LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 April 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

No Publication Tomorrow. The “Times-Age” will not be published tomorrow (Good Friday) but will be published as usual on Easter Monday. Vital Statistics. The vital statistics registered at the Masterton Courthouse for March were, the figures for the corresponding period of 1941 being given in parentheses:— Births 24 (25); deaths 20 (10); marriages, 9 (10). Anzac Day Ceremony. The executive of the Wellington Returned Services’ Association has decided to restrict the ceremony on Anzac Day, 1942, to the laying of a wreath on the Cenotaph and the observance of a two minutes’ silence. Many ex-servicemen are occupied with military duties and are thus prevented from taking part, and it is also felt it would be unwise to invite the public to congregate in large numbers in a congested area of Wellington. Railway Finance. Net railway revenue for the 11 months of the financial year ended March 31 amounted to £1,587,049, as compared with £1,470,157 for the corresponding period of the previous year. Revenue for the 11 months totalled £10,692,029, an increase of £570,704, and expenditure amounted to £9,104,980, an increase of £453,812. For the four-weekly period ended February 28 the net revenue was £305,640, as compared with £248,379 for February of last year. Plants to be Used in Medicine. Raw materials required in the manufacture of vitally important drugs, supplies of which, from normal sources, have been cut off as Germany has overrun Europe, are now being produced in New Zealand. Soon consignments of the dried leaves of foxglove, deadly nightshade, thorn apple and henbane plants will be leaving the Dominion to help relieve the shortage of these commodities in Britain. Some of the leaf will also be processed here, taking the place of imports no longer obtainable. Home Guard Uniforms. “We are pushing ahead as quickly as possible with the distribution of boots and uniforms to the Home Guard,” said the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, at Dunedin yesterday. The Minister added that the expansion of the Territorial forces has led to a fairly large demand for battledress, but the difficulties there had been overcome pow. “We are therefore going ahead with the manufacture of new battledress, which will be issued to those Home Guard units not yet supplied with uniforms, and the distribution will take place just as soon as it can,” stated the Minister.

Service of Witness. A united service of witness will be held in the Masterton Opera House tomorrow night (Good Friday) at 6 o’clock. The service has been arranged by the Ministers’ Association. Literature for Soldiers. An excellent response is being made by the public to an appeal for literature for distribution to Territorial forces. The box at the Masterton Post Office has been filled many times over and large numbers of periodicals, papers and magazines have been collected for distribution. The box is under the control of the Masterton Y.M.C.A. Air Training Corps. The formation of a Masterton town unit of the Air Training Corps is practically assured. A meeting of those interested was held in the Masterton Y.M.C.A. Rooms last evening, when Flight Sergeant P. Avery and Cadet L. H. Ellis, of Wellington, met intending applicants and explained various aspects of the scheme. There was an attendance of about 20.

Essential Industry. ’ An explanation of the regulations relating to the employment of men in essential industries was given last .night at a meeting of officers and members of trade unions, addressed by Mi' C. J. Hay, liaison officer, National Service Department. Mr J. Robertson, M.P., presided over a fair attendance. Mr Hay was asked a number of questions at the conclusion of his address.

Grow Vegetables, The need for householders to grow their own vegetables was stressed by Mr J H. Cunningham, deputy-control-ler of the E.P.S. Supply Committee, when speaking at today’s luncheon of the Masterton Rotary Club. As an indication of the demands being made on vegetable supplies at present, Mr Cunningham mentioned that 4,500,0001b5. of vegetables were required every month by the army in New Zealand. Easter Holidays. There are few public attractions in the. Wairarapa this Easter. The principal feature, the Tauherenikau races, is not being held. In Masterton a tin hare race meeting is being held on Monday, and bowling, golf and tennis will be played by club members as opportunity offers. Retailers will observe the late shopping night tonight. The . shops will reopen on Tuesday morning, with the exception of bakers, who will open on Saturday.