LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Age, 4 May 1937, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The speaker at to-night’s tea of the Masterton Optimist Club will be Mr. G. W. Morice. His subject will be “Calendar Reform.” William Leonard Baldwin, aged 43, farmer, of Ashhurst, was found dead by his wife at 1 o’clock on Sunday morning with a gunshot wound in his head. The deceased saw service during the Great War. He leaves two children.—(P.A.)

Evidence of identification was given at an inquest into the death of Dora Beatrice Yule, of Palmerston North, a single woman whose body was found in the sea near Napier on Saturday. A note was left by the deceased to relatives intimating that she was worried by ill health and that her body would be found in the sea.—(PA.)

A shocking accident occurred at the Milson Aerodrome, Palmerston North, yesterday, when Frederick Charles Norton, a middle-aged married man, was killed instantly. He was using an oxy-acetylene flame to cut the top from an empty benzine drum, and it is believed that the fumes in the drum caused an explosion.-,—(P.A.) Wong Sing, a market gardener, said to have traded systematically in opium, was fined £5O at Napier yesterday morning. Three half-pchxnd tins of opium were found in the accused’s possession when he was questioned on Saturday evening. The police said that the accused had eluded them for some time. He brought opium from a Chinese firm in Wellington. Jack Lee, described as a well-known opium smoker, was fined £25 for being found in possession of opium smoking utensils.—(P.A.)

Lady Kingsford sinith, widow of the famous airman, is a through passenger by the Monterey to join her parents in New York, an Auckland Press Association message states. “I know I shall have a wonderful time with my friends,” she said, “but at present I am sad at having to leave baby in Australia. He is so sweet now—four and a real man.” During the two months she will spend in California Lady Kingsford Smith will be the guest of a well-known novelist in Hollywood.

An inquest into the death of Josephine Helen McPherson, a typist aged 23, who died in the Christchurch Public Hospital on Saturday afternoon, from a bullet wound, said to have been self-inflicted, was opened yesterday before the Christchurch Coroner, Mr. E. C. Levvey. After evidence of identification had been, given by the girl’s father, the inquest was adjourned sine die, at the request of Chief-Detective Dunlop, who said further inquiries would have to be made.—(PA.) According to advice received from the Labour Department by the Clothing Trades’ Federation, treble pay must be paid for work performed last Monday by female employees in clothing factories who are covered by awards providing that where Anzae Day falls on a Sunday a holiday shall be observed on the Monday. The names of about ten firms which have withheld payment for holiday work despite an earlier ruling have been forwarded to the Department by Miss'A. Cossey, secretary of the Auckland Clothing Trade Employees’ Union.—«(P.A.)

“Taxi drivers seem to have the idea that when they are on the road everyone else can get off it. It is time they took a pull and reduced their speed,” said Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Palmerston North, in fining three taxi drivers £4 each on charges of driving at a speed which, having regard to all the circumstances, might have been dangerous to the public. In the case of two of the defendants the police said that both drove side by side down Main, Street from Terrace End to the Square at between 35 and 40 miles an hour.— (PA.) A serious shortage of shipping space suitable for conveying chilled and frozen beef to the British market is causing grave concern in the .Waikato, where large numbers bf cattle are waiting dispatch as chillers. The position is causing uncertainty in the stock markets, where the demand has slackened for store cattle. Storage capacity in freezing works in the Auckland Provinces is severely taxed. The position is attributed to extra demands on the shipping companies because of increased world trade and the slowness and cost of loading on Dominion wharves in comparison with Australia. -(P.A.) A verdict that death was due to a gunshot wound accidentally received was returned by the District Coroner, Mr. T. E. Lang, at Featherston yesterday at an inquest concerning the death of John Reginald Cole, 17, who was fatally injured while duck shooting on Saturday. Evidence was given by Mr. G. T. Cole, father of the victim; by Messrs Roy Donald and W. Burt, who accompanied the youth on the shooting expedition and by Dr. Clay. It was stated that the gun, examined after the accident, was found to be in perfect order. The father expressed his thanks to the doctor and to all who rendered assistance.

Regulations exercising control over the marketing of butter intended for consumption in the Wellington district came into force on Saturday. Most of the wrappers at present used by dairy factories do not comply strictly with the regulations regarding wording, restrictions having been imposed on the use of exaggerated' terms indicating butters of high quality. In order not to embarras these factories, the Department of Internal Marketing is granting them permission to use up existing stocks. In ordering fresh supplies of labels and wrappers, however, the wording must be consistent with the regulations. All butter manufacturing companies within the Wellington marketing district have been automatically licensed to sell and distribute bulk and/or pat butter within their present area of cream collection. -(P.A.) Piano for sale. Ewe and ram lost. Girl for housework wanted. Housemaid-waitress wanted. Hillman saloon car for sale. Smart boy wanted for shop. Kit-bag containing Jjlankets lost. Advertiser wishes to buy oil, or petrol drums. Tenders are invited for erection of a foreman’s cottage, Manawatu Gorge. Tenders invited for erection of new school and outbuildings, Masterton East’, and painting exterior of School and residence, Mauriceville West. j