LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 April 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Earthquakes in Masterton, Sharp earthquakes were felt in Masterton at 5.30 p.m. and, 5.50 p.m. yesterday. Remanded on Murder Charge, When John Hector McCauley appeared again before Mr Levvey, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Christchurch, yesterday, charged with the murder of Wilhelmina Webster, woman taxi driver, at Ashburton, on March 16, he was further remanded till April 22. Search for Oil. Oil-boring operations are to be resumed in Taranaki immediately. Following investigations subsequent to the abandonment of the Devon number one well at a depth of 9400 feet, a new bore will be sunk on a site about a mile west of .the Devon bore and arrangements are now being made for the removal of the plant to the new site. Jay Walkers Fined. Fifteen people were each fined 10s and costs in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday for jay walking in Wellington streets. In most of the cases defendant had walked between diagonal corners at an intersection or had crossed where there was no pedestrian crossing, but where he or she could have used a crossing. Further similar prosecutions by the city council are pending. Dividends in Bonds. When a delegate to the national savings organisation conference in Wellington yesterday suggested that a means of securing savings would be for racing clubs to pay out dividends in bonds, he promptly had a number of other delegates asking him what investors would use for bets in following races. Mr Masters, Christchurch, said that in the United States there was -a scheme in some parts whereby stakes and dividends in the eighth or last race were covere*d by war bonds. Reverse Lease-Lend Assistance. Orders for reverse lease-lend assistance this year amounting to nine or 10 million pounds have been given by the United States of America to New Zealand, said the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr Sullivan, at the annual meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce. “In our procurement of supplies we owe a great deal to the operation of the Lease-Lend Act,” he said. “We have received much material assistance in this way, but lease-lend is no longer one-way traffic. Reverse lease-lend or reciprocal assistance has been given by New Zealand to the United States. We have built large hospitals and camps for our allies' and friends. We are supplying 500,000 pairs of boots, clothing and other equipment. “Our 1943 schedule of supplies for United States forces includes such items as: 100,000,0001 b of meat, 16,000,0001 b of canned meat and vegetables, 2,000,0001 b of cheese, 4,000,0001 b of canned butter, 48,000,0001 b of potatoes, 25,000,0001 b of apples, 3,000,0001 b of service biscuits, 11,000 tons of soaps. In addition to these items there are substantial orders for sauces, jam, pickles, vinegar, and other stores.”

Interhouse Dance. The Wairarapa Interhouse Association will hold another of its weekly dances in the Masonic Hall, Masterton, tonight. The music will be supplied by Mrs Ashton’s orchestra, and there will be novelty dances. Paid to Hear Talk on War Bonds. Talkings on war savings to the national war savings organisation conference in Wellington yesterday, the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, said that at one place in the United States 10,000 persons paid 25 cents admission each to hear a woman talk on war bonds, and then bought bonds from her. Could the organisation do that in New Zealand.? Right Hand Traffic Rule. Brought before the Full Court in Wellington to obtain a helpful ruling on the operation of the right-hand road traffic rule (in meeting any other vehicle), a case in which Patrick Francis Hazeldon, a Wellington City Council traffic inspector, was the appellant, has unanimously been determined in his favour. It was an appeal against a refusal in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, to convict a defendant of a breach of the right-hand rule. War Savings. An assurance that the Government regarded it as a sacred trust to ensure that those who invested their money for war purposes in the hour of danger would receive back every shilling and the interest promised, was given by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, when he addressed the National War Savings organisation conference in Wellington yesterday. Mr Fraser said that the Government regarded it as a sacred trust to guarantee to the fullest possible extent the repayment of savings invested to help the country to carry on the war. Some of these savings were contributed by people with very meagre means. It would be dishonest, deceitful and untruthful if anyone said that there was any other intention than,that he had stated. The resources of the country, as these were developed, were more than adequate to meet all calls made and to repay those who gave their money so cheerfully. National Patriotic Funds. Receipts amounting to £607,853 and expenditure of £570,003 were shown in a financial statement covering the first six months of the board’s current year submitted to a meeting of the National Patriotic Fund Board in Wellington yesterday. The Governor-Gen-eral, Sir Cyril Newall, presided. The main items of expenditure were: Comforts for troops overseas, £57,700; purchase of stock for issue to troops, £15,600; comforts for troops in New Zealand, £8630; huts and marquees erected by the board, £22,099; advances to expending agents—Catholic War Services, £4OOO, Church of England Military Affairs Committee, £28,000, Salvation Army, £24,000, Y.M.C.A., £85,000; equipment for military bands, £1200; purchase of knitting .wool on behalf of provincial patriotic councils, £22,677; expenditure on behalf of sick and wounded, £37,928; expenditure on behalf of prisoners of war, £139,942. Cash in hand at the end of March was £155,751. x I