LOCAL & GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 June 1939, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

To Visit Masterton.

The Wellington Caledonian Society and Band will pay a visit to the St Andrew Society, Masterton, on Saturday, July 1. Hall of Memories.

The New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association annual conference decided last night to ask the Government to complete the National War Memorial by erecting the hall of memories. Pedestrian Crossings.

The attitude of the Masterton Borough Council in refusing to lay down pedestrian crossings was strongly condemned in a resolution carried by the Wairarapa Trades Council at this month’s meeting.

Rough Weather. Motorists who traversed the Rimutaka Range this morning report that the weather conditions were the roughest experienced for some time. A wind of gale force made the task of keeping on the road a hard one.

Workers’ Representatives. A decision that only organisations affiliated to the Federation of Labour be recognised in future when dealing with the question of workers’ representatives on local bodies was made by the Wairarapa Trades Council at this month’s meeting. Paddy’s Market.

A Paddy’s Market will be held in the Occidental Auction Mart, Queen Street, Masterton on Wednesday next in aid of the Lansdowne School funds. The market, which has been arranged by the Lansdowne Parents’ Association, will provide a good opportunity for the purchase of such articles as meat, vegetables, eggs, cakes, groceries, boots, shoes, etc.

Aero Club Application. Cr W. I. Armstrong has given notice that he will move the following resolution at the next ordinary meeting of the Masterton County Council to be held on Tuesday, July 11: —“That the resolution passed at the last ordinary meeting of the council declining an application received from the Wairarapa and Ruahine Aero Club for a grant towards the funds of the club be rescinded.”

National Register for Farmers. A proposal to compile a national register of farmers as a war emergency measure was agreed to at a meeting of the Wellington Central provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union held at Marton. The meeting agreed to invite all branches to take steps to prepare a register of farmers in their districts, giving details of the manpower available for service and that available for carrying on the industry. Watered Milk.

“If you ever err in this direction again I shall impose a prison sentence without the option,” said Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M., in. the ■ Christchurch Magistrate’s Court yesterday, when Hector Matthew Jarden was fined a 'total of £45 on two charges of selling milk containing added water. The evidence revealed that the milk contained 20 and 18 per qent of water. Jarden was fined £l5 two months ago for a similar offence.

Factory Work Inquiry. The appointment of a special committee consisting of two members of the Labour Department, two members of the Industries and Commerce Department, and two representatives of the manufacturers, to discuss the whole situation relating to factory employment and the. needs of secondary industry, was announced yesterday by the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb. He said the committee would report to the Government at the earliest possible moment. Headstones for Ex-Soldiers.

A Marlborough remit that further consideration be given to the provision of headstones on graves of all returned soldiers was defeated at the annual conference of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, at Wellington last night. The president, Mr Perry, M.L.C., said it would cost £40,000 to do this now, and, on the basis of 100,000 New Zealanders who went overseas, £750,000 eventually (at £7 10s a headstone). A delegate: The Government thinks nothing of spending £40,000, even £lOO,OOO on things less useful than headstones. Mr Perry: Not now. Pons-Winnecke Comet.

The Pons-Winnecke comet, which recently became visible from New Zealand, is steadily becoming brighter and should soon be visible to the naked eye. How much brighter the comet will become is, however, a matter of speculation. It has probably made its nearest approach to the sun, and on July 2 it will be as near to the earth as it is likely to be on this visit—a matter of ten million miles or so. It is well up in the northern sky, approaching the constellation of Scorpio, though still a fair way off it, and about 9.30 p.m. is due north to the New Zealand observer. The comet, as seen through the telescope, has a pronounced stellar nucleus, with a big ball of gas round it. Unfortunately, from the spectatcular point of view, the Pons-Winnecke comet belongs to the “'Manx family"—it has no tail.