LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Centennial Exhibition. The attendance at the Centennial Exhibition in Wellington yesterday was 10,000, bringing the total visitors to 251.279. Arcade Repairs. The floor of the Central Arcade between Queen and Chapel streets is receiving attention. An attractive grey paving of concrete is being laid. Cricket Nominations.

The following nominations have been made by Mr W. Hoar. Wairarapa selector, for the Country cricket team which to play the Town team at Wellington on December 6 and 7: —B. Patrick (Old Boys), N. Hoar (Red Star). Inter-House Sports Dance.

Arrangements are complete for the Inter-House Sports Dance to be held in the Municipal Hall tonight. Jack Barnes's Rhythm Boys will supply the music. An attractive • programme of dances has been drawn up and patrons are assured of an enjoyable evening.

Amateur Athletic Championships.

At the annual meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association in Wellington last night, Otago was allocated the 1941 track and field championships, West Coast (North Island) the 1941 junior and women’s championships, and Otago the 1940 cross-country championship. Canadian Potatoes.

A consignment of two million pounds of Canadian-grown table potatoes was recently shipped from Vancouver to Auckland to fill an order for the New Zealand Government as a result of a shortage in the Dominion. The order was the largest ever received by Canadian growers from New Zealand. Large quantities of the potatoes were retailed in Masterton and were found to be of excellent quality. Deep Gold-mining.

Johannesburg’s gold mines, deepest in the world, have gone still deeper in their search for the precious metal. According to Mr W. E. Watts, a resident of the city who is visiting Christchurch, one of the mines had gone down to a depth of 12,500 ft, finding that the deeper the shaft the richer the assay. Mining companies were allowed to keep £7 10s an ounce, the remainder —which when he left was 18s—going to the Government to provide South Africa’s war budget. Overseas Trade.

A remarkable increase in exports and a very substantial decrease in imports are shown in the New Zealand overseas trade returns for October, which were released yesterday by the Customs Department. Imports last month were valued at £3,330,000, compared with £4,270,000 for October, 1938, a decrease of £940,000. Exports amounted to £3.907,000, compared with £2,165,000 in October, 1938, an increase of £1,742,000. There was an excess of exports last month of £577,000, compared with an excess of imports of £2.105,000 in October, 1938, and of £1,720,000 in October, 1937.

Lake Taupo Fishing. Criticism levelled against the re-cently-applied fishing regulations restricting trolling within 200 yards of the shores of Lake Taupo was replied to yesterday by the Minister of Internal Affairs. In explaining the reasons which led to the imposition of the regulations, Mr Parry said that New Zealand, with its high reputation established over many years for trout fishing, had allowed catches to be taken from lakes and streams out of all proportion to a reasonable policy of conservation. Measures for a tightening up in the interests of the fisheries and the sport were imperative.

Soldiers’ Temperate Spirit. Receipts of the-“dry" section of the canteen at Trentham mobilisation camp are almost double that of the “wet.” The “wet” side deals with the sale of ale; the “dry” with that of milk shakes, fruit, cigarettes, soft drinks, and other sundries. The average consumption of ale is proving that the “wet” canteen is being used in moderation. On the best selling day, the average has been less than a pint a man; on most days less than half a pint. The respective figures of the two sections of the canteen and the average consumption are each proof of a temperate spirit on the part of the soldiers. There were two important innovations yesterday—seven ounce beer “handles," selling at threepence each, and hot pies. With ale the men now have the choice of a 14 ounce “handle” at sixpence, and a seven ounce at threepence.

Appeal for Donations. Whenever an appeal is made in Masterton for donations for a worthy object it is always responded to in a whole-hearted manner, so that the appeal which is made by the Christmas Fair Committee for donations of produce, cakes and sweets, and articles for the jumble stall should produce results in keeping with Masterton's reputation for generosity. The Fair is all the more worthy of support because it is being held in the interests of the soldiers who are in camp. The committee would appreciate donations being left at the R.S.A. office, Mr C. E. Grey's business premises, Queen Street, at the De Luxe Cafe or with Mr J. V. Dolan, Municipal Hall. The Fair is to be held on Friday, December 1, and will be officially opened by the Mayor of Masterton (Mr T. Jordan) at 1.30 p.m. In addition to competitions for cakes and sweets, there will be a baby show as well as numerous side shows and stalls for produce, sweets, cakes, etc.

Chewing Gum Manufacture. Chewing gum is shortly to be manufactured in Auckland on a large scale. This will be undertaken by a new private company which has been formed with a capital of £lOO,OOO. The company is called Wrigley Products (New Zealand) Limited. The whole of the capital. winch is in shares of £lO each, has been subscribed by American interests. The subscribers are: The William Wrigley, Junr. Company. Chicago, 9997 shares'; P. K. Wrigley. W. H. Stanley and J. C. Cox, Chicago, one share each. Mr B. E. Wrigley, Junr. Chicago, who is at present visiting Auckland, said that the company had been formed because of restrictions on the import of chewing gum into New Zealand. In the past, supplies had come from the American Company's Australian factory. Most of the raw materials would bo bought here. though the chicle would have to be imported from overseas. The factory, which would employ 15 to 20 hands, would be in production at the end of February or the beginning of March of next year.