LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 31, 16 November 1943, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

As there are now two air mail services daily between Christchurch and Wellington, the times at which air mails within New Zealand close at the Ashburton Post Office are altered.

Many applications for adjustment of rentals under the Pair Rents Act by tenants occupying dwellings, and fiats in Ashburton are being invests gated by the Inspector of Factories (Mr C. J. Brooks). Persons who Jiave received notices to quit because the houses they occupy have been sold or for other reasons have asked Mr Brooks to act for them.

A question exercising the minds of many farmers in the district is whether they can get an extra allowance of butter for lunches and morning and afternoon tea for shearers. This question was answered by a rationing official at the Ashburton Post Office to-day, who said that no group or class of workers could receive any extra allowance.

“There are 10,000 sufferers from tuberculosis in New Zealand to-day,” said- Dr. TurbQtt, of the Health Department in an address to the Young People’s Club in Wellington. A large proportion pf these cases were Maoris who were 10 times as susceptible to the disease as whites. Dr. Turbott stressed the importance of milk as part of our food and said that 30 per cent, of New Zealand soldiers to-day had artificial teeth because they had not been fed sufficient milk as children.

Since the publicity campaign for land girls commenced results had been good, it was stated in New Plymouth last week by the Taranaki district manpower officer (Mr F. H. Muirhead). So far 18 girls have enrolled in Taranaki and other applications are being inquired into pending enrolment, reports the “Taranaki Herald.” “The results are very pleasing indeed and show a growing awareness on the part of girls to take a bigger interest in production, which is of extreme importance at the present time,” said Mr Muirhead. "It is also interesting to note that whereas there was a preference for entry into the Armed Forces some time ago, there is now a tendency for this preference to swing toward essential civilian work in primary production, food processing, and many other jobs of national importance.”

Farmers present at a meeting of the Marlborough Sheepowners’ Federation testified to the manner in which deer, pigs, and goats have increased in numbers during the past three, years, due to the absence of many shooters in the Armed Forces, slates a Blenheim correspondent. It was decided to draw the matter to the notice of the Internal Affairs Department, and to ask for an organised drive against them in April of next year. Mr G. L. Rogers prophesied that in a few years there would be no forest at all left in the Sounds area. “They are absolutely ruining it —there is no young growth coming on, and once the old growth is gone there will be nothing left,” he remarked. It was pointed out that there was not much use in individual owners attempting to clear their stations of the animals, which simply moved on to someone else’s property. On the other hand, the culling expeditions organised by the Department made a clean sweep.

Work at the Ashburton Reclamation Depot has slowed down considerably and the output will continue at a lowered scale until a wool press is obtained. In addition to the lessened output, the lack of a press involves the use of twice as many bales for the paper that is dispatched.

Country residents of the Ashburton district aver that never before have they experienced so much trouble with birds in their vegetable gardens. The partiality of sparrows for youngpeas and lettuces is well-known, but this season they have been seen sitting on fully-grown lettuces and even cabbages, pecking industriously at the hearts of the plants.

With the commencement of seasonal work the Ashburton Tyre and Tube Rationing Committee finds the demand for tyres and tubes increasing. There is only a limited number of this month’s quota left. From December the committee will receive supplies of tyres and tubes tured in Christchurch. There will probably be some delay in obtaining certain sizes. Applications granted last evening were for 107 tyres and 66 tubes.

The difficulty of obtaining domestic assistance of any description in Ashburton is reflected in the dearth of permanent accommodation. At least one large establishment has been forced on account of shortage of staff to turn away many people seeking permanent board. In spite of repeated advertisements for a cook, a waitress and a general maid in centres as far afield as Dunedin, the position remains the same and the proprietor, rather than give an incomplete service, can offer casual boarders no more than bed and breakfast, ft is with difficulty that he maintains a reasonable service for boarders who have been with him for years.

A public meeting was held last night to discuss problems raised by the restoration of licences in Invercargill. Two motions were carried, one asking the Government to set up a commission to inquire into the existing and proposed accommodation in Invercargill, arid report to the Government on the desirability of extending the powers of the licensing committee for Invercargill, and the other asking the Government to amend the licensing laws to allow Invercai’gill to have hotels owned by the municipality. The first motion was carried practically unanimously, and the motion asking for hotels to be controlled by the city council was carried on the voices. Some speakers expressed the opinion that the matter was one for the ratepayers to decide, and that a poll should be taken on the question.-^P.A.