LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, 7 October 1926, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The loss on the year’s operations of the South Otago Freezing Works was £5819, following on a loss of £941 last year, a Press Association message from Dunedin states.

A message from Sydney reports that the steamer Gunbar of 482 tons gross has been sold by the North „ Coast, Steam Navigation Company to the Depliehet McLeod Company, of Hastings. The Gunbar is to be used in the New Zealand coastal trade.

The Otago Metal Workers Assistants’ Union sought a new award in the Conciliation Council at Dunedin yesterday. An agreement was reached on .overtime clauses find a forty-four hour week, and an increase bi Wages WM granted.—(P.A.). The distribution of trout fry allocated to the Pahiatua district has been decided upon as follows: Bainbow fry, Makuri Gorge, 20,000; Brown fry: Mangatainoka, at Mangamaire, 15,000; Mangatainoka, at Pahiatua, 15,000; Makuri, 30,000; Makakahi, 10,000; Makairo, 14,000. * A single man, John Howard, a retired gardener, 60 years of age, committed suicide at Auckland on Tuesday night by hanging himself from a tree in the front of his residence. He was suffering from a cataract of the eye, and was threatened with blindness. Ha 1 left a note: “My dearest friend on earth, death, sent me an invitation anti I have accepted it.”—(PA.).

A Maori named Jack Davis was Sentenced at the Wairoa Magistrate’s Court yesterday afternoon to one year’s har labour, and a further two years’ reformative treatment on a charge of abduction. He had previously injurefl two children and the Magistrate regretted that he had no authority to use the lash on such a class of man. — (P.A.).

Excellent progress is being made with the renovation of the Bannister street gasholder, and it is anticipated that with favourable weather, the work will be completed within the next three weeks. Doubt was expressed when the work first began as to whether the temporary measures necessary would deprive the system of its efficiency, but the ‘ ‘ boosting, ’ ’ a retention of pressure by mechanical means, proved quite satisfactory, and the occasional slight variations of pressure appear to have caused little inconvenience.

In order that anglers in the Pahiatua district may compete for the Stockwell Challenge Cup, an Anglers* Club has been formed there. Officers were elected as follow: Patron, Mr. H. Cowan; president, Mr. .1. Robertson; vice-presidents, Messrs J. Byrne, T. H. Verry, D. Kelly, F. M. Gregorie, and Dr. H. Paterson; committee, Messrs J. O’Brien, P. J. Matthews, S. F. Bailey, A. Pratt, J. O’Styke, C. McCardle, A. J. Morgan, F. Parkes and A. Morgan; selectors, Messrs J.'O’Styke, J. O’Brien and J. Robertsan.

Mr F. W. Furkert, Engineer-in-Chief to the Public Works Department, has advised the Waimakariri River Trust (Canterbury) of his approval of the trusts’s river protection scheme. Mr. Furkert cables from England that he has examined river works in America and Italy and considers the scheme adopted by the trust satisfactory and generally in accordance with the best practice. This scheme, which involve! an expenditure of £200,000, was rejected by the ratepayers at the last poll, the issue failing to receive the full three-fifths majority then necessary. Under the amending legislation of last session, a bare majority only Is required.—(P.A.).

Frederick Hunt, aged about 22 years, was admitted to the Dunedin Hospital last night with injuries to his head and legs, received through falling off a motor cycle near Palmerston. —(P.A.) Notifiable infection diseases were reported as follow in the Wairarapa East Cape distrist for the week ending at noon on Monday (last week’s figures in parentheses): Scarlet fever, 1 (1); diphtheria, 3 (2); tuberculosis, 1 (4); puerperal fever, 1 (1); enteric fever, 0 (2); ophthalmia neonatorum, 1 WTKfc final returns of the Commonwealth Referenda voting show that in the case of industry and commerce 1,247,088 voted “Yes” and 1,619,655 voted “No. M In the case of essential services 1,195,502 vote! “Yes” and 1,597,793 voted “No.” Altogether there were 268,730 informal votes.

