LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 August 1940, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Vital Statistics. The following are the vital statistics for Masterton for August (the figures for August. 1939, being given in parentheses): Births 21 (23); marriages 9 (7); deaths 14 (11). Drivers’ Licences. The Masterton Borough Council issued 106 drivers' licences during August, bringing the total issued for the current licensing year to 2203. The Masterton County Council issued 29 licences for the month, the total issued to date being 1199. Building Permits. During August the Masterton Borough Council issued 6 building permits (including one for a new building) for an estimated A'alue of £4960, compared with 8 permits for £2218 during August. 1939. The County Council issued 2 permits for £74 during the present month. Christmas Gifts Appeal.

The sum of £1425 was collected through the street appeal made yesterday by the Wellington Metropolitan Patriotic Committee for Christmas gifts for New Zealand soldiers, sailors and airmen. Returns are still to come from Eastbourne, Petone, Upper Hutt and LoAver Hutt. The collection is a record for the committee. More than £l2OO was collected by the street day which it held last April. Unscrupulous Passengers.

The black-out in Great Britain brought many problems to the controllers of transport services throughout the country. Unsrupulous passengers, realising that conductors in the dim light could not distinguish coins, tendered counterfeit money to an extent Avhich is hardly credible. According to authoritative statements this practice of tendering imitation and counterfeit coins has prevailed on the majority of services throughout Britain, and in the case of one .large bus concern in the Midlands the loss has been put in the region of £lOOO a week. Liquor at" a dance.

Arthur Ronald Gaskin, of Mangatainoka, Matthew Vincent Gaskin, of Pahiatua, Archibald McCosh Ross, of Kohinui, and Rayney Kerrison, of Kohinui, faced charges at the Pahiatua S.M. Court on Wednesday of being found in possession of liquor at a dance. Evidence for the prosecution was given by Constable Carlyon, Avho outlined the circumstances of the charges, which had originated at a dance to troops of the third echelon in the Mangatainoka Hall on the night of August 7. In each of the four cases, fines of £2 Avith 12s costs were imposed by the Magistrate (Mr H. P. Lawry). Statement Misunderstood.

In the course of his speech in Westport on Thursday night, the Minister of National Service, Mr Semple, referred to the attack on the Turakina and the loss of another big passenger ship. The latter reference has been misinterpreted in some quarters, several people concluding that another ship had fallen a prey to the raider responsible for the attack on the Turakina. It was stated officially last night that the big passenger ship referred to Avas obviously the Niagara which sank on June 19 as the result of striking a mine. The loss of the Niagara and the attack on the Turakina have been the only maritime mishaps in New Zealand waters during the present war. Mr Semple, in emphasising the importance of the Home Guard, used these examples of enemy action as move than justification tor its establishment. Hours of Work Extended.

Notification that in future they will be required to work an extra half hour each clay was received yesterday by the staff of the State Advances Department in Wellington. Notices to this effect were inserted in the office attendance books. It is understood that civil servants employed by this department are not satisfied with the new arrangement, principally because they maintain that so far the State Advances is the only branch of the Government service called on to work longer hours. It is also contended that the step was taken without an order being issued by the Public Service Commissioner and that the staff was in no way consulted. Normally the hours of attendance are 8 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. daily, with a break of one hour. The new decree rules that as from next Monday the working hours will be extended each day to 5 p.m. For the last two months it was stated yesterday, the staff has been working till 5 p.m. as a voluntary patriotic gesture.