LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 April 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

County Building Permits. The Masterton County Council issued 5 building permits for an estimated value of £ 1863 in March. A Healthy Month. The Borough Inspector, Mr T. A. Russell, reports that during the past month there was only one notifiable case of infectious disease (erysipelas). Attendances at Exhibition. On Saturday 21,005 people attended the Centennial Exhibition bringing the total up to 2,054,787. The daily average is 16,705. Vital Statistics. The following are the Masterton vital statistics for March, the figures for the corresponding month in 1939 being in parentheses:—Births 20 (32); deaths 8 (8); marriages 18 (15). Drivers’ Licences. The Masterton Borough Council issued 18 drivers' licences during March, the total issued to date being 2435. The Masterton County Council issued 3 licences during the same period, bringing the total issued to date to 1293. Disease Among Greyhounds. A malady which has the symptoms of distemper, but about which opinions differ as to the correct diagnosis, has broken out among dogs in Napier, and between 30 and 40 greyhounds have been lost. However, the disease appears to be fast disappearing, A Big Pumpkin. An outsize pumpkin, weighing 125 pounds, has been grown by Mr H, Boater, Haumoana. It is of the green cattle species, and, broken up and fed in conjunction with pasture for autumn fattening, this single pumpkin would provide a day’s ration for upward of 25 lambs.

Boy Drowned in Creek. Through the capsizing of a small boat on Saltwater Creek on Saturday afternoon John David Caswell, aged 10, lost his life. He and another boy were playing in the boat at a spot where the water is fairly deep. The second lad. aged 11. reached the bank, but Caswell's body was not recovered for over an hour.

Patriotic Appeals. Patriotic appeals launched in Hastings have so far netted £2834. In addition there are many contributions made by way of gifts and cash donations to small appeals.. Totals to date of the three main appeals are:—Fighting Services Welfare Fund. £1686; Patriotic Fund, £761; Mayor's War Fund, £383,

Relics of Napier Earthquake, Silver and copper coins, relics of the 1931 earthquake, were unearthed by workmen engaged on a building in Napier. They apparently comprised' the contents of a till which was destroyed in a shop, by the fire which followed the earthquake. One of the men gathered £3 in small coins, which bear ample evidence of the fire.

Military Enrolments. The following is the latest list of recruits to enlist for service overseas, at the Masterton Defence Department: Messrs M. A. Kjar, R. K. Marshall, P. N. Ray, L. E. Serra (Masterton); M. J. Hyland (Featherston), and E. Goss (Eketahuna), The total enlistments to date are now 619. Customs Revenue. Customs revenue collections at the port of Wellington continue to show decreases because of the combined effect of the import control restrictions and the war. Excise collections from beer are higher, but under all other heads decreases are registered both for the month of of March and for the financial year ended yesterday. War tax in March amounted to £30.943 compared with £27,701 in February and £26,686 in January. Timaru Centenary. The Timaru centenary celebrations, which will extend over a week, began on Saurday with a thanksgiving service at which fitting reference was made to the death of the Prime Minister by the principal speaker, the Rev F. Wilkinson. The week’s programme includes the opening of a centenary memorial in the form of a women s community centre, the entertainment of pioneers, massed displays by school children, and the re-enactment of the landing of the pioneers at Caroline Bay. Premature Explosion. One man was seriously burned and three others less seriously as the. result of a premature explosion at Tokoroa last week, states a Rotorua correspondent. Those injured were Mr Frederick Bubb, aged 42 (brother of Mr W. Bubb of Longbush). who received extensive burns to the face, arms, body, and right knee and whose condition was reported to be serious, With Messrs William Haumn, Jack Rota, and Charles Edwards, he was admitted to the Rotorua Public Hospital. The accident occurred when the men were engaged in blasting rock on the property of New Zealand Forest Products, Ltd. They were using blasting powder, and as far as is known were following the normal procedure in its use.

Manawatu ShowsBeeause of a considerable loss on its spring show, the financial position of the Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association, as set out in a statement by the treasurer. Mr M. A. Elliot, allows no improvement on the position at the end of last year. After writing off depreciation. £460. and taking into consideration £lO5 of advance payments for gala day last year, and £551 spent in improvements and plant, said Mr Elliot, the total, assets and liabilities were approximately the same as last year. The bank overdraft stood at £3695. compared with £3768 last year. The bank expected that the overdraft would be reduced to £3400 by the end of February. so that the association was overdrawn by £295. That was mainly accounted for by tlie poor result of the spring show. The revenue from the winter show totalled £3418. compared with £3195 the previous year. Expenditure was £2393. and the net profit £1024. the best result for many years. On the other hand receipts at the spring, show dropped from £3571 to £2596-—nearly £lOOO. Gates fell by £697, space by £287. and privileges bv £BO.