LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 17 June 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tires for Farm Tractors. Supplies of pneumatic tires for farm tractors should provide replacements to the end of the year, according to a statement by the Factory Controller, Mr G. A. Pascoe. He said there was no immediate necessity to convert to steel wheels. Farmers should consider repairing or retreading tires before applying for new ones. Escapees Sentenced. For having escaped from the Borstal institution at Point Halswell on Tuesday night, Elizabeth Edwardine Peters, factory hand, aged 17, and Mary Kathleen Repia, waitress, aged 22, were each sentenced to three months’ imprisonment with hard labour by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Loan of Blankets. The loan of 25 pairs of blankets for use at the Wairarapa College hostel for influenza cases was authorised by the Wairarapa Hospital Board yesterday afternoon. It was explained that the College Board had had blankets on order for a long time, but they had not yet come to hand. Rise in Funeral Costs. “The cost of living is like the cost of dying,” observed Mr J. F. Thompson, when a letter was received from the Price Tribunal at yesterday afternoon’s meeting of the Wairarapa Hospital Board. Authority was given for the Undertakers’ Association ‘to increase the cost of charitable aid funerals by about 33 1-3 per cent. Char Ration. Now that the ration of char for gas producers on private cars has been increased to 5 cwt. a month, and motorists are able to travel farther afield,, the North Island Motor Union has decided to make'representations to the Oil Fuel Controller to instruct all issuing authorities that supplies of char may be drawn anywhere on fuel licences, instead of being restricted to one district. Damaged Marquee Sold.

An offer of £l5 for a marquee which cost -the Wairarapa Hospital Board £125 was accepted at yesterday afternoon’s board meeting. It was explained by the managing-secretary, Mr Norman Lee, that a tornado tore the marquee to shreds. It had a six feet high manuka fence around it and was properly erected. Mrs S, Fletcher said she was opposed to the .purchase of the marquee in the first place. Homes for Soldiers.

“Is it the intention of the Govern? ment to establish a convalescent home at or near Wellington for New Zealand soldiers returning from overseas?” asked Mr Wilkinson (Independent, Egrnont) in notice of a question to the Acting Minister of Defence, Mr Fraser, yesterday. He said that it was understood that negotiations were begun for the taking over of property in the Hutt district, but apparently nothing was 1 done in this connection. Was this correct? Mr Wilkinson also inquired if it was the intention of the Government to establish in the Marlborough district a rest home to serve the Wellington area. If so, would this not be inconvenient and expensive?

Warrants or Fitness. Regulations, are being brought down, it was stated at the meeting of the North Island Motor Union in Wellington yesterday, requiring warrants of fitness for private motor-cars to be renewed once yearly, instead of every six months, as hitherto.

Double Banking. The North Island Motor Union, which mot in Wellington yesterday, decided after some discussion to ask that a regulation be gazetted making it an offence for more than one person to be carried on a cycle, unless there was a properly constructed basket in front of the handlebars, or a seat at the rear of the rider.

Budget Debate. Thirty-one members of the House of Representatives had taken part in the Financial debate when the blouse adjourned last night at 10 o’clock. The debate, which has now extended over six days, was continued from 2.30 p.m., and during the day five speeches were delivered. The debate was resumed today.

Pahiatua Eel Catching Contest. The Pathiatua Anglers’ Club eel-catch-ing competition for the 1942-43 season, designed to rid trout streams of eels, resulted in 2188 being caught by 20 competitors. Grey Bros, were first with 972, and H. Thompson second with 492. The heaviest eel weighed was 161 b. The anglers’ club pays Id a tail for those caught, and the amount paid out, which is subsidised by the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, was £9 2s 4d.

To Save Electricity. To reduce the demand for electricity at the most critical time of the day during the present power shortage, all New Zealand radio stations are to suspend transmission from 5.15 p.m. to 5.45 p.m. daily till further notice. The full benefit of this action will not be gained unless radio receivers also are turned off, since much more power is used by them than by the transmitters, and the authorities ask the public to co-operate by turning off the silent sets.

Search for Oil.

Press reports that certain companies engaged in the search for oil in New Zealand had suspended drilling did not refer to the operations of the New Zealand Petroleum Company, Ltd., stated Sir Colin Fraser, chairman of directors of the company. -Sir Colin, whose home is in Melbourne, has been visiting the localities in which his company’s geological survey and drilling operations are proceeding. The New Zealand Petroleum Company is completing a second test well in the New Plymouth area, and, following a detailed survey, including structural drilling, it is also preparing to drill a deep well at Uruti,. some 35 miles north of New Plymouth and near the main coastal road. Futher structural drilling to the south of New Plymouth is also being undertaken.