LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 April 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Trophy Donated. A handsome cup has been donated by a supporter for the men’s indoor basketba 11 coinpe ti t ion, National Patriotic Fund. A donation of £5 to the National Patriotic Fund is acknowledged by the Town Clerk. Mr G. T. O’Hara Smith, from the Mauriceville District Sports Club. Military Enlistments.

The following is the latest list of recruits to enlist for service overseas at the Masterton Defence office: Messrs L. Frances. W. R. Newland (Masterton); F. R. Goggin (Eketahuna), and Hairama Mache tGreytown). The total district enlistments to date have now reached 655. Dawn Parade.

Major Stanley Fletcher, M.C., late A.I.F. Fourth Light Horse, G.M.C., has been asked to lead the Dawn Parade in Wellington on Anzac Day. Exmembers of the Australian Expeditionary Force were asked by the New Zealand R.$.A. to organise the parade, which was a notable success last year.

War Expenses Fund. Further interest-free loans and donations to the War Expenses Account have brought the total up to £1,600,687. In the latest list are the following:— Wilsons (N.Z.) Portland Cement, LtdAuckland. duration and six months afterwards, £10,000; Mr. J. S. Langdon, Masterton, duration and six months, £100; Waingawa Freezing Works Labourers’ Industrial Union of Workers, Masterion, donation, £5O.

Cold Day at Exhibition. Cold and windy, yesterday was a quiet day at the Centennial Exhibition in Wellington. There was an attendance of 9113. mostly in the day time. Visitors kept indoors for the most part, though the spectacle of a big southerly surf breaking on the Lyall Bay beach drew quite a number to brave the cold wind and survey the scene from the top of Centennial Tower. The total attendance has now reached 2,172,850, a daily average of 16,337. Dust Storm at Lauriston. Farm work at Lauriston was held up on a recent morning by a cloud of dust which for some time was so thick that the sun was completely obscured. Ploughing could only be continued with the greatest difficulty, and visibility was reduced almost to a minimum. It appears that straw refuse has been burnt recently and the fields have been cultivated, leaving a very light surface soil, which was lifted high into the air by the strong north-west wind. Giant Puriri Tree. “I put a steel measure round the trunk and the circumference measured 25 feet,” said Mr C. H. Moore, in describing the finding of a huge puriri tree at Kiritehere, Waitomo County, during a recent visit to that district. The tree, said Mr Moore, was of considerable age, probably 3000 years. It was not a tall tree, and its foliage was now going off, but its tremendous barrel made it an outstanding tree of its kind. “Black Market” Operations. Operations in sterling and foreign exchange on what has become known as the “Black Market” are made illegal under the Finance Emergency Regulations issued yesterday. The regulations are designed to conserve the full financial strength of New Zealand during the war, and arc to be administered by the Reserve Bank. “We are keeping in step with the Old Country by stopping a leakage through which New Zealand’s resources are being deplete ed,” said the Minister of Finance, Mr. Nash, in explaining the new measures, “Every dollar, every pound is needed.

Radio Receiving Licences. “At the end of February last,” states the Postmaster-General ' (the Hon. F. Jones'. “336.618 radio receiving licences were in force in the Dominion compared with 310,542 in February, 1939, an increase of 26,076 licences or 8.4 per cent. Included in the total are 1213 free licences issued to blind persons and to institutions for the blind, orphanages and charitable institutions, hosiptals, etc. The percentage of licences to the number of households has now reached the high level of 86.9 per cent.; and the number of licences per hundred of population is 20.6:

Broadcasting Unit with Troops. Three members of the National Broadcasting Service have been chosen to go overseas with the broadcasting unit which will be attached to the Second New Zealand Division overseas. Their selection, which is subject to medical examination, was announced yesterday by the Minister of Defence, Mr. Jones: The men are:—Mr. Alan B. Young, aged 51, at present programme organiser at Christchurch. He will be in charge of the unit as observer-com-mentator. Mr. Noel Palmer, aged 29. assistant engineer at headquarters, National Broadcasting Service, Wellington. He will be the engineer. Mr. Norman Johnston, aged 22, who will be the technician, is also a member of the engineering stall’, National Broadcasting Service, Wellington. Electric Power Development.

Another large-scale hydro-electric development is to be undertaken by the Government, the Minister of Public Works, Mr. Semple, announcing yesterday that Cabinet had approved of his proposals for the construction of a generating station at Kurapiro, a lew miles above Cambridge, on the Waikato River. This plant, with a capacity of 85,000 kilowatts, will bring further assistance to the rapidly-expanding demand on the North Island system, which is financially self-supporting. Mr. Semple explained that the new station is' another step in the full development of the power resources of the Waikato from Lake Taupo to the sea. It involves construction of a dam 100 feet in height near a point where the river flows around a sharp bend.

A bridge and 500 parly will be held in the Y.M.C.A. Hall on Thursday. April 18, commencing at 7.45 p.m. Good prizes will be given and supper provided. The hall will be adequately heated and conditions will be comfortable for patrons. St. Jolin Ambulance Cadet Division will hold a dance next Saturday night in the Masonic Hall, and it should prove very popular. Arrangements are well under way to make this dance even more enjoyable than that hold about a fortnight ago. The music will bo supplied by .lack Barnes and his Rhythm Boys' orchestra, and the supper arrangements will be in the hands of a capable ladies' committee. Mr Fat Ward will be M.C.