LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 January 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Drought Conditions. The coastal area of the Wairarapa is experiencing drought conditions at present. Although the watercourses are still carrying some water, hot dry winds have scorched the new growth of grass which followed light rains over the past weeks. The hills and pastures are parched, and sheep farmers would welcome heavy rain.

Odd Fellows’ Dance.

Dancers assembled in full force at the Masonic Hall on Saturday night, when a dance was held by the Masterton Odd Felolws’ Lodge. Barnes’s Orchestra played enjoyable dance music, and extras were contributed by Miss McGovern and Mr R. Remini. Mr R. Baikie was an able M.C. The winners of the Monte Carlo, competition were Miss L Coe and Mr T. Tapp (Petone). Sisters Brader and Prout were responsible for the supper arrangements. A. Booby Trap!

An amazing sidelight on the watch for booby traps in the Western Desert after the El Alamein action is recounted by Lieutenant-Colonel J. A. Bretherton, of Christchurch. Because of the danger of booby traps, everyone was looking warily at tempting things lying on the ground, he wrote. An officer in a field regiment who possessed a beautiful blade razor placed it on the ground where it could not fail to be seen and watched with much amusement many people who walked past it with velvet tread, fearing that it might be a trap. Along came one soldier, however, who said: “Booby tray, huh?” took out his revolver and landed a shot right in the middle of the razor.

E.P.S. Expenditure.

A statement of receipts and payments of the Auckland Metropolitan Emergency Precautions Service for the threeyear period from October 1, 1939, to September 30, 1942, has been sent by the treasurer, Mr T. W. M. Ashby, to the contributing local bodies. Expenditure amounted to £264,663, the largest items being £201,274 for public shelters, including trenches, tunnels and shelters in buildings, £25,303 for the fire unit and £7359 for the medical unit. Levies on local bodies totalled £118,624, of which £44,698 was outstanding on September 30 last. Of this sum, £35,220 had since been paid. Government subsidies outstanding amounted to £121,815, out of a total of £197,630. Juvenile Crime. “It is a shocking state of affairs that boys of this age should be allowed to go round like this,” said Mr J. Miller, S.M., in the Children’s Court at Napier, when four boys, three of them Maoris, aged between 11 and 15 years, appeared on a total of 48 charges, including breaking and entering, theft, the conversion of bicycles and mischief. “There are a great number of charges and there is also evidence of the gang spirit,” he said. “The matter is harder for the Court because of the futility of imposing punishment, for the greatest penalty for three of them is to be placed under the care of the welfare officer, but these four boys are wards of the State and are already under his care. It is disturbing to think that these boys can go around and do these things without being punished. A few years ago there was a certain form of punishment, but whipping has now been stopped.”