LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 November 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Manawatu Automobile Association. It was reported to a meeting of the Automobile Association (Manawatu) that the present membership was 3575. Attendance at Exhibition. The number of visitors to the Centennial Exhibition yesterday was 10,900, bringing the total up to 301,770. Special Force Enrolment. The latest Special Force military enrolment in Masterton is that of William James Greig. The total enlistments to date have now reached 310. Church Anniversary. Mr Ben Roberts, M.P.. will be the special preacher in the morning at the 59th anniversary celebrations of the Kuripuni Methodist Church which are to be held during the weekend. Automatic Phones for Napier. Midnight on December 2 has been fixed as the hour for the changeover from manual to the new automatic telephone system in Napier. The installation of the new instruments has been in progress for some months, and this section of the work is now practically finished. Time Required to Build a House. The time it takes to build a house was being argued in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, and opposing counsel asked plaintiff if she had ever heard of a house being pul up in six weeks. “Yes, often,” answered plaintiff. "What about the Social Security Building?” put in the magistrate, Mr Luxford. Liner Sussex in Dock. The New Zealand Shipping Company. Ltd., received cabled advice yesterday from their London oflice, a Wellington message slates, that the motor ship Sussex, which recent advices from London report was damaged by a mine, is now in dock and all on board are safe. Mahunga Golf Club. The annual meeting of members of the Mahunga Golf Club will be held in the A. and P. Association’s room, Perry Street, at 8 o'clock tonight. The lady members of the club will hold their annual meeting at 7 o'clock at the same place. National War Effort. After ten weeks of intensive preparation the Invercargill City Council now has 63 acres under cultivation in its vegetable-growing contribution to the national war effort. The total weight of the harvest is expected to be nearly 1000 tons. Available unused city areas have been sown in oats, potatoes, swedes, and cabbage. Christmas Fair. In connection with Christmas Fair which is to be held in Masterton on Friday considerable interest is being shown in the competitions. Included in the many attractions in the evening will be a dance, the music for which will be supplied by Barnes's Rhythm Boys. Mr P. Ward will act as M.C. The public are assured of an enjoyable evening. Mothers are reminded that’ the judging of the Baby Show will commence at 3 p.m. on Friday. Import Licences. Licences to import goods from Ihe United Kingdom will be granted much more freely during the first halt of 1940, according to advice received in Wellington yesterday from a leading firm of English footwear manufacturers, which was informed to this effect by the High Commissioner for New Zealand in London, Mr Jordan, by letter on October 18 last. This firm states that it has for some time been making representations to the High Commissioner to try to get some relaxation of the restrictions' on imports. Search for Oil in New Zealand. Prospects of the search for oil in New Zealand proving successful were described as "reasonably bright by the Minister of Mines, the Hon. P. C. Webb, who arrived from Hamilton on Saturday. The Minister recently completed an inspection of oil-prospecting work in the Manawatu and Taranaki districts, and said that, while it was too early to indicate whether actual drilling for oil would take place in the district between Palmerston North and Wanganui, prospects were at least very encouraging. Music Scholarship. Conditions governing the award of the George and Frances Beetham music scholarship of £25 a year at Wellington College were fixed by the Wellington College’s Board at yesterday's meeting. The scholarship, tenable for two years, will be awarded to the candidate showing most proficiency and ability tn music. In the first instance, the scholarship will be awarded at the beginning of the year to the first-vear pupil showing most proficiency and ability in music. The scholarship will also be open to boys living outside greater Wellington. Gifts for Crippled Children. The Wairarapa branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society commenced some years ago the sending of small gifts at Christmas to all crippled children throughout the Wairarapa. Many appreciative letters have been received from the various children who undoubtedly obtain much joy and happiness from the parcels that are sent to them. This year the numbers of gifts will be increased by about 30 per cent, due to the registration of many new cases. At the last meeting of the executive, a sub-committee was formed to make arrangements for the forwarding of suitable gifts' to the children. Germans From Samoa Interned. As a protective measure 15 German nationals have been brought from the Mandated Territory of Western Samoa for internment in New Zealand. “After consultation with the Acting-Administrator of Western Samoa,” said the Minister in Chaige o External Affairs, Mr Langstone, last evening, "the Government decided that from the point of view of the safety of the Territory it was better to remove these German internees to New Zealand. "Included among the internees are the former president and the former secretary of the Samoan branch of the Nazi Party, a local organisation which was dissolved in the early part of 1939. There is also a German school teacher, who recently arrived in Western Samoa where lie opened a German school. Several other internees are of part Samoan blood, of whom some received their education in Germany and some saw service in the German army or navy."