LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, 20 March 1936, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

11l London yesterday U.S.A. currency, in relation to sterling, Avas quoted at 4.97 1-6 dollars, and French' currency at 74 7-8 francs.

At a meeting of the- St. Matthew s Badminton Club last night it was reported that members wishing to join, were more than sufficient for one night’s use per week of tiro Parish Hall It was decided, should the ieouired number be forthcoming, to obtain the use of the. hall on two nights a week. Anyone wishing to join is asked to communicate with the secretary, Miss R. Robinson, before next Wednesday.

At a meeting of the Maliunga Golf Club’s committee last evening it ai as decided to acquire a fairways mower for the links and arrangements are to be made to procure a machine immediately. The club lias, already acquired a motor mower for its greens and with the addition of a machine for the fairways, members are assured of greatly improved conditions for their games during the coming season.. Splendid work at the links was carried out by a recent working bee and the committee is making a big effort to have the course in good order for its opening day. A deputation consisting of Messrs. A. Callister and P. Ashton waited on the Wairarapa South County Council at its meeting yesterday in connection with flood water erosion in the Brooklyn Road district caused by waters •from the Maungaterere River, which were flowing over valuable land and roads instead of under the bridge. The trouble was caused by a point of land .which, it Avas recommended by the deputation, should be removed. Mr Wallace, County Overseer, reported favourably on the recommendation, saying it would result in a considerable saving to the county by saving the bridge approaches. It was agreed to inspect the place after the meeting. The annual meeting of the Wairarapa High School Old Girls’ Basketball Club was lireld in the Y.M.C.A. Rooms last evening, Miss O. R. Sutherland presiding over a large attendance. Miss Beta Brown was elected club captain, Miss Nell Cohen vice-captain, and Miss Helinia Winter lion, secretary. The captain, vice-captain and Miss Sybil Prater were elected a selection committee. It was decided to enter two teams in the Association competitions. An endeavour is to be made to arrange basketball and hockey matches between Old Girls and. present pupils of the High School on Saturday, 28th March. Practices are to take place in the Y.M.C.A. on Tuesday evenings from 6.45 to 7.45 p.m. The club will be glad to hear from intending players who have not yet joined. The-first meeting of the year of the Carterton League of Mothers was held yesterday afternoon, Mrs R. H. Every •presiding over a good attendance. Five new members were nominated. A welcome was extended to Mrs Kersby, provincial president, who spoke briefly on the aims and objects of the league. She congratulated the members on the Avonderful progress made during the past 18 months. The thought for the month was: “The woman who does everything in its proper time is worth three.” An array of preserved fruit, pickles, etc.,, wa's displayed, all of Avhieh were made by Mrs Kersby, who explained how each was. prepared. Mrs Kersby was warmly thanked by Mrs Every and presented Avith a posy. During the afternoon much appreciated solos were given by Mrs L. Knutson and a poem Avas read by Mrs Every. In April the league Avill celebrate its fifth • birthday and a visit has been arranged from the Masterton League Choir.

The price of gold in London yesterday was £7/1/- an ounce.

Proposals for a new railway station for Christchurch are at present being discussed by Mr E. S. Brittenden, the chief traffic manager at Christchurch, and Mr 11. C. Lusty, inspecting engineer to fhe Railways Department. Another resignation by a Minister of the Crown from local go\ r ernment is in prospect. It Avas mentioned by the Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Fraser, last night that within, a comparatively short time he ; would resign from the Wellington City Council. The Greytown Horticultural Society’s Autumn Slioav Avas held on Wednesday afternoon. The entries totalled approximately 750, a slight decrease on those received last year. The cut floAver display Avas an excellent one, Avhile the vegetables and fruit Avere a feature of the Slioav. The champion dahlia. Avas shown by Mr J. Byrne, of Pahiatua. The champion aster was exhibited by Mrs W. Stidolph, of Masterton. At the meeting of the Wairarapa South County Council yesterday the chairman mentioned that the overseer was of opinion that an additional grader Avas not immediately necessary, as with the neAv pneumatic-tired tractor, the existing equipment had been speeded up from some 18 miles a day to 30 miles. It Avas therefore agreed to leave in abeyance the matter, of purchasing a new grader and it Avas further decided to obtain, quotations for equipping the present light grader with rubber tires.

