LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 July 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Frost in Masterton. A frost of 8 degrees was registered in Masterton this morning. Guests at Football Dance. The Hawke’s Bay representative football team will be amongst the guests at the Red Star Football Club’s dance in the Arcade Hall tonight. Electric Power Interruption. Tomorrow, from 1 p.m. to 3.30 p.m., electric power will be off in Featherston Borough, main road from The Knoll to Featherston, Cross Creek. Underhill Road and South Featherston, to allow essential maintenance work. Harrier Dance. Dance patrons are given a final reminder of the dance to be held tonight by the Masterton Harrier Club in the Masonic Hall. Thirty visiting Hastings harriers will be the guests of the Masterton Club. Music will be supplied by the Blue River Dance Band, and the supper arrangements are in the capable hands of a ladies’ committee. A pleasant time is assured all who attend.' Agreement on Defence. Exceptional agreement among members of both Government and Opposition parties prevailed in the House of Representatives yesterday, when Mr J. A. Lee (Government, Grey Lynn) urged all members, irrespective of party interests, to do their utmost to promote the Government’s recruiting appeal in their respective districts. Mr Lee, who gave praise to several Opposition member for their assistance so far, was applauded by the entire House when he finished a half-hour speech on defence. Money in Flowers. For those who are able to produce spring flowers a little earlier than others, there is a rich reward in the public markets. At one sale yesterday in Wellington there was not a great quantity of blooms offering, but the prices.were surprising. Ten bunches of poppy buds (very few burst) realised 16s. Moderate-sized lots of small yellow and white jonquils brought from 6s to Bs. One special lot of yellow daffodils from Auckland, the first of the season, realised 19s for a dozen small bunches. Another lot of poppies, mostly in the bud, brought as high as 3s 9d a bunch. Land Tax Abolition. The abolition of land tax, both ordinary and graduated, was advocated by Mr Jull (Opposition, Waipawa) during his speech in the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives yesterday. This form of taxation, he said, was inequitable in its incidence. Land tax produced about £1,000,000 a year, and approximately half of that sum came from the graduated tax. Reform of taxation was essential, and it was hoped that the present unfair position regarding land tax would be rectified when the proposed revision of the incidence of taxation was made. “Poultry Fever.” As a member of a pioneer family, he did not have the opportunity for playing football or other games as the young men of today had, and consequently he had taken up the breeding of poultry, remarked Mr W. Hall, Lepperton, at a dinner held by “Feather Fanciers” at New Plymouth recently. He had got a lot of pleasure out of it, as the fowls were with him all the time, and he expressed the opinion that if the young fellows of the present day were to develop “poultry fever” also they would derive pleasure out of it as well. Tomato-growing in Auckland.

Conditions in the last two or three weeks have been unfavourable for the setting of fruit on early tomato plants in heated glass-houses round Auckland. Suburban growers state that although the temperatures have been milder than usual in June and early July there has been a lack of bright sunshine, which is necessary to start the fruit. This is one of the difficulties which they are unable to overcome by artificial means, as heating appliances do not provide a substitute for sunlight. Under the present dull conditions, trouble is being experienced with the dropping of flowers, thus delaying the crops to be harvested in the first weeks of spring. Alternate Route to Gorge.

The national importance of keeping roads and bridges in the Ballance and Mangahao Valleys in good order, because they were used by main highways traffic when the road through the Manawatu Gorge was blocked, was emphasised by members of the Pahiatua County Council when considering a reply from the Public Works Department to an application for a preferential subsidy for the renewal of bridges on the alternative route. Commenting on the department’s reply, which promised an investigation, the chairman, Mr A. W. Bisset, said it appeared as if the council’s application was going to receive 'favourable consideration. Anglican Synod. Clergy and laity from all parts of the Wellington Diocese will meet in Wellington next Tuesday for the opening session of the annual diocesan synod of the Anglican Church. In the absence of the Bishop of Wellington, the Rt Rev St Barbe Holland, the vicar-general. Archdeacon W. Bullock, will preside and will deliver the opening address. Among the most important matters to be discussed by synod will be plans for the Wellington Anglican Cathedral and the centennial appeal. Other important business will be the revision of the acts, resolutions, and standing orders of synod, on which a committee has been working for some months. Discussion on this subject is expected to occupy much time, and the session is likely to last for a week. Mr J. A. Lee’s Position. Curiosity which has been expressed in the Address-in-Reply debate by Mr Wilkinson (Independent, Egmont) and Mr Jull (Opposition, Waipawa) as to the present status in the Government of the member for Grey Lynn, Mr Lee, drew a reply from Mr Cotterill (Government. .Wanganui) when speaking in the debate in the House of Representatives yesterday. These members had asked whether Mr Loe was still Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Housing. “The hon member for Waipawa had a tilt at Mr Leo." Mr Cotterill said. “I want to tell the hon gentleman that Mr Lee is still Under-Secretary for Housing, and that he is doing good, satisfactory work for the Government, the Prime Minister, and the nation generally."

Two cotton mills in Blackburn, Lancashire. the Shakespeare Mill and the Bath Mill are to be turned into schools.