LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 December 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hot Day in Christchurch. With a maximum temperature of 87.3 degrees, yesterday was the hottest day experienced in Christchurch since December 15, 1941, when the maximum temperature was 87.5 degrees. Chinese Fined.

Two Chinese, who were discovered by Customs officers coming off a ship at a Wellington wharf with a quantity of prepared opium in their possession, were each fined £125 by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, yesterday.

Sale of Army Trucks. Nearly £20,000 was realised at a sale of 45 Army trucks in Dunedin yesterday. For the first time a.system of priority operated, preference being given (before dealing began) to local bodies and returned service men, and thereafter to licensed carriers. Payment for School Cleaning. Disagreement with the contention of the Minister of Education that the time was not opportune for revision of the system of school cleaning including provision for an improved rate of payment to meet competition from other sources of employment, was expressed by the Wellington Education Board at its meeting yesterday. Members said that the position was becoming serious because of the difficulty of retaining cleaners at the current rates. There was no reason, it was urged, why provision for the cleaning, of schools should not be as adequate as that for cleaning other Government buildings. Wool Appraisement. On the offerings for the second Christchurch wool appraisement of the season it was estimated that the fleeces were lighter by an average of one pound a sheep. This is accounted for by the dry autumn and hard winter, which produced wool of finer quality. The standard throughout was uniformly good, though a number of clips showed signs of tick stain, probably caused by the wet winter. The value shows a slight improvement on the first appraisement last season, though the total weights will be lower. The six Christchurch woolbroking firms offered 29,921 bales for the appraisement, which began on December 6. The net weight was 6,310,1991 b. and the value £393,789 16s 6d, making an average of £lB 16s 5.499 d a bale and Is 2.977 d a pound. Wages of Hospital Workers. ; A fresh New Zealand hospital boards’ domestic workers’ award has been made by the Court of Arbitration. The wage rates in all hospitals for kitchenmaids, wardmaids, housemaids, waitresses, etc., have been brought into line with the rates prexiously fixed’ for Auckland and Wellington, £3 7s 6d for kitchenmaids and £3 Is for wardsmaids, etc. A similar alteration has been made for porters, orderlies, kitchenmen, cleaners, etc., their rates being £4 17s 6d for the first year and £5 2s 6d thereafter. The rates are on a basis of a 40-hour week, and where additional hours are worked in accordance with the hours-of-work clause (42 or 44 hours a week), the additional hours are to be paid for at ordinary rates.

Art Club Criticism. Yesterday members of the Masterton Art Club spent a most enjoyable afternoon in the Bannister Street Hall, where a criticism was held. Mrs Eric Shaw extended a welcome to Mrs W. Dalziell and Miss F. P. Maunsell. Aftternoon tea was served. A much appreciated criticism by Mr S. B. Maclennan followed. Members of the club consider that the club is fortunate in having Mr Maclennan as a critic, as he has the real interests of the club at heart. Among the works submitted were oils„-. water' colours, pastels and pencil drawings. Mrs Dalziell, Miss Maunsell and Mrs Maclennan spoke briefly. Will Upheld. The Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers), in an oral judgment in the Supreme Court, Wellington, yesterday, gave judgment for Mrs Winifred Fleming Macfarlane, sole beneficiary and executrix of the will of Charles Sidney Brandon, retired solicitor, in her petition for a decree probate of the will in solemn form. ' Testator, aged 82, eight days before his death, executed a will leaving his entire estate of approximately £15,000 to Mrs Macfarlane, his housekeeper. The granting of probate was opposed by Laetitia Annie Brandon, sister of testator, Percy de Bathe Brandon, accountant, and Alfred de Bathe Brandon, retired solicitor, nephews of testator. His Honour said that it was clear that testator was of sound testamentary capacity when he executed his will, and knew his own 'mind. Editor Fined. A fine of £2O was imposed on Robert Brown Bell, editor and managing director of the “New Zealand Observer,” by Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., in giving judgment at Auckland yesterday in the prosecution brought for breach of the censorship and publicity emergency regulations. Two prosecutions were brought against Bell, but one charge was withdrawn by leave of the Court. The charges were based on certain words appearing in the “Observer” relating to a proposed (light by a Royal Air Force member. The magistrate said that anyone reading the published words would be informed that a specified journey by a certain type of aircraft in the near future was under consideration by the competent authority. This amounted to information within the meaning of the regulations. Council of Sport. “I fail altogether to follow their reasoning,” said Mr J. N. Millard, chairman of the management committee of the Wellington Rugby Union, at a meeting of the committee, when a letter was received from the council of the New Zealand Rugby Union stating that the council had decided at its last meeting that the rules of the New Zealand Rugby Union precluded it from affiliating with the New Zealand Council of Sport.’ Mr Millard said there never was a time when sports bodies needed to band together in their own interests as the present. The Council of Sport had been set up to see that the Government and local bodies maintained all sports at their present standard, and even improved facilities. He could say that had it not been for the Council of Sport there might have been no Rugby bladders available this season. Mr Millard said if the New Zealand Union had a rule which prevented joining the New Zealand Council of Sport then it was a rule very much behind the times.