LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 19 November 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Fishing Conditions. All the big rivers in the Wellington district are carrying a lot of water, most of them being discoloured. All the smaller streams are clear, and at the moment are in excellent order for fly fishing. Billets Required. Billets are required by the Wairarapa Interhouse Association for a further twelve bandsmen and members of a visiting concert party, and those having billets available are asked to com'municate as soon as possible with the secretary, Mr G. Davis, or the chairman, Mr G. Daubney. The Masterton Park Oval is in splendid order for the drill and marching display. The custodian, Mr F. H. Knowles, and his staff have co-operated in an excellent manner with the association in the effort to raise funds for patriotic purposes. Warrants of Fitness. In line with the North Island Motor Union’s request, the Minister of Transport, Mr O’Brien, announced at Auckland yesterday that warrants of fitness for motor cars will not now be requir,ed for renewal every half-year, but at 12-monthly intervals. Public safety would not be jeopardised, said Mr O’Brien, as the amount of mileage possible under petrol rationing was greatly reduced. Cars would require warrants of fitness and third-party risk insurance. The new requirement would not apply to private cars which travelled more than 2000 miles in six months. Christmas and New Year Holidays. Christmas and New Year holidays this year will, for most people, be rather shorter than usual. Christmas Day and New Year’s Day both fall on Saturdays, and Boxing Day and the day following New Year’s Day, usually observed as a holiday, on Sundays. Under the Public Holidays Act, if Christmas Day or New Year’s Day falls on a Sunday, there is provision to move the holiday observance to Monday. If they fall on a Saturday, however, there is no provision for change; nor is there any provision in, the Act for moving the observance of Boxing Day or the day following New Year’s Day. Many individual awards, however, provide that, should any of the holidays named therein fall on a Sunday, the day following is to be observed as a holiday. Holiday Work on Farms. Plans for secondary school pupils in the Wellington district to spend their Christmas holidays working on farms have reached a stage which is virtually an impasse. The situation is that the manpower authorities have authorised pupils to undertake voluntary farm work not only during the Christmas holidays, but also after the holidays are over. Schools assemble early in February, but scholars ‘appear to be able to volunteer for additional farm work for the months of February, March and April. Attractive as this might be to some pupils, the principals of the Wellington secondary schools are opposed to the idea. Till (his matter is cleared up it is not possible to indicate what response will be made this year to the appeal that students undertake summer farm work. Incidentally, teachers are involved, but not voluntarily. All male teachers 40 years of age and under have been instructed to hold themselves in readiness for this type of holiday work. All female teachers of 30 years and under are also included. /

Interhouse Association Dance. The Wairarapa Interhouse Association will hold a final dance before the gala week-end in the Masonic Hall, Masterton, tonight. Patrons are assured of an excellent dance programme. Boy Dragged By Pony. Robert Baird, aged 10 years, of Gladstone, was admitted to the Masterton Hospital at 10.20 o’clock this morning with a fractured leg, which he received when he fell from his pony and was dragged some yards. Assistance Granted. At its meeting in Carterton yesterday afternoon, the Wairarapa Electric Power’ Board granted an application from the Masterton Red Cross Society for a contribution towards wiring the, room at the rear of the Soldier’s Club where disabled men are taught handcraft work. Bible in Schools. Disapproval of the principle of separating children into denominational groups for the purpose of Bible teaching in schools was expressed at Wednesday’s session of the Methodist Synod in Auckland, when a report of the National Council of Churches was being discussed. It was agreed that compulsion should not be used in cases where parents did not wish their children to attend school classes for religious instruction. Industrial Design. Captain Rex King, Christchurch, won the first prize of £2O awarded by the Royal Society of Arts in an essay competition on industrial design ,a London cablegram reports. The ■ candidates were asked to give a reasoned scheme for (1) an increase in general appreciation by the public of well-designed things; (2) for improved methods of education and training of those desiring to become designers for industry. Captain King won the prisoners of war section of the competition. Talk on Education of Gun Dogs. At the Lake Domain, Featherston, on Sunday, under the auspices of the Wairarapa Gun Dog Club, Mr R. V. Mason (Masterton) will give a short talk on the handling of young gundogs. Mr Mason is one of New Zealand’s best-known judges at field trials and also has done a great amount, especially in the North Island, in assisting owners to commence the training of their puppies correctly. The gundog trials on Sunday are primarily for the encouragement of young owners. Liable for Rates. The Crown is now liable for full rates on properties temporarily occupied by it for defence purposes. This is the principal alteration in the amended Accommodation Emergency Regulations gazetted last night. In respect of properties permanently occupied by the Crown, the position is unchanged, that is, the Crown pays a special rate struck at the time of it becoming (he occupier. Another new clause states that where the Minister is of opinion that it is in the public interest that any premises which have been requisitioned, acquired- or taken possession of for temporary use for any purpose under these regulations should be acquired absolutely by the Crown, the immediate purpose for which the premises are being used shall be deemed to be public work within the meaning of the Public Works Act, 1928, and the premises may be taken in the manner prescribed in the Act for taking the land for defence purposes.