LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 December 1940, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hutchinson Wins Boxing Match. In a professional boxing contest at Palmerston North last night Johnny Hutchinson. United States of America, beat Vic Caltaux, New Zealand, on points. Fruit Crops Damaged.

Damage which is reported to be not at all serious has been done to orchards in Hawke’s Bay by heavy winds which have been, experienced lately. The damage has been confined mainly to stone fruit, and it has been suffered mainly at exposed orchards. Whooping Cough Prevalent.

Whooping cough, which has been fairly prevalent in Palmerston North for several weeks, ’ is still causing worry and anxiety to the parents of the children infected. This year’s form is not as severe as usual, and at this time of the year recovery is quicker. Watered Milk.

Alexander Shepherd, dairy-farmer, Tawhara Valley, Wairoa, was fined £2O on four charges of selling milk containing added water, by Mr Miller, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court at Wairoa An analyst’s evidence showed that there was 38, 34, 34, and 27 per cent of added water. The magistrate classed the offences as being among the worst he had ever dealt with. Motor Car Wrecked.

Mr. Frederick M. Saywell, retired postmaster, Halcombe, had a remarkable escape from injury when, at 9 o’clock on Christmas 1 morning, the relief express from Auckland struck his car as- it was crossing the railway line at the north end of Halcombe. The car was completely wrecked, but Mr Saywell escaped with a slight scratch on his face. The train pulled up and the engine crew ran to the wrecked car. where they found Mr. Saywell practically unharmed.

English versus Dutch. Because he had a small camera in his possession, Mr John McLaughlin, who has just returned to Christchurch after spending 14 months in Rumania, was refused a passage on one of the Imperial Airways aeroplanes. He suggested to the officials that they take the camera, seal it, and give it to him at the end of the journey; but they were adamant, and eventually he had to travel by the Dutch line, whose officials sealed the offending camera for the trip. The fact that the fare was £l5O mattered nothing to the English company. Car Hits Road Grader.

Four occupants of a motor car were injured when it collided with a road grader and overturned on the Dairy Flats road, Auckland, yesterday. The driver, Francis Roy Robertson, aged 26, of Takapuna, suffered fractured ribs. His condition is not serious. His mother, Mrs Rose Robertson, aged 57, suffered concussion, and her condition is serious. His father, Francis Robertson, aged 59, fractured his pelvis, and his condition is serious. Mrs Francis Lenore Shields, aged 30, of Northcote, suffered concussion, and her condition is fairly serious. The injured were removed to the Auckland Hospital. The car and grader were damaged considerably. Work and War.

An appeal to the workers of the Dominion not to lose one unnecessary day during the holiday season, if such loss would mean a disorganisation of industry, was made in an interview by the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, at Auckland yesterday. “We are engaged in an ‘all-in’ policy,”' said the Minister. “The very existence of enlightened democratic civilisation is at stake. The soldiers of industry must be prepared to give their best, and it is pleasing to know that the workers, in spite of criticism, have made a magnificent response. With 50,000 fewer active workers, our national production will probably constitute a record this year.” Mr Webb added that the Government would protect all workers against exploitation.

Wellington Fires. Wellington has this year not experienced fires of any great magnitude, though there has been no decrease in the number of calls received. The most serious property losses in 1940 were those at the premises of Hope Gibbons, Ltd., on January 13, and Schneidemann’s factory, on April 23. The Lloyd’s Hotel fire on February 2 resulted in the loss of one life. Guy Fawke’s Day created a new record in that not a single call was received to fires arising out of the festival. This, it is considered, demonstrates the effectiveness of having certified patrolled, areas for the celebrations. The number of malicious false alarms continues unremittingly in spite of the fact that several offenders have been apprehended. Fun Out of Air Raids.

The following paragraph is extracted from a letter written on September 24 last in London by Mr Harold Harding to his brother, Mr F. G. Harding, Christchurch: “As you know we are having air raids nightly in London, and have to sleep, if wo want any, while a terrible din is going on, but if Hitler thinks he can get us down by trying to terrorise the people he is mistaken. Everybody is determined to stick it out. We have the finest Air Force and what boys they are! People now when the warning goes simply carry on, and we get' some fun out of it. I am not leaving London, my living is here, and I will see this through, even if I am left standing with only pyjamas on.”

Large Block of Flats. Mr J. L. Wilkins, building contractor, Christchurch, has secured the contract let by the State Housing Department for the erection of the large block of flats planned for the Hunter Estate land in Dixon Street west, Wellington. The ten-storied reinforced concrete building, in the heart of the city, will contain 116 flats, each private and complete and electrically equipped. The contract price is about £130,000. The site, on the northern side of Dixon Street, between Willis Street and McDonald Crescent, is historic. It was selected as his first place of residence by Mr George Hunter, the first mayor of Wellington, and the house which he brought out in sections from the Old Country stood there for more than 40 years before it was demolished and replaced by the two-storey wooden dwelling now on the land.