General News

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24417, 17 November 1944, Page 4

General News

Current Ration Coupons One of the current meat ration coupons, No. 2, will expire to-morrow. Coupon No. 3 is available until November 25, and a new set of coupons, No, 4, will be available from November 20 to December 2. Tea coupons 1 to 4, for a total ration of Boz, and sugar coupons 1 to 4, for a total of 31b, are available until November 25. Butter coupons 3 and 4, for a total ration of lib, are available until November 25. Street Lights Out Street lights west of Colombo street to the river Avon and from Cashel street to Salisbury street were out for; several hours last evening because of a fault in one of the lighting circuits. Wiremen from the Municipal Electricity Department patrolled the area for several hours, but were hampered in detecting the fault by the darkness. New Area to be Included in City Advice has been received by the Christchurch City Council from the Department of Internal Affairs that no objections have been received to the advertised proposal to exclude an area on Mount Pleasant road from Heathcote County, and to include it in the city of Christchurch. The department states, that it is intended to recommend that the area be included in the city, and suggests that the two local bodies confer regarding a suitable date for the transfer,. Weekly Paper For South Island A remit urging the conference to seek the co-operation of the New Zealand Newspaper Proprietors’ ; Association in getting an illustrated weekly newspaper published in ,the South Island was strongly'supported at the conference of South Island local bodies which concluded at Timaru yesterday. Record Test By Cow What is considered to be a record test by a cow has been registered by Mr Bruce Gaskill’s Jersey cow Mary, Under official test by Mr E. P. Carter, Government dairy ihstruclor at Opotiki, the cow, which is 16 years old, under ordinary herd test, gave 381b of milk with the astonishing test of 14 per cent. To confirm this outstanding figure another t?st was taken, this time 13.2 per cent, of butter-fat being recorded for the same quantity of milk. A further official test was then taken by Mr Carter. On this day Mr Gaskill’s cow produced 481b of milk, with a test of 12.2 per cent., giving the great production for the month of 175.681b of butter-fat.—(P.A.) Lime Works, at Greymouth Proposed A proposal is afoot to establish a lime works in the Greymouth district, utilising the Greymouth Harbour Board’s Cobden quarry and certain plant if the board is agreeable. A special meeting of the board will be held this evening to discuss the project. Present plans envisage treating 30,000 acres of pakihi land in the Buller district with several tons of lime to the acre, .the land ultimately to be made available for the settlement of returned soldiers. Cheque Presented

A cheque for £329 10s for the benefit of the new Returned , Services’ Bowling Club in Hagley Park was presented by the Canterbury Manufacturers’ Association through Mr S. H. Maddren to Mr C. H. Spearman (president of the club) at the association's annual meeting last evening. It was stated that £2750 had been raised to date towards the club, the aim of the club being to obtain a total of £4OOO.

Ships Delayed at Greymouth Coastal shipping continued to be held up at Greymouth yesterday because of the adverse weather. The ■Kaimiro and Gabriella. with coal for Auckland and Wellington respectively, were still bar bound yesterday, while the Karepo, whose loading was interfered with the previous day by rain,* was completing her coal cargo for Wellington as the leather permitted. After lying in the roadstead throughout the night, the Titoki berthed this morning, and is expected to sail early with coal for Dargaville. It had been intended to take soundings at Greymouth yesterday, but a considerable swell on the bar, coupled with a fourknot run in the river, prevented this from being done. Driving Licence Tests Exception was taken by the Waimairi County Council at its meeting last evening’ to a letter, written by Leonard G. Checkley, which appeared in “The Press” on November, 11. The letter. criticised conditions under which driving licences were issued in the Waimari County, and objected to a driving test being completed with “a run on to the Styx bridge,” instead of on to a hill. Councillors pointed out that .not all counties contain hills within their boundaries, and. with the. shortage of petrol, the county did not insist on applicants being taken to Cashmere Hills. “Anyway, the Styx bridge is known as Mount Semple,” said Cr. Kitson, who added that licences were not issued indiscriminately within the county.

Rabbitskip Subsidy

Payment of the subsidy on rabbitskins ceased yesterday. The chairman of the Rabbitskins Committee, Mr ,R. C. Burgess, said it would not be possible to make further payments this year, as no funds were available for the purpose.- Last year the money available enabled the committee to subsidise payment for skins in the autumn, but lack of funds would prevent the committee from doing so this year. Mr Burgess added that the future operations of the committee and the policy to be pursued in rabbit destruction were being discussed with the Government. A leVy of 20 per cent, on returns from winter skins was imposed this year from May 31 to August 22, and from this levy a fund was created from which a subsidy was paid on summer skins. The subsidy came into force on August 23. The subsidy amounted to 6s per lb on milky does, which was equivalent to approximately Is a skin and 4d per lb for smalls. —(P.A.) Midland Line Cleared Services on the Midland Line were more or. less back to normal yesterday, and the washed-out area near Cora Lynn had sufficiently consolidated to permit normal through traffic. Trains, however, negotiated the area at reduced speeds. The perishable goods train from Christchurch yesterday morning had a full load of 250 tons for the West Coast, bringing meat, vegetables and other much-needed supplies, and it was followed by another heavy train. Coal and timber from the West Coast started to move on Wednesday evening, and yesterday KB engines, with a haulage capacity of 600 tons, were hauling trains from Arthur’s Pass to Christchurch to clear the yards of accumulated waggons. Ample supplies of empty waggons arrived at Greymouth yesterday morning The express arrived at Greymoiith on time last evening. All highways are open, but heavy ram feu at Otira on Wednesday, blocking the road temporarily with water, about three feet deep, for a distance of about 100 yards. Thirty points of rain fell in the 24 hours ended at 9 o clock yesterday morning at Greymouth.

Plans for New Lake When the Karapiro hydro works main dam is completed in about two years it will create a on the Waikato river about 14 miles long and half a mile wide. Already the immense .possibilities of the lake as a national park have been recognised. On Wednesday an inspection was made by a party which included the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry). A short conference followed, 'and it was unanimously decided to urge the Government to take steps to acquire a strip of .land on both shores of the future lake to be used for the enjoyment of the people for all time, The meeting also urged, the Government to take • immediate steps to preserve for all time the avenue of Tepapa bush on the Rotorua highway. The Minister was greatly impressed with the possibilities of the lake and its foreshore as a future national playground and bird sanctuary.—(P.A.) Wallsend Mine Idle Because of trouble with the slipring in the fan, which consequently stopped about 3 o’clock yesterday morning, the Wallsend mine was jdle yesterday. Repairs were made, and the mine will resume to-day.