LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 December 1938, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Serial Commences Today. There commences in the “Times-Age’’ today a new serial entitled “Ann Steps Out.” by that noted authoress Margaret Gorman Nichols. Bankruptcies. One bankruptcy was recorded in the Wairarapa last month, making the total to date this year three. R.S.A. Membership. “Our membership has reached 550,” said Mr R. Whyborn at a meeting of the Wairarapa R.S.A. last night. "That figure has not been approached since 1922.” A voice: "It is not large enough.” Street Widening. Where formerly stood a row of shabby and ancient shops and dwellings in Taranaki Street, Wellington, just north of Vivian Street, is now a cleared area of considerable extent. As the space occupied by these premises was none too hygienic, the Wellington City Corporation has spread a dressing of clean spoil to sweeten the ground. Ultimately, Taranaki Street will be widened by taking a 30-foot strip on the western side, but the date of that accomplishment can only be stated as some time in the future. The cleared area, however, is a substantial contribution toward the road-widening scheme.

Service for Motorists. An indication of the manner in which competition has developed among petrol sellers in California was given by Mr E. A. Jones, of Wellington, assistant-general manager of the Vacuum Oil Company Proprietary. Limited, who returned from the United States by the Mariposa. To attract patrons owners of petrol stations gave a very extensive free service, he said. For instance, a man who purchased only a gallon or two of petrol would have his car completely wiped down and the windows polished for no add? tional charge. New Zealand Film.

Ready for production within a fortnight, the field production unit of the Government Tourist Department is on location at Mount Maunganui. The principals, Miss Una Weller and Mr Bob Pollard, of Wellington, are visiting Tauranga for the purpose. The extras for the film will be local people selected at the 1840 ball in the Tauranga Town Hall. The equipment at Mount Maunganui includes two camera cars of the latest design, one of which carries the cameras and the other the sound recording mechanism. This is the first occasion on which this particular type of car has been used in New Zealand. Some of the scenes for the film have already been shot, oneshowing the deck of an emigrant Ship on a set constructed in the Miramar studios, and another at an abandoned sawmill township at National Park. Elimination of Dry Rot.

A request that steps be taken by the Government to ensure that all turnip seed imported into New Zealand should be treated for dry rot was made by the Southland executive of the Farmers’ Union. It was stated that a method had been evolved for treating the seed to eliminate dry rot, but it had to be done while the seed was fresh or it affected germination. Mr A. Stuart, instructor in agriculture, said it would be necessary to make arrangements for the seed to be treated in the country of origin to be effective. Tests coulo be made quickly by the officers of the Department of Agriculture to ascertain whether any seed imported was infected with the disease. There was still a danger of infection being carried in the soil or from one paddock to another on implements, but it would be of value to farmers to know that the seed they bought was free from the disease.

Road Safety Campaign. An appeal to all members to give their wholehearted support to the national road safety campaign is made in a circular issued by the Automobile Association (Wellington). This week’s campaign which is being carried out is being aimed at all road users, including pedestrians and cyclists,” the chairman of the executive committee, Mr E, A. Batt, states, “and I pen this note to you as a motorist to express the desire of members of the executive committee that by the exercise of ‘that extra degree of caution’ you will help in leducing New Zealand’s accident traffic rate. Ensure that your car is in sound mechanical condition. Be courteous toward other road users, whose cooperation we hope to obtain. As far as possible avoid driving when fatigued. Observance of these three fundamental principles of motoring should maintain for you an accident-free- record. Earthquake Shocks. A short, sharp earthquake shock was felt in Wellington at about 11.20 o’clock yesterday morning. It took the form of two distinct tremors, separated by a short interval. They were sufficient to rattle china and windows, cause pictures to swing, and impart a swaying feeling to high office blocks in the city. No damage was reported, however. In Wanganui the earthquake was felt, but was slight, and only a single shock was reported. It lasted for two or three seconds. No damage was reported there, either. A very slight tremor was reported from Palmerston North, where it registered Force 2 on the Ross-Forrel scale. So far the spring has been remarkable for the number of minor earth tremors reported, this being the third recorded in Wellington. Seismologists regard the city as standing in the vicinity of an earth-fault, which has not yet been fully worked out. None of the recent tremors, however, have been traced to this fault. State Lotteries. Inaugurating a Dominion-wide campaign for the presentation of a petition to Parliament advocating the introduction of State lotteries in the Dominion, a largely-attended meeting was held at Gisborne. “The churches have failed to suppress gambling through the ages, for the simple reason that instinct to gamble is inherent in man,” said Mr J. H. Hall, the .De-puty-Mayor. “If he cannot gamble openly he will gamble in secret. Let us take the situation in hand and provide facilities so that men need not find underhand ways of gratifying that instinct, and let us see that the best is made of what seems to be an evil to many people.” The meeting was unanimous in its support of a proposal to petition Parliament on the subject, and copies of the petition were circular is ed. The meeting carried unanimously the following motion: "That this meeting of Gisborne citizens earnestly prays that the Government will consider instituting a system of State lotteries in New Zealand.”