LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 April 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Fatal Burns. A Maori girl ,Hiria Pukepuke, aged 6, received fatal burns at Terere Pa, Opotiki. Her clothes caught fire when she got too close to a fire. There were no adults about, and she ran outside in search of someone to extinguish the flames. Eventually another child threw water over her. She was admitted to the Opotiki Hospital, where she died shortly afterward. “Fed Up With Camp Life." . Because he was tired of camp and wanted to go overseas, Private William Gourley, Riccarton, aged 21, said at a court-martial at an Auckland camp yesterday morning that he absented himself without leave and escaped from custody. He pleaded guilty to a series of charges. Accused, a miner by occupation, said he was just fed up with camp life. His sentence will be promulgated. Mufti Allowance.

A remit that “In view of increased costs the present mufti allowance of £l2 10s is totally inadequate and should be increased to £6O 7s 6d,” received unanimous approval at a special meeting of the Wellington R.S.A. last night, held to considei' remits to the annual conference of the N.Z.R.S.A. Included in the remit was the following estimate of the cost of outfitting an ex-soldier: — Two suits ,£25 4s; three shirts, £2 15s 6d; three-undervests, £2 16s 3d; three underpants, £2 16s 3d; three pairs sox, 13s 6d; overcoat, £8 8s; raincoat, £5 ss; two pairs shoes, £4; slippers, 15s; three pyjamas, £2 15s 6d; three ties, 13s 6d; two hats, £3 10s; braces, 8s 6d; suspenders, 6s 6d.

Girl Escapees Sent to Gaol. Commenting that they would not behave when they had been allowed a certain amount of liberty, and that it would now be restricted, Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday, sentenced .to six months’ imprisonment with hard labour seven young women who pleaded guilty to escaping on Friday last from lawful custody at the Point Halswell Borstal institution. The magistrate added that this would be a lesson to others. Those charged were Roberta Beryl Bennett, waitress, aged 22; Eve Porourangi, domestic, aged 18; Kathleen Mavis McGregor, machinist, aged 22; Rona Taunoa, domestic, aged 20; Eunice Barnes, office assistant, aged 18; Marjorie Swinburne, waitress, aged 19; and Hazel Fawcett, nurse, aged 20. Senior-Ser-geant Paine said that the seven escapees had beer; regarded as trusted inmates, and had been allowed some degree of liberty, but the whole seven disappeared on Friday morning, when they had been working at different points in the grounds. They were arrested the following night at Lower Hutt, where they had been sleeping in a house.

investor Sought. The Masterton Post Office requests the person who invested a large sum of money in National Savings Bonds this morning to call on the accountant as soon as possible. It is most important that the investor should do so. Small Membership. At last night’s meeting of the Wairarapa College Parents’ Association reference was made to the fact that of the 600 parents of pupils attending the College, only 20, at a fee of Is per head, had paid their annual subscriptions as members of the association last year.. Good Catch of Salmon. One of the best catches of quinnat salmon this season was made by Mr R. K. Bragg, Christchurch, in the Rakaia River. He caught 14 fish of a total weight of 1611 b., and an average weight of lljlb. The two biggest fish in the catch weighed 191 b. and 181 b. respectively, and there were three fish weighing 131 b. Trust Finances. Reviewing the past financial year ending March 31, the chairman of the Masterton Trust Lands Trust, Mr H. P. Hugo, said last night that with the credit balance of £llBB, compared wtih a credit balance at the end of the previous year of £ll2B, the Trust had come through a very difficult period in a very satisfactory manner. Rentals were down by £750 and the Opera House revenue was well down. The Trust was fortunate in having had its buildings covered against earthquake damage. Charge Against Doctor. Further evidence and legal argument were heard in the Dunedin Magistrate’s Court yesterday in the case in which Robert Findlay Allan, medical practitioner, was charged with supplying incorrect and misleading particulars I relating to an application by Philip Idour for a motor driver’s licence. The magistrate reserved his decision. “I have examined Idour on fifteen occasions from March 10 to October, 1942, and from my observation of him over that period and from my supposed capabilities as a member of the Royal College of Physicians, Edinburgh, I cannot see how I can be criticised,” said Dr. Allan, giving evidence in his own defence. “I have been brought into this position of disgrace with my name in headlines of the newspapers for something of which I am not guilty.” ■