LOCAL & GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 June 1939, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL

Jumble Sale. Tomorrow a Jumble sale will be held at the Occidental Auction Mart. Queen Street, in aid of funds for the support of refugee children. The local branch of the League of Nations Union which is sponsoring this effort, deservedly asks for contributions and public support. X-Ray Examinations. The number of X-Ray examinations conducted at the Masterton hospital during May, with figures for the same period last year in parentheses, are as follow:—Out patients 30 (23); in patients 44 (35); massage treatments out patients 390 (175); total operations 61 (28). Waterfront Work. Proposed amendments to the waterfront labour bureau system and matters concerning general waterfront conditions and the forthcoming new award were discussed at a special stopwork meeting of the Auckland branch of the Waterside Workers’ Union yesterday morning. Addresses were given by the President of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Federation, Mr J. Flood, and the national secretary, Mr J. Roberts. Overseas Freight Contracts. The renewal of the freight contracts for New Zealand produce, which was the subject of a conference in Wellington some weeks ago between the Government and the shipping companies. is one of the questions that the Minister of Finance (Mr Nash), is going to discuss in London this week. Cabled advice to this effect was received by the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) yesterday from Mr Nash. The present freight contracts expire at the end of next month. Mr Nash intends also this week to discuss matters relating to defence and to the Tasman and Pacific air services. Financial Expert’s Visit.

Regret that he would be unable to spend more than about five days in New Zealand was expressed by Sir George Barstow, English financial expert, who arrived at Auckland by the Wanganella from Sydney. Sir George, who is accompanied by Lady Barstow, said he had been looking forward with pleasure to his first visit to, the Dominion, and his 'anticipation had been whetted by what he had seen-of Australia. Sir George declined to comment upon New Zealand financial and political questions. His visit, he said, was being made as deputy-chairman of the Prudential Assurance Company, Limited. "Child Slavery. “Child slavery” was the term employed by the chairman of the Taranaki Education Board, Mr J.' Valentine, to describe undue employment of children in farm duties, instances of which were reported to a meeting of the board yesterday. The board gave instructions that teachers in charge of schools should be asked for confidential reports of any such cases. “I feel that the use of children in farm duties is growing,” said the senior inspector, Mr R. R. Hunter, who reported two cases. “Such use is detrimental to the mental and physical development of the children concerned', who do not get a fair chance.”' Ahead of Schedule. The progress made with the construction of the Ngahauranga Gorge road and the Plimmerton-Paekakariki road deviation was referred to yesterday in Wellington by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon R. Semple. He said that both undertakings were still ahead of schedule, and that it was anticipated that with average weather conditions for this period of the year they would be available for use by traffic before the date selected for the beginning of the centennial celebrations. “This is notwithstanding the fact that slips and other unforeseen circumstances have entailed additional work over that originally contemplated,” said the Minister. “These works require to-be seen before one is able fully to appreciate the extent of the undertakings.” League of Nations Union.

As successor to Professor F. L. W. Wood, Mr T. C. Brash has been appointed . Dominion president of the League of Nations Union of New Zealand. Professor Wood asked to be relieved of the position, and at a meeting of the Dominion Council of the League this week, Mr Brash was appointed. Professor Wood retains a seat on the council, and will continue to give the union his support. The position of chairman is now filled by Mr H. McCormick. It its meeting, the council expressed appreciation of the services .of Professor Wood during his three years’ term of office, and pleasure that his services would be retained as a member of the council. Recent appointments to the Dominion Council are: Mr T. D. H. Hall, C.M.G., Professor Leslie Lipson, Victoria College; and Mr A. E. Campbell, Director of the New Zealand Council for Educational Research. Cycle Track Suggested. It may not be too late to suggest, a correspondent writes, that proposals for beautifying the main approaches to Masterton should include a cycle track from Waingawa Works to Kuripuni triangle. Wairarapa’s chief industrial plant is at Waingawa and the danger to cyclists using that road at dusk is considerable, as all motorists will agree, even though the journey be made non-stop from Carterton. Beyond the borough boundary, this cycle track could take the place of a footpath and for the remaining distance the cycle track could, lie between the footpath and the road. A line of trees separating this cycle track from the road would give real security to the cyclist. Deaths from accident, due io use of one road by the two classes of traffic (cycle and motor), would justify this path as an insurance against a recognised hazard. Those visiting the Waingawa Works must have been struck with the attractive forecourt laid down in grass and shrubs by the management, and if this could be connected to Masterton in reasonably graded grass strips, with cycle path and tree lined road, residents would have much more pride in this length of road than they can now claim. Travelling stock offers difficulties to those trying to maintain grass strips and overhead wires restrict the type of tree that can be used for planting; but if it comes to a choice between trees and poles carrying wires as a means of beautifying cur roads, most of us prefer trees, not only on main highways, but in borough streets. Television may be a wonderful thing, but it will never replace the old-fash-ioned key-hole.