LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Times-Age, 16 January 1942, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Methodist Conference.

The annual conference of the Methodist Church is to be held in February, as usual, provided nothing untoward happens in the meantime. This announcement is made by the president of the conference, the Rev. W. A. Burley. Mr Burley states that inquiries have been made as to rail travel, and it is not expected that there will be any difficulty. Circuit superintendents and quarterly meetings should elect their representatives as usual, adds Mr Burley.

Price of Apples and Pears. An overall average price of 5s 3d is to be paid on apples and pears delivered to assembly points from December 1, 1941, in accorda’nce with the requirements of the Internal Marketing Division, states a notice in last night’s Gazette. The notice also sets out a schedule of values for various grades of fruit offered for market. These prices for different grades will be subject to adjustment at the end of the season, according to the grading of the fruit and the packing material available throughout the season. Marketing of Eggs.

Prices, petrol supplies, deliveries and zoning were among the questions discussed at a meeting of the Canterbury Egg Marketing Advisory Committee yesterday. In providing the information after the meeting the chairman, Mr T. Dove, said that he could make no statement at present on the committee’s decisions beyond saying that a telegram “making certain requests about egg, prices” had been sent to the Internal Marketing Division, Wellington. If the requests were not agreed to, said Mr Dove, it was intended that a public meeting should be called and the people would be given a full explanation of the industry’s position.”

New Zealand Troops Fit. The physical fitness of New Zealand soldiers overseas was mentioned by the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr Parry, when addressing physical welfare officers who are undergoing a refieshei course of training at the Frediic Wallis House grounds, Hutt Valley. Press cables had shown, he said, that the stamina, physical training and development of the country’s fighting men had contributed largely to their valorous and victorious work in the Middle East. It was important, said the Minister, that all the men of the forces, either leaving for overseas servcie or remaining in the Dominion for home-front work, should be physically fit. The officers of the department were able to help materially in this training. After-war Education. “The present war, with all its horrors, is severely testing our various national resources, disclosing our strength and weakness; but after-war problems will test our ability to profit by the lessons of the war,” said the chancellor of the University Senate, Dr. Hanan, M.L.C., in his address to the senate yesterday. “There never has been a time when interest, patriotism and honour alike may. more justly be pleaded in support of a generous endeavour to remedy such deficiencies as may be revealed in our educational system. With the unexampled destruction of life and property entailed by the war, there will come an irresistible call to make the most of the brains and hands of the coming generation, whose task it will be to replace the loss.”

Show Abandoned. The Pahiatua A. and P. Association has decided to abandon its show for this year. Sweltering Heat

Sweltering heat has been, experienced in Waipukurau during the last few days, with temperatures well over 80 degrees. Yesterday was exceedingly hot. the maximum temperature being 87 degrees, at which it remained for a lengthy period.

Boring for Oil. The New Zealand Petroleum Company reports that the Midhirst bore has been advanced to a depth of 10,735 feet without any change in formation. This represents an advance of 725 feet since the last bulletin was issued a month ago.

Reopening of Schools, So far as the Wellington Education Board is aware, there has been no decision to postpone the opening of public schools in the Wellington district because of school buildings being required by the military authorities. “The board has received numerous inquiries, both from parents and teachers,” said the secretary, Mr W. I. Deavoll, yesterday. “The public primary schools will reopen as previously announced on Monday, February 2.”

Meat Production.

The official figures of killings for the present season at the Dominion’s freezing works from October 1 till January 3, as issued by the New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board, show that lamb killings now total 2,531,444 carcases, this being an increase of 627,359 carcases over the killings to January 4 last season. Wether mutton killings are 104,849 carcases, and ewe mutton killings 47/368 carcases, compared with 20,162 and 18,672 carcases, respectively, last season.

Late Shopping Night. An announcement is expected from the Government shortly on the observance of the late shopping night, a matter discussed at the meeting in Wellington of the mayors of the four chief centres. Recently a meeting of mayors and chairmen of local bodies in the Auckland E.P.S. area authorised the mayor to make a formal request to the Hon. R. Semple to authorise all local bodies in the area to fix the closing hour of all shops, with the exception of chemists and eating houses, at 6 p.m. on five days of the week, and 1 p.m. on Saturday, the last-mentioned to be subject to regulations permitting the extension of hours after noon.

Bobby Calf Pool Elections. In a circular letter addressed to all bobby calf pools in the Dominion, the Minister of Marketing? Mr Barclay, has suggested that in the present circumstances the holding of the usual annual meetings and elections of committees is not justified. The Minister points out that, due to the stringent restrictions on the use of benzine, it would in all probability be impossible to hold meetings in most country districts which would be fully representative of the producers concerned. In addition, the overriding provisions of the Fat Stock Disposal Order, 1941 .would mean that the interests of producers would not be materially affected 'by the continuance of the present committees in office for a further 12 months, said the Minister. At the end of this period the position would again be reviewed and the pools consulted as to whether the elections should be held.