LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 13 November 1941, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ministers’ Stipends. The Presbyterian Assembly at Timaru, having fixed the standard minimum stipend for 1942 at £3lO, yesterday decided that stipends of ministers and home missionaries be revised periodically with reference to Government statistics of the cost of living and the per capita production of the country. Religious Broadcasting. A report to the Presbyterian General Assembly expressed appreciation of the action of the Director of Broadcasting in making provision for oneminute silence for prayer at 9 p.m. each day. Speakers stressed the need for careful study of the technique of broadcasting, for improved devotional services, for studio services and for better children’s broadcasts. Radio Licences. “The number of radio-receiving licences continues to increase,” said the Postmaster-General, Mr Webb, yesterday. “A new peak was reached at the end of September, the number of paid licences current in the Dominion being 365,735. This represents an increase of 15,450 over September, 1940. For every 100 households in New Zealand, 92 have radio-receiving sets installed.” Hospital Rating. Advice was received by the Wellington City Council last night from the Municipal Association that the representations made concerning the burden of hospital rating would be placed before a meeting of the executive on November 21, with a view to joint action with the New Zealand Counties’ Association in a deputation to the Prime Minister. This would ask that hospital rating be raised by taxation on wages and income similar to the social security scheme. Church and Home Guard. At Timaru yesterday, the Presbyterian Assembly adopted the following resolution:—“That the Assembly express its appreciation of the valuable work being done by members of the Home Guard, E.P.S., and similar organisations, and urges members to link up with one of these; that at the same time the Assembly expresses concern that so many parades are held on Sunday, and urges that the Government take steps to ensure that Sunday parades are reduced to the minimum necessary for adequate training.” Seed Potatoes Short. No matter how anxious householders in Auckland may be at the moment to comply with the expressed desire of the Minister of Agriculture, Mr Barl clay, that they should plant as many potatoes as possible, a dearth of seed potatoes will prevent them from doing it. Auckland seedsmen confirmed numerous complaints that it is practically impossible to buy seed potatoes. The majority of shops are without stocks. Hopes are entertained by merchants that the position will be relieved next week, when a shipment is expected in Auckland from the south.

Hospital Board Fined. The Danniverike Hospital Board yesterday was fined £lO and costs in the Magistrate’s Court, Dannevirke, for having employed for more than seven days a person belonging to the first division who had not applied for enrolment. The police stated that the board had in its employ at one time three men who had failed to enrol and who had not been asked to produce their enrolment cards. The case was brought as a warning to employers of their obligations to ascertain that employees were registered in their respective classes of the General Reserve.

Vocational Guidance. Miss P. L. Jull and Mr A. A. Kirk, vocational guidance officers, visited Wgirarapa College, Masterton, yesterday afternoon. Eighty pupils, mainly seniors, were interviewed. Labour Caucus. An account of his visit to Australia and his discussions with Australian Ministers and the War Cabinet, was given by the Minister of Finance, Mr Nash, at a caucus of the Parliamentary Labour Party in Wellington yesterday. The caucus finished early last evening. A motion of sympathy with the wife, young daughter and parents of the late Lieutenant Hultquist, M.P, for Bay of Plenty, was passed, those present standing in silence. Gift of Torches. The Group Director of the Home Guard, Masterton, wrote to the monthly meeting of the executive of the Wairarapa Automobile Association, acknowledging receipt of 150 torches for use of Home Guard units when using roads at night, and thanking the Association for its generosity. The torches had been distributed to the various units. The secretary reported that considerable difficulty had been experienced in obtaining the number of torches required, 200, but 150 had been sent to the Group Director, and the balance, 50, had now come to hand. The cost to the association had been £63 6s Bd. Appointment Criticised. Allegations of unrest and dissatisfaction among the patients at Pukeora Sanatorium as a result of the resignation of the medical superintendent, Dr. J. K. O’Dea, made in a letter by the Waipukurau branch of the R.S.A., evok-' ed lively discussion at a meeting of the Waipawa Hospital Board yesterday. The association expressed concern at certain matters which it alleges have caused dissatisfaction to returned soldier patients at the sanatorium. Criticism was expressed at the board’s action in appointing Dr. R. M. de Lambert, medical superintendent of the district hospital, as medical superintendent of the sanatorium in Dr. O’Dea’s stead, the association claiming that the sanatorium patients would be much better served by a tuberculosis specialist. The employment of an alien doctor at the sanatorium was also criticised by the association. The board at yesterday’s meeting decided to assure the association that it had every confidence in Dr. de Lambert’s ability to deal with tubercular patients. In the six months an alien doctor had been employed at the sanatorium, the board had been satisfied with his services. His bona fides as a refugee were vouched for. “Savage Exhibitions.” Inquiry was made by Cr. W. Appleton at a meeting of the Wellington City Council last night as to whether there were any restrictions on Juveniles attending at the Town Hall. He said he referred to ( boxing and wrestling’ matches and the like. The mayor, Mr Hislop: “There are no restrictions, but we can lay down any conditions concerning the use of the Town Hall.” Cr. J. D. Sievwright expressed the opinion that some of these contests ought, to be stopped in the public interest, as it was very unhealthy to all. He had witnessed “some of these savage exhibitions” known as wrestling. I The mayor said that after the last council meeting he and a number of councillors went into the Town Hall and saw an extremely poor exhibition of wrestling as such, and an extremely bad public exhibition. Cr. Knox Gilmer: “Were there children there?” Cr. W. Duncan: “Yes, and women—7s per cent of them were women.” The mayor: “Knitting round the guillotine,”