LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 26 February 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Trial Action. In the Magistrate’s Court, Westport, yesterday, action was taken against C. J. Atkin, publisher of the "Westport News,” for publication of totalisator figures concerning the Westport Trotting Club’s race meeting in December by which “the dividend might have been calculated.” The magistrate regarded the action as trivial and dismissed the case. Art Union Winners. The winning ticket in the “You’ll be Lucky” art union was shared by Esme Charles, aged 19, Greymouth, and Gordon Moore, aged 22, Runanga. The purchase was made when they were returning from a picnic at Hokitika. The previous ticket was held by the girl’s mother and the succeeding ticket by her father. The origin of the “Whiskers” nom-de-plume was that Moore had not shaved for two days. Bequests to Church. Under the will of the late Miss Jane Ferguson, Wellington, probate of which has been granted to the Public Trustee, a legacy of £2OO was given io St. John’s Presbyterian Church, Wellington, for general purposes, and £lOO to the Wellington Presbyterian Orphanage and Social Service Association for the general purposes of the boys’ and girls’ orphanages at Berhampore and Island Bay, controlled by the association. Gardening Circle, Members of the Gardening Circle of the Masterton Townswomen’s Guild were entertained in the Masterton Park yesterday at an afternoon tea gathering. They were the guests of a member, Miss McWhinnie. The meeting of the circle was the final one of the present season. Members spent a most enjoyable afternoon in the open air and amid the beautiful surroundings of the Park. Parcels for Soldiers. The Masterton Women’s Patriotic Committee is actively engaged in preparing parcels for soldiers, and about 600 will be packed shortly. Barley sugar tins or half-pound tins of a similar type are urgently required, even a single tin being very acceptable. The tins may be left at the Rest Room in Dixon Street or at the Borough Council office. Old socks are also required for making into mittens for soldiers in camp during the winter. Reign of Unconcern.

One would naturally expect that after two years of war there wocld be a realisation of some of the serious problems confronting the Dominions, but instead of that there was a reign of carelessness and unconcern, said Mr F. Penn (retiring vice-president) addressing the Methodist Conference in Wellington yesterday. The National Efficiency Board had suggested that it would be beneficial during the war to curtail the sale of intoxicating liquor, but instead of that the sale had increased, and comments by magistrates and mayors indicated that the position was most serious when the nation was engaged in a life and death struggle. Gambling, the increase of divorces, child delinquency, the presence of women and children at wrestling matches, which had been described as “shocking,” all showed that there was a growing disregard for the decencies of life. Despite this, there was a growing interest in spiritual things, and the Church would rise to the opportunity igiven her. The hope of the world lay (in the revival of the spiritual.