LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 December 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Donation of Tea Set. A fine tea set has been donated bj the Misses Morrison, Lansdowne, for patriotic purposes. Application has been made by the Masterton Patriotic Committee for permission to raffle the set. Good Shearing Record.

While shearing for Mr Brian Armstrong, of Akitio, John Hape s gang of eight men averaged 270 per man. Four of them shore 300 per man for a working day of nine hours.

Women’s National Service Corps. The first camp undertaken, by a women’s organisation trained for wai service in New Zealand will be held on the Avondale racecourse from December 29 to January 7, when 200 members of the Women's National Service Corps will go under canvas. A Record Shop Day.

The splendid return of £413 was obtained from a "shop day” _ which was held in Havelock North for patriotic funds, and it is stated that this sum. must be a record for Hawke s Bay, if not for New Zealand, for such an event. Bookmaker Fined. “We don't wish to encourage bookmaking in hotels,” said Mr Stout. S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday during the hearing of a charge of bookmaking against Ernest Browne, barman, who pleaded guilty. Browne was fined £3O. Browne, who was employed as a barman in a city hotel, was acting as agent for a bookmaker. Auckland Wool Appraisal. Cheques totalling £229,125 have been distributed to sheep-farmers throughout Auckland province as the proceeds of the second Auckland wool appraisal of the season, which was held between November 14 and 18. A total of 12,878 bales was appraised, the net weight of the wool being 4,386,778 lb. Average prices were £l7 15s lOd a bale and 12.54 d a pound. These prices are higher than the first appraisal. The total cheque for the two appraisals so far this season is £338,717.

“Every Little Helps.” A lady in England, writing to a friend in New Zealand says: “You can tell them all in New Zealand how thankful we are for all the aid chey are giving to the Red Cross and help to the air raid victims. We have a few people in the hostel staying with friends who have lost all so you can see how every little helps. We are getting help from all over the world. Everyone is so very kind. We have all sorts of collections for first aid kits and believe we we need them. Old Hitler would like to see us pack it up but he doesn’t know the bull-dog breed.”

Coronation Picture. Considerable local interest is being taken in the Coronation picture which is on display in the Town Hall, in conjunction, with the Centennial Exhibition of New Zealand Art. The picture vividly depicts the brilliancy of the Coronation ceremony of King George VI. Some idea of the difficulty in handling the picture may be gained by the remarks of Mr C. Sautell, who supervised its transport. He stated that the picture, when packed, weighed over 2 tons and required ten men to shift it. The case measured 16 feet by 9 feet 4 inches. Masonic Record.

Masonic history was made at New Plymouth on Saturday evening when members of the craft from all parts of Taranaki and from Wellington assembled at the installation of Mount Egmont Lodge, E.C., members of which were paying special honour to Wor. Bro. C. E. Bellringer, P.M., P.D.G.M., P. Asst. G.D. of C. "(England) who celebrated, the golden jubilee of his installation as master of the lodge on December 2, 1890. The occasion was unique. not only in the history of the craft in the Dominion, but als'o probably throughout the world as well.

Concrete Pouring Record. By using a large fleet of motor vehicles and a central concrete mixing plant a record in the pouring of concrete was established yesterday on the Internal Marketing Department's new building in Auckland. Delivering more than a ton of concrete a minute, lorries kept a large number of men busy spreading concrete from 7 o'clock yesterday morning, and by 7 o'clock last night the laying of the second floor slab of the building, involving about 700 tons of concrete, 12,000 square feet, 12 Inches thick, was completed. representing what is said to be the largest quantity of concrete poured in one day in New Zealand or Austialia. Soldiers Insulted. “If the police could sheet home an offence against these individuals who insult these men. and the King's uniform. it would be a most, serious matter for them." said Mr Bartholomew, S.M., in the Dunedin Magistrate’s Court yesterday. There were certain individuals who “threw off" at soldiers in uniform when off duty. The comment arose when two soldiers were charged with assault and indecent language. The police said that the men were at a piecart when they were insulted by a man who "threw off" at them for being in uniform. There were hoodlums about the streets who frequently "threw oft"' at soldiers. The men's officer toid the Court that ho had been insulted twice himself. The magistrate, in dismissing the charges, suppressed the defendants' names.

Petrol Allocation.

The amount of petrol allocated for December to the holders of special licences, such as insurance agents and commercial travellers, has been reduced bv 20 per cent. The reduction was announced yesterday by the Oil Fuel Controller, Mr G. L. Laurenson when he was questioned on a report that al commercial licences had been reduced, permanent licences for; petrol loi commercial vehicles had not been mteifered with. Mr Laurenson said, tne licences were issued so that bl ' could be conducted throughout the year but in cases where the cais would be laid up for the Christmas and New Year holidays, and were not being required lor the specie usi ness purposes for which extra petrol bad been granted in other months, the petrol allocations were being reduced by 20 per cent.