The St. Clair (Dunedin) sealion practises the theory that variety is the spice of life. The other day he invaded the bar of an hotel near the beach at St. Hilda and defied all efforts to enforce liis departure for a considerable time, during which business was interrupted. Another adventure was to climb on top of a saloon motor-car, the owner ofwhich had to await, the pleasure of the sealion before he could drive on. On another occasion he spent a night in the washhouse of a block of flats at St. Clair, all efforts to dislodge him being unsuccessful till he had had his night s sleep.

In the annual report of the Masterton branch of the Women Teachers’ Association all members of the executive were thanked for their lively co-opera-tion through the year and in particular Mrs Engstrom, the secretary, for the careful way in which she had fulfilled her duties. Thanks were also extended to all Avho gave their time and talents in providing the branch with entertainment of various kinds during the year and to the Press for publicity, to the Central School Committee for tire use of rooms and to the Central School staff for its assistance at meetings.

The monthly meeting of the Masterton Central School Committee was held last evening, Mr J. E. McV. Calwell presiding, there .being also present. Messrs W. R. Nicol, C. J. Braggins, B. Heath, F. Wesney and. the headmaster (Mr E. G. Coddington). The Methodist Bible Class was granted the use of the school buildings for the Easter Camp, as approved by the Education Board on the same conditions as last year. The Wairarapa High School Old Boys’ Association -was refused the use of the school grounds for badminton. The headmaster reported that the present roll number was 591 and the percentage of attendance 94.6. ' At the quarterly meeting of the executive of the Sedglev Boys’ Homo Committee, the Rev. E.- J. Rich presided. The report of the master and matron stated that there were fourteen boys in the home, all of whom, were ■enjoving good health. The farm work for the period under revieAV, although hampered somewhat by the unseasonable weather, Avas. distinctly satisfactory. The financial statement for the month and for the eleven months of the financial year shoAved that the expenses wore slightly higher than those of last vear while the income Avas slightly lower but taking everything into consideration the position Avas deemed to be very satisfactory. Mr R. Kraliagen presided over a meeting of shareholders of the No. 2 Workers ’ Mutual Benefit Building Society last night, when the sum of £4OO was offered by ballot in the No. 2 Society and up to £BOO in the B Group. Mrs A. Eddy was nominated to draw the marbles. The successful shareholder in the No. 2 society Avas Mr J. A. Siernonelc, who, being the holder of two shares, was declared entitled to £4OO free of interest. The successful shareholders, in *the B Group Avere Mrs L. O ’Neil, Eketaliuna, J. E. Falvell, Palmerston North and Mrs Fulton, Tane, who each holding one share were declared entitled to £2OO each. At the close of the ballots the sum of £4OO was offered by tender in the No. 2 Society. Two tenders were accepted for £2OO each at £35 and £32/10/6. The annual meeting of the Apex Investment Trust Company of New Zealand, Ltd., was held last night, the chairman of directors, Mr W. J. Candy, presiding over a fair attendance of members. Several shareholders congratulated the directors on the substantial increase in profit disclosed and also on the increased dividends that wore being paid. It was decided to place a small premium on all unsold shares as from the date of the meeting. It was reported that the subscribed capital had been increased from £4OOO in September last to over. £9500. The securities held by the company had increased in value during the year by a further'£6oo over cost prices and in addition the sum of £4OO had been added to the reserve funds. The retiring director, Mr Janies Shearer, was reelected and Mr N. 11. James was reelected auditor.

A message of condolence from his Majesty King Edward VIII. has been received by the late Sir Francis Bell’s son, Mr Cheviot Bell. This Avas conveyed in the following telegram from his Excellency the Governor-General, Lord Galway:—“l have just received the following message from the Private Secretary to the King, Buckingham Palace: ‘Please convey to the relatives of Sir Francis Bell an expression of the King’s sincere sympathy.’— Gahvay, Governor-General.” Mr Bell also received the folloAving telegram from the Prime Minister, the Hon. M. J. Savage: —“I have been asked to transmit the folloAving cablegram, which has been received by the Gover-nor-General from the Secretary of State for Dominion. Affairs:—‘We have heard with great regret of the death of Sir Francis Bell, and desire to express to his Majesty’s Government in New Zealand our deep sympathy with the Dominion in the loss of one whose career Avas marked by such long and eminent service. Please convey also a message of sympathy to his famity-. ”

