LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 January 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Centennial Exhibition. The attendance at the Centennial Exhibition in Wellington yesterday reached 26,957, bringing the total up to 781.037. the daily average being 16,271. The attendance on New Year's Day was 31,137. Pay for Nurses. The following total daily rates of pay, on embarkation, for members of the nursing service with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force are announced by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones:—Matron-in-chief, 21s; matron. 18s; charge sister, 16s; sister, 14s; staff nurse, 12s; masseuse, according to rank. Bible Class Swimming Sports.

In the list of prize-winners, published, yesterday, at the Anglican Boys* Bible Class swimming sports, the winner’ of the 33 1-3 yards senior contest was the Rev. T. F. Fagg (St. Peter’s, Wellington). Mr Fagg was also placed second in the contest for individual championship honours.

Popular with Photographers. The recently-established lily pond in Masterton Park is a popular place for the taking of photographs, especially of children. This popularity is no doubt due to the splendid setting provided by the rockery surrounding the lily pond. Incidentally, supplies of further lilies have still to come to hand. Control of Ragwort.

A warning that if the usual chemicals for the eradication of ragwort were not available, any means whatsoever should be resorted to in order to exterminate the weed, was given by the noxious weeds inspector, Mr H. T. Brill, at a meeting of the Matamata County Council. Mr Brill stated that prosecutions might follow in cases of neglect. Rifles In State Forests.

The carrying of .22 rifles in State Forests is not allowed under any circumstances but judging by the evidence provided recently in the Mount Holdsworth area this stipulation has not been observed. Provided a permit is secured, shooters are allowed to carry .303 rifles for the destruction of deer, goats or pigs. It is intended to take drastic action against any trespassers with pea-rifles. Waitakere Park Scheme.

Approximately £9OOO of the £10,990 promised in subscriptions by local bodies for the acquisition of land in the Waitakere Ranges as part of the proposed Centennial Memorial Park has now been forwarded to the Auckland Centennial Executive. The contributing local bodies were invited to forward their cheques on November 13, and the subsequent response is described as exceptionally good. Shortly after the New Year holidays, the purchasing sub-committee of the executive will begin to function. Successful Dance.

The final dance of the season was held in Cooper's Barn. Opaki, last night, and attracted a very large attendance of dancers from the surrounding districts. Under the direction of Mr Pat Ward, who carried out the duties of M.C.. the proceedings went with a swing. The music was supplied by Jack Barnes' Rhythm Boys. Much appreciated extras were played by Mr Vivian Boyd on the piano-accordion, and by Miss Eileen Gallagher. Monte Carlo competitions were won by Mr W. Cooper and Miss B. Grose, and Mr Erl Spackman and Miss E. Curtin,

Surplus Zoo Stock. Through export difficulties on account of the war, the Auckland Zoo has temporarily lost an important source of income from the sale of surplus stock overseas. In the past the zoo has sold considerable numbers of animals and birds abroad, the transactions not only proving remunerative, but also resulting in additional space being available for new stock. Zoos in Australia, in the United States and Canada, and in England and Germany, have been customers, and such animals as hippopotami have brought attractive figures. Among surplus stock now at the zoo are a large number of native keas.

Auckland Bankruptcies. The total number of bankruptcies dealt with by the Official Assignee at Auckland during 1939 is 48, an increase of seven on the corresponding figure for last year. There were three liquidations, against one in 1938. During December only one bankruptcy has been recorded, against six in December last year. Contrary to the experience of recent years, farmers provide only a very small proportion of the failures, only three of them appearing in this year’s records. A large number of trades and businesses is represented among the others, but there are no professional men among them. Maori Memorial Cairn.

The largest gatherings yet held in connection with the Centennial took place yesterday at Maketu, the site of (he landing of the Arawa canoe, when in the presence of a gathering of upwards of 4000 Maoris and pakehas the memorial cairn marking the site of the landing and a specially constructed access roadway leading to tlie cairn were officially opened. Among the official visitors present were the Hons. W. Nash. F. Langstone and P. C. Webb, Mr F. W. Mundt (chairman of the Tauranga County Council), and the Rev. F. A. Bennett (Bishop of Aotearoa). The access road was first declared open by the Hon. P. C. Webb, after which the Hon. F. Langstone unveiled the cairn which was then dedicated in Maori by Bishop Bennett. A large Maori hangi then took place at which the official guests were entertained.

i he Need for Recruits. "On behalf of the members of the first echelon." said Lieutenant-Colonel L. l\f. Inglis, acknowledging a civic farewell to the South Canterbury quota of the New Zealand Special Force, “1 would like to express my thanks to you on this occasion. 1 will have very tittle to say. but 1 wish to remark that this is only the first echelon —two more are required before the New Zealand Division is complete. More men will have to come forward. The hope that we express is that the people of New Zealand will not let us down, but will keep the division fed with recruits. The men are urgently required. It is not a mailer for me to say how they are to be secured, but for (he country. I would also like to make an appeal on behalf of the men who are leaving dependants behind, anil that is that you wifi see they are looked after." "Buy British Eggs," urges an advertisement in a contemporary. And scorn the foreign yolk.