LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 October 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

“A New World Sense.” "New Zealand is developing a new world-sense and a heightened social feeling,'’ comments the "Christian .Science Monitor” of August 16. Fancy Dress Party. A reminder is given of the fancy dress party to be held by the pupils of Lansdowne School under the auspices of the Home and School Association in the Y.M.C.A. on Friday. The judges will be Mesdames R. C. Drummond and D. McNeur. The party will commence at 7 o’clock. Maori Battalion. Satisfactory progress with recruiting for the Maori Battalion was reported yesterday by Army Headquarters, Wellington. The total number registered up till noon yesterday was 411. Of these, 332 were in the Northern Military District, 75 in the Central Military District and four in the Southern Military District. Twenty-Nine Times Golf Champion. Defeating J. Richardson 4 and 3 in the finals of the Pahiatua Golf Club senior championship on Sunday, J. G. Swainson has now won the title no fewer than 29 times. He has been champion of the Pahiatua Club since 1908, and has been downed twice, in 1936 and 1937. For the fifth time, he holds the Howden Cup. Royal Show Judges. Four Wairarapa judges have been appointed to judge at the Royal Show to be held at Invercargill in December. Messrs T. V. Caverhill, of Masterton, will judge the thoroughbreds, hacks and hunters; Mr W. Howard Booth, of Carterton, the Lincolns; Mr James Donald, of Featherston, the Romneys, and Mr R. Kirkland, of Featherston, the Ayrshires. Four Brothers Join Military Force. Another family in the Whangarei district has four members in the Special Military Force or ready to proceed to camp. Four of the five sons of Mr C. H. Milligan, Matapouri, have enlisted. Two of them are in camp and two are waiting to be called up. Four sons of Mr H. J. Hirst, Whangarei, are also in camp or waiting to proceed there. Abattoir Returns. Stock slaughtered at the Masterton Borough Abattoir during September comprised 458 cattle, 53 calves, 1840 sheep, 59 lambs and 140 pigs. During the month three cows, one bullock and nine ewes were condemned. The killing fees were £l6 9s lid lower than for the same period last year. To date the fees show an increase of £2OB 9s 5d compared with the corresponding period last year.

Labour Disputes. There were 44 industrial disputes in New Zealand during the six nionths ended June 30, involving a loss of 29,160 working days and some £33,470 in wages, according to the latest monthly Abstract of Statistics. These figures represent increases on the figures for the corresponding period of 1938, when there were 39 disputes, involving a loss of 12,796 working days and of £12,538 in wages. Co-ordination Scheme.

At a largely-attended meeting held at Palmerston North of master carriers, area operators and taxi proprietors of Levin, Shannon, Feildirig, Ashhurst, Marton and Palmerston North, a protest was entered against the attitude of the Government in attempting to force them into a co-ordination scheme. It was resolved to resist any system other than that at present existing, which, it was considered, gave the maximum efficiency to the public. American Attitude to War. . “Americans as a whole are definitely pro-British, and very much opposed to the Hitler regime,” said Dr. R. S. R. Francis, superintendent of the Otaki Sanatorium, who has returned to New Zealand after studying methods of treatment in Britain and on the Continent. When it came to the question of being involved in war, however, the Americans were not anxious for immediate participation, he said. They preferred to await events, though the feeling was that ultimately they must enter the conflict. Thorndon Breastwork. The last pile in the Thorndon breastwork, started in 1924 and costing £210,000, was driven yesterday. The chairman of the Wellington Harbour Board, Mr M. A. Eliott, operated the piledriver for the final operation and made a good job of it. The breastwork is built outside the concrete seawall which retains the north Waterldo Quay and Thorndon reclamations. It was started at the south corner and extended gradually as finance permitted. Yesterday afternoon’s driving of the last concrete pile brings the work very near to completion. Drama League Final. The national festival final of the New Zealand branch of the British Drama League was held in Timaru last night. It resulted in a win for Opportune players, Dunedin, who presented “Dirge Without Dole.” Hamilton Players were second with “Two Gentlemen of Soho,” and Hawera Repertory Club were third with “Cupid Rampant.” The judges expressed disappointment at the class of play selected, contending that burlesque was not good drama. Criticism was not levelled at the performers but at the types of plays selected. They were of opinion that at a national final the types of plays should be of the best. The judges were Messrs Bernard Beeby (Christchurch), N. Harrison Cook (Wellington) and A. E. Lawrence (Timaru). Substitute for Liquid Fuel. Holding that producer gas equipment offers the best prospects as a substitute to conserve New Zealand's stocks of liquid fuel, the Government is making an investigation with a view to deciding the extent of the practical use of the various types of equipment available. This information was given in an interview by Mr G. L. Laurenson, the Gil Fuel Controller. “The Government has investigated the whole question of the use of substitute fuels to conserve the Dominion’s stocks of liquid fuel and after taking many factors into consideration it is considered that the producer gas equipment offers rhe best prospects for this purpose,” said Mr Laurenson. “Producer gas equipment uses a variety of fuels which include wood, charcoal, carbonized lignite or coal. Compressed coal gas is used on the Continent for automotive purposes, but because there is no equipment in New Zealand capable of compressing the gas to a pressure of 3000 to 50001 b.. it is not likely that coal gas could be used in New Zealand for this purpose.”