LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 21 October 1930, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The Dutch squadron, consisting of the cruiser Java and the destroyers Evertsen‘and De Buyter, left Wellington at noon to-day for Auckland. Mr B. Bell presided over a good attendance at the annual meeting of the Solway Tennis Club last night. Tho following officers were elected for the ensuing year: —Chairman, Mr K. Bell; secretary, Mr J. Stone; committee, Misses N. Price, C. Langford and Messrs. 11. Bungate, K. Cameron; club captain, Mr C. Price. It was decided to hold the official opening of tho season on Saturday, November-. 1. Boundary roads are frequently the cause of complaint by persons using them and two of three roads, which have been mentioned on more than one occasion on account of their bad eondi--tion, are Panama Terrace and the Akura Boad ,( near the Masterton Bailway Station), It is the intention of the Masterton Borouph Council to tarseal these two< Toads, among others, during the coming season.

There was a large attendance at the Tuhirangi Bifte Club’s annual re-union. The trophies Avon during the season were presented as follows by the Hon. A. 1). McLeod:—Shield, cup, gold medal and spoons, J. H. Atkinson; run-ner-up for cup, rose bowl and medal, K. C. Munro; McMaster trophy, gold medal and spoons, A. Linton; Hall and Munro trophies, spoons, W. Linton; trophies and spoons, B. MeDougall and J. Gardiner. Items during the evening were given by Messrs. Keenan, 'Connell, Morgan (Carterton), and B. Gibbons and H. Feast (GreytoAvn), Mr Miller Hope being at the piano. Maori songs and dances were given by Miss Bose Te Maari and Mr Albert Te Maari. "i

An inquest was held at Greymouth yesterday into' the death on Sunday of John Dimmond Watson, Avho was killed while using a vacuum cleaner on a motor ear. The finding of the Coroner (Mr W. Meldrum S.M.) Avas that deceased came to his death at Bunanga on October 19 by electrocution caused by a current of 230 volts passing through his body Avhile he was using a vacuum cleaner in cleaning a motor car. The cleaner appears to have been defective in that loose strands of flexible Avire in the hands ivere touching the frame of the machine and the fact that deceased was standing on sodden ground and Avas Avearing Avet carpet slippers completed the circuit of the current.

At a general meeting of the Masterton Prohibition League, held in Knox Hall last evening, the action of the executive in appointing the Bev. S. J. Campbell secretary and treasurer for six months was confirmed. The president, Mr G. W. Morice, M.A., occupied the chair. There was a good attendance of members and a number of apologies were received. It was agreed that Mr Campbell should forthwith enter upon a collecting campaign and that subscribers should be urged to pay their subscriptions without delay. The policy and activities of the league were discussed in some detail and it was urged that members must keep in mind the appointment of an organiser and be prepared to support and finance the league for the inauguration of next year’s campaign. The meeting was heartily enthusiastic and a general determination was expressed to build up the organisation to the greatest possible strength in readiness for the campaign and poll next year.

“A storm in a tea-cup” was the term applied to the whole affair by counsel in the Wellington S.M. Court yesterday when Billy Edwards (Mir Willis), the professional wrestler, was fined £l. for having assaulted Alex. Lundyn, who refereed the match between Edwards and Tom Alley in the Town Hall last Tuesday evening and who disqualified Edwards. The latter’s defence to the charge was provocation, but the police said they were not concerned with that. Sub-Inspector Lopdell said the information was laid under the Police Offences Act, which took the place of the old statute regarding breach of the peace by striking another person. The happening occurred on the night of October 14 when a professional wrestling bout took place between Edwards and Tom Alley in the Town Hall. Lundyn was referee. Edwards had a reputation as a rough wrestler, and he lived up to his reputation. Before the match an announcement was made concerning unnecessary roughness. Edwards was disqualified for infringement of the rules, and Alley was declared the wunner.. Edwards protested to the referee and while he was doing so it was alleged that he struck Lundyn.

in future the telegraph office at Masterton Avill be ojien for business from 8 a.in. instead of 9 a.m. as at present.

In vieAV of the prevalence of cases of wrongful conversion of motor cars the executive of the Wairarapa Automobile Association is recommending the North Island Motor Union to take steps to have the law amended at the earliest possible moment to make such conversion more rigorously punishable. “Messrs. Electric Poiver Board, Cambridge, Opunake, Wairarapa, Neuseeland, ” A\ r as the somewhat remarkable address on a letter recently received by the Cambridge Poiver Board from a firm in Germany. The Avriters stated in their letter that they Avere indebted for the address to the New Zealand office in London.

The St. Matthew’s 'Church annual sale of ivoffk, Avhich Avill be held in the Parish Hall to-morroiv (Wednesday) and Thursday next, Avill be opened at 3 p.m. on Wednesday by the Mayoress (Mrs T. Jordan). The stalls will be well laden with bargains. There Avill also be procurable fruit salad and afternoon tea. There Avill be bran tubs and side-sIioAVS. The Girls’ Club Avill contribute musical and dramatic items on Wednesday night, for which the charge of “admission will be 6d. Thursday night there will be no charge for admission and afternoon free. There is a hardy old farm hand in the Wanganui district who is evidently a firm believer in the Avell-Avorn saying about one never being too old to learn. The old fellow has reached the age of 92, but a life in the open air has kept him fit and Avell, and he can still do a good day’s Avork on the farm. Beeently he Avent to Wanganui for a feAv days’ holiday, and when he returned to the farm he Avas astride a brandneAV motor-cycle, and ho had his license in liis pocket. He has not yet inirested in a “flapper-bracket,’’ adds an exchange.

At about 9 o’clock on Sunday night a service car containing six passengers burst into flames at a service station near the Palmerston North railway station. The car Avas bping filled with benzine when some Avas spilt, and falling on to the hot engine, immediately ignited. The passengers made a hurried exit Avhile a small extinguished Avas played on to the flames. The fire brigade Avas called but the car was extensively damaged before the fire Avas finally quelled. An interesting letter from Persia Avas received by a member of the Masterton Esperanto Group to-day, wherein the Avriter states that during the last three months he has received 850 letters or post cards from various lands. He is a teacher in a gymnasium school, and in the evening occupies himself at different classes, namely, Esperanto, English and French. Enclosed Avas a beautiful scene of a Mohammedan mosque, during prayer, where many thousands of people were gathered. Something in the nature of a mild sensation Avas caused at the Wellington auction rooms of Messrs Bethune and Co. last Friday at a sale of books relating to old New Zealand Avhen a copy of J. C. Bidivill’s “Bambles in New Zealand,” published at 2/6 in 1841, reached the high figure of £9 10s. Quite a number of country collectors sent in bids (ranging up to £5 but those on the spot were not to be denied. The sale generally was a good object lesson as to the ever grorving value of scarce books dealing Avith the early history of the Dominion.

At a meeting last evening of the Finance Committee of the Wellington City Council (ivhich is the council as a whole) it Avas decided on the motion of the Mayor (Mr G. A. Troup) that Billy Edivards be debarred from ivrestling in the Toivn Hall, that if there are any further wrestling matches of a similar nature to last Tuesday’s one betAveen Edwards and Alley, the council Avill bar any future use of the Toavu Hall for wrestling matches, irrespective as to which body promotes them and that the council urge those concerned to bring about the formation of one controlling body only for Avrestling in the Dominion.