LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 March 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Unsolved Mystery. A mystery is attached to the finding of the skeleton of a child of from 10 to 12 years of age on a wind-swept ridge close to the Rangitata River. Exhaustive inquiries Have been made by the police, but so far no information has been obtained. The police have been unable to find any record of a child of this age being missed within the last 25 years. ©hooting Season. In a letter to the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, the Minister of Internal Affairs announces that there is to be an open season for waterfowl shooting from May 1 to May 16 inclusive, and a game shooting season in the society’s district of three months, as recommended by it. The Minister expressed his regret that there: is no hope of any further ammunition being released. Meat Production. The official figures of killings for the present season at the Dominion’s freezing works from October 1 till February 27, show that lamb killings now total 6,483,420 carcases, compared with 6,896,132 carcases to February 28 last season. Wether mutton killings are 229,056 carcases, and ewe mutton killings 877,505 carcases, compared with 407,171 and 819,184’carcases respectively last season. Frozen beef production has reached 135,720 quarters, compared with 128,671 quarters last season. Porker killings total 31,800 carcases, a decrease of 47,139, whilst baconers total 74,765 carcases, a decrease of 102,546. New Zealand Division Praised. High praise for the work of the New Zealand Division in the Middle East is contained in a letter received by the Otago Provincial Patriotic Council from Lieutenant-General Oliver Leese, commander of the corps to which the division belongs. General Leese said it had been a privilege for the corps to have such a division attached to it. It had been called on to carry out several very difficult manoeuvres and each time it achieved success, largely as the result of the great personal gallantry of all ranks and the intense trouble and work taken in training and preparation. Income Tax Question. A question relating to the payment of income tax by members of the permanent staff of the Military Forces was given notice of in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr Denham (Government, Invercargill). He said that officers engaged in the military forces of New Zealand for the duration of the war only were exempt from taxation as far as their departmental salaries were concerned, while men on the permanent staff had to pay all taxes. This was causing much discontent. He explained that 1 a colonel on the temporary staff receiving £l6 a week was not taxed on that amount, but a sergeant-major on the permanent staff receiving half that amount had to pay full taxes.

West School Swimming Sports. In connection with the report of the Masterton West School swimming sports, published yesterday, it was erroneously stated that John Renner had been disqualified in the 25 yards breaststroke event, whereas it was another competitor, John Renner being awarded first place. “Wise Old Owl” Art Union. In the ‘‘Wise Old Owl” Art Union, prizes were won as follows by district residents: —£10 prize, Mrs Tiby Kent, Pongaroa. £5 prizes, “Buck,” 8 Olive Street, Masterton; “Saturday,” Masterton; C. W. Trough, Essex Street, Masterton; F. McKay, Bentley Street, Masterton; “Stew and'l the Winners,” Masterton; “Our Luck,” Eketahuna; “Last Throw,” Masterton. Damage to Grain Crops. “Ducks are particularly plentiful, and are doing considerable damage to grain crops,” it was stated in a letter received by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society from one of its rangers, Mr T. Andrews. It was mentioned that a crop cut and stooked was reduced from an estimated yield of 45 bushels an acre to a 25 bushel yield at threshing by a flock of about 1000 ducks which settled at nightfall and fed on the grain. Beer Peddled in Streets. “There is no need now to take a taxi to a sly-grog shop,” said a driver and director of a taxi-cab company when giving evidence before the Auckland Metropolitan Licensing Authority. “Beer is being peddled on the streets in sugar bags,” he said. “There are so many sly-grog shops in Auckland today that it is dangerous to accept a hire anywhere—you may be driving to a sly-grog shop.” Witness considered the hospitals were getting as fair a service as they could get under the circumstances. On the advice of counsel, witness declined to say what revenue was received by his company from drivers. An Alarming Position. “The position at present is very alarming and we are very perturbed,” said Mr I. F. McDonald, chairman of a deputation of headmasters received by the Wellington Education Board yesterday to ask for the appointment of a full-time truancy officer to deal with the situation which has arisen in certain areas of the board’s administrative area. Mr McDonald said that in the case of one school, the headmaster, finding 25 per cent of the pupils away one day, went to a neighbouring camp of overseas servicemen, and was able to round up the majority of them. The children, he said, were in some cases protected - by their parents. He instanced the case of a boy seen shoe-shining. When the matter was taken up the mother sent a no.te saying the boy was sick. It was , eventually decided that the matter be referred to the board’s executive, with the members for certain specially affected districts added, ,to report and > bring down recommendations to the next meeting of the board.