LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 August 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Racing Club. The Wairarapa Racing Club has a membership of 230. Wellington Competitions. At the Wellington competitions yesterday Beulah Hirst, of Masterton. was very highly commended in the popular song section, tinder 16 years. New Pictorial Serial. By arrangement with Metro-Gold-wyn-Mayer Pictures, a new pictorial serial strip based on the film. "The Great Waltz,” will commence in Monday's issue. Mail Services. In conformity with the practice of throwing open certain mail services for public tender lor three years the Postal Department is inviting tenders for a number of mail contracts in the Masterton district for the ensuing term. Influenza Epidemic. Both in the town and the country districts of Mastertori influenza in a severe form is being experienced. Many local firms are working shorthanded as the result of employees being absent through influenza. Spring-Flowering Shrubs. Signs of approaching spring are to be seen in Masterton Park, where many of the flowering shrubs are now blooming in full profusion. Rhododendrons are also beginning to flower while there is quite a bright show of hyacinths and pansies. Car on Fire. The Masterton Fire Brigade was called out at about six o'clock last night to a car on fire in Queen Street. The outbreak, which occurred in the ignition system, was extinguished before much damage was done. The car was owned by a Napier resident. Flying Competitions. Intending entrants are reminded that entries for the two competitions advertised in Wednesday’s issue of the "Times-Age” for prizes of free flights, membership in the Model Aero Club and free theatre tickets, close at 9 a.m. on Monday. Entries should be addressed, "Tail Spin.” c/o "Times-Age.” Compulsory Military Training. By unanimous vote, the Dominion conference of the South African War Veterans at Christchurch had decided not to allow discussion on a Tauranga remit urging the Government to institute compulsory military training. Next year’s conference was allocated to Auckland. The headquarters are to remain in Christchurch for another year. . Heating Soil by Electricity. Electricity has many uses and the latest installation in Masterton Park is that of a > soil-heating cable for the glasshouse. By this means the temperature of the soil is maintained at the required degree, being controlled by thermostat. Gloxinia and begonia seeds have been sown and appear to be germinating freely under the response of the electrically heated soil. Diamond Back Moth Problem. Investigations made by Mr D. H. Todd, of the’Cawthron Institute, show that the white butterfly pest in Hawke’s Bay is generally under control but that the control of the diamondback moth is one of the chief problems now facing entomologists in New Zealand. It is probable that, work of investigating the diamond-back moth will be continued in Hawke's Bay this summer. N.Z. Billiards Championship. The New Zealand billiards championship was continued at Auckland yesterday when the final stage was reached. In the last quarterfinal, A. Albertson (Canterbury) beat J. Shepherd (Auckland), by 666 points to 548. The semifinals resulted: M. White Auckland, 666 beat A. Bowie (Otago). 349; R. Carrick (Auckland), 666, beat Albertson, 491. Nursery at Exhibition. A special nursery for infants is provided in the* Red Cross Creche at the New Zealand Centennial Exhibition. Playrooms for children, crawling and toddling, are included in the building and cribs arc available for sleeping. There is a kitchen containing a stove, a steriliser and a refrigerator to give the expert nurses in charge every facility for preparing meals for the young visitors. Steel from Australia.

The financial deadlock which prevented the importation into the Dominion of steel and wire from Australia has ended, according to advices received by merchants, an Auckland Press Association message reports. It is staled that arrangements have been made with the Reserve Bank for remittances overseas covering steel products, the permit authority accepting such goods among those classed as essential. As a result, all orders at present in the hands of Broken Hill Proprietary Limited. Australia, and which are subject to the second period of import licences will be placed by tno company and manufacture will be made in the first rollings applying to the particular classes. Australia is practically the exclusive supplier of steel to the New Zealand building trade, which has suffered from the holdup. Stocks held by merchants for the engineering trade are very low and there is some evidence that work by this industry has also been affected by the scarcity. Indeed, urgent representations on its behalf had already been made to the Government.