LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 March 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Infectious Disease. One notifiable case of infectious disease was recorded in Masterton last month. Earthquakes in Masterton. A sharp earthquake was felt in Masterton on Saturday afternoon at 5.35 o’clock, and another one at an earlier hour. A Clean Sheet. There were no bankruptcies registered in Masterton last month. So far this year no bankruptcies have been filed and last year there were only two. Fatality at Garage. While working in the Otahuhu garage of John W. Andrew and Sons, Ltd., a man suffered injuries from which he died shortly afterward. He was Ivan Gordon Andrew, aged 36, married, with two children.. Mr Andrew was engaged in testing an outboard motor when it exploded, a piece of metal entering his chest. Building Permits, For the month of February the Masterton Borough Council issued four building permits for an estimated value of £8,900, as compared with six permits for a value of £2,293 for the corresponding month last year. Except fop one small amount, the figures for last month represent earthquake . restoration work in respect to business premises in Queen Street. Mastertcn Methodist Church. At the first meeting of the year of the Masterton Methodist Women’s Missionary Auxiliary and Ladies’ Guild, Mrs F. Parker Dresided over a large attendance. A brief devotional period was conducted by the Rev. F. Parker. Arrangements were made for the entertainment of visiting Allied servicemen on Sunday evenings, and also at the Young People’s Club on Frida/ evenings. It was decided to hold a combined meeting to bid farewell to Mrs H. S. Kings, who is. leaving Masterton. After afternoon tea had been served, Mrs Leadley gave two elocutionary items, which were much appreciated. The Rev. Mr F. Parker gave an interesting talk on life in the Fiji Islands. Votes of thanks were passed to Mr Parker and Mrs Leadley. Bravery Rewarded. The Gilt Cross of the Boy Scout Association has been awarded by Sir Cyril Newall, as Dominion Chief Scout, to Rehari Haira, Rotorua, for the courageous rescue of a young child from drowning last December. Returning from school, Haira was met by a distracted woman near- the bank of a stream, and told that a two-year-old child had fallen in and been swept downstream. Aided by another scout, he searched the stream and saw a hand appear just below where a tree had fallen and was floating on the surface of the water. Regardless of personal safety, Haira dived in and finally recovered the baby and took it up to the edge of the road, and there directed a man who knew nothing whatever of first aid how to effect artificial respiration.

Vital Statistics. The following are the vital statistics for Masterton for February, the figures for February, 1942, being given in parenthesis: Births, 4 (3); deaths, 7 (15); marriages, 8 (3). Lady Galway Guild. The Lady Galway Guild will resume activities this week. The president, Mrs T. Jordan, would be grateful for gifts of old clothing suitable for remaking and pieces of material for patch quilt making. Victim of Accident Dies. The death occurred in the Palmerston North Hospital on Saturday of Private E. C. C. Lett, who was dangerously injured when a military tank overturned near Foxton on Thursday. Three men were killed in the accident, and Private Lett was among three others dangerously injured. Solar Activity. During the past week an extensive group of sun spots fully 170,000 miles in length, together with two very small groups, has been visible on the sun’s disc, reported Mr G. V. Hudson, Karori, yesterday. The other large group reported on February 11 is due to reappear on the sun’s eastern limb about March 3. The groups clearly indicate a great increase in solar activity, and in the meantime the minimum phase which should now be ruling is in abeyance. Marching Championships. Colourful ■ costumes, a splendid display of marching by 31 teams, and stirring music by three bands, attracted several thousand people to Cook’s Gardens, Wanganui, on Saturday night for the annual Wanganui marching championships. Fine weather prevailed. McGruer’s, Gisborne, won the championship title with 118 points. McKenzie’s, Wanganui, and United, Wanganui, tied for second, and in a march-off United were declared the runners-up. McGruer’s were judged the best costumed team, and Miss Mary McFarland, United team, won the team leaders’ prize. Mineral Resources. Evidence of the extent to which the mineral resources of the Dominion are being worked was given to the Armed Forces Board at Greymouth by Mr G. W. Lowes, Inspector of Mines. Mr Lowes said that his department was operating three drills for the New Zealand Oil Exploration Company, one diamond drill at Mangapehi for coal, two at Clarendon for phosphate, one at Blackball for coal, and one alluvial drill at Cobb River for the hydro-electric scheme. The following new enterprises are to be set up:—One diamond drill at Glenorchy for scheelite, one at Kawau Island for copper, one at the Klondyke Collieries, Coalgate, two at a new coalfield at Ohai, and one at the Smoke-ho coalfields. Some groups are working three shifts and others are on two shifts. If more labour and drill miners were available, further work would be undertaken, said Mr Lowes.