General News

♦ Black Marketing of Eggs “The Internal Marketing Department has some prosecutions pending now,” said Mr T.'S. Dove, producers’ representative on the New Zealand Poultry Board, when a member of the Canterbury Westland Registered Poultry Keepers’ Association asked at the annual meeting last evening if any action was being taken to deal with black marketing of eggs in Christchurch. “The department says it has a glaring case or two, and is going to take the matter up," added Mr Dove. Admission to Banquet

“Is this civic banquet to men on furlough a general affair or only for men in the metropolitan area,” Mr S. B. Kershaw asked the Riccarton Borough Council last 'evening. He was told that all men with overseas service who happened to be in the district were invited. “Well, a Riccarton man was refused a ticket to-day and told it was only for city men,” said Mr Kershaw, who named a member of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. from Riccarton. “Another dig to bring us into the city,” said Mr T. M. Ford. The council did not take action but agreed to hold a function for Riccarton men later. A Good Record

There are 82 men at present studying for the ministry of the Presbyterian Church, said Dr. S. F. Hunter, principal of the New Zealand Presbyterian Theological College, in his address to a meeting of ministers and laymen in Christchurch yesterday. Of this number 22 are in the Theological College, 30 in different university colleges, and 30 on active service. Four students have been killed on active service, and three are prisoners of war. Children on Pedestrian Crossings When the Riccarton Borough Council was considering laying down more pedestrian crossings on some busy thoroughfares where children had to cross the road, the Town Clerk (Mr R. Serjeant) commented that there was one disadvantage so far as children were concerned. The tendency was that once told it was safe to cross where there were white lines, children would defy oncoming traffic and be run down. Tunnel Road Proposal Approval of the construction of a tunnel road between Christchurch and Lyttelton, the cost to be borne by the Government from rehabilitation funds, was given by the Riccarton Borough Council last evening. Minister of Finance as Author The Minister of Finance (the Hon. W. Nash) is reported to be completing a book about New Zealand at war and her probable place in the post-war world. This information is given in notes on books and authors in a recent issue of the “New York Times.” A New York publishing firm is expected to bring out the book before the end of the United States summer. Electrical Storm at Grcymouth Electrical disturbances, accompanied by heavy showers, were experienced in Greymouth yesterday. A strong wind on Sunday night caused slight damage to service lines and houses, the most serious damage being that done to the home of Mr G. Walters (Shakespeare street), where part of the roof was blown off about 2 a.m. The temperature showed a marked rise yesterday morning, being 52 degrees at 9 a.m., compared with 33 degrees at the same time on Saturday, Power Failure Regretted

“The committee believes that the occasion calls for a public expression of regret for the dislocation and inconvenience unavoidably caused, and of the council’s thanks for the helpful co-operation received,” stated the electricity committee of the Christchurch City Council in a report to the council last evening on the interruption of power caused by the recent snowstorm. “Every' endeavour was made to give first consideration to essential services such as water and sewerage pumping, hospitals, bread-bak-ing, perishable goods activites, and other essentials. There were inevitably some complaints and criticisms, and much hardship, but on the whole the co-operation received from the general public was most gratifying.” Confusion in Street Names A petition by 50 residents of Fisher street, Beckenham, asking for the changing of the name of the street to Fisher avenue, was agreed to by the Christchurch City Council last evening on the recommendation of the by-laws and finance committee. The reason given by the petitioners was that the postal authorities frequently confused Fisher street, Beckenham, with Fisher street, New Brighton. Payment to Waterside Workers

That a sum of £45 had been paid out of the War Expenses Account for work in unloading a coastal vessel, was mentioned by Mr W. A. Bodkin, M.P., in ah address at Kaikoura, when dealing with subsidies to waterside workers. The speaker said that recently a coastal vessel had been due to arrive at a port on a Sunday. A certain number of waterside workers had been told to attend on the wharf. They did so, but rough weather came on and the ship did not make port, so they were told to stand-by and attend the next day, Monday. Instead of the normal rate for Monday, which was £9 5s 4d, the waterside workers were paid £45 for doing nothing, out of the War Expenses Account, said Mr Bodkin. Men On Furlough Men of the 2nd N.Z.E.F. on furlough from the Middle East have been invited to make full use of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association’s club-rooms during their stay in Christchurch. This was announced by the president (Mr C. Miln) at a meeting of the executive committee last evening when a circular was received from Dominion headquarters suggesting that the privilege of honorary membership should be extended to the men for the period Of their furlough. Telegraph Interruption

Telegraph communication between the West Coast and Canterbury was lost at 12.15 p.m. yesterday, as a result of line trouble near Jacksons. Heavy lightning and rain had been experienced earlier near Otira, and it was thought that a fuse had blown at the Jacksons office. All traffic was routed via Blenheim and Wellington until the damage was repaired. Steam Train Replaces Rail-Car

Because of a leak developing in the oil fuel tank of the Christchurch railcar on its return to Greymouth after its first trip to Hokitika yesterday morning, the car was withdrawn from use. A steam service was substituted to Ross, and A steam service returned from Hokitika at 5.13 p.m. Passengers to Christchurch at 5.42 p.m. left Greymouth by steam service to Stillwater, where they were transferred to rail-car.

Growth of Power Load Information that a Christchurch rubber factory exoects to install, between November and February, three electric motors of 150, 100, and 500 horse-power respectively, and that in the next two or three years it expects to require a further 500 horse-power has been received by the Municipal Electricity Department. “This is a significant intimation of growth of load. It has an interesting bearing on the power situation at the present time,” commented the electricity committee in a report to the Christchurch City Council last evening. The report also referred to recent Government measures to control lead by limiting the sale of radiators and enforcing meter rates and thermostatic control for water heating. Gtira Tunnel Freight Mainly because of the diversion of a large quantity of timber traffic to the railways, tonnage through the Otira tunnel from the West Coast last week showed a substantial rise. The total was 18,795 tons, against 14,843 tons in the corresponding week of 1942 and 15,301 tons in 1941. Assistance From R.S.A.

Seventy-six applications for assistance were received by the general assistance committee of the Christchurch Returned Services’ Association in the two weeks to July 24. A report made at a meeting of the executive committee last evening stated that 45 applications for groceries and 31 for coal had been granted.