LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 22 October 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ladies’ Rest Room. A total of 535 people (110 town, 320 country and 105 visitors) visited the Ladies’ Rest Rooms in Masterton last month. The committee room was used 12 times for patriotic work. Abattoir Killings. Killings at the Masterton Abattoirs last month were: —60 cows, 42 heifers, 53 bullocks, 24 calves, 883 ewes, 464 wethers, and 168 pigs. Six sheep were condemned. Mission to Australia. Interviewed at Auckland, the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, said that while in Australia he would discuss the whole question of air transport in the Pacific region, particularly in the Tasman area between New Zealand and Australia. It would be necessary to provide more planes to ensure that the accommodation was adequate to meet the steadily increasing number of passengers offering. Mr Nash emphasised that people should not travel across oceans at present except on essential business. Remittances for Troops. The Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, stated yesterday that relatives and friends of members of the New Zealand armed forces serving overseas who desired to remit money to them for the coming Christmas season would greatly assist the respective departments—Army, Navy and Air—by forwarding bank receipts not later than Monday, November 24. This would ensure, as far as it was possible, availability for the soldier’s use before Christmas of moneys transmitted. The maximum amount in New Zealand currency that could be remitted in each remittance was £3O, said the Minister. If those who were considering remitting money were aware that the maximum amount for the current remittance year had already gone forward they would appreciate that no good purpose would be served by applying for permission to send additional funds. In cases where they did so i there would be no option but to return ’the amount to the sender.

Pipe-Lining Completed. “The pipe-lining contract work was completed on October 3 in a satisfactory manner, and the 6-inch valve at the Waipoua Bridge was opened up to sluice out all lined mains. All the tests so far carried out have proved entirely satisfactory, and further tests will be made from time to time during the summer months, after which a full report will be submitted to the council,” reported the borough engineer, Mr C. R. Mabson, at last night’s meeting of the Masterton Borough Council.

Aid to Russia. The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, announced last night that the Government had decided to make a grant of £5OOO (New Zealand currency) to the Russian Red Cross, and that a remittance had already been sent to London for payment to the Russian authorities. This donation, Mr Fraser explained, was a gesture by the Government and people of New Zealand in recognition of the splendid resistance offered to the common foe by our Russian Allies and to assist in relieving the suffering of their wounded and distressed. Restrictions on Police. “The police are allowed to ask questions, but not to cross-examine persons who are in serious danger of being deprived of their liberty,” said Mi’ Justice Fair during a criminal trial in the Auckland Supreme Court yesterday. The question at issue was the admissibility of a statement made to the police by accused, in which he admitted having known that he had struck some person with his car. “The police give a man an opportunity for an explanation, but they must not press him.” His Honour continued. “British justice has been able to get along quite well with that restriction on the powers of the Police Force and the detective force and it will continue to, do so. I.think this is a case where that view may be taken. I have no wish to embarrass the Police Force in carrying out their very difficult duties, but there is a consideration that overrides any difficulty of that sort, and that is that the accused must always be given fair play according to the law.”