LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 January 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Fishing Prospects. All rivers and streams in the Manawatu district are reported to be unfishable. In the Wairarapa district the smaller streams are clearing, and may be suitable at the weekend. Auckland Anniversary. Representations have been made to the Mayor, Mr Allum, to postpone the public holiday for the Anniversary Day of the Auckland province, Thursday, January 29. Mr Allum said today that he was communicating with the authorities in Wellington and is expecting an early decision. E.P.S. Key Men. Referring to the Wellington mayor’s decision to appeal on behalf of all members considered vital to the E.P.S. service at Wellington who have been called for rnilitarj’ training, the Mayor of Auckland, Mr Allum, said that no action had yet been taken regarding appeals at Auckland. “It is obvious, however, that some arrangement must be made to maintain the strength of the emergency organisation, especially the services of key personnel,” said Mr Allum. “The time is at hand when some of the positions will be regarded as being of a fulltime character.” Shopping Hours. The abolition of Friday late shopping night and the later closing of shops on six ' days of the week were unanimously approved at a meeting of mayors and chairmen of local bodies in the Auckland E.P.S. area, convened by the Mayor of Auckland, Mr Allum. The meeting authorised Mr Allum to make a formal request to the Minister of National Service, Mr Semple, in terms of the Emergency Regulations just gazetted, that all local bodies in The area be authorised to fix closing hours of shops as follows: On the five weekdays in each week, 6 p.m.; on the day of the weekly half-holiday, 1 p.m. These limitations are not to apply to chemists’ shops and eating-places. Celebrations Curtailed. Nelson’s centennial programme, arranged for January 31 and early February, has been severely curtailed on account of the war situation. One of the main functions, the dedication of a memorial to early settlers on Church Hill, will be held on Anniversary Day, February 1, but other functions planned, including a reenactment of the landing of pioneers, children’s day, the centennial ball, sports gatherings, and the historical exhibition, have been postponed indefinitely. A large number of New Zealand organisations, including the Municipal Association, have their annual conferences arranged to take place at Nelson, but, though no cancellations have yet been made, it is unlikely that many will eventuate.

High Prices of Vegetables. Recommendations to the Government for the training of suitable labour, reconsideration of the question of the supply of vegetables to the armed forces in New Zealand, planned production and marketing, licensing of retail shops to reduce costs, the avoiding of further land suitable for market gardening being taken for housing purposes, and an overhaul of the auction system, are among the main features of the report of the Price Tribunal on its recent inquiry in Wellington into the causes of the high prices of vegetables. The Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr Sullivan, said that the Government had decided to set up a special interdepartmental committee to study the report and make suitable recommendations to Cabinet from time to time.

Tennis Club’s Donation. The New Year tournament held by the United Lawn Tennis Club resulted in £6 being raised. At a club committee meeting held last night the amount was donated to the patriotic funds.

Crops Destroyed by Hail. Heavy hail on Wednesday evening is said to have completely destroyed a total of 300 acres of wheat and about 150 acres of oats in the Lauriston district, damaging other crops to an extent estimated at from 10 to 50 per cent. Crops have been cut down in places to the bases of the stalks.

Woman Struck by Fire Engine. A fracture of the ankle was received by a married woman when she was struck by a fire engine in Queen Street, Auckland, on Wednesday. This was the first occasion on which fire engines, as an emergency measure, had travelled through the heart of the city without using sirens.

Hauraki By-election. Five candidates are in the field on behalf of the National Party for the Hauraki seat. They are Messrs H. Dent (Hauraki Plains), R. Milne (Te Kauwhata), E. Palliser (Springdale), C. W. Parfitt (Hauraki Plains), and A. Sutherland (Ngaruavahia). A selection ballot by delegates will be held at Hamilton on January 20.

Portable Siren Tests. Tests were carried out in Masterton this morning and afternoon with a portable siren, to be used in the event of an emergency. Judging from what could be heard of the siren in the town area, when it was sounded on the outskirts of the borough, it possessed no distinctive sound, and was not noticed by pedestrians, let alone by drivers of cars and people indoors. Once or twice it could not be distinguished from a faint train whistle. Closer at hand, of course, its sound was more audible.

Flour and Grain Stocks. A census of slocks of flour, wheat and oats in the Dominion was taken at the end of November last, when the following quantities were returned: — Flour, 23,480 tons; wheat, 2,270,252 bushels (including 2,045,089 bushels of milling wheat); oats, 785,546 bushels. Returns were received covering all stocks owned or stored by millers, merchants and farmers throughout the Dominion, with a few unimportant exceptions which would not appreciably affect the totals given. Firemen Hampered by Smoke.

A fire which was unusual for the volumes of dense smoke it produced broke out in premises occupied by the Rotary Press, Limited, Tory Street, Wellington, at about 7.15 last evening, and gave firemen three-quarters of an hour’s hard work before it was brought under control. The efforts of the brigadesmen were hampered greatly by the choking smoke, which poured out of the windows as the men smashed them in to bring their hoses to bear on the seat of the outbreak. Even smoke masks were of little avail to the men.

Lorry Tips Its Load. A rather unusual mishap was seen in Masterton this morning. As a motorlorry laden with sand was driving up Chapel Street, the body of the vehicle tipped and the load of course began to run out on the roadway. Unconscious, apparently, of what had happened, the driver continued on his way and a trail of sand had been laid up a great part of Cole Street, into which he turned, before he awoke to the fact that his load was gone. The act of distribution was carried out so smoothly that some onlookers at first thought it might have something to do with paving operations.