LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 October 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Card Party. The card party conducted by the Ladies’ Auxiliary in the Y.M.C.A. last night was well attended. The winners were Mrs E. Marshall and .Mr McPherson. The next card evening on November 6 will be the final one for the year.

Drilling for Oil. The New Zealand Petroleum Company reports that the Morere bore has been advanced to 6430 feet, and that 6 5-Bin. casing has been run and cemented at 6407 feet. Drilling will be resumed shortly. The Midhirst bore is at a depth of 9120 feet, with no change in formation. Sunspot Diminishing.

The gigantic sunspot, which a few weeks ago was the cause of magnetic disturbances and auroral displays, has come round into view again. But it is now only a shadow of its former self, and has shrunk to dimensions which make it just an ordinary spot of very little significance. In the meantime another new group of spots has appeared and will be shortly crossing the sun’s meridian, but at present this new disturbance does not give any indication of unusual activity.

Donation Acknowledged. The Wairarapa Interhouse Association has received an acknowledgment of its donation of £2l 16s 3d towards the Sister Phyllis Matthews’ Fund. Sister Matthews was seriously injured when the Rangitane was attacked by a German raider. The association’s kindly thought in holding .a concert was much appreciated and the amount donated was a most generous one. The appeal had been most successful and everyone concerned had been generous and sympathetic.

Soldier Seriously Injured. When attempting to board a moving train at Trentham station at 5.12 p.m., yesterday, Sapper Leslie G. Swanson, a soldier, received critical injuries. It is believed that Sapper Swanson had safely boarded the train, but that while it was pulling out from the platform his hat blew off, and he jumped to retrieve it. In trying to reboard the train he was dragged off the platform and his leg was run over and severed by the last carriage. The injured man received immediate medical attention, and was then rushed to the Wellington hospital by an army ambulance. His condition is reported to be serious.

Supplies of Oranges. After being practically unprocurable for two or three weeks, oranges are once more on sale in Wellington shops. A shipment of 5000 cases of valencias, for distribution throughout the Wellington province, has arrived from Australia, and further supplies are expected. Asked yesterday whether there was any prospect of the shortage recurring, the Acting-Director of the Internal Marketing Division, Mr R. P. Fraser, stated that, with Australia the only source of supply and with shipping difficulties, consignments might not be arriving as regularly as was hoped. Mr Fraser added, however, that he did not see any immediate difficulty ahead. The maximum retail prices fol’ the Australian oranges now on sale range from Is to 3s 6d a dozen, according to grade. There are relatively few available at the highest and lowest prices, the normal price for fair-sized oranges being from 2s 7d to 3s 3d a dozen.