LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 7 December 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Mayor’s Patriotic Fund. A donation of 2s (id from A. Bell has been received for the Mayor's Patriotic fund. Centennial Exhibition. Yesterday's attendance at. the Centennial Exhibition in Wellington xvas 10.314. bringing the total to date up to 378.992, a daily average of 15,100. Sunday School Gatherings. The Church of England annual prize giving gatherings will be held on Sunday, December 17 at the. following hours: Lansdoxvne, 9.30 a.m.; Kuripuni, 11 a.m.; St Matthew's. 2.30 p.m.; Upper Plain, 4 p.m. Wilton Colleries Dividend. Profit, of Wilton Collieries (1934). Ltd., for the year ended October 31. was £4471, against £3843 in the previous year. A final dividend of 3 per cent is recommended, making G per cent for the year, an unchanged rate. St Matthew's College Prize Giving. Mr Justice Blair will be the speaker at the annual prize-giving function at St Matthew’s Collegiate School. The ceremony xvill take place in the School Assembly Hall at 7.30 p.m. on Friday. December 15. Bible Class Camps. The Bible Class Unions will hold a camp in Masterton, commencing on Wednesday. December 27. The members will attend evensong at St Matthews Church on December 31. when the preacher will be the Rt Rev G. V. Gerard, Bishop of Waiapu. “Post Early.” "Post Early" is a good motto to adopt at Christinas. Pressure in the mail room at Masterton will make itself felt next week and will increase right up till Christmas, while the telegraph operators will be kept busy transmitting the hundreds of messages between friends in all parts of New Zealand. Nails in Demand. “Even gold cannot buy nails,” stated a Christchurch builder. He said the demand had outrun the supply. The shortage was due to the lack of wire for manufacturing puposes. It was reported that a Christchurch factory which was hoping to obtain a supply of 90 tons of wire next month already had sufficient orders for 130 tons. Fireblight in Hawke’s Bay. Fireblight has been noticeable in various parts of Hawke’s Bay this season. but close attention by fruitgrowers and persons owning backyard orchards has resulted in the trouble being checked. It is stated that people this season, apparently realising the seriousness of fireblight if allowed to spread, have been cleaning it up as it has appeared on the trees. New Zealand Timber for South Africa. During the past few days, Hokitika sawmillers have received inquiries for supplies of New Zealand timber. The war has evidently put a stop to supplies from other countries, and South African merchants are now seeking supplies from the Dominion. The matter will probably be one for Government action, as at present shipping services are not suitable, and rates and services will have to be arranged. New Uniform for Troops. The intention of the Government to supply every member of the Special Force with a drill uniform before going on leave was announced yesterday by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones. "It is lighter than the ordinary khaki uniform and no doubt the men will prefer to wear it during the summer months.’ said the Minister. "The new kit is of the same style as the service uniform.” Oldest Maori College. The fact that Hukarere (Hawke’s Bay' was the oldest Maori College in the Dominion was mentioned by Miss M. Hall, the headmistress, in the annual report at the prize-giving ceremony of the college. The college was founded in 1875, when funds for its estabishment were raised by Miss Maria Williams. The centennial year of the Dominion was the sixty-fifth year of Hukarere’s existence, said Miss Hall. Seaweed Harvest. The stiff north-easterly wind which prevailed in Auckland last week brought with it the usual harvest of seaweed to litter the beaches. At this time of the year, however, the weed is not allowed to remain long above high-water level, there to attract millions of flies, for it is in much demand by gardeners. From every beach near Auckland men with sacks can be seen busily engaged “reaping the harvest.” The seaweed makes a good manure when dug into the garden, and is supposed to be particularly good for tomatoes, lending to make them blight free.

Puzzling for Visitors. If one could believe the Wellington tramears there is still a "Lambton Station" as well as a "Railway Station." Trams labelled "Lambton Station" make the northern dispatch office their terminus, while those marked "Railway Station" proceed to the station, either by way of Customhouse Quay and Featherston Street or by Lambton Quay and Stout. Street. While Wellington people are well aware of the position, it must be rather puzzling to visitors. It has been suggested that if the word "station" were removed from after "Lambton” the destination of the trams so labelled would be made clear, as the dispatch office is the end of Lambton Quay. “Shoot Them Down With a Gun." "We have a wonderful Minister ol Health in Mr Fraser." said Mr A. J. Moody, chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, when speaking at the opening of the additions to the Whangarci Hospital. Dealing with officers of the Health Department, however. Mr Moody said: "The only way to deal with them is to shoot them down with, a gun. othewise they will delay matters for months." Hospital board chairmen were, however, becoming cmboldened lately, he said, and were getting Quite cheeky in their dealings with these officers. The Minister -of Health was determined that hospital control should remain on a democratic basis, and not be placed in the hands of departmental officers. A man who was once a racecourse welsher. is now touring the American halls as an illusionist. They say his disappearing act is extraordinarily good