General News

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23752, 25 September 1942, Page 4

General News

351 Regulations Since August, 1941 “Since August 31 last year the Government has issued no less than 351 major regulations by Order-in-Coun-cil,” states the annual report of the Dunedin Manufacturers' Association, a copy of which was received by the Canterbury Association yesterday. “Many of these," the report adds, "have been war emergency regulations such as the National Service Emergency Regulations. Industrial Absenteeism Emergency Regulations, Defence Works Labour Legislation Suspension Orders, and so on. Our association has endeavoured to keep pace with all the latest developments resulting from these regulations and their many restrictions, and wherever possible representations have been made to modify their effects upon industry.” Wool Levy The Gazette contains formal notification by the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. J, G. Barclay) that this season’s wool levy will be at the rate of 6d a bale, 3d a fadge, and Id each bag or sack, —(P.A.) Industrial Manpower Lest a wrong impression might have been gained from remarks published on Tuesday, originating with the Industrial Manpower Committee, Mr K. G. Archer, the chairman, made a statement yesterday. Remarks had been made, he said, which had specific application to the group of cases now being heard in connexion with workers in the Kaiapoi wollen mills, and they had no general application at all. It might have appeared that the committee's findings were general in their meaning, but this was not necessarily so.

Investigation Promised

A promise to investigate the case of two young men whose release from the Army had been sought was given by the Minister of Primary Production for War Purposes (the Hon. W. J. Poison) to Mr H. S. S. Kyle, M.P., last evening, during the Minister's meeting with Production Council representatives. Mr Kyle said that during the recent short session' of Parliament he had referred to these men. Mr Kyle said that he had found now that one, a fit A grade man, was an officer’s batman at Paraparaumu, and was not going overseas, and that the other was at Burnham. Both the young men were the mainstay of potato-growing in their district, and both would be better employed at that job and would relieve old people trying to carry on. Probably hundreds were in the same category. £IOOO Given to War Effort The Government has received an unconditional gift of £IOOO towards the war effort from Kibby’s Metal Pressing Works. New Plymouth. The Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser) announced last night that the sum represents the entire gross profits of the firm from the making and supplying of heel and toe plates for military footwear. “In making this gift.” said Mr Fraser, “the firm says it does not wish to profit from work undertaken for the armed services. The Government greatly appreciates this attitude, and regards this handsome contribution as further heartening evidence of the support being accorded the Government’s all-in war policy.”—(P.A.) Hours For Sale of Petrol Members of the Albury branch of the Farmers’ Union discussed, at their monthly meeting, the present hours for the sale of petrol. It was stated that most farmers had to leave important work during the week to collect their petrol. The following motion was carried: “That in the interests of production, country districts be relieved of the stress put on them by the present hours for the sale of petrol.” 14 Tons of Greenstone

Approximately 14 tons of greenstone stored in Kumara represent the accumulation of about 30 years’ spasmodic collecting by a Greymouth resident, who lived for many years in Kumara. The greater part of the stone has been collected by this man and his brother, but some of it has been bought in the hope of finding a remunerative market. Some of the blocks weigh up to 15cwt. One block, weighing more than three tons, was bought eight or 10 years ago for £205. This block has since been “shot” into smaller pieces. The difficulty in finding buyers at present is that the stone cannot now be cut in New Zealand and was cut only on a small scale when the operation was carried out in the Dominion The greater part of the cutting and polishing of the greenstone has been done in Germany. Production Committees and Tyres Whether members of primary production committees in areas where no other transport was available could obtain tyres for their cars to enable them to attend the meetings was a question put to the Minister of Primary Production for War Purposes (the Hon. W. J. Poison) at his meeting with production council representatives last evening. The question was asked by Mr H. C. B. Withell (Hinds) for the Methven committee. The request was that members of the production committees should be placed on the priority list for tyres. The Minister said that he would give his reply when he received the letter from the Methven committee. Conserving Paraffin Stocks A notice gazetted last night places restrictions on the packing of liquid paraffin. The Minister of Supply (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) said that the intention was to prohibit the retail sale of liquid paraffin in any container having a capacity greater than eight fluid ounces. Restrictions are also placed on the manufacture of any paraffin emulsion containing more than 25 per cent, by volume of liquid paraffin except emulsions prescribed by registered medical practitioners. These restrictions have been considered necessary in order that the existing low stocks of liquid paraffin may be conserved.—(P.A.) Conference of Local Bodies A conference of local bodies to discuss and formulate a co-ordinated programme of public works for the northern half of the South Island, as part of post-war reconstruction, is virtually assured. It was reported at a meeting of the Murchison County Council, sponsors of the idea, that all local bodies and kindred organisations in the Marlborough, West Coast, and Nelson areas had been circularised. Twentyone had replied favouring such a conference and expressing willingness to send delegates to it. State Mines Resume The Liverpool and Strongman State mines, which were idle on Wednesday, resumed work yesterday morning. Youths For Armed Services Several appeals for students of 18 years have been heard by the Armed Services Appeal Board recently. The board has no authority to grant adjournments for grade 1 students, but the. Army does not require youths of this age with any lower grading. “The Kerb-side Bookmaker” “I am not sure that the small bookmaker doesn’t do more damage than the big bookmaker,” remarked Mr E. C. Levvey, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday when Mr E. S. Bowie, counsel for a man charged with bookmaking, pleaded that the accused was in “only a small way.” Unfortunately, said Mr Levvey, the Court had more than enough experience of the aftermath of “kerb-side bookmaking,” which could be very pernicious in its effects. Torrential Rain at Greymouth Yesterda v morning, torrential rain fell at Greymouth for more than half an hour shortly after 9 o'clock. At that time the barometer reading was 979.6 millibars, having fallen by 13 millibars from 3 a.m.- It fell still lower after noon, jeing 978,7 at 1 p.m. The wind, too, was erratic, being easterly at 3 a.m., northerly later, veering to south-west during the squall at 9 o’clock, and returning later in the morning to west-north-west. Hokitika also experienced a heavy storm, strong showers and lightning lasting from 7 to 9 a.m. Tele-» graph services were back to normal on the West Coast yesterday. i