LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 March 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Drunken Motorist Fined. John Joseph Gildea, married, a sharemilker at Maharahara, was fined £35 in Dannevirke yesterday for having been intoxicated while in charge of a motor-car, his licence was ordered to be endorsed and cancelled, and he was prohibited from holding another for 12 months. Fertiliser Prices.

An urgent telegram is to be sent to the Prime Minister protesting against a reported rise of from 2s to 3s a ton in fertiliser prices which, it was stated, would seriously prejudice the promotion of wheat-growing. A decision to this effect was made at a meeting yesterday of the North Canterbury Primary Production Council, together with chairmen of district committees, which was called • to discuss ways and means of meeting the appeal of the Government for increased wheat production next season. Dance in Masonic Hail.

An enjoyable dance was held in the Masonic Hall last night by the St. John Ambulance. Barnes’s Orchestra played the dance music and the proceedings were under the able direction of Mr C. S. McQuade as M.C. The winners of the novelty dances were: Lucky Spot, Miss C. Cairns and Trooper V. Harvey; Monte Carlo, Miss M. G. Doan and Private W. T. Earle. Miss Dean handed back the value of the prize as a donation towards the soldiers’ parcel fund. Mr McQuade thanked the ladies’ committee for providing such an excellent supper.

Shortage of Bakers. Twenty to twenty-five bakers could be given jobs in Wellington immediately, so great was the shortage of bakers, said Mr A. A. McDonald, secretary of the Wellington Bakers’ Union, before the Armed Forces Appeal Board in Wellington yesterday. He had to work 14 or 15 hours a day in a bakehouse himself, and had had to put several qjd age pensioners back to work again. From the Wellington industrial district 75 bakers had gone into the forces, nearly all of them were fully qualified. Mr C. O. Bell, Crown representative, said the industry was to be declared essential.

Club Fined for Sly Grog Selling. Notwithstanding it was a duly incorporated society, the Kawhia Club and Institute was prosecuted on three counts before Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., at the Auckland S.M. Court on Monday for having sold liquor without a licence, and for having kept liquor for sale on December 24, 26 and 27. Senior-Sergeant McHugh, who prosecuted, said that a very large quantity of liquor had been seized. The club was fined £5O cn each of two counts and was convicted and ordered to pay costs on the remaining charges. A. steward employed by the club, Frank Robbins Messenger, was also fined £5 for having illegally sold liquor. Cost of Medical Scheme.

Returns so far received from district health officers revealed that the cost of the Social Security medical scheme would be less than had been expected, said the Minister of Health, Mr Nordmeyer, yesterday. Though it was too scon to predict accurately the figures for a full year, it was obvious from the experience so far, even allowing for the considerable time lag between the rendering of the service and the claiming of the refund by the patient, that the amount required would not be as great as was budgeted for, said the Minister. He added that there appeared to be an increasing number of claims being made direct on the fund, and that more doctors were accepting the amounts set out in the Social Security .Amendment Act in full settlement of 'their accounts.

Ecy’s Arm Broken. Athol Fowler, aged 13, of Sedgley Boys’ Home, was admitted to Masterton Hospital this morning, suffering from a fractured arm. The injury- was caused when he fell while jumping over a post. Drink, Racing and the War. The people responsible for making it possible for soldiers to disgrace the King's uniform on the public streets, for luring mere boys and girls along the path of vice and intemperance and for retarding the war effort were New Zealand’s fifth columnists, playing the enemy’s game and the devil’s game, said the Rev. P. G. Hughes at the Wellington citizens’ intercessory service yesterday. He condemned the holding of race meetings also, and appealed for Government action.

Removal of Signposts. A letter was received at the monthly meeting of the Wairarapa Automobile Association from the military authorities regarding the action taken by some associations in removing all sign posts. They stated that the signposts were particularly useful and the Army desired them to remain and be kept in an efficient condition. Any removal of sign posts should be carried out only as a result of mutual arrangements between the Officer Commanding the District and the various Automobile Associations. —It was resolved to fall in with the wishes of the military. Inconsiderate Motorists.

The Military authorities wrote to the monthly meeting of the Wairarapa Automobile Association in connection

with the action of inconsiderate motorists who, instead of slowing down when passing troops marching on the road, raced by and covered the men with clouds of dust. They asked if the Association could take the matter up and invite motorists to have a little consideration for the troops. It was resolved that all motorists, whether members of the Association or not, be asked to obey the requirements of the regulations, and thus meet the wishes of the Military.

Hew Women Can Help. “It was a most encouraging manifestation of the keen desire of the womenfolk to assist the country’s war effort to the maximum extent,” said the Minister of Marketing, Mr Barclay, referring to a meeting held in Hamilton on Tuesday. As Minister of Agriculture, said Mi’ Barclay, he could indicate a way in which the desire to assist could be put into practical effect immediately. “The development of the war situation is demanding a greater supply of fresh vegetables for the increasing mobilisation of armed forces,” he said. “The labour available to commercial growers is becoming increasingly scarce. Women and girls have the opportunity of filling the breach.”

Enquiry Into Girl’s Remarks. The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, expressed surprise last night concerning the publication of a statement by a Mrs W. B. Young at the Wellington Travel Club reception, and reported in the Press yesterday. l Mrs Young was reported to have said that a New Zealand girl, who had included an evening frock among things in her emergency bag, when asked its significance had replied that “surely the Japanese would want to dance when they arrived.” Mr Fraser said he regarded such an unguarded statement in the form in which it appeared as a iserious reflection on New Zealand girls, and he issued instructions for an immediate inquiry into the veracity of the allegation. “This,” said Mr Fraser, “Is an instance of an ill-considered unsubstantiated statement meant to be taken seriously. Even the name of the girl was not given by Mrs Young, so that the authenticity of the story could be neither completely established nor disproved.”