“Escape Me Never,’ starring Elizabeth Bergner, is to bo shown at the State Theatre to-day at 5 and 8 p.m.— and at three sesions to-morroAV —11 a.m., 2.15 and 8 p.m. At 10.20 a.m. to-day Mr A. Buchanan departed for Ngav Plymouth, \ 7 ia Hawera, in machine ZK-ABE. He Avill take part in the air pageant which Avill be held at Neri Plymouth to-morroAV. At 1 o ’clock to-day the Fire Brigade received a call from the street call box at the corner of Queen and Russell Streets. The Brigade turned out but there Avas no sign of a fire to be seen. Miss P. Hartland, of Waipukurau, on Tuesday, while driving some coavs near the Tavistock stables, Avas throAvn off her horse, dragged some distance, and kicked. She was removed to the Waipukurau Hospital Avith severe concussion. Miss Hartland is no novice Avith horses, and has gained many successes at various shows.

The Masterton Municipal Band Avill march through Queen Street, this evening and play music appropriate to the occasion. Weather permitting, the band will give an onen air concert in the Park on Sunday afternoon, starting at 3 o ’clock. The public are asked to note that the Sunday concert has been altered to the afternoon instead of evening.

At the Pahiatua S.M. Court yesterday R, P. ‘Mexted was charged Avith having operated an unlicensed goods service on the Wellington-Napier-Wairarapa highway. Inspector Milne prosecuted and saidI’that 1 ’that defendant had an area license, taking him only as far as Eketaliuna county. Defendant Avas 1 not a regular operator along) the Pahiatua County and the inspector, on this account, did not press for a heavy penalty. A fine of £2 with 10s costs Avas imposed. The legend that a death in the house folloAvs the sound of a death watch beetle in the wall Avas corroborated by Mr R. Natusch in an address to Napier Rotarians. Mr Natusch said that this story was quite correct, but not in the way that most people accepted it. When the peculiar knocking of this beetle is heard, it is usually answered by a mate. The death folloAvs shortly after the mating, but it is the death of the male beetle. Having no further use for him, the female disposes of him shortly after the mating. Much interest was roused among the residents of Stewart Island by the recent visit in 11.M.5. Dunedin of Mr T. Lindsay Buick, of Wellington, who planned, with the aid of members of the ship’s company, to conduct a search for a copy of the proclamation declaring British sovereignty and believed to have been buried at Port Pegasus. Mr Buick returned to Wellington this week. He stated last night that the bad weather encountered at Port Pegasus had made an adequate search impossible, with the result that the attempt had been temporarily abandoned.

One of the first Bills to be introduced by the Government Avill be the Reserve Bank Amendment Bill. The Minister of Finance, the Hon. W. Nash,, stated last night that it would be a comparatively simple measure. It would merely give effect to the Labour Party’s election jplc-dge that the bank should be taken over entirely by the State. It is learned’on good authority that so far the Government has not even discussed the sale of the Reserve Bank’s remaining stock of gold. The St. Andrew’s Society has elected the following officers for the ensuing year:—Patron, Mr Hugh Morrison; chief, Mr 11. Mackenzie Douglas; chieftains, Mrs R. Miller, Mr P. McLaren; lion, treasurer, Mr G. Malmo; councillors, Miss McCracken, Messrs J. Allan, W. Ireland, R. Cruiekshank, J. McDonald, M. C. Walker, R. Miller, one vacancy to be filled; hon. auditor, Mr R. Milne. Mr Mackenzie Douglas was accorded a hearty vote of thanks by acclamation for his donation of a challenge cup to the Wairarapa Kennel Club, to bo knoAvn as the St. Andrew’s Society Cup. The Wellington Education Board lias made the following appointments: — Ilastwell School, newly opened, has been given Mr A. E. Nicholson (Auckland) as headmaster. Mr W. T. Armstrong (Taranaki) has been appointed headmaster of Masterton West School. Appointments to sole-charge schools are: Mr A. G. Featonby, to Puketoi; Miss R. J. Brooker, to Tuturumuri; Mr L. G. T. Adams, to Awatoitoi; Miss D. E. Smith, to Kaituna; Miss J. Stenberg, to C ai- rington. > Assistant teachers: Miss A. K. M. Booth (Wellington) to Seatoun; Mr G. L. Tliorby (Otago) to Masterton Central.' ' v s