LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 6 February 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Men Catted Up. The .following men from the Wairarapa recruiting area have been called up for Home Defence duties and will proceed to Fort Dorset by the afternoon mail train on February 10: —Messrs A. F. Charleson. A. Aitchison, 5. L. Erunning. H. J. Frame, J. McL. Jackson. J. G. Murray.

Day of Intercession. The Centennial thanksgiving day arranged for Sunday next has been postponed and a day of intercession for the help and guidance of God in time of war substituted, according to a pastoral letter from the_ Bishop of Wellington, the Rt Rev 11. St. Barbe Holland, read in all Anglican Churches of the Wellington diocese on Sunday.

Fine Masterton Display. Considerable interest was shown at the National Centennial Flower Show at the Exhibition last week in the Masterton district display. There were 11 entries in this section and the fact that the Masterton exhibit was awarded a certificate of merit speaks volumes for the excellence of the display. The exhibit embraced a model home, surrounded by garden and shrubbery, and was most effectively carried out. Attendance at Exhibition.

The Centennial Exhibition entered its fourteenth week yesterday with ample evidence of popularity, not only unabated, but increasing steadily as country visitors arrive from all over the Dominion. The day was fine, though inclined to be cold, and the attendance of 13,832, in the circumstances, was considered quite satisfactory. The total attendance is now 1,369,767 or 130,233 short of a million and a half and the daily average 17,789. Maori Altar for World's Fair.

The altar which was used, at the Catholic Maori celebrations at Totara Points, North Auckland, two years ago. when the church celebrated the centenary of the first Mass said in New Zealand, and the Maori Madonna now in the Catholic pavilion at the Centennial Exhibition, will be taken to Rome for the Catholic pavilion at the World's Fair of 1942, said the Papal Legate, Archbishop Panico, when he was replying to the welcome given him by the Maori people at their gathering in Otaki yesterday.

New Zealand War Correspondents,

The New Zealand Government has decided to send two war correspondents overseas with the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force, according to a statement by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones. Mr Jones said one of the correspondents would travel with the second echelon and the other with the third. No selections, had yet been made, Mr Jones added, and a large number of applications had been received and would be considered. Details of the conditions of employment, such as whether honorary rank would be granted, had yet to be decided. New Zealand Enlistments.

From the time of the opening of recruiting depots in September to January 27. the latest date for which figures are available. Dominion enlistments for service with the-Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force totalled 25.140, an advance of 985 on lhe total at the end of the previous week. Recruits medically examined up to January 27 had been classified and dealt with as follows, the figures as at January 20 being shown in parentheses: Fit, 16.940 (10.134); temporarily unfit, 2488 (2542): permanently unfit 2818 (2657): in reserved occupations and therefore not available, 1576 (1532): sent io camp, 12,683 (11.937); balance available for posting to camp. 2399 (2354).

Tried to chop off own leg. In full view of a number of men who were working in the Napier Borough Council yards in Farraday Street yesterday. a man walked into the yard with an axe, sat down, and apparently attempted to chop off one of his legs, just above the ankle. He gave his name to the hospital authorities as Allan Close, Kotemaori. When the strange incident occurred workmen in the yard dropped their tools and rushed to deprive him of the axe and give what assistance they could. The man, known to some of them as a bushworker, had been in and round Napier for some time. It vzas reported from the public hospital that.he was as comfortable as could be expected in the circumstances. The men who saw the incident said that he had inflicted a very serious gash on his leg, and was bleeding profusely when taken to hospital.

An Inspiring Event.

The New Zealand National Eucharistic Congress had been a great, successful and holy event, worthy of the Catholic people of any country, said the Most Rev Edmund Gleeson. C.SS.R., Bishop of Maitland. New South Wales, in his address at the final rally of the congress held in the Town Hall. Wellington, last night. There were 1500 people present. Bishop Gleeson said that the congress had been an inspiring event; the organisation had been perfect with everything in place and done at the proper time.. The congress should be a threefold inspiration. First, to those children of the church who had not been, keeping step with the church and living Us life. Next, a call to those who had been very faithful that they might be better, for no matter how good people were—bishops and priests included—they could be better. Third, it was an inspiration at the start of a second century to carry out the dictates of the Holy Spirit with greater earnestness.

Surplus of Teachers.

Though there is. a considerable surplus of teachers in New Zealand today, no steps have been taken to reduce the number of students entering the training colleges. About 330 students will be admitted to the Dunedin Training College when it resumes on February 13. and this number is practically the same as last year’s total. Despite the big surplus of teachers at present, work will be found for all. either in relieving or supernumerary positions. It was hoped that larger stalls would be shortly introduced into all the bigger schools so that no teacher would have more than -10 children in his class. The Government has not. however, announced its' intention of carrying out this policy, and is probably waiting io .-ee what effect the war will have on education affairs. It is possible that enlistments by teachers may prevent any attempt to decrease the size of classes being undertaken this year.