LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 September 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Frost in Masterton. A frost of 6.2 degrees was registered in Masterton this morning. Short Weight in Coal. Officials of the Department of Labour in Dunedin are rounding up coal merchants on charges of having given short weight in coal and several have been already heavily fined in the S.M. Court. Body Found in Sea. The body of Mr Robert Munro, who has been missing for the past week, was found floating in the Bay of Islands on Sunday. Mr Munro set out to fish in a six-foot dinghey which was later recovered capsized. Passages from Australia. An announcement that at the request of the Government shipping arrangements had been made to overcome the plight of several hundred people, including many New Zealanders, who had been unable to secure passages from Australia to the Dominion, was made yesterday .by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser. He said that the people who had been stranded would have an opportunity of returning to New Zealand. Skiing Race. The ski race from the top of the mountain to the Salt Hut was held on Sunday at Ruapehu, the winner being Mr J. Niderost (time, 7min. 38sec.). Mr E. Morrell was second (7min. 42sec.), and Mr A. Thomas was third (7min. 43 sec.). Of the 25 starters, 17 finished the course. There were five women competitors, and one of these finished tenth in 18min. lOsec. The race has • been held for two years, and the trophy given has come to be regarded as the blue riband of New Zealand.

Medical Bill.

The following resolution was adopted at a well-attended meeting of the Wellington branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants of New Zealand: "That this meeting strongly urges the Government to proceed with the Bill to bring about a general medical practitioner service by the date mentioned in the Bill, October 1. 1941; further, this branch, representing over 1000 members, pledges itself to support the Government in whatever I steps it may be compelled to take to 'bring this about.”

Gas Poisoning Cases.

Two women patients who left the Avondale Mental Hospital on Sunday night were later found in a nearby house suffering from gas poisoning. The house where they were discovered was unoccupied, but the gas had not been turned off at the main. Both women, when admitted to Auckland hospital, were seriously ill, but improved after treatment. They were discharged yesterday.

Model Plane Recovered

A gas model plane which disappeared from the Hood Aerodrome on Sunday evening during a trial flight, conducted by the Wairarapa Model Aero Club, has been found at Clareville. Yesterday a farmer, Mr Devonport, noticed something in one of his paddocks, but did not investigate until he noticed in the “Times-Age” that a model plane was missing. He made a closer inspection and found it was the missing model, which was in good condition.

Large Tiger Litter. Quintuplets were born at the Newtown Zoo, Wellington, two or three days ago when the four-year-old Royal Malayan tigress gave birth to cubs. This number is claimed to be a record for New Zealand, and an unusual event for tigers in captivity anywhere in the world. As far as could be ascertained yesterday the largest tiger litter yet born in captivity was one of six cubs at the Hamburg Zoo, about 20 years ago. It is believed that four were born in New Zealand on one occasion. Broadcasting Hours. Recent suggestions to reduce broadcasting hours to save electricity have not been approved by the authorities, and information which the Waitemata Electric Power Board received yesterdhy from the Electric Power Boards and Supply Authorities’ Association stated that the electricity controller had told the association that it was not considered advisable to make any change at present. The controller advised the association that from reports received from the directoi of the National Broadcasting Service and the controller of the National Commercial Service it appeared that the saving in electricity would not be as great as the association had suggested. "To make an appreciable saving,” said the controller, “it would be necessary to cease broadcasting during the hours of maximum listeners, say, between 6 'pm. and 10 p.m,”