At the monthly meeting of the Carterton Plunket Society the nurse reported as follows for ' September: New babies for the month 8 (breast fed 5, breast and artificially fed 1, artificially fed 2); visits to homes, 128; adult visits to office, 93; babies and older children on list, 206; emulsion sold, 151bs. As 'November 19, the day originally fixed for a shop day, was considered unsuitable, it was decided to hold the sale on November 12.

In response to a request from Alfredton that a ladies’ hookey match should bo played there, with the idea of encouraging the game in the district, it has been arranged that the newlyformed Akitio Association shall meet a team from Wairarapa there on Saturday next. The following players will make the trip:—Misses D. Henderson, L. Rose, C. Peters, J. Moncrieff, D. Allen, D. Playle, E. Cook, G. Smith, and Mesdames K. Hiroti C. Playle and V. Sutherland.

The Wairarapa Provincial Executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union has received a communication from the Labour Department at Masterton, asking that in view of the acute state of Unemployment throughout the Dominion farmers requiring men should communicate with the Departmental officials, who will be pleased to place some of the many applicants for work. The letter added that the Department would "exercise great care in selecting men required by employers who used the Department’s Labour Bureau.

Negotiations for a further subdivision of the Renal! Estate having been completed, tenders have been accepted, and work will be commenced within the next few days on the formation of a new road which is to open up a considerable number of building sections situated in the block of land bounded by Renall, Pownall and Tararua streets. The street will take the form of a crescent, and will link Pownall street opposite the High School, with Renall street in the vicinity of the railway crossing, Mr. Gray, of Carterton, was the successful tenderer for the contract. Messrs Rigg Brothers will do the concreting work, and the drainage will be carried out by the Borough Council staff.

A discussion in the Arbitration Court at Auckland on Tuesday, during which the suggestion was made that a con tral board should be established in each main centre to advise parents on the choice of careers for their boys, was brought under the notice of the Minister of Education (Mr. Wright) by t “Dannevirke Evening News” representative ye«:eiday. The Minister said be had real the report and w.is very much struck with the suggestion. He considered that something of the kind was necessary, owing to the difficulties which parents were encountering in placing boys in remunerative pursuits. Ho intimated that the Education Department would be pleased to co-oper-ate in any way possible if a scheme oh the lines suggested were evolved.— (P.A.).

On the occasion of the visit of the Minister of Education (the Hon. R. A; Wright) to Eketahuna on Tuesday, the Mayor asked for the Minister’s sympathy in establishing a dental clinic at Eketahuna. He pointed out that the district was far too large to be served by the clinic at Pahiatua. The local expenditure would be only some £4O to £5O a year, while the clinic would be a boon to parents and children. In this request the Mayor was supported by Mr. T. M. Page. In his reply, the Minister agreed with the necessity for dental clinics and the Minister of Health was doing his best in that direction. The first time Mr. Sykes wasin Wellington he would be prepared to go. with him and place the matters mentioned before the Ministers concerned.

Clement Murphy, who escaped from the Waikeria Borstal Institute and was recaptured at daylight on Sunday, appeared before Justices at Te Awamutu yesterday. The escape was effected by Murphy, who is undergoing a sentence of three years, and Leonard Smith, during the lunch hour on Thursday, they being members of a gang engaged in farm work. When recaptured Murpbv had swum the Pinui river to evade the guard at the bridge. He threatened to escape again on the first chance if returned to Waikeria. “Send me to Mt. Eden,” he said, “and I will gtVe no more bother.” He complains that the food at Waikeria was the cause of Tffs dislike.for the institution. He placed guilty to a charge of escaping from custody and was committed to tlFtr Supreme Court at Auckland, for sentence. Smith, who has been recaptured, has yet to be dealt with by the authorities.—(PA.). General or lady-help required. J. R. Timson and Co. advertise Sturmer apples, lemons and swedes for sale. A meeting of the Old Girls’ Association will be held to-night at the Wairarapa High School. A young Frenchman recently fasted for 30 days, during which time he consumed only opium and sugared water. While a tennis tournament was being played at Northfield, Worcestershire, a tennis ball hit a sparrow which was flying low over the court and killed it.