LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 December 1939, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

One Wairarapa Bankruptcy. One bankruptcy was registered in the Wairarapa during November, making three for the year. Length of Constable's Beats. Curious to know the distance they walked each night on their beats, two Wanganui constables recently borrowed a pedometer. It registered 16 miles for one and 171 miles for the other. Probation for Clerk. For the theft of sums totalling £637 11s from the Waipukurau County Council, her former employer, Doris Jones, clerk, was admitted to two years' probation by Mr Justice Blair when she appeared before him in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday. Attendance at Exhibition. A wet day and evening, the first the Centennial Exhibition has yet encountered when rain fell almost incessantly throughout the opening hours, kept the attendance yesterday down to 7995. The attendance to date is 320.696. the daily average being--16,348. Sea Spray Destroys Plants. Months of careful preparation for an outstanding display of blooms in Napier’s Marine Parade gardens were undone early this week when a gusty wind which whipped showers of spray inshore destroyed between 3000 and 4000 late spring and early summer bedding plants. The losses represent nearly 50 different species. No Nev; Year Honours. It is announced officially that the customary Honours List will not be published" at New Year. It is the intention, however, that the list to be published on the day appointed for the official celebration of His Majesty's Birthday in the United Kingdom, which next year is Thursday, June 13, shall be of somewhat greater length than usual. Road Cycling Record Broken. After a gruelling journey from Auckland to Wellington, L. G. Lukey, the Christchurch professional cyclist, arrived at Wellington General Post Office at 3.28 p.m. yesterday, 3hr 13 min ahead of’ the record set up by O. Barnard, New Plymouth, having taken 31hr 58min. This time would have been considerably better had not the weather been adverse all the way. Steamer Abandoned to Underwriters. The Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand, Ltd., announces that its steamer Waikouaiti, which is ashore at Dog Island, in Foveaux Strait, has been abandoned to the underwriters. If the weather keeps fine, however, an attempt probably will be made todaj r to salvage some of the cargo from the after end of the ship, which is still dry. Any salvage work done will be to conserve the interests of the owners of the cargo, pending instructions from them. Tennis Coaching Scheme. At a meeting of members of the Wairarapa Lawn Tennis Association last night it was decided to take advantage of a tennis coaching scheme as submitted by Mr S. McNicol, area officer for the Government Physical Welfare Branch. A similar scheme has been enthusiastically adopted by the Manawatu Lawn Tennis Association. Mr McNicol also hopes to co-operate with the local Swimming Club in their “Learn to Swim" campaign this season. White Butterfly Under Control. There is ample evidence this season to indicate that the white butterfly pest is now well under control in Hawke’s Bay. It would seem that the parasite liberated in the province a couple of seasons ago is doing well. In other seasons at this time of the year white butterflies have been in thousands in Hawke’s Bay, but this season only odd butterflies are about. That this position exists in a season which has been favourable to the emergence of the pest is most encouraging. Diet for Soldiers. “Army diet is based on the physical requirements of the soldier and not of the civilian,” said the Minister of Defence, when referring last evening to recent published criticism concerning the food served to soldiers in camp. A typical week's menu was quoted by Mr Jones, who said that to ensure a uniform standard of quality the Army School of Cookery had been established. The first course of instruction had been completed, 32 men having been trained under a fullyqualified Army cookery instructor. A second detail of 32 men, now receiving instruction, would complete its training on December 8. A third course was to be held later. Collieries Show Debit Balance. After provision has been made for depreciation, the accounts of Grey Valley Collieries, Ltd., for the year ended September 30. 1939, show a debit to be carried forward in the appropriation account of £458. The balance transferred from the profit and loss to the appropriation account is £1029. and with £1328 brought in the total credit is £2357. Depreciation takes £2814, leaving a debit balance to be carried forward in the appropriation account of £458. Coal production for the year was 71,177 tons, an increase of 7576 tons over the previous year. The directors report that the increased cost of labour, stores, transport and all services, together with a mishap to an important section of the plant which resulted in a cessation of operations for a time and expensive repairs, were the main causes of the year's unsatisfactory results. Valuable Cargo Lost. News of the stranding of the Waikouaiti caused consternation among the business community in Dunedin, a Press Association message states, for a considerable quantity of much-needed merchandise is on board the vessel. Among the cargo is a considerable quantity of tea for local merchants upon which they were relying for muchneeded stocks to carry them over till well on into the new year. There is also a considerable quantity of rum on the ship, a big proportion of the nOw season's tigs. and. most important of all. a qauntity of cream of tartar, local stocks of which are practically exhausted. If these and other merchandising lines are completely ruined it will mean a big loss to traders, possibly not from a monetary point, of view, but because in this period when licences to import are necessary and goods are hard to procure, there may be very little prospect of replenishing them.