LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 May 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Masterton Croquet Club. The Masterton Croquet Club held its annual meeting in the club pavilion. The following officers were elected:— President, Mrs B. Clayson; vice-presi-dents, Mesdames Finlayson and Scrivener; secretary and treasurer, Mrs Wilson-Thompson; captain, Mrs E. Bassett; committee, Mesdames Weller, Rigg and Clarkson; deelgate, Mrs E. Bassett. Fire Tragedy. George James White, an elderly restaurant proprietor, was burned to death in the kitchen of the Burlington Cafe, in Hardy Street, Nelson, at 8.45 on Saturday morning. A large pan of fat which capsized on the stove was the cause of the fire, which gutted the kitchen and damaged the upstairs portion of the building. The burning fat set fire to Mr White’s clothing, and the brigade found him dead on the floor of the kitchen. He lived alone on the premises. Missionary Auxiliary. A meeting of the executive of the Masterton Methodist Church Women’s Missionary Auxiliary was held in the Methodist Schoolroom yesterday. There were present: Mesdames G. H. Goodman, L. Jansen, J. Andrew. A. J. Daysh, R. Jamieson, H. Speight and Miss E. Beale. It was decided to hold a special social afternoon on May 27, at 2.30 p.m., when a programme of musical and elocutionary items and a talk by Mrs Major Dick, of the Salvation Army, will be given. The afternoon tea arrangements were left in the hands of the executive. Mi’s G. H. Goodman closed the meeting with the Benediction. Fire in Theatre. Discovered by cleaners before it had a chance to flare up, a fire in the De Luxe Theatre on Saturday morning was quickly extinguished by the Wellington Central Fire Brigade. In the aisle leading to the circle there is a hole in the floor, about an inch and a half in diameter, through which a pipe once ran. A cigarette end is believed to have been dropped down the hole on Friday night into a space beneath the floor, where it set fire to a small amount of rubbish. The fire must have smouldered all night, and when it was discovered by the cleaners it was just spreading up through the floor. Firemen extinguished it with bucket pumps and there was only slight damage. Training of Carpenters. The experimental carpentry training centre at Ohinemutu established by the Auxiliary Workers’ Training Council at the request of the Rehabilitation Board for the training of Maori ex-servicemen as carpenters, shows promise of being as successful as the Government training centres established in other parts of the Dominion for the training of pakehas, states an official report. The Rotorua Training Centre which was opened just over a month ago in the Maori Arts and Crafts building at Ohinemutu. placed at the disposal of the- Rehabilitation Board by the Arawa Trust, provides for the training of twelve men at a time. When ' the present class passes out of the training centre in approximately three months’ time for the second part of ■ their training on the actual erection [ of houses, a further twelve men will be taken into the training centre and applications for this second class are now being received by the Rehabilitation Officer at the National Service 1 Department..

Indoor Basketball. The Wairarapa Interhouse Association will continue its indoor basketball competition in the Y.M.C.A; gymnasium, Masterton, tonight. Play will commence promptly at 7 p.m. Street Accident. A pedestrian received injuries from which he later died in hospital when he was knocked down by a light army motor truck on the Great South Road, Auckland. The victim was John Ahier Anderson, married, aged 28, labourer, Qf Takanini. Examination Results. The folowing candidates were successful at the recent hygiene and sanitation examination held by the Country Districts Red Cross Society: —Junior, Lucy Wilton (hons.), Queenie Reside, Elsie Bubb, Beryl Rutherford, Edna Palmer, Mollie Gawith (hons.), Dorothy Gawith (hons.), Patricia Ramsay, Judith Laing. Intermediate: Flora Jarrett. National Party. Discussing the political situation onj his return to Wellington from a tour of the Auckland Province, the Leader of the National Party, Mr Holland, said great interest was being displayed. The National Party organisation was being rapidly geared for the general election, and the indications were that a number of excellent candidates, most of whom were in the prime of life and had had war service, would represent the party in the campaign. “Though it is being said in some quarters that there is no interest in politics, the keenness of the people of the whole of the Auckland province to learn of the alternative to the present Government was evident throughout the tour,” Mr Holland observed. Sedgley Home Gifts. The Matron of Sedgley Home acknowledges with grateful thanks receipt of the following gifts during April, 1943:—Eggs and tomatoes: Mrs Beresford Maunsell; cakes, Mrs Hugh McKay, Mrs Skeet, Mrs C. W. Rutherford, Mrs Campbell Heard, Mrs H. J. Francis, Mrs T. Jordan, Mrs S. J. Gill, Mr R. M. Perry, Lady Liverpool Committee (also sandwiches); apples, Mr Tate (Greytown), Mrs Hugh McKay; sheep, Mr R. F. R. Beetham; buns and bread, Mr Ferris; flour, Mr Russell Smith, Anon; parcel stores, Mrs R. C. Falloon; mutton, Anon; doughnuts, American Red Coss; a swan, Mr T. A. Brown; games, Hutcheson, Bowman & Johnson (Wellington); cocoa, Mrs L. Moore. Island Oranges. The first oranges of the season have arrived in Wellington from the Cook Islands, and, apart from small reserves for civil and military hospitals, they are to be distributed immediately. This information has been given by the acting director of the Internal Marketing Division, Mr R. P. Fraser. The fruit has arrived in excellent condition and about 2000 cases will be available for general distribution to retail shops in the Wellington district. Wholesale and retail prices have been fixed on last year’s list for island oranges. The main retail range in Wellington is Is 8d to 2s 8d a dozen, maximum, according to size. The recent hurricane in the Cook group has considerably affected quantities available, but, subject to shipping facilities remaining satisfactory, further limited supplies are expected to arrive for the next twp. or three months.