LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 July 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Charity Ball. The Charity Ball will be held this year in the Masterton Municipal Hall, on Wednesday, July 30.

Auckland Patriotic Appeal. The sum of £52,306, or less than half the £127,000 sought, had been contributed to the Fighting Forces Fund through the Fighters’ Mother competition up to yesterday, states an Auckland Press Association telegram.

Petone Borough By-election. Mr J. C. Martin (Citizens) was the successful candidate at the by-election held yesterday to fill the vacancy on the Petone Borough Council caused by the resignation of Cr V. A. Noble. The voting resulted: —J. C. Martin (Citizens) 799; W. H. Edwards (Labour) 662; majority, 137. Clipper Delayed.

The American Clipper, which was forced to return to Honolulu on Tuesday morning because of engine trouble, and which was scheduled to arrive at Auckland today, is not expected at Auckland till Tuesday. An engine change which has been found necessary will delay the Clipper for several days. Port Bowen’s Fittings.

Material and fittings from the dismantled liner Port Bowen at Castlecliff have found their way into a multitude of industrial and public undertakings throughout the Dominion. The most important acquisition was the freezing equipment and machinery. These were sent to the old Kakariki Freezing Works, which are being refitted for cool storage purposes. It is estimated that the Port Bowen has yielded upward of 4000 tons of scrap and fittings. Much of the hull has disappeared, having been cut down to near water level. Killed by Crowbar.

A fatal accident occurred at Motumahoe, four miles from Morrinsville, on Tuesday afternoon, when one of a gang of men working on the railway line was struck by a crowbar and killed. He was Mr Ernest Abraham Smith, aged 44, married, of the Railway Settlement. Paeroa. Mr Smith was repairing part of the Hamilton line, and with several others was supporting the line with a crowbar. Suddenly the whole weight of the line was thrown on the crowbar, which flew up into the air. In descending the bar struck Mr Smith, killing him instantly. He is survived by his wife and two young children.

Lighting Restrictions. The threatened refusal of members of the Auckland Drivers' Union to go on the roads after seven o’clock last night if vehicle lighting restrictions were enforced did not materialise as arrangements were made for a conference with the Commissioner of Transport, Mr G. L. Laurenson. Motor bus services were normal last night, as has been the case since the regulations became operative on Monday night. The majority of buses tonight were driven with full headlights in contrast to the majority of private cars, which, in accordance with the new law, displayed only one headlamp with parking and tail lamps. Effects of Taxation. The opinion that . the stability and progress of private enterprise will be seriously affected if the present rate of increase in taxation is maintained for long was expressed by Mr H. J; Kellier, managing director of Dominion Breweries, Ltd., at the annual meeting of shareholders yesterday. He said that the various sums paid by the company under all headings of taxation during the year was £491,275, representing a cash expenditure of £141,275 in excess of the subscribed 'capital of the company, and on a capital ratio must easily constitute a record contribution made by any industrial concern in this or any other - Dominion. This had demanded complicated readjustments.