LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 April 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Drought Broken. The worst drought in the Hawke’s Bay district for 20 years broke with heavy rain yesterday. Many areas were scorched and cattle were badly in need of water.

Swimming Record Broken. In a special attempt on the New Zealand junior girls’ 50 yards free-style swimming record, Miss Norma Bridson lowered the existing time of Miss M. Black of 29 3-ssec. by one-fifth of a second, states a P.A. message from Auckland.

Patriotic Meeting Postponed. A meeting of the Masterton Patriotic Committee and of those who assisted with the recent appeal, which was to have been held last night, was postponed indefinitely as the chairman, Mr. T. Jordan, was unable to be present.

Garden Party Postponed. On account of inclement weather the Masterton Free Kindergarten Association’s garden party which was to have been held at “Kingswell,” Renall Street this afternoon, has been postponed until next Saturday, April 10.

Wrong Change Given. A fine of £5 was imposed by Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday, on Thomas Patrick Rooney, a taxi-driver, who was charged with being a party to a transaction which involved the conversion of U.S.A, currency at a rate of exchange other than that current between New Zealand and U.S.A. It was stated that defendant had treated five dollars as worth £1 10s, instead of £1 10s sd.

Boy Electrocuted. James Norman Spence, aged 13 years and nine months, was electrocuted when he was gathering firewood from a tree which brought down some overhead wires in Jellicoe Road, Panmure, yesterday morning. High winds blew down the tree and dragged down part of the overhead telephone circuit with it. Apparently one end of the wire became entangled with the low-tension power line. The boy was found still alive, but died before the ambulance arrived.

Refusal to let Flat. A woman landlord, Miss A. F. MooreJones, was fined £4 by Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M., at Auckland yesterday, on a charge of refusing to let a flat on the ground that it was intended that a child should live in it. The case is stated to be the first of the kind in New Zealand. Mr H. J. Meikle, Inspector of Factories, said a naval officer’s wife applied to a land agent for a flat and was referred to defendant. After inspecting the flat she agreed to take it, but when she stated later that she had a girl aged 13, defendant refused to allow her to occupy the flat.

Inquest into Tank Tragedy. An inquest at Palmerston North regarding the deaths of Second Lieutenant J. Transom (Taihape), Privates G. E. Algie (Hawera), C. F. Mclntyre (Whakatane), and E. C. C. Left (Wanganui), who died from injuries when a military tank overturned near Foxton on February 25, was held before the coroner, Mr A. J. Graham. After hearing evidence, the coroner stated that two factors appeared to have caused the accident —the collapse of a bank and the fact that the tank was going too slowly. Major A. H. Revell, officer commanding the squadron, replied that the slow speed was a matter of caution. The coroner commended the rescue work done so expeditiously. He returned a verdict that the men were accidentally killed.

Wool Payment. The question has been raised in several quarters as to whether the deferred stock to be issued to woolgrowers in part payment of the increased price paid by the United Kingdom for New Zealand wool is to be regarded as income for taxation purposes during the current year, or at the time of thp maturity of the stock. An official ruling given yesterday states that the Commissioner of Taxes regards this deferred stock as part of the farmer’s income, and that the amount will have to be included in his return of income for the year in which the stock is issued. The Minister of Marketing, Mr Barclay, announced last evening that under the Purchase of Wool Emergency Regulations, 1939, Amendment' No. 1, he had appointed Mr. T.‘ C. Brash as appeal authority to adjudicate on the hardship applications from woolgrowers lodged under the regulations. Any such appeals, must be lodged with the Minister of Marketing not later than May 31, 1943.