LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 April 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Art Union Prizes. In the “One Never Knows” art union, £lO prizes were won by “Until the Numbers Go Up,” Featherston, and “I Need It,” Featherston. Five pound prizes went to “April Fool’s Fancy,” Featherston; “We Three,” Masterton;” “V. 8 Masterton, and “Liar,” Featherston.

Wreckage and Bodies Found. An aircraft of the R.N.Z.A.F. missing since November, 1941, was found wrecked in the Tararuas yesterday, together with the bodies of the two members of the crew. They were: Leading Aircraftman Charless William Baker (father, Mr W. P. Baker, Box 1, Russell), and Leading Aircraftman Winston Stanley Cannell (father, Mr W. Cannell, Peria, R.D., Matamata). Moral Laxity.

The present conditions of moral laxity in the community were discussed by the Auckland Presbytery, which adopted the following resolution: “That in view of the moral laxity in the city, which is causing grave concern to the authorities, the Presbytery authorise the moderator to issue a pastoral letter to congregations, and that ministers be requested to preach on the need for personal purity ana self-control, and for a better sense of responsibility on the part of - parents in the training and control of their young people.”

Cressing Collision. The railcar from Greymouth to Westport yesterday morning collided at about 9.30 o’clock with a lorry owned by the Nelson Transport Co., and driven by Mr S. Elliot, of Nelson, on the northern approach to the Waitahu combined railway and traffic bridge. The lorry was attempting to back clear when the engine stalled and the lorry was hit by the railcar. One wheel was torn off the lorry, which also sustained other damage. The railcar received slight damage, but was able to proceed. No one was hurt.

Level Crossing Tragedy. It has been definitely established that the elements in the batteries controlling the railway flash lights at the High Street level crossing at Kaiapoi had been removed by some unauthorised person before the fatal crossing smash on Tuesday, in which Mrs Florence Margaret Stewart was killed and ten others were injured. This had put the lights out of order. The Railways district traffic manager, Mr G. H. McLean, said that the elements had been stolen some time prior to the accident, possibly during the night or early in the morning. The flash lights were the only warning signal at the crossing. There were no wig-wag signals and no crossing-keeper. The theft of the elements had been reported immediately to the police and they were now investigating the theft. When asked what system of inspection was in force in connection with the automatic lights, Mr McLean said that that was purely departmental business.

Late Shopping Night. Abolition of the late shopping night on Fridays during the winter months is being considered at Hawera, where the matter will be discussed at a meeting of the Hawera Retailers’ Association. Restrictions Removed. “From and including Thursday, April 22, all restrictions existing on the transport of potatoes from the Rangitikei and Manawatu districts to other North Island areas will be removed,” said the Minister of Marketing, Mr Barclay, last night. “These restrictions, which were introduced to ensure that all potatoes available in Hawke’s Bay, Gisborne, Taranaki and other producing centres —where', owing to climatic conditions potatoes will not keep for long—should be marketed before those from the Rangitikei and South Island districts, where the keeping quality is much more reliable. Erring Girls. At the fifteenth annual meeting of the Women’s Borstal Association, New Zealand, held in Wellington, the annual report stated that the number of girls committed to the Borstal Institution had increased to three times the usual number owing to conditions brought about by the war, and that the position regarding the finding of decent accommodation for the girls when they left the institution was at present acute. There were about 28 girls on probation throughout the Dominion. Some had married and were making good wives and mothers, others were in satisfactory positions, and one was serving with the W.A.A.C. Meat Production. The official figures of killings for the present season at the Dominion’s freezing works from October 1 till March 27, as issued by the New Zealand Meat Producers Board, show that lamb killings now total 7,981,305 carcases, compared with 8,363,257 carcases to March 28 last season. Wether mutton killings are 351,037 carcases, and ewe mutton killings 1,256,466 carcases, compared with 613,308 and 1,513,915 carcases, respectively, last season. Frozen beef production has reached 209,509 quarters, compared with 205,758 quarters last season. Porker killings total 52,356 carcases, a decrease of 65,531, whilst baconers total 80,184 carcases, a decrease of 117,705. Hydro-electric Plan. Preparations are being made for an early start for the further development of the a Waikaremoana hydroelectric scheme and plant is being assembled on the spot for the preparatory work. The proposals, which are known as the upper development scheme, involve the boring of a tunnel from a point 60ft below the lake level through the narrow ridge which forms the lip of the lake at that point and down to a power-house to be erected 700 ft or 800 ft above the present Tuai generating plant. ■ When this work is completed the present generative capacity of the Tuai and Piripaua plants will be doubled. Piripaua, however, is as yet producing only half of its intended output, and it will probably be a few months before the second generator is working there.