LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 June 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wellington Tram Smash. With the exception of Sergeant F. Butler, R.N.Z.A.F., who is still seriously ill, the condition of the ten people who were injured in the tram accident at Kilbirnie on Saturday night and who are in the Wellington Hospital, is reported in some cases to be satisfactory and in others to be showing an improvement. Search for Oil.

The New Zealand Petroleum Company reports that, following the testing of sands for oil above the 3032 ft. horizon of the Devon No. 2 well (Taranaki), with negative results, drilling is being continued, and the depth now reached is 5730 ft. This advance of 2698 ft. has been made since the last bulletin was issued on May 21. Pilot Injured. An airman pilot under training, Leading Aircraftman Vernon Arthur Fairbrother (wife, Mrs B. Fairbrother, 8 Kaimata Street, New Plymouth), received injuries classified as serious and was admitted to hospital following an air accident at a South Island air training station last week. The accident occurred during night flying training. Shows Abandoned. The abandonment of metropolitan shows in the Auckland province for the duration of the war was announced by Mr J. Wylie, president of the Northern District Council of the Royal Agricultural Society at the annual meeting of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association. This decision, he said, was due to circumstances beyond the control of the society. Rugby Union’s Lease Cancelled. In view of the financial plight of the Wairarapa Rugby Union the lease held by the Union of the Memorial Park as a football ground was cancelled at last night’s meeting of the Masterton Trust Lands Trust. The Union advised that it was not in a financial position to meet its obligations regarding Memorial Park. Trust members considered that the Trust would assist the Union by cancelling the lease and the matter could be reviewed after the war when Rugby players returned from overseas.

Drinking by Women. The increasing of facilities in hotels for consumption of liquor by women was criticised at the annual meeting of the Stratford Licensing Committee, which deplored the fact that the amount of drinking among 1 women was growing. Presenting the police opinion on the conduct of the hotels, Senior-Sergeant Doggett said extra lounges had been set up. On sale day some hotels had a substantial number of women drinking in the lounges. The chairman, Mr W. H. Woodward, S.M., asked if the senior-sergeant meant Stratford hotels. Senior-Ser-geant Doggett: “Every hotel in New Zealand. Some at Stratford have as many as four lounges on one floor.” He added that there seemed to be many facilities for women to obtain liquor. Partitions and curtains were used in lounges to make them more private.

Badminton in Masterton. A strong badminton club, the combination of the Knox and St. Matthew’s clubs is carrying on the sport in the McGregor Hall, Masterton. The club membership has been closed with 40 players. Marines Anniversary. Twelve months have passed since the first troopship carrying United States Marines arrived at Wellington, though many weeks passed before direct references to their presence were made in print. Since then those men have fought in the Solomon Islands campaign heroically and successfully. Motor Registrations. So far about 500 of the 2500 motor vehicles registered at the Masterton Post Office have been relicensed for the forthcoming year. A special staff is dealing with this business and motorists who wish to avoid delay are taking the opportunity of making early application for their new registration labels. Table Tennis Opening. The Winter Sports Table Tennis Club commenced this season’s activities last night in the Mo Kotoa Scout Den, Dixon Street, Masterton. Mr J. Haywood, chairman, welcomed those present. A doubles competition was held, the en+ries being particularly good. The winners were Messrs J. Daniell and P. Meading. The club will meet each Monday night. Gum Boot Manufacture. Sufficient rubber for the production of 90,000 pairs of gumboots has been allocated by the Ministry of Supply to the Christchurch firm which has established a factory for gumboot manufacture. It is expected that production will begin at the end of next month, and supplies of gumboots will probably be available for farmers in the early spring. The gumboots to be made in Christchurch will be of the “austerity” type and will contain a large proportion of reclaimed rubber. The machinery in the factory has been imported from Canada, and production will be under the control of an expert with experience in Canada and the United States. Purchase of Bomber Squadron. An announcement that part of the Auckland contribution toward the Third Liberty Loan would be used in the purchase of specific equipment was made by the mayor, Mr Allum, of Auckland, at a meeting of employers when methods of interesting wage and salary earners in the loan were discussed. “I have arranged that out of Auckland’s subscription a squadron of bombers will be bought and will be known as the Auckland squadron,” said Mr Allum. “If the workers of Auckland subscribe their share of the £10,000,000 called for by the Federation of Labour, this squadron can be known as the Workers of Auckland contribution.”