LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 March 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

St. David’s Day. Yesterday was St. David’s Day, the annual festival of the national saint of Wales. Service of Prayer. The holding of citizens’ prayer services will be resumed in Masterton on Wednesday at the Methodist Church from 12.30 p.m. till 1.30 p.m., and will be continued each week. National Savings. When the Napier Post Office opened on Saturday morning £197 was required to fly the National Savings flag. In response to an appeal by the chairman of the National Savings Committee, five citizens provided the money to permit the flag to be flown for the seventh consecutive week.

National Savings Campaign. The total of £2945 subscribed to the' National Savings Fund in Masterton last week was the second highest reached since the quota system was started. At 9 o’clock this morning the flag was again hoisted to the masthead, indicating that for the fifteenth consecutive week the quota had been obtained. For the fourth week in succession it has been reached at 9 a.m. <.n Monday, thanks to a generous donor.

Camouflage Nets. Masterton is now making camouflage nets at the rate of two a day. Since the making of the nets began on December 13 —this period including one week in which no twine was available — 68 nets have been made locally. This is said to be a record for New Zealand, and the makers have been complimented on the excellent standard of their work. This has been carried out by Girl Guides, the Lady Galway Guild, school teachers and others. New Zealand Fruit Crop. Reasons for the reduced apple and pear crops in New Zealand this season have been summarised by the officer in charge of the apple and pear section of the Internal Marketing Division, Mr W. Benzies. He held the unfavourable climatic conditions largely responsible, and said that their effect was now being felt generally. Last year to February 21, he said, the receipts were 182.312 cases, whereas the quantity received this year to the same date was only 91,387 cases.

Sunspot and Radio Transmission. The very large sunspot which was reported some days ago by Mr G. V. Hudson, Karori, as having appeared at the edge of the sun's disc, has begun to have the usual effect on short-wave radio transmission. A complete’blackout of European stations occurred a few seconds after midnight on Saturday night and lasted for several hours. The National Broadcasting Service reports that the news transmissions from Daventry at 1 a.m. and 4 a.m. yesterday were not receivable, but that good reception was possible at 6 a.m.

Seaman and Airmen Fund. The trustees of the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Acknowledgment of Debt to British Seamen and Airmen Fund acknowledge the following Wairarapa subscriptions for the assistance of British seamen and airmen and their dependants who suffer during the present war:—C. H. G. Hewitt, Carterton. £2O: J. A. McDougall, Martinborough, £5O; R. B. Bairstow, Carterton, £5; Ordish and Son, Carterton, £2; C. L. Reynolds, Carterton, £10; F. M. Reynolds, Masterton. £5; Mrs A. M. Bunny, Masterton, £1 Is 6d; E. W. Bunny, Masterton. £5; W. N. Cameron. Masterton. £6; J. McGregor, Master ton. £5; J. S. Langdon, Masterton, £3 3s 6d; F. and H. C. Percy, Eketahuna, £2; C. T. Richardson, Eketahuna, £100: J. P. Sigvertsen, Eketahuna, £5: Frank White, Eketahuna, £10; H. Mallabarr, Mauriceville. £5; H. Myers, ) Mauriceville, £5. The total amount .received to date is £22,707.