LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 August 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Drunken Driver Fined. Pleading guilty to having been in a state of intoxication while in charge of a motorcar on Saturday night, Robert Frederick Boyd was fined £2O with costs £1 4s by Mr Salmon, S.M., in the Magistrates' Court, Wanganui, yesterday. His licence was cancelled for 12 months. Teachers and National Service.

The Wanganui Education Board decided yesterday to dismiss from its service any teacher known to be objecting to performing duty under the National Service Regulations. No action under this resolution will be taken till regulations governing conscientious objectors are gazetted, presumably this week._ Death of Seaman. The body of a seaman was found on the beach at Evans Bay on Saturday morning. He was John Shanley, widower, aged 46. It is believed that he met his death by drowning, the evidence suggesting that he fell over the concrete wall on to the beach at Evans Bay while making his way back to his ship in the blackout on Thursday night. The ship at the time was on the slip at Evans Bay. The inquest was adjourned pending further inquiries by the police. Motorist Lost.

A lady motorist who arrived at the new State housing settlement in Masterton the other day in daylight, and under the guidance of a friend, in order to have tea with friends there, found herself hopelessly lost when she tried to find her way to town again. It appears that in the darkness she only succeeded in travelling in circles, and after several attempts to find the route to the town, she invariably found herself back at a previous point of the journey, nor could she retrace her course to her friend’s house. Faced with this dilemma she had to seek a pilot. Following closely behind a taxi-driver, she at last succeeded in reaching her destination.

Work of Parliament

The only fresh legislation likely to make an appearance in the House of Representatives this week is the War Damages Bill. This measure, it is understood, will provide for compensation for damage to property and person by enemy action within New Zealand. When the House meets tomorrow afternoon. the Ministerial replies to questions of which notice has been given will be discussed, and the second reading of the Counties Insurance Empowering Bill will follow. The next measure on the order paper is the Soil Conservation and Rivers Control Bill, but it is unlikely that its second reading will be begun this week, as Friday will be spent on further consideration of departmental Estimates.

Appeal for Empty Tins.

The Women's Patriotic Committee appeal to local residents for clean, empty barley sugar tins or half pound tins suitable for packing sweets in for> soldiers’ Christmas parcels. These may be left at the local ladies' Rest Room in Dixon Street.

National Party Function. Members and supporters of the Masterton branch of the National Party were addressed by Mr G. H. Mackley, selected candidate for the Masterton seat, at a social gathering held in the Municipal Buildings, Masterton. last night. Mr J. W. Hayden presided. Supper was served. Maori Population.

A sharp increase in the Maori population is shown in the annual report of the inspector of native schools. In 193 C, states the report, there were 139 Native schools, with a total roll number of 7503. By 1940 the number of schools had increased to 146 and the roll number to 10.730. This represents an increase of 43 per cent in ten years. In addition to the figures already quoted. there were 11,968 Maori pupils on the rolls of the public schools. Since 1900 the Maori population has beep doubled.

Timber Mill Hours. A request that the order made by the hours emergency committee extending the hours of West Coast sawmills, and 12 mills in the North Island, be revoked has been made at Auckland to the Minister of Labour by the secretary of the New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union, Mr F. Craig. Mr Craig alleged that a large majority of the mills which have been granted extended hours ceased working the longer period about three weeks after the order was made, and that today only one mill in the Dominion was complying with the order. The extension, he said, was granted so that the supply cf butter-box timber might be increased, but it now seemed that the shortage of such timber had been exaggerated.

Contract System Withdrawn

Slow handling of cargo by Auckland waterside workers has resulted in the withdrawal of the contract system by the Waterfront Control Commission. Recently a letter from the commission stating that if an improvement were not made the contract system would be withdrawn was received by the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union. After discussion the union told the commission to go ahead and withdraw the system. “Some good work has been done spasmodically under the contract system, but we are not satisfied with a group of the men,” said Mr R. E. Price, chairman of the commission. “It is not desirable to say anything more at present.” The contract system has been in operation in Auckland since September.