General News

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24150, 8 January 1944, Page 4

General News

Current Ration Coupons Tea ration coupons 9 to 12 for 2oz of tea each are available now and until January 23. The special Y3 coupons in all ration books for the extra allowance of Boz of tea are available during January. Sugar ration coupons 9 to 12 for 12oz of sugar each are available now and until January 23. The special Y4 coupon for 31b of jam sugar is available at any time during January. Butter coupons 9 and 10 for Boz of butter each should be used today, as they are available only to January 9. Butter coupons 11 and 12 are availa.-le for Boz of butter each from January 10 to January 23. The XlOl stocking coupon is available to January 31. Record Consumption of Water The consumption of water in Christchurch last month reached the record figure of 214,407,500 gallons, 20,000 gallons more than the previous highest consumption figure. This information was given yesterday by the actingTown Clerk (Mr C. S. Bowie), who said it was due to the foresight of the present City Council and past councils that Christchurch was in the enviable position of being able to maintain this large supply of water without any restrictions whatever. Removing Air Raid Shelters A start has been made with removing the air-raid shelters built in North Hagley Park by the Canterbury Education Board and other educational authorities for the accommodation of pupils and students in an emergency. The timber walls and supports have been lifted, and the pits will be filled in. Water Shortage at Reefton Reservoirs at Reefton have been shut off from the mains for seven hours every night for some time now, to conserve the dwindling supplies of water. As the intakes are delivering smaller supplies, the council has been forced to make use of the standby electric pumping plant, to keep the water at a safe level for supply, and for some days recourse has been made to pumping direct into the town mains. Should the intake of water become less, the council will be forced to restrict the hours in which water may be drawn off from the reservoirs. In the meantime, a request has been made to citizens to cease using hoses for watering gardens. Egg Ration to be Reduced From next Monday, the supplies of eggs to retailers in Christchurch would be reduced from 50 per cent, of requirements to 33 1-3 per cent., said the chairman of directors of the Central Egg Floor (Mr C. Ferguson) yesterday. The ration for civilian requirements would be further reduced as the season progresses and eggs get loss plentiful. Mr Ferguson added that, after preference deliveries of eggs had been made in Christchurch to hospitals, essential services, etc., 50 per cent, of the eggs received from Canterbury producers were shipped to Wellington. This did not leaye a very great number of eggs for ordinary civilian consumption, and it was only right that as fair a distribution as possible of them should be made. Coal from West Coast As the Greymouth bar is not workable by the usual vessels, arrangements have been made for the railage of coal from the Grey district when the mines are in full production. The Rata, which arrived last evening, will load 850 tons of coal for Nelson and Tarakohe. Two hundred tons are scheduled to be sent to the east coast to-day, and more than 3600 tons to Westport. Of the coal for Westport 1200 tons will be shipped by Tuesday, 700 tons on Wednesday. 560 tons on Thursday, 600 tons on Friday, and 600 tons again on Saturday. Fruit Marketing Scheme At meetings of apple and pear growers at Ettrick and Alexandra this week it was unanimously decided to reject the Government’s proposals for marketing the 1944 season’s crop, and to refrain from nominating members for the proposed Advisory Council. A further resolution was adopted as follows: “That the Fruitgrowers’ Federation endeavour to secure an agreement with the Government to purchase the apple and pear crop at last season’s schedule prices, including minimum grade, and that the difference between last year’s loss of £90,000 and the annual average loss of £169,000 be used to increase the Dominion average up to 6s lid a case, the cost of production, including the latest increase in wages.’’-*-(P.A.) Bush Fires Near Reefton

Fires which were lit some days ago on the lower levels of the hills near Reefton have swept up the hillsides and in many cases have reached the tops. They are still burning, and yesterday morning the town was covered with a pall of smoke. The hills on both sides of the Inangahua valley leading to Blackspoint have been fired, and are now a trail of blackened bush. The Inangahua County Council has issued a warning that persons lighting fires near any bush will be prosecuted. West Coast Harbours The low water depth on the Greymouth bar remains at six feet. With the tides on the make, soundings taken at high water yesterday showed a depth of 14 feet four inches, an improvement on the depth of 14 feet 1 inch recorded on the previous day. The Marine Department’s suction dredge, Rubi Seddon, commenced operations on the Westport bar yesterday. The dredge had been idle during the Christmas and New Year holiday period. The department’s second dredge, the Eileen Ward, will recommence operations on Monday. A satisfactory depth of water has been maintained during the period of the dredges’ idleness, both at the Westport berthage area and on the bar. “Rest” Pay for Watersiders Waterside workers at Westport on Thursday received 40 hours “rest” pay to compensate them for the loss of time during the holidays. West Coast Holiday Makers According to the Government Tourist Bureau at Greymouth, residents of the West Coast have probably travelled in greater numbers during the holiday period this year than ever before. In most cases, journeys were made to the North Island, and most of the people went to Auckland. Many visitors to the West Coast from the North Island, who did not secure return tickets back to their homes, have been unable to leave as originally planned. The northbound air service from Greymouth is fully booked out until January 18, and the Nelson-Wellington ferry service until January 15, Yesterday, there was no slackening in passenger traffic on the Midland railway line. Six cars were added to the express at Greymouth, bringing the total number of carriages to 11. The train from Christchurch also carried a full load of passengers.