LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 July 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Heavy Frost in Masterton. This morning a frost of 12.9 degrees was registered in Masterton.

Chimney Fire. The Masterton Fire Brigade was called out last night to a chimney fire in a town flat. The alarm was received from a street box and also by telephone.

Home Nursing. There was an attendance of about thirty at the home nursing course arranged by the Nursing Division of the St. John Ambulance, held in the Lecture Room. Municipal Hall, last night. Dr. Graham Cowie and the matron of the Masterton Hospital, Miss Barnett, gave addresses on home nursing work, and Miss Barnett also took the class in bandaging.

Palmerston North Library. A total of 5.093 subscribers —senior 1484. junior 1608 and rental 2001—was reported by the municipal librarian, Mr H. Greenwood, to a meeting of the Palmerston North City Council. The total number of subscribers at the corresponding period last year was 1,480. During June 21,895 books were issued, an average of 875.8 a day. and books added to the library during the month totalled 1,072.

Legacy to College. Under the will of the late Mrs Frances Annie Beetham, who died in London, Wellington College receives a legacy of £lOOO (£1244 7s 6d New Zealand currency) for the purpose of founding a “George and Frances Beetham art and music scholarship.’’ Mrs Beetham was a daughter of the late Mr W. H. Levin, who himself founded several scholarships at the college. Centennial Memorial Grant.

A decision to contribute £IOOG toward the cost of a combined metropolitan centennial memorial was reached by the Auckland Harbour Board on the recommendation of the board in committee. At the same time the board adopted a resolution defining its attitude to the whole question of centennial contributions, placing special emphasis upon its interest in aquatic events. National Party.

An address touching on the education of young people on political questions of the day was given to members of the National Party, at a meeting held in the Masonic Hall last night, by Mr H. G. Curran, political education officer of the National Party. Mr J. Macfarlane Laing, Masterton branch' chairman, presided.- Proposals were also put forward foi' the formation of discussion groups, Ship as Pigeon Cote.

Many hundreds of pigeons have been using the Northern Company’s old steamer Arapawa, which is at anchor at Shoal Bay. for a shelter, every accessible part being a roost for the birds. The pigeons are probably those which seek food on the waterfront during the day and find the Arapawa a convenient home. The steamei was formerly well known in the west coast trade, but has been at anchor for the past seven years. An Anglican Newspaper.

The proposal placed before the Wellington Diocesan Synod last week, that it. shotild recommend to the General Synod of the Anglican Church Province of New Zealand a scheme for one large Dominion-wide newspaper in place of the seven existing diocesan journals, was carried yesterday, with one dissentient voice. The motion was proposed by Archdeacon J. R. Young, archdeacon -of Waitotara, last week, following an address by invitation to synod by Mr C. T. C. Watson, editor of the Wellington diocesan paper. It was carried without discussion and will probably be brought before General Synod when it meets in February.

Change in Policy Needed. “Unless there is to be a complete modification of the Government’s policy, it will be in a worse position later on,” Mr W. A. Bodkin, Opposition member for Otago Central stated in the House of Representatives yesterday. "That may happen before the end of this year, and there will be no prospect then of any relief, because the Minister of Finance has made it clear that while the British Government is prepared to do the decent thing now it is only prepared to renew the credits to the extent of £4,000,000. Does the Prime Minister intend to modify his policy, or will he continue the present high level of public expenditure by internal borrowing and taxation? That is what the people of New Zealand are entitled to know.”

Maori Pioneer Battalions. The revival of the Maori Pioneer battalions was advocated by Sir Apirana Ngata (Opposition, Eastern Maori) when discussing defence during the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives last night. He said that none of the New Zealand units that served in the Great War had a more honourable record than the Pioneer battalions. After pointing out that steps had been taken to establish a Scottish Regiment. Sir Apirana said that consideration might well be given to the reestablishment of the Maori Pioneer units. The Native population had increased and the material was never better —it was material of which the present day Maoris’ ancestors would be proud. At the same time the Maoris were so much a part of the New Zealand people there would be no hesitation on their part in responding to the Prime Minister's appeal for recruits for the various defence units. Local Government History. In appealing yesterday to the Institute of County Clerks, which is in conference in Wellington, to assist in making the centennial celebrations national in character, the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry, said it was essential that all who had any responsibilities in relation to government should do their best to see that the celebrations were on a fitting scale. Perhaps one of the things which would fall within the scope of the activities of county clerks was the collection of such documents as related to the history of their own local bodies. Within the next few years, the Minister said, it was obvious that some authoritative history of the development of local government in the Dominion would have to be written, and it could not be written without the wholehearted co-operation of all local body executive officers. The writing of a complete history would be of definite assistance in the developing of a local government machine such as would adequately fit the needs of the Dorninion.