LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 May 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Rat Bait Available. The Department of Health has advised the Masterton County Council that supplies of barium carbonate will be available for rat bait.

Record of Service.

Out of a total membership of 35, sixteen members of the Masterton Optimist Club are on active service overseas, seven are or have been serving with the Forces in New Zealand, and one has been appointed padre to the Air Force.

A Bright Spot.

“It is the one bright spot of the afternoon,” observed Mr R. E. Gordon Lee (chairman), at the Masterton County Council meeting yesterday, when the Wairarapa Hospital Board advised that the County’s levy for 1943-44 of £6,202 was £503 less than that for the previous year. Indoor Bowls.

The Masterton Indoor Bowling Club held the first tournament of the season on Monday. These tournaments will be held every Monday fortnight throughout the season. The progressive pairs competition was keenly contested; four games of six ends, using three bowls, were played. The winning skip was J. Dewar, 4 wtos, 32 points, with A. Henson second, 31 wins and 30 points. The winning lead was S. Morgan, 3 wins and 25 points. Freeman was second with 2| wins and 21 points. Players are reminded that next evening will be supper night. Detention Camp Complaints.

One or the seven overseers at the Whitanui and Piaka detention camps near Foxton who recently resigned after complaining about the relationships between the administration of the camps and themselves now dissociates himself from the views of the others. He is Mr F. Ashby, who states that, after exhaustive inquiries from the controlling department, he finds that many of the allegations against the department are unjust. He therefore dissociates himself from them and is resuming duty.

Gaol for Shoplifting. Shoplifting was a prevalent and bad class of offence, said Detective-Ser-geant W. McLennon in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, when Robet Alexander Smythe, aged 35, cleaner, was sentenced to two months’ gaol for the theft of six pairs of socks from city departmental stores. William Daniel Harman, 43, mechanic, for receiving stolen goods, was sentenced to a month’s gaol. Mr McLennan said Smythe stole goods from shops and Harman disposed of them to dealers. Mr Stout, S.M., imposed the sentences.

Reformative Detention.

On three charges of house-breaking, William Henderson, ship’s steward, aged 23, was sentenced to 15 months’ reformative detention by the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers), in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday. His Honour commented that the offences had been quite systematic. Prisoner had stolen jewellery in Wellington and sold it for substantial sums, and nine days later had committed the other two offences. Apparently he had had no previous convictions except for being absent from his ship without leave.

Vegetable Prices. The method for computing the retail price of vegetables when fractions of a penny per lb are involved was explained yesterday by the Price Tribunal. “There is no puzzle insofar as the retail vendors are concerned because clause 5 of the order provides that where the price of any vegetables is not an exact number of pence or half-pence, the maximum price of the lot is to be computed to the nearest upward half-penny,” says the tribunal. “Thus, though the price of parsnips is 2jjd a lb, if lib is purchased the price would be 3d; if 21b then 5Ad.”

Accident Case. A child, Allen Foote, oißsentley Street, admitted to the yisterton Hospital yesterday afternoon with a broken arm, which he received when he fell over while playing. His condition is reported to be satisfactory. Work Resumed.

The contractors, Messrs W. M. Angus, Ltd., have resumed work on the Ruamahanga River bridge at Te Whiti, it was reported at yesterday afternoon's meeting of the Masterton County Council.

Labour Party Meeting. At a recent meeting of the women’s section of the Labour Party held in ■Masterton, Mrs D. Copp presided over a good attendance of members. Two new members were elected. Mr G. Hansen. Labour candidate for Pahiatua, spoke on election policy matters. Afternoon tea was served. Stock Prices in Britan:.

Fat stock prices in Britain, according to recent advice, range from 50s to 60s per lOOlbs for bulls, about £3 per lOOlbs for fat cows and at least £5 per lOOlbs for home-bred steers and heifers. Fat sheep were quoted at laid per lb for shearlings and unshorn sheep, 15Id pdff lb shorn and 17d per lb for fat lambs (first grade). At a sale of British Friesians 900gns was realised for a champion two-year-old heifer at Lancaster.

Needs to be Served

“We are placed in an awkward position at times in deciding which need is the greater, that of the Army for men or that of men for primary production,” observed Mr H. B. Lusk at today's sitting of the No. 2 Armed Forces Appeal Board. Mr Lusk said that the board appreciated the position ii) which men were placed when they wanted to serve but could not be released from the farms. Mr R. W. Kebbell pointed out that in some cases men retained on the farm were snubbed because they were not in the forces yet they often worked longer hours and received less pay than the men in the forces.

Murder Charge. Evidence was given in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday, by Hazel Josephine Salmon, principal witness in the trial of John Sidney Crawford, seaman, aged 26, for the alleged murder of two United States marines at 17 Terrace Gardens, Wellington, in the early hours of January 7. Miss Salmon, who is aged 20, is still a hospital patient, having received several wounds in the shooting in which the two men lost their lives. Her left arm was in a splint and she had a dressing on her throat. She gave her evidence seated in an armchair on the floor of the Supreme Court, a nurse sitting at her side. Her whispered replies were highly magnified by the sound amplification system of the Court.

Optimist Club Meeting. The annual meeting of the Masterton Optimist Club was held in Masterton last night, when arrangements were made foi’ the 1943 season. The club has decided to meet at 5.30 p.m. each Tuesday. Following tea a programme will be presented. Officers elected were: — President, Mr C. W. Gaze; vice-presi-dent, Mr K. Donovan; sheriff, Mr Campbell Smith; secretary-treasurer, Mr C. J. Carle; programme committee, Messrs Gaze, Carle, Smith and E. J. Esler. A vote of thanks was passed to outgoing officers. Several new members were elected, and .it was decided to hold a membership drive. In the annual report reference was made to the assistance given by Mr Gaze, of the Y.M.C.A., and the Ladies’ Auxiliary, in particular Mrs C. Pickering. It was decided that members should assist in the Victory drive for books lor service men overseas.