rational and national basis of equitable treatment of the only existing body of workers in this country not regimented by the Government. “Is it the desire of school committees to retain control and appointment of their individual caretakers, the one most positive power left to them?” asks the report. Weekend Fatalities.

The extraordinary frequency of fatal accidents during the last five weekends was the subject of comment by the Minister of Transport, Mr Semple, last night. He said that 22 lives had been lost during the five weekends. More traffic deaths had occurred during the Saturday and Sunday than during the five working days of the week. Speed, too great for the circumstances, had been responsible for more than half of the fatalities. “The high percentage of deaths that occurred at night indicated that the motorists were not altogether appreciating the necessity for using a special technique in night driving,” said the Minister.

Proposed Public Reserve. The effort to secure that area of beautiful bush known at. Johnston’s Hill, which lies at the north-west side of Karori, about five minutes from the Hatton Street tram stop, was continued last night at a combined meeting of members of the Wellington Beautifying Society and the Karori Progressive Association. Captain Holm said that this valuable property was obtainable at the exceptionally favourable price of' £2500, provided the area of 66 acres was used as a public reserve, for which it was admirably suited. The Wellington City Council had promised £1250, and the Government had agreed to make £5OO available from the domains’ vote. Mr B. Sutherland offered a donation of £lOO toward the purchase of the area. It was decided to write to all leading citizens asking for assistance in raising the sum required

Car Plunges Down Bank. While travelling up a hill at Maungati (South Canterbury) last evening a car left the road and plunged down the steep hillside 150 feet before coming to rest in thick gorse. The occupants had a miraculous escape from serious injury. Ambulance officials had to cut a track through the gorse down the hillside in order to transport the injured to the road, the task occupying nearly an hour. The driver, Mr F. Eggleton, farmer, was not injured. but his wife suffered petrol burns, injury to an eye and concussion. Mr Eric Hines, who had been in the Timaru, Hospital and who' was being taken home at the time of the accident, suffered concussion, head injuries and petrol burns. Mr Hines’s mother was treated for a cut on the head. The car was extensively damaged, but fortunately did not take fire.

Order of St. John Appeal. A decision that its national Centennial appeal should be for at least £20,000 was made by the Commandery Council of the Venerable Order of St. John this week. The funds will be used for consolidating the Order's extensive work in the Dominion, in which it has been engaged for 54 years. Each district will retain lhe money collected and not more than five per cent of the net proceeds will be donated to the Dominion general purposes of the order. The Auckland district begins its local appeal for £sooo* next week. The .distinctive work of St. John is the instruction of the general public in first aid, home nursing and sick-room hygiene, duty on sports fields and in public places, ambulance transport, district nursing (bedside) and blood transfusion. It also provides reserves for the medical services in pefee and war.