LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 July 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Fog and Frost. Following a heavy fog, which lasted some hours last night, a frost of ll.b degrees was registered in Masterton this morning. Girls’ Interhouse Concert.

The possibility of the Wairarapa Interhouse Association repeating thcconcert given last night in the Opera House was mentioned this morning by Mr G. Daubney, chairman of the association’s committee. Further details would be announced later. A report of last night’s performance appears on page 8.

Ruahine Pipe Band. The petrol restrictions are having an effect on the Ruahine Pipe Band, present holders of the New Zealand championship. As its members are practically all engaged in farming, and are drawn from a fairly wide area, practices have had to be seriously curtailed. Great difficulty will now be experienced in assembling a full band, but the band will not go into recess.

Gaol for Contempt of Court. Eliza Janet Noone appeared before Mr Justice Kennedy in the Dunedm Supreme Court yesterday afternoon on a writ of attachment charging her with contempt of Court in respect of an order of the Court, whereby she was directed to give to her husband access to two children. The judge found that there had been deliberate and repeated flouting of the order and sentenced prisoner to three days’ imprisonment. Medical Benefits.

“Full proposals for submission to the doctors in connection with the medical benefits under the Social Security Act have been completed by the Health Department, but have not yet been submitted,” said the Minister of Health, Mr Armstrong, in an interview yesterday. “It is a big issue and very complicated,” Mr Armstrong continued. “Even the Government has not yet had an opportunity of expressing its view on the department’s proposals. Thus so far there have been no developments.”

Optimist Club Tea. Chief Smiler Murray Daniell presided over a good attendance at the weekly tea of the Masterton Optimis. Club, held in the Y.M.C.A. last night. Sherri! E. J. Esler levied a lengthy ana costly list of fines. The speaker of the evening was an Australian carpenter. Mr D. McCurdy, who spoke on his impressions of New Zealand. In view ol the fact that he is leaving New Zealand shortly a presentation was made tc him as a mark of appreciation for the services he rendered to the club las; year. Mr McCurdy received an attentive hearing and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. Government Building Scheme.

“We hope to build 4000 houses during the year, which exceeds last year’s total,” said the Minister of Housing. Mr Armstrong, in an interview yesterday. “The reason why I think we can build more houses this year is that the Government will give preference to housing construction, and if there is to be any easing off it will be in other classes of Government building.” Mr Armstrong said that the sum of £4,000,000 was provided in the Estimates because the department did not expect to be able to find labour or materials to involve greater expenditure than this. “We set out to build 5000 houses a year, but we have been unable to get the men and materials,” the Minister continued. New Tunnelling Method.

Good progress is being macle with the preparation of designs for the steel shields and hydraulic rams which are to be used in driving the 6000 ft tunnel for the projected hydro-elec-tric power station at Tekapo. The use of these shields instead of timbering will, as the Minister for Public Works (the Hon R. Semple) announced, be a new development in tunnelling technique in New Zealand, although it has been used successfully overseas. The Public Works Department has the preparation of these plans in hand, and Mr T. G. Beck, the district engineer to the department, said that within two or throe weeks ways and means of manufacturing the necessary material within New Zealand would be discussed. With the assistance of the Railway workshops it was expected that the shields could be fabricated at the department's workshops at Temuka. The electrically-driven oil pumps for the hydraulic rams would probably bo manufactured by contract.

It isn’t the bird with plumage gay That sings the sweetest song. It isn’t the loudest councillor That gives'us Right for Wrong. It isn't the colour of shining gold That makes the metal pure; But the finest thing for a cough or cold Is Woods’ Great Peppermint Cure. 7