LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 February 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Protecting Street Trees. *' The public of Masterton is to be asked by the Borough Council to notify the council of any street trees that require retying to the supporting standards, so as to avoid damage by gales. Interest Free Loan. The shareholders of Quill Morris 093 G). Ltd (Christchurch) unanimously decided at the annual meeting yesterday afternoon to send a cheque for £lOOO to the Minister of Finance as an interest-free loan lo the war expenses account for the duration of the war.

Centennial Exhibition. The Centennial Exhibition had another good day yesterday, more than 11,000 people passing through the turnstiles at Rongotai. The attendance of 11,109 brought the total attendance to 1,527,847, and the daily average to 16,976. Mawley Park.

During January the number of cars using Mawley Park motor camp for one night was 106, for three nights 26, and for six nights 7. The number of cars using the Park in December was 87. and in January 139, making a total of 226. The fees received for the two months totalled £36 2s 9d.

Rotary Conference. The annual district conference of Rotary in New Zealand, to be held at Massey College, Palmerston North, beginning on March 6, will be opened by the High Commissioner for Great Britain in the Dominion, Sir Harry Batterbee. The district of Australia will be represented by Sir Robert Garran, K.C.M.G. Excellent Reading Room.

Reference was made by Councillor G. W. Morice at the monthly meeting of the Masterton Borough Council last night to the excellent reading room facilities in Masterton. lie stated that after he had visited public reading rooms in Gisborne, Hawke's Bay and Wellington he was of the opinion that Masterton could be well satisfied with its reading room.

Municipal Abattoir. The stock slaughtered at the Masterton Municipal Abattoir in January were: Cattle 505, calves 237, sheep 1878, lambs 405. pigs 30 . Stock condemned were: 2 cattle, 1 calf, 3 sheep, 2 pigs. Charges for the month totalled £366 5s 3d and receipts £289 3s Bd. The killing fees are £33 16s 2d higher than those for January, 1939. To date, fees are £293 10s lid in excess of those for the corresponding period of last year.

Library Figures. Books issued by the Masterton Municipal Library in January totalled 5962, of which number 601 were non-fiction and reference books. Books added during the month totalled 70. of .which seven were non-fiction. The subscribers at the beginning of the month totalled 50$, 16 new subscribers were enrolled and 10 left, leaving 509 at the end of the month. A sum of £l4 13s 9d was spent during the month in the purchase of new books, making £235 9s lOd since April 1 last. There are now 57 juvenile subscribers.

Stamps for Receipts. It was realised that in some eases the two penny centennial stamps were too large for use on small receipt forms, and the department had decided to make the two penny pictorial stamps available for stamp duty purposes. stated the Director-General of the Post and Telegraph Department. Mr J. G. Young, in a letter read at last night's meeting of the council of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. The two-penny pictorial stamps would be supplied on request at the post office, but it was not desired that these should be used for postage purposes, said Mr Young.

Display of Begonias. The display of begonias in Masterton Park is now al its best and many visitors have been agreeably surprised at the excellence of the blooms. Voluntary contributions have been made totalling £1 7s. Councillor G. D. Wilson, chairman of the Park Committee, said the display was a really beautiful one and that it was pleasing to find some people had given donations. “The collection would compare with any display in Australasia,” stated Councillor 11. E. Gardner. The custodian has very wisely kept to his collection of frilled and double frilled blooms, and the whole display is a beautiful collection of well grown flowers.” The Mayor. Mr T. Jordan, agreed that the custodian was to be congratulated on the excellence of the display.

The Maori Battalion. The belief that the 28th (Maori) Rifle Battalion, which he inspected in its camp at Palmerston North on Monday, would live up to the high traditions of the First N.Z.E.F. and make history for the Maori people was expressed by the Chief of the General Staff, Major-General J. E. Duigan, in an interview yesterday. "The progress the battalion has made is most satisfactory,” he said. “It is hard to believe without actually seeing the men on parade the rapid strides that have been made. Their progress reflects credit on the commanding officer. company and platoon commanders and N.C.O.'s who were trained at Trentham for two months before taking over their units. Their marching and drill are of high standard. The physique of the men is excellent; their average height, is sft 9in. They are creditable representatives of the Maori race." Tlie Search For Oil. Considerable optimism about the finding of oil in New Zealand on a marketable scale was expressed by the Minister of Mines, Mr Webb, who discussed the attempts that were at present being made, in an interview at Christchurch yesterday. He told a reporter that several companies were spending large sums of money on the investigation of the possibilities of finding oil in different parts of the country. When asked whether Hie prospects for the finding of oil seemed hopeful. Mr Webb said: "These companies with all the modern prospecting equipment under the control of the best oil experts in the industry throughout the world, would not have recommended, after thorough geological and geophysical survey. Hie expenditure of large sums to get boring machines unless Hie prospects seemed reasonable for the obtaining of oil. "Il may happen that we will not, get a gallon of oil. but, on the other hand, we have a very reasonable hope .of being in a position lo provide oil."