LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 November 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Exhibition Attendances. The attendance at the Centennial Exhibition on Saturday was 30,000. making the total 281,740. Military Enrolment. The latest Wairarapa enrolment in the Special Force is that of Brian Ashley Spear, of Masterton. The total enrolments to date have now reached 309. Popular Cycle Race. The popularity of the girls’ cycle races at the inter-house sports on Saturday was such that the Hon. W. E. Parry, who had intended leaving early, remained until these events had been concluded. Lost and Found. The Inter-house Sports at the Masterton Park on Saturday had its lighter incidents. An announcement made several times over the broadcasting system “Lost, a little boy, who doesn’t know his name,” brought ripples of laughter to an otherwise dampened crowd until the lost boy was found. Unfortunate Accident. In the rough and tumble of a lying down start in the men's handicap sack race at the Inter-house Sports on Saturday. Mr I. Flaws, of Cody’s Ltd, Masterton, had the misfortune to break his collarbone. He received first aid treatment on the ground and was later conveyed to his home. Whippet Racing. The New Zealand championship whippet meeting was held at Westport at the weekend. L. Solomon’s Coroboree beat Mr McFarlane’s Guy Fawkes. The latter was winner of the title on three occasions. Coroborce also won the open hurdles. The open flat went to Gold Monarch. Nelson. Minor Fire Outbreak. The Masterton Fire Brigade received a call at 9.14 a.m. on Sunday to the residence of Mr T. Attree. 7 Michael Street, where a transformer in the radio receiving set had overheated and caught alight. Prompt action by the Brigade quelled the outbreak before it could spread. Concert at St. Matthew's School. Members of Grey House, St. Matthew's Collegiate School for Girls staged a bright, concert at the school on Saturday night. An appreciative audience of parents and old girls had placed before them a varied programme, which included folk dancing, songs by senior and junior groups, and an amusing playette. Harbour Tragedy. A body, believed to be that of Mr A. N. Briggs, caretaker of the coal hulk Alameda, who has been missing since November 7, was found yesterday morning some distance off Fryatt Quay Wharf, Wellington, by the crew of a yacht. At the time of Mr Brigg’s disappearance there was a choppy sea in the harbour, and it is thought that Mr Briggs slipped from the hulk’s stern ladder, to which his launch, containing his hat and coat, was found moored. Search for Missing Giri. Irene Spalding, aged 11, who has been missing from her home in Waihi since Friday, November 17. has been traced by the police to Wellington, but up to last night there was no further word of her whereabouts. It has been established that she travelled on the Limited express on November 19. givthe explanation to the guard that she had lost her ticket and purse. It is believed that she is still in Wellington. Politics & War. In his broadcast address last evening the Prime Minister (Mr Savage) contended that it was not reasonable to ask the Government to set aside its policy programme during the war period. if the Government sought in that way to placate its opponents, Mr Savage observed, it would be antagonising another and larger section of the population to which it was pledged. The Premier declared that the Government sought and was receiving the co-opera-tion of those able to render useful service and was confident that this cooperation would be extended, Nev/ Zealand Slang. The opinion that New Zealand and her sister Dominion Australia are making an important contribution to the English language through the evolution of popular speech was expressed by Mr Sidney J. Baker, who has arrived at Wellington from London. With the aid of numerous observers, MiBaker has. during the last four years, studied the slang of New Zealand and Australia and, but for the outbreak of war, would have had the results of his investigation published in London. Pie has already collected 4000 expressions original to the two countries and. now that he has returned to New Zealand, of which he is a native, he expects to augment that total considerably. Dairy Output Declines.

The largest dairy company operating in the Manawatu district, the Cheltenham Co-operative Dairy Company, acknowledges a serious decline in butter output. Production for the first four months of the current season shows a decrease compared with the quantity manufactured during the same period last year of 15.5 per cent, or 93 tons. Other dairy companies operating in the neighbourhood of Palmerston North report a similar state of affairs, the drop in production being given at from 10 to 15 per cent. Executives of these other factories blame not only the poorer season but also the decision of farmers to milk fewer cows because of the labour problem rather than pay high wages.

Torpedoing Story Incorrect. 11. G. Vivian, former New Zealand cricket captain, would like to know tne origin of the story cabled from England that he was a passenger on the liner Yorkshire, torpedoed in the Atlantic. That story, he said on Saturday, on his arrival at Auckland by the Monterey, had caused both him and relatives a lot of anxiety. He had no connection with the Yorkshire. He was safely transported from England to America in the liner Georgic. Mr Vivian said that his plans for the future were still indefinite. He might even return to England. Till he had a look round he would not know whether he would be playing club cricket or whether he would be eligible to piny for the province if required.

"Did you hear that the fire department fired their efficiency expert?" “No. What for?” “He put unbreakable glass, in all the alarm boxes.”