LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 February 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Fish to be Liberated.

All fish at present in the Masterton hatchery are to be liberated within a fortnight, according to a decision made by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society last night. School Committee Elections.

School committee elections in the Wellington Education Board's district will be held on April 20. with any second elections on May 25.

Spinal Meningitis Cases. Two cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis were reported in Palmerston North last week and this week two suspects have been notified, one coming from Feilding and the (other from the Palmerston district. Parcels for Overseas. The Postmaster-General, Mr Webb, stated yesterday that approximately 1,000,000 parcels were posted in New Zealand for places overseas during 1941, as against approximately 250,000 in 1940 and 45,000 in 1939. The last-mentioned figure could be regarded as a normal year’s posting. Of last year’s parcels approximately 750,000 were for the armed forces, 200,000 were for civilians in the United Kingdom (gift parcels), and 50,000 were ordinary trade and civilian parcels. A Rain Boundary. An example was seen in Masterton yesterday of a phenomenon not very often observed —a sharp dividing line drawn by nature between a wet area and a dry area. In Chapel Street, up to a line across the roadway some 200 yards south of the Renall Street intersection. rain was falling copiously at about 2.30 p.m. On the northern side of the line no rain was falling and the street was dry. No doubt the boundary between wet and dry was visible simultaneously in other parts of the town.

Cartage of Live Stock. The New Zealand Road Transport Alliance, at a special meeting in Wellington yesterday, discussed developments in live stock cartage throughout the Dominion. A vigorous complaint was made that the Minister of Agriculture had usurped the functions of the Minister of Transport in directing the operation of the road transport system by his interference in live stock transport. A strong protest was expressed in a resolution deploring the chaotic conditions that are said to have been created in the stock transport industry by the intervention and control imposed upon the industry by outside interests. which have apparently been approved by representatives of the Government without, so far as the industry I is aware, reference to the Minister and Department of Transport or to the transport industry.

Masonic Jubilee.

The jubilee meeting of the Supreme Grand Royal Arch Chapter of New Zealand is being held in Wellington and 150 delegates from all parts of New Zealand are attending it. The business session was held yesterday morning, and the installation of his Excellency the Governor-General as head of the institution took place last night. His deputy is Mr W. H. Sandford, and the principal officers are Messrs F. C. Purvis (Whangarei), J. Armstead (Auckland), D. Andrews (Hamilton), W. W. Thomson (New Plymouth). C. J. Hansard (Dannevirke), W. A. Waters (Palmerston North). R. W. McVilly (Wellington), W. J. Girling (Blenheim), J. H. Harkness (Westport). G. A. Blackmore (Christchurch), E. Rakley (Dunedin), G. H. Brown (Invercargill), A. Burns (Auckland) and W. Miller (Oamaru).

Waingawa Works. The rush period at the Waingawa Freezing Works is now reported to be over and in consequence extra men engaged for that peak are, it is stated, to be discharged. This practice follows the usual custom in any season. It is stated that forty or fifty men are concerned. Name Not Approved. The proposal of the Wellington. Acclimatisation Society to change its name to “the Wellington Wild Life Control and Acclimatisation Society” has not been approved by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry. The society intends to make further representations to him. P. and T. Dance. The Masonic Hall was thronged with dancers last night on the occasion of the Masterton P. and T. dance. Jack Barnes’s orchestra provided the music and Mr W. L. Butler was the M.C. Lucky spot competitions were held. Miss Watt was responsible for the supper arrangements. Mr Dale and Miss Dale are to be the guests of honour at the next dance held by the P. and T. Conscientious Objectors. The Hawke’s Bay County Council has decided to request the Government to repeal Clause 21 of the Military Service Act so that all conscientious objectors, whether their appeals are dismissed or not, should be sent to a defaulters’ camp. One councillor said that if a reservist could square his appeal with the Act, he was exempted ■ from service and henceforth wore a smug smile of satisfaction at having i gained his freedom. He mentioned i that four in one family, one only recently converted, had been exempted. “All conscientious objectors should be sent to a defaulters’ camp or to gaol/ said another.

Large Sum Left to Charity. An estate estimated to be worth £45,000 has been left to charity by the late Mr Thomas Maher, Porirua, who died on January 15. Mr Maher, who was an elderly bachelor, was a well-known resident of the district, where he farmed a 2000-acre sheep property on which his parents originally settled many years ago. The will provides that the farm is to be worked for 20 years, and £2OO per annum from the proceeds are to be paid to such charities in the Wellington Province as the Public Trustee thinks fit. The balance of the annual profits and (after 20 years) the farming assets, are bequeathed to St. Joseph’s Orphanage, Upper Hutt, and the Home of Compassion, Island Bay, in equal shares for the general purposes of the institutions.'