LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 November 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Exhibition Attendances. The following were attendance figures at the Centennial Exhibition yesterday, 12,596. Total 158.244. daily average 19,770. Demand for New Zealand Sheep. The demand for New Zealand sheep from clients beyond the Dominion is steadily increasing. An order has just been received by Mr R. W. Matthews. Waiorongomai. Featherston, from a Tasmanian client for 10 Romney Marsh ewes and a stud ram. The sheep will be sent to Tasmania early in 1940. Akitio Centennial Fund. A decision to abandon local centennial celebrations and instead provide funds for local children to attend the Exhibition was made at a meeting of the Akitio County Council following a letter from the centennial branch of the Department of Internal Affairs asking whether any change had been made in Akitio dates. Proposed Cricket Tour In response to a cablegram received from the New Zealand Cricket Council Dr. Allen Robertson, chairman of the Australian Board of Control, has communicated with his fellow members in the other States to ascertain their views on whether the proposed tour of New Zealand by an Australian team should be carried out, a Melbourne message states. If their feeling is that it should, he will make the necessary arrangements for the tour either by correspondence or by calling the board members together. Newspaper cricket writers are urging that the tour should take place. Recruiting for Maori Battalion. Recruiting for the Maori Battalion for service within New Zealand or overseas is reported to have shown excellent progress during the past week, and the registrations now total well over 1200. This means that after allowing for the results of medical examination, the full strength of a battalion of military effectives should be assured. The latest enrolments in the Wairarapa for the Maori Battalion include those of Messrs Thomas Ngahuere and Ahukunamu Moses Hirotl, bringing the total enlistment to date, in the Wairarapa recruiting area to three. Telegraphic Concession. The Post Office advises that authority has been given for commercial firms and similar organisations to use in their telegrams exchanged with the United Kingdom as the first word of the text, a group of up to five figures to indicate the reference to the number of the telegram and/or the number of the telegram under reply. The concession is, however, granted on the understanding that the censorship authorities may inquire as to the actual meaning of the groups in cases where* they deem it desirable to do so. A Dog And A Goat. Some amusement was caused at a meeting in Masterton the other night to consider arrangements for a Christmas Tree in aid of patriotic funds. A lady said she would donate a dog ana a goat for the tree and someone remarked that no doubt they would be suitable adornments. "But they arcalive,” said the donor amid laughter. This put a new complexion on the proposition but a way out of the difficulty was found by deciding to place tickets on the tree instead of the animals, entitling the holders to receive either the dog or the goat, as the case might be.

Air Force Ceremony. Group Captain L. M. Isitt, ActingChief of the Air Staff, accompanied by Wing Commander E. G. Olsen, ActingAir Force Member for Personnel, will visit the Air Force Ground TrainingSchool in Weraroa tomorrow to attend the passing-out ceremony of Air Force recruits who have completed their training. The Royal New Zealand Air Force band will take part in the ceremony, which is timed to commence at 2.30 o’clock tomorrow afternoon. The station will be open to the public for the afternoon and it is expected that a large number of visitors from other centres, particularly relatives of the men passing out, will go to Levin to see the ceremony. Quick Loading of Ships.

An appeal for the quick loading of all overseas ships was made by the Minister of Marketing, Mr ( Nash, in his broadcast address last night. A day’s delay, said Mr Nash, might break the convoy procedure and hold up many other ships. To ensure that the people of the United Kingdom were supplied with food, wool for clothing, and other commodities they required from the Dominion, said Mr Nash, it was essential that there should be no delay on the farm on the road, on the railway, in the store, and on the waterfront. "What is required is expedition.” said the Minister. "Whoever practises that is helping our people, the people of the Old Country, and the cause to which we are all committed.’’

Wool Appraisement. Dates when the appraisement ol wool is to begin in various North Island centres were announced by the Minister of Marketing. Mr Nash, on behalf of the Minister of Agriculture. Mr Lee Martin, in a broadcast address from his office in Parliament Buildings last night. Mr Nash said that appraisement would start today in Auckland. Arrangements had been made to begin appraisement in Gisborne on November 24. and in Napier and Wellington on November 28. Brokers in other centres would be notified in a few days of the dates when appraisals would begin in those places. Mr Nash said there was shipping available to lift’l9.soo bales of wool from Auckland by December 2. It was urgent that immediate delivery to the stores be made of properly sorted fleece wools, so that the full 19.500 bales would be shipped.

Jones: "Sorry, old chap, but I’m looking for a little financial succour again.” Smith: "I'm afraid you'll have to look elsewhere. I'm not the little financial sucker I used to be.”

The dance being held by the St John Cadet Ambulance Division in the Masonic Hall tonight should prove an attraction to the dancing public of Masterton. As this is the Division’s final dance of the year no effort has been spared to make it a success, and to this end the admission price lias been reduced to 2s for men and Is (id for ladies. An order lo the value of 10s to tile winners of the Monte Carlo waltz should prove an additional attraction. Jack Barnes and his Rhythm Boys will supply the music, and Mr Pat Ward will be MC.

Ducks in Traffic. The example given by a London policeman who held up the traffic in Piccadilly to permit a mother duck and her family to cross the road was not followed by a motorist on the Main North road several days ago, states the Christchurch "Press.” The mother duck had hustled her family as far as the middle of the road when a car drove over them, travelling at top speed. The duck flew to safety, but one youngster was crushed under a wheel. The remainder of the squawking ducklings returned to the side of the road from which they had come. Tugs Under Overhaul. Preparing for another season’s work towing logs from the coast to the Auckland timber mills, the Kauri Timber Company’s tug Lyttelton is at present on the Auckland Harbour Board’s slipway, undergoing overhaul. The Lyttelton, one of the few paddlesteamers left on the New Zealand coast, is now 61 years ’old. An iron vessel, she was built by Laird Brothers at Birkenhead, England. A second veteran tug on the same slipway is the Auckland Harbour Board's Te Awhina, now 31 years old. No Eurasians for N.Z. An announcement that the New Zealand Government, had refused to grant any further permits for the entry of Eurasians into the Dominion under the scheme established by the St. Andrew’s Colonial Homes, Bengal, is made in the organisation’s magazine, published in Calcutta. The article states that this year the Government refused admission to nine boys and seven girls on the ground that no half-caste Tongan. Fijian, or Anglo-Indian could be admitted. "Anglo-Indians have an inheritance of British and Indian blood of which we are proud," continued the article. "Moreover, those sent to New Zealand were well educated. We used to be proud of the contrast between the freedom of New Zealand and the exclusiveness of Australia regarding emigration. It is nothing short of a tragedy to have New Zealand shut against. the Anglo-Indians, who have found it the best and happiest land to dwell in. and to have the farmers of New Zealand prevented from getting approved Anglo-Indians to till their land while there is tin urgent need for more workers on the land and in merchandise."

Those who intend exhibiting at the Masterton Horticultural Society's spring (lower show next Wednesday arc reminded that entries will close with tlie secretary at noon on Tuesday. November 21. The secretary Mr E. K. Eastwood. Perry Street. Masterton. appeals to exhibitors to place their entries as early as possible so that a last minute congestion may be avoided