LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Hot Weather at Cairo. Cairo had its hottest October day for 75 years on October 3, acording to official figures. The temperature in the shade was 112 degrees Fahrenheit. For several nights before and after October 3 the temperature at night registered over 70 degrees, reaching 82 degrees on the night of October 2.

Boarding Allowance. It was emphasised at a meeting of the Wairarapa College Board of Governors last night that boarders at the College hostel were granted a boarding allowance of 17s 6d per week by the Government. Further details were awaited regarding the bursary of £4O to be granted to country students following on the introduction of the accrediting system. Boxing Contest.

In a stirring professional boxing contest over 10 rounds in the Tow;n Hall, Wellington, last night, Clarrie Rayner; the veteran Blenheim representative, had his revenge over Jock Colvin (Wellington), for the defeat the latter inflicted on him a few months back at Petone, by securing a clear-cut win on points in a contest in which there was action in every round.

Waterfront Dispute. All work by the day shift on the Wellington waterfront stopped at 5 p.m. yesterday, the men again refusing to accept overtime. The dispute leading to this refusal of overtime on weekdays concerns a claim by the union for a minimum of three hours’ pay for work done from 6 p.m. onward following on the watersiders’ decision to stop work at 9 p.m. against the authority of the Waterfornt Control Commission. Soldiers Sentenced. Arising out of the improper use of an army car to attend a dance, Corporal Joseph Mullen Spicer and Private Saul Starkey were found guilty by district court-martial at Trentham of unlawful conversion and causing damage to the extent of £5O. Spicer was also found guilty of being intoxicated in charge of a car. He was ordered reduction to the ranks, 120 days’ detention and to be placed under stoppages of pay till £2O in respect of the damage is made good. Starkey was ordered 30 days’ detention. Speed of Railway Trains.

At a meeting of the Palmerston North branch of the Engine-drivers, Firemen and Cleaners’ Association the following resolution was adopted:— "That owing to the unreliability of the track, the rough riding of engines and working in a state of semi-blindness due to dust from inferior coal, the Palmerston North branch of the E.F.C.A. recommends to the Government and the Railways Department that the speed of all passengers trains be reduced to 35 miles an hour in the interests of the public safety.” $ Record Output of Coal. A new record production of coal in the Dominion during the year ending on December 31 next was forecast by the Minister of Mines, Mr Webb, in a statement last night. He'said that the output for the 11 months ended November 30 amounted to 2,593,635 tons —an increase 0f'124,391 tons compared with the same period last year. "The output of coal last year amounted to 2,680,041 tons,” continued Mr Webb, “and on the latest figures available it appears evident that the output for the current year would show an increase of about 125,000 tons, and would constitute _ a new record production for the Dominion.”