LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 February 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Pipe Band. The Wairarapa College Pipe Band left this morning for Feilding and will take part in the provincial contest this afternoon and tonight.

Centennial Exhibition. At the Centennial Exhibition at Wellington yesterday the attendance reached 12.213. bringing the total up to 1.566,065. and the daily average to 16,839. Drunken Motorist Sent to Gaol. John Jesse Woodford, with two previous convictions, was sentenced at Dunedin yesterday to three months’ imprisonment for intoxication while in charge of a car. He was prohibited from driving for three years.

Voting Age Lowered. As the result of a bill passed at the Church of England General Synod at Nelson yesterday members of the Church who are 18 years of age will now be entitled to speak and vote at parish meetings and at the election of synodsmen for the parish. The previous age limit was 21. The next session of the General Synod will be held at Auckland in 1943.

Four Horses Stampede. Considerable excitement was created among early workers in the Queen Street area at five o’clock this morning when four bourses bolted down Lincoln Road, careered over Queen Street and disappeared into the gloom of Church Street. Post Office officials and butchers assistants and others thought that an earthquake was approaching.

Recruiting Figures. The latest available figures of enlistments for military service overseas give the New Zealand total as 28.189, an increase of 1015 over that of the previous week. Of those examined 19,407 have been classed fit, 2250 temporarily unfit, 3285 permanently unfit, and 1656 in reserved occupations. There have been 18,852 men sent to camp, and there are 2647 available for posting.

Cyclist Knocked Down. An accident occurred on the main road at Kurupuni last night when a ■boy was knocked off his bicycle by a motorist. Although the cycle was extensively damaged the boy was not injured. It is understood that the motorist switched off his headlights when passing two cars approaching from the south. These had dazzling lights and as a result the motorist did not see the cyclist. Donations and Gift Duty.

There appear to be some doubts on the question whether donations for patriotic purposes and community benefit are liable for gift duty. All gifts to the patriotic funds are specifically exempt from duty under the War Emergency Regulations. Generally speaking, all donations for public objects are exempt, but the question of exemption is dependent upon the circumstances of each particular case and the conditions attached to the gift, and is within the discretionary authority of the Commissioner' of Stamps. Welfare Appeal.

The citizens’ committee for the Fighting Services Welfare Appeal has done a great deal of groundwork in preparation for its campaign which will be launched next week. Mr J. Robertson, M.P., is today to see the Acting Prime Minister (Mr Fraser) and the Minister of Defence with a view to securing leave for the Wairarapa men of the Achilles. It is hoped that a civic reception will be arranged for the men during Centennial Week. A suggestion has been made than an enlarged photo of these men could be sold during the campaign. Patriotic Gift. The National Patriotic Fund Board has received £lOOO for patriotic purposes from the Overseas Shipowners’ Allotment Committee, Wellington, in response to the appeal for funds made by the board’s chairman, the Gover-nor-General, Lord Galway. The letter from the committee stated that its cheque for £lOOO was a joint donation on behalf of the lines associated with the committee, namely, the Port Line, Ltd., Shaw Savill and Albion Co., Ltd., New Zealand Shipping Co., Ltd., Federal Steam Navigation Co., Ltd., and Blue Star Line. Ltd. A letter of thanks and appreciation is to be sent to the committee.

Patriotic Funds. “It is a lie and a gross insult to such personalities as Lord Galway, the Hon W. Perry, and Mr Nimmo. the leading -figure in the Y.M.C.A. of New Zealand, to spread ideas of that kind.” said Mr B. J. Jacobs, president of the Palmerston North branch of the Returned Soldiers’ Association, when denying a suggestion that the Government would benefit by the raising of patriotic funds. Mr Jacobs, who was speaking at a meeting called to organise Palmerston North’s effort for the fighting services welfare appeal, said the Government had no more to do with the funds being raised than he had. which was nothing at all. Modern Lighting. A very pleasing effect is produced by the modern lighting installation in the western Government housing block in Masterton. Concrete standards have been imported from Australia, and although these have been erected in most portions of the area, further delivery of fittings is awaited from Australia before the installation can be completed. The standards gracefully taper up from a solid base, and are completed by a white hectagonal globe, which creates an. Oriental effect. The I. lights are an attractive addition to the amenities of the housing block. That the lights are subject to destruction at the hands of vandals is evidenced by the fact that one was broken last night. Generous Response to Appeal. The annual appeal conducted by Mr George F. C. Ashdowne, of Auckland on behalf of the Blind Institute at Wairarapa stock sales, and ram and ewe fairs, has been concluded. The result has been very successful, over £lOO having been realised. The appeal was made under the jurisdiction of the Wairarapa Stock and Station Agents Association, and Mr Ashdowne expressed to a “Times-Age” representative today his warm appreciation of the generous response and the splendid assistance given by the Stock and Station Agents Association and auctioneers. The funds were derived from the Masterton ram fair and Masterton ewe fair, and stock sales at Alfredton, Pahiatua, Eketahuna and Carterton. 1