LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 August 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

School Holidays. The State Schools in the Wellington Education Board’s district will close on Friday for the winter vacation of a fortnight. Wooden Golf Balls.

Because of the shortage of regulation golf balls, experiments are being made with wooden balls, reports an American journal. The balls can be driven about 130 yards, it is stated, but players are advised not to use wooden clubs. Except for its driving range, details of the behaviour of the ball or its construction are not given. It has been suggested that the ball would be a boon to players who find water hazards attractive.

Money Earned! Dan be Retained. Money earned! by soldiers employed on outside work, over andf above the wages they received in the Army and the cost of their upkeep would be granted to the men concerned, said the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, replying to an urgent question by Mr Lee (Democratic Labour, Grey Lynn) in the House of Representatives: yesterday. “Several important details are now being determined,” said Mr Jones, “including the method of payment and the basis for calculating upkeep. In the past it has been the practice to hand over these surplus funds to the New Zealand Patriotic Fund Board for the benefit of the soldiers.” Fertilisers for Farmers. “This matter has already been taken up with the supply authorities in both London and Washington,” said the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Barclay, replying to an urgent question by Mr Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo) in the House of Representatives yesterday concerning shipments of fertilisers. Mr Broadfoot asked that in order to ensure a major saving in shipping space for the armed forces in the Pacific the Prime Minister confer with the United States supply authorities with a view to obtaining from them some shipments of fertiliser to enable production to be maintained in the Dominion. House Construction. The Housing Department is investigating the use of plastic materials for the construction of houses, and experimental houses will probably be built in Auckland and Wellington. This information was given by the Minister of Works, Mr Semple, during consideration of departmental estimates in the House of Representatives yesterday. When the Minister was mentioning inquiries into prefabricated houses and the use of plastics, Mr Broadfoot (Opposition, Waitomo) interjected to ask how costs worked out. The Minister said that was being investigated. A West Coast school teacher who had been in the United States on air force service, had made a study of this question. and his idea was that a house which would cost £l3OO built in wood in New Zealand could be built by > United States methods for £650. In the United States they visualised factories turning out parts of houses like parts of motor-cars. The Education Department had been asked to release the teacher, who was a chemist, for service with the Housing Department.