LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 4 August 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Record Frost. A record frost of 17.5 degrees was registered at Ruakura, near Hamilton, on Saturday. Masterton West School. The concrete work in connection with the playing area at the Masterton West School is now being carried out and the Masterton West Home and School Association has decided t'o. postpone the proposed “gala day” until this work has been completed. Post Office Tower Twisted Round. The whole top of the tower on the General Post Office, Wellington, was twisted round for eight inches, from south to north, by the earthquake early on Sunday morning. It is considered that only the weight of the bells, amounting to three or four tons, anchored it in position. It was miraculous that the whole structure, made dangerous by the earthquake of June 24, did not come crashing down. Demolition, ordered after the previous earthquake, started today.

Trains Delayed by garthquake. Two trains which arrived at Auckland on Sunday morning were each about two hours late because of the need for cautious travel in the Wellington district after the earthquake. Though the earthquake was not generally felt in Auckland, residents in several parts of the city and suburbs were awakened at 12.34 a.m. on Sunday and observed that suspended light fixtures were swinging slightly. Persons on the upper floors of large buildings felt the oscillating motion of the 'tremor distinctly.

Repatriated New Zealanders. If the outward appearance of those New Zealanders who recently were repatriated could be taken as a general guide to the treatment they received while detained in Italian prison camps, the relations of prisoners of war need have little anxiety about the welfare of the men. Twenty-three of the first draft of repatriated prisoners of war in Italy have arrived in New Zealand and without exception the men looked in good health and physical condition. It was a mixed party of repatriated men, officers returning for special duty in New Zealand, and others who had been wounded or were medically unfit for further service. All the repatriated men were members of medical units who had been in Italian prison camps. The majority of the men were in excellent health. Several of them had served in three campaigns, Greece, Crete and Libya, and some had been mentioned in dispatches.

Vital Statistics. Vital statistics registered in Masterton for July, with the figures for July, 1941, given in parentheses were: Births, 20 (31) deaths, 11 (14); marriages, 8 (7). War Anniversary. Today marks the 28th anniversary of the outbreak of wax’ in 1914 between Britain and Germany. Bricklayer versus Earthquake. A bricklayer engaged at Mi’ W. R. Birch’s residence, “Hapua,” Taueru, during the weekend saw his work twice demolished. He re-erected a chimney on Saturday but it was shaken down again by the late afternoon earthquake. He immediately set to work to repair the damage. This was done but the earthquake on Sunday morning again brought the chimney down. Nothing daunted, the bricklayer returned to his task on Sunday and the chimney still stands. Henry Lawson Memorial. The old home at Eurunderee, in the Mudgee district of the famous Australian writer, Henry Lawson, will be preserved as a national memorial, the New South Wales Minister for Education, Mr Clive Evatt, announced recently. The Premier, Mr McKe.ll, had agreed, he added, to provide the necessary funds to purchase and renovate the home, where Henry Lawson had spent the early years of his life. Mr Evatt said it was intended to appoint trustees to whom the care and the maintenance of the property would be entrusted. Henry Lawson was a truly lovable Australian, for whom far too little was done during his life. “I am glad,” Mr Evatt added, “to be associated in this move further to preserve and cherish his memory.” Women Required to Register. All women aged 22 and 23 other than those in the exempted classes are required to register on or before Monday, August 10, with a view to their direction into essential work. The Minister of Industrial Manpower, Mr McLagan, stated yesterday that though a large number of girls previously registered had not so far been directed into more .essential work, some difficulties had arisen in finding sufficient girls with particular types of skill or living in particular localities where they were wanted. These difficulties would be largely overcome by increasing the size of the pool from which girls could be selected. Women who have attained the age of 22 since the previous Order was made and who are therefore already registered, should not register again. The method of registration is by completing a form N.S. 141, which is available at all Post Offices, and forwarding this form to the district manpower officer’ nearest to the place of residence.