LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 December 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Vital Statistics, Vital statistics for the month of November were recorded at the Masterton Courthouse as follows, the figures for November, 1942, being given in parentheses: —Births, 24 (20); deaths, 13 (12); marriages, 6 (13).

Health Stamp Sales, Health stamps continue to find a brisk sale at the. Master ton Post Office, where sales to date have broken all records. Last month, receipts for health stamps sold amounted to £B3 7s, making the total to date £207 8s 9d.

Forgery of Cheque, Dorothy Maud McNulty, aged 43, married, who had pleaded guilty to forgery and theft, was admitted'to probation for two years by Mr Justice Johnston in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday. It was stated that she for-’ ged a cheque for £5OO which she cashed at a suburban bank. Full restitution had been made. Petrol for Taxis. An additional licence for 25 gallons of petrol is to be issued to all holders of taxicab licences for use between December 20 and January 7, according to information given by the Oil Fuel Controller’s department yesterday. This is to assist in coping with the additional demand on taxis always experienced at Christmas and New Year. Last year the issue was slightly less.

To Return to New Zealand. As was stated when the announcement in regard to furlough for men serving in the Middle East was originally made, it is the intention of the Government to bring back the balance of the First, Second and Third Echelons to New Zealand on furlough when the men at present on leave return to the Middle East. This assurance was given in Dunedin yesterday by the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, in reply to an inquiry. Supplies of Honey.

“Most beekeepers are taking a long view and co-operating admirably with the Government in getting honey supplies to the forces, and the agitation in Canterbury comes from only a small minority,” said Mr A. H. Honeyfield, manager of the Internal Marketing Division at Auckland yesterday, when commenting on the allegation by Mr W. B. Bray, president of the Canterbury branch of the National Beekeepers’ Association, that the department had threatened to use reserves totalling £32,000 to keep the honey section running in the event of no supplies coming forward on a voluntary basis. Mi Honeyfield denied that any threat had been made to the honey producers. All he had pointed out was that if they were not prepared to see their plant in full use the Government could not be expected to let it lie idle. In any business if the revenue dropped it was necessary to utilise reserves. However, that, was not necessary if the beekeepers continued to give of their best, as most of them were doing. 1

Scout Rally. On Saturday afternoon, at the Masterton Park, a big district Scout and Cub rally is being held at which a wide variety of work will be carried out in competitions for the Beetham Shield (Scouts) and Booth Cup (Cubs). Boys will be taking part from all parts of the Wairarapa and much interest is being aroused in the gathering. Scoutmasters and Cubmasters from the Wellington area will be the examiners for the events to be decided. The programme is timed to start at 1.30 p.m.

Income Tax Assessment. An officer of the Land and Income Tax Department has stated that a considerable number of persons have construed the words “add 33 1-3 per cent additional tax imposed by Land and Income Tax (Annual) Act, 1943,” appearing in the tax computation on notices of assessment as being something in the nature of a penalty. The “additional tax” is merely the percentage increase, for the current year, to the basic rates levied under the Land and Income Tax Amendment Act, 1940, and is added in the assessment of every taxpayer. It is understood that future assessment notice forms will be so worded as to remove any misunderstanding. Y.M.C.A. Boys’ Camp.

Applications for enrolment with the 1944 Y.M.C.A. Boys’ Camp to be held at Castlepoint from January 5 to January 15 are now coming in steadily and the programme of swimming, tramps, sports, treasure hunts, gadget days, night strolls, concerts, campcraft, and cross country runs, etc., will give the campers something to remember for a long time. A camp shield presented by the Y.M.C.A. president, Mr J. A. Kennedy, will be competed for in all the camp activities. The experience gained at camps of this nature is invaluable to boys in after life and the Youth Department of the Y.M.C.A. is anxious that as many boys as possible will avail themselves of the opportunities of fellowship and training. The camp officials have had extensive experience in this branch of youth work so the campers will be under sympathetic, careful supervision. Election Figures. The Chief Electoral Ofriccr (Mr L. li;win) expects to be able to supply returning officers throughout New Zealand with final figures for the General Election held on September 25 by Thursday of this week. There will be no alteration in the results, except in Eden, where Lieutenant-Colonel Fortune (National), on the Magisterial recount of civilian votes, was declared elected subject to an amending declaration in respect to the Service votes. The official figures now to hand place Mr W. T. Anderton (Labour), member for the electorate in the last Parliament, in the lead with a majority of 14 votes. The final results will make the state of the parties in the new Parliament as follows: —Labour, 45; National, 33; Independent National, 1; Independent, 1. When the old Parliament was dissolved, the position was: —Labour, 50; National, 25; Independent, 4; Democratic Labour, 1.