Frost in Masterton.

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 July 1941, Page 4

Frost in Masterton.

A frost of 12.9 degrees was registered in Masterton this morning. Social Evening. Parishioners of St Patrick's enjoyed a social gathering on Saturday night at the residence of Mrs A. R. Bunny. Bunny Street. Cards and games were played and supper was served. The gathering was held in aid of funds towards the cost of providing supper for the Charity Ball, to be held at the end of this month.. There was a good attendance. Blackball Mine. Quoting a production of 750 tons of coal for the first week since the Blackball mine was acquired by the State, the Minister or Mines, Mr Webb, said in an interview on Saturday that on that output the mine would more than pay its way. When all the men were employed on development work, the production would be gradually increased and he was confident (that Blackball would be an asset for the State. Maoris and Counter Lunch. A local soldier, a member of the Second Echelon, who visited a public house in England, noticed rows of plates containing light “snacks” (coun-ter-lunch to the initiated New Zealander) by the bar. He commented on the fact that they bore price tickets, and observed that in New Zealand counter lunch would be free. “That accounts for it," said the barman. “A horde of Maoris were here yesterday and cleaned up the lot and walked out without paying.”

Meat Shipments. No prospect of New Zealand being able to obtain additional refrigerated space for sending produce overseas is held out by Sir Ronald Cross, former British Minister of Shipping, and travelling by the Monterey to become British High Commissioner in Australia. “Great Britain has only a limited amount of refrigerated space and it is essential that ships so equipped be used on the shortest runs,” he said, speaking at Auckland on Saturday. "If additional ships to carry meat and dairy produce were placed on the New Zealand schedule it would mean an increased amount of long-distance running and meat from nearer countries would not be available for the British people. The policy of getting the maximum amount from the closest places must be maintained.”-