LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 July 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Telephone Directory. The new ' telephone directory for Wellington will be issued before October. This is a little earlier than had at first been expected. There will be 42,300 copies available. Inter-Collegiate Rugby. First fifteens representing the Napier Boys’ High School and the Wairarapa College will play a Rugby match at Masterton tomorrow, commencing at 2.45 p.m. on the College grounds. Bright and interesting play should be witnessed and a cordial invitation is extended to those interested to attend. Oldest Car Driver. A man aged 83 applied recently to the traffic department of the Auckland City Council for a driver’s licence. This is not the record for the oldest driver in New Zealand, a distinction which probably belongs to Timaru, for a man aged 91 applied for—and obtained—a driver’s licence there. Cases of people in their 70’s obtaining drivers’ licences are not uncommon. Remarkable Shooting.

A remarkable shooting performance was given by a Timaru Home Guardsman who registered 10 bulls with 10 shots rapid fire at 300 yards. The range officer, w y ho is himself an expert marksman, said, in congratulating the guardsman, that it was only the second time in his 40 years’ experience that such a feat had been performed. Major J. A., Wallingford, M.C., N.Z.S.C., who was then champion marksman of the British Empire, made a similar score at Trentham in 1919.

Death of Airmen. A verdict in accordance with the medical evidence that their deaths were caused by brain injuries was returned at an inquest at Whangarei yesterday on Murray Llewellyn Gray and Charles Smith, airmen, who were killed when a plane crashed during Air Week in connection with the Liberty Loan. The evidence indicated that the engine cut out, preventing the pilot from gaining control when losing height after coming out of a long roll. The pilot evidently tried to land in a sparsely peopled street, but the undercarriage fouled the power and telephone lines, causing the plane . to crash into the corner of a brick building. The coroner said that the accident proved the value of the E.P.S. organisation, which rendered quick and capable assistance. Mufti Allowance. The increase in the mufti allowance for returned servicemen, announced on June 9 by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, is not yet being paid, no official notification of the increase having been received by Army pay offices. An official of Base Records, Wellington, said yesterday that tbejre had been “more than enough” applicants for the allowance, but no definite information had been received as to when the payments could be made. The Prime Minister in Jiis announcement said that War Cabinet had decided to increase the mufti allowance for men discharged after overseas service to £25, instead of the previous sum of £l2 10s. The decision was to be retrospective in its application. In the case of men whose service overseas had been of short duration, and those who had served in New Zealand only, a proportionate adjustment would be made.

College Football. In an inter-collegiate Rugby match played at the Hutt yesterday, the Hutt Valley High School second fifteen beat the Wairarapa College second fifteen by 11 points (a penalty goal and two tries, one being converted) to nil. All the points were scored in the first half. The Wairarapa College team returned to Masterton this morning. Development of Siberia. Twenty-five years of Soviet rule have seen a remarkable change in wheat growing. Russian scientists have evolved special types of wheat suitable to particular regions, and Siberia has played ah important part in feeding the Russians in their heroic struggle against Germany. Those who are interested in the development of this rich and fertile country, in its mineral wealth, and its manufactures, should hear Mrs Margaret Dunningham, who will speak on “Soviet Siberia” tonight in the Y.M.C.A.

Pahiatua Rotary Club. At the annual meeting of the Pahiatua Rotary Club a letter from the Rotary Club at Masterton advised that the Club’s Charter had now been received from the United States of America, and at the request of the District Governor for New Zealand, Mr T. Hall-Jones, of Invercargill, the president of the Masterton Club is to make the presentation of the charter to the Pahiatua Club this month. As it is hoped to have several Rotarians .from sister clubs, it was resolved to leave the exact date to be decided upon' by a small committee who will communicate with the Masterton Club officials.

Assyrian Monuments. Last night at the Orange Hall Miss Waterston gave a lantern slide lecture on the great Assyrian Empire and its victories, in 'which several of the ten tribes were taken to Media and Persia as slaves. The Asyrian kings, TiglathPileser Shabnaneses and Sargon were thought by the critics to be mythical, but now were, she stated, proved to be true, as the excavators had found their palaces, monuments and records. These records named Ahab, Omri, Hoshea and Peka kings of Israel, and called the ten tribes the Khumri, Sakai and Scyths, i.e., Kelts, Saxons and Scots. Thus it became simple to trace their migrations from the Middle East. Next Wednesday’s lecture will give archaeological evidence of the history of the House of Judah (Jews) through Babylon until their dispersion in 70 A.D.

Cerebro Spinal Meningitis. The widespread outbreak of cerebrospinal fever in 1942 is stated in the annual report of the Department of Health to be -one of the outstanding features of the year. It adds that the introduction of sulphapyradine and allied drugs has robbed this disease of much of its former terror. Cerebrospinal fever has been notifiable in New Zealand since 1907, but first came into prominence during the 1914-18 war, says the report. In the period 19151919, 517 cases were notified. Thereafter the incidence of the disease gradually declinea till in 1935 only 12 cases were notified. Since then the yearly European and Maori notifications have been: 1936, European 12. Maori 4; 1937, 13 and 5; 1938, 24 and 2; 1939, 22 and 3; 1940, 19 and 1; 1941, 163 and 47; 1942, 852 and 80. The epidemic of 1942 was the greatest New Zealand has had. The total number of cases was 932 (European 852, Maori 80), while the deaths were 117 (European 111, Maori 6), giving case-mortality rates of 13 per cent and 7.5 per cent respectively.