LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 October 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Lord's Prayer in Schools. A big proportion of the country schools in the Wairarapa district, in accordance with the terms of a resolution passed by the Wellington Education Board at a recent meeting, will open each day with the Lord’s Prayer. Masterton schools commenced this practice on Monday, the headmasters and school committees having agreed to adopt this course. Nine Months’ Gaol.

Nine months’ imprisonment with hard labour was the punishment imposed by Mr Justice Ostler on William McCready, taxi driver, aged 24, when ha appeared in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday for sentence on a charge of possessing pamphlets (“The People's Voice") with a view to facilitating the publication of a subversive statement. His Honour said that, but for the jury's recommendation to mercy, he would have made the sentence 12 months. Noel Coward Not Coming.

Though it was announced last week that Noel Coward, the noted English playwright, would shortly visit New Zealand, advice was received in Auckland yesterday that he was proceeding direct to Australia. It is believed in Auckland that Mr Coward is travelling by Pan American Clipper, now on her southward journey. Mr Coward has been in the United States for some time and has been invited by the Commonwealth Government to visit Australia to speak on Britain’s war effort and assist in Red Cross and war relief activities.

Constable’s Petrol Stolen. William Robert Robinson, labourer, was sentenced to 14 days' imprisonment for the theft of petrol from a police constable’s car, when he appeared in the Magistrate's Court, Palmerston North. The charge was of the theft of two gallons of petrol, valued at 5s sd. the property of Constable W. D. McJannet. Robinson pleaded not guilty. According to the evidence the constable’s car went into a ditch and while it was left unattended, Robinson drained petrol from the tank, saying he did so to save it from running on to the road.

Pitcairn Islander’s Visit. A descendant of Fletcher Christian, who led the mutiny on the Bounty and founded the colony at Pitcairn Island, Mr Parkin Christian, has arrived at Auckland from Pitcairn Island. He will travel to Wellington to undergo an operation necessitated by a fall at the island. Mr Christian, who has visited Auckland before, and whose son lives in Wellington, is one of the fifth generation of the Christian family on the island. Derision at recent ill-found-ed reports that Pitcairn islanders were suffering a shortage of food and commodities because of the war was expressed by Mr Christian. Politician Defined.

The following comes from a backblocks town in Taranaki. A schoolmaster was emphasising the importance of individuals and nations keeping their promises, and that Britain had a reputation of always keeping her word. “Suppose,” he asked, “a man were to come to this school and promise you that he would give you a picnic and pay for it out of his own pocket, and that he, despite that you took him at his word, absolutely failed to do so, what would you call him?” There was a deep silence. Then up spoke a young cowspanker, who said: "I Would call him a politician!"

Maori's Bankruptcy. Though he had an income of £612 a year from ancestral Maori lands, Takopa Kimihanga, Otane, has filed a petition in bankruptcy, and when he faced a meeting of creditors in Hastings he admitted that he made five trips every year to Ratana and that he provided the “kai” for the party. Bankrupt owed £Bll to unsecured creditors, of which £5OO was owing to the Commissioner of Taxes. The official assignee. Mr W. Harte, suggested that if Kimihanga would forgo a trip to Ratana perhaps he could repay something to the creditors. Mr E. V. Simpson, who appeared for Kimihanga, undertook to discuss with his client the question of making some payment to the creditors from a common fund. Sent to Roto Roa Island. Paul Desire Nestor Verschaffelt, retired civil servant, aged 53, was yesterday committed to Roto Roa Island for two years, as an habitual drunkard. He appeared before Mr Luxford, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, charged with drunkenness, breach of a prohibition order, and disorderly behaviour in Haining Street. SeniorSergeant G. J. Paine said Verschaffelt had when drunk removed the key from a parked car. This was a failing of his. There had been at least four complaints of his doing the same act. He thought that by doing so he was a public benefactor; that he was teaching the owners a lesson that to leave the key there was to invite the car being stolen. Brewing & Malting. Brisk conditions obtained in the brewing and malting industry during 1939-40, reports the Government Statistician. The quantity of ale and stout produced totalled 17,810,215 gallons, eclipsing the previous record high level attained in 1938-39 (17,393,515 gallons) by 146,700 gallons, or by 2 per cent. Returns were received from 48 concerns, as compared with 50 in 1938-39. Though there was a slight fall in the number of persons engaged, the salaries and wages paid in 1939-40 were 3 per higher than in 1938-39. Both the cost of materials used and the value of output advanced by 4 per cent, while added value increased by 3 per cent. The duty paid on beer during 1939-40 was £1,517.726, a record figure for the industry. Police Cordon. Giving evidence against two men charged in Wellington yesterday with breaking and entering and possession of burglary tools, detectives described how on a recent night police formed a cordon round a city block in which it was believed a burglary was taking place. The men were committed to the Supreme Court for trial. They came before Mr Stout. S.M.. in the Magistrates’ Court. The men were William Mcßeynolds, fireman, aged 31, and Patrick Lynch, seaman and fireman, 31. They were jointly charged with breaking and entering the office of Gits Motors Limited, Tory Street, with, intent to commit theft, and with being found by night with offensive weapons, gelignite, detonators, fuse, matches, gloves and electric torch, with intent, to break and enter a building and commit a crime. They pleaded not guilty to both charges.