LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 November 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Sale of Scrap Metal. A further amount of noil-ferrous scrap metal was recently sold by the Masterton Borough Council for £5 3s 6d, making the total sum raised to date £66 18s 6d. Rest Rooms Report. A total of 536 people (200 visitors, 210 country and 126 townspeople) visited the Masterton Ladies’ Rest Rooms last month. The committee room was engaged six times for patriotic meetings. Stock Slaughtered. , Stock was slaughtered at the Masterton abattoirs last month as follows: — 48 cows, 70 heifers, 37 bullocks, 12 calves, 749 ewes, 550 wethers, 79 lambs, 186 pigs. Fourteen sheep and one pig were condemned. Billets for Bandsmen. The local Interhouse Committee is still in need of billets for members of the Trentham Military Band during their stay in Masterton, and anyone who could accommodate a bandsman over the weekend is asked to ring Mr Costello, c/o W.F.C.A. Sports Department. Borough Library. A total of 5932 books (371 reference books) were issued from the Masterton Borough Library last month. One thousand one hundred and eleven books (203 of which were reference books) were added to the shelves. The number of subscribers, 666, showed an increase of 106 on last year. There were 181 juvenile subscribers at October 31. The Fly Pest. The Borough Sanitary Inspector, Mr T. A. Russell, in his monthly report to the Masterton Borough Council, asked householders to pay more attention to the condition of their rubbish-bins to prevent fly-breeding. A number of tins recently examined were found to be very dirty. “Unless proper attention was given this matter,” said Mr Russell, “it was possible to have a fly incubator at the back door. When empty, the bin should be well scraped out and hosed, and a layer or two of paper should be placed on the bottom to prevent moist vegetable matter from sticking to the I bin. All bins required a rain and flyproof fit-over lid and proper handles.”

Band Activities. The Masterton Municipal Band held nine band practices last month and gave a concert in the Park. Gas By-products. One thousand four hundred and sev-enty-seven bags of coke, and 1710 gallons of tar were sold at the Masterton gas works ‘last month. Price of Vegetables. Figures showing that a quantity of vegetables purchasable for 18s 8d in 1933 would cost £5 4s 2d at the prices of November 14, 1941, an increase of 45E per cent, were produced by Mr S. Coleman, representative of the Auckland Fruit Retailers’ Association, when he gave evidence at the vegetables prices inquiry, which was continued by the Price Tribunal in Wellington yesterday. He explained that he did not think the 1933 prices were fair to growers or to the labour employed. Work in the Park. The fact that work was proceeding satisfactorily in the Masterton Park was reported to the Masterton Borough Council at its meeting last night by the custodian, Mr F. H. Knowles. Summer flowering seedlings were being set out. The work being undertaken at present, in addition to the ordinary maintenance work, included potting the begonias, digging flower beds, bedding plants, etc. The trees at the north and south approaches had been forked around and tied. Address to Manufcturers. Features of the address given by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr Sullivan, at the opening of the annual conference of the New Zealand Manufacturers’ Federation at Wairakei yesterday were statements that the skill of this Dominion was. equal to any in the world in fabricating or processing, that import control had little or nothing to do with shortages these days, and that priority and essentiality for war were major issues in securing supplies, but sacrifices for domestic needs must not be carried out too ruthlessly. New Zealand, he said, had undertaken commitments in the field-of heavy production, and the best use of manpower consistent with war economy had to be faced. Plans were being framed for a change-over from war economy to peace economy when hostilities were ended, and to increase industrial status in New Zealand,