LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 November 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Church and War. "War being contrary to the spiritual teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ, we can take no part therein, but instead in love and service we give ourselves to the making o£ a Christian peace.” was a motion of which the Rev O. E. Burton gave notice at the Wellington Methodist Synod yesterday. Greytown Cherries.

The first of this season’s cherries from Greytown made their appearance in the Wellington city markets yesterday morning. Packed in' 121 b boxes, they sold at from 15s 9d to 19s 6d a box. Due to the late frosts, the supply of cherries this season from the Wairarapa will be the reverse of plentiful: red and black currants also will be in short supply from that district.

Methodist Synod. The ministerial session of the Wellington Methodist Synod was held yesterday when the Rev P. R. Paris presided over 28 delegates. The probationer ministers, the Revs H. E. Harkness (Greytown), E. S. Hoddinott (Miramar), W. L. Long (Porirua), and J. E. Silvester (Lower Hutt) were examined and passed in their first year, subject to written examinations being satisfactory.

The Winning Side. "The ayes have it,” said the Mayor, Mr T. Jordan, at last night’s meeting of the Masterton Borough Council, announcing the result of a division on the voices. "Do you want a show of hands?” asked the Mayor. "If I thought I was on the winning side I would,” observed Councillor H-. E. Gardner amid a burst of laughter from round the council table.

Woodville Lamb Competition. The district fat lamb competition under the auspices of the Woodville A. and P. Association, which attracted an entry of 10 pens this year, began at the Woodville saleyards on Monday, when Mr T. C. Cornford, of Pahiatua, judged the lambs on the hoof. The winner was W. H. Couston, the second and third prizes going to J. C. Bolton. After being judged on the hoof the lambs were transported to Longburn freezing works to be killed and judged on the hooks. Warning to Absentees.

Members who had been absent from the sessions of the Presbyterian General Assembly without leave were given a warning at the final session of the Assembly at Christchurch yesterday. The Rev John Hubbard informed members at thg_ afternoon sitting that. unless they were prepared to pay better attention to the business of the Assembly, very drastic action would have to be taken to’see that they attended. On Mr Hubbard’s motion the. Assembly decided: “That the attention of the Assembly be drawn to the absence of members of the Assembly without leave of absence.” Plague of Beetles.

Napier particularly and other parts of Hawke’s Bay to a lesser degree are at present afflicted with a minor plague of small brown beetles, which in the evening hours infest gardens and trees, eating the leaves of growing plants. The young of these unwelcome visitors are sometimes known as “grass grubs,” and as egg-laying operations are now in full swing residents can expect some trouble with their lawns in the near future. Masterton has from time to time also suffered from plagues of brown beetles. Workers' Compensation Court.

An announcement that a workers’ compensation court is to be established to deal with compensation cases under the Workers’ Compensation Act, and also to assist with industrial matters when free to do so, was made last evening by the Minister of Labour, Mr P. Webb . The new court is to consist of a judge and two nominated members. The judge of the Court of Arbitration, Mr Justice O’Regan, has been asked to preside over the new court. This will necessitate the appointment of a new judge to succeed him on the Arbitration Court bench. Faced with Propaganda.

In a statement relative to New Zealand’s import trade issued last night, the Hon W. Nash, Minister of Finance, said that when he was in England recently endeavouring to raise a renewal loan to repay money borrowed by previous Governments he had been faced with propaganda from New Zealand. The largest body of importers had written to the chambers of commerce and also to the “Manchester Guardian” urging that pressure should be brought to bear on him in England to alter the policy of the New Zealand Government. He refused to be coerced in that way. Exhibition Attendance.

Yesterday was again a quiet day at the Centennial Exhibition, the attendances being almost identical with those of the preceding day. The weather was line, with a northerly breeze, and the evening was clear and pleasant. About 9500 people entered (lie gates yesterday. There were very few people about during the forenoon. After a lull al tea time, when lor an hour the grounds were nearly empty, the evening arrivals began to Hood in. A remarkable feature of yesterday’s crowds was that they were of a noticeably contemplative frame of mind; in the evening there were actually larger crowds in the Dominion Court than in Playland, and the more interesting serious exhibits were popular.

Tuberculosis Among Maoris. Tlie subject of tuberculosis among the Maori race occupied considerable time at a meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board. The discussion arose from a letter submitting suggestions by lite Roman Catholic missioner in Otaki. The board’s deliberations were taken in committee, and it was subsequently decided that the missioner be thanked for his suggestions. The managing-secretary. Mr A. J. Phillips, is to interview him and point out what the board is doing in tile matte)'. Stating that he felt not enough was being done lo combat tuberculosis among the Maoris. Father J. Dunning wrote to the board saying there was not sufficient awareness by the public of the terrible toll of young lives die disease was taking among the Maori people. He suggested a special sanatorium for Maori patients. Reference was made in the letter, commented Hie chairman. Mr J. A. Nash, to the move made by the Wanganui board, but the Palmerston Norlh board had been pari icularly active and had long advocated a special institution for the Maori peu p I c