General News

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24503, 28 February 1945, Page 6

General News

North Island Limited Expresses The Minister Of Railways (the Hon. R, Semple) announced In Dunedin that because of the improved Coal position in the North' Island, limited egresses would run on Mondays and Fridays, commencing on Monday.—(P.A.) Dehydration of Potatoes The possibility of Using potatoes damaged by Irish blight for -dehydration was suggested by Mr J. t - R. D. Johns yesterday, when the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon. B. Roberts) with the North Canterbury Primary Production Council the Governments measures , for flood relief. Mr Johns said that the Irish blight Was more damage to potatoes than the Water, and he thought that in three months there would be no potatoes. Could not those potatoes be used for dehydration? The Minister replied that he had already been discussing the matter, but lie had been informed that the Arran Varieties were not tod good for dehydration. He had asked for a further investigation, however, as a good many of the drops Were of the Arran Chief or other Afran varieties. Outsize in Draglines With the operation Of putsiZed draglines and the implementation of river erosion and soil conservation legislation shelved on the outbreak of war. much of the menace-of river flooding could be obviated, Said the Minister of Works (the Hon. R. Semple) addressing a meeting of flood victims at Dunedin. The Minister stated that the Government had purchased in America two huge draglines Capable of shifting 200,000 / cubic yerds. a month, or 12 yairds a scoop, weighing 220 tons, dita having 600 horse-power, they would be the largest in the southern _ hemisphere, and would make the bulldozer look as small as the bulldozer made the wheelbarrow appear.—(P.A.) War Damage Fund The use of the War Damage Insurance Fund to help farmers Who had suffered losses in the floods was suggested by Mr J. T. Watts, M.P., at a meeting of the North Canterbury Primary Production Council yesterday, when the Minister of Agriculture (the Hon, B. Roberts) discussed relief measures with members, Mr Watts said that the floods were something in the nature of a national disaster, and the fund might be used to help farmers rather than that they Should have third,, fourth, or fifth mortgages on their properties The Minister 'replied that, as Mr Watts knew, it would be impossible to deal adequately With such a proposal sufficiently early. Legislative action would be required. The Government wanted to provide relief as soon as it po&ityy could. Local Body Administration Local body administration was a highly specialised profession, and the law governing it was far from simple, said the Electric Power Boards; and Supply Authorities’ Association to the parliamentary Committee on Local Government yesterday. It was suggested that administration Would be much more simple and consequently less prone to errdf, if the law were classified and consolidated SO as to include in one act all the machinery and finance that was, generally applicable to local bodies, and to include in Special acts only those provisions that, had particular application. The association also urged the desira-. bllity of making amendments to the acts themselves, instead of continuing the established practice. Whereby local body Jaw was .set out in so many apparently unrelated enactments. The association disagreed 1 with the recent amendment in law to permit employees holding a seat on .their employing authority. The position of any man who was, at once employee and employer, It said, was quite incongruous.—(P. A.) , ifopntilMg of Clothes “Generally, the r&tlonlng of clothing, footwear, and household bnen has Worked exceptionally WCll and with a, minimum of inconvenience to traders, stated the annual report of the New Zealand Retailers’ Federation* presented at the annual conference In Nelson yesterday, avoidance of ponderous and complicated systems in force in other countries Iscause for congratulation, and every effort should be made by members to give the Controlling authorities no reason lor such a change in policy. The advisory board of the federation • has continued to act in close co-operation With .the Rationing Controller, and .on the .occasion of his retirement wishes to record its appreciation of the re ®dy assistance extended at all timesXiy Mr J. E. Thomas ahd officers of his department.” Solitary Confinement A resolution expressing “abhorrence at the inhuman sentences of bread, ana water and of solitary confinement recently inflicted ,by New Zealand magistrates on political prisoners’’ ,was carried at a recent meeting of the New Zealand Rationalist Association in Christchurch. ■ Clothing Supplies "Our most immediate problem in rehabilitation is the outfitting of pur men when they are ready to discard their Uniforms, atld as all the CiVHlaft garments are made in New Zealand We should be able to do Something about it, bdt although we have been doing Our best, for more than 12 months, to secure better supplies, we cannot yet, see any worthwhile improvement/* said the president (Mr W. A. Armstrong) at the annual .conference of the New Zealand Retailers Federation in Nelson yesterday. “It iS quite evident that the National Garment Control Council has failed to bring about that increase in the production of essential garments for which Wfe have been pressing so long, and it will be necessary to take this matter up with the Factory Controller at onte, if we are to have any hope of supplying anything like the quantity of clothing that will be called for in the immediate post-war period.” National Savings A total of 217 towns attained their qUotas of natiohai savings last week, art increase of eight on the previous Week and the highest number recorded sihee early itt DeCeirtb6r. Sixteen of the principal centres Were successful ahd in 16 of the 18 postal districts the full district quota was reached. In the Oamaru, TimarU, find Westport districts all places obtained their individual quotas. In the Auckland district the, objective, Of recording the full year’s quota has now been attained, bringing the number of districts in which this accomplishment has been recorded Up to 12.—(PA.) WaimakftrM Inspection Comparatively little flood damage Was reported by members 6f the Waifrtakariri River Trust, who Yesterday inspected the Paparoa, West Melton. GOutts Island, Eyre diversion, Gust main drain, Flaxton, and K&iapoi districts. The big groyne and the new btokS at the east end of Kaiapoi boroUgh were undamaged, and One bridge Was washed away and one damaged at Cust main drain. Repair Work had been completed at the Eyre diversion. , Invercargill Trust Hotels . The Invercargill Licensing Trust has completed the purchase of the Grand Hotel and will take ■ possession on March 1. This makes it unnecessary to invoke the powers of the Public Works Act, the two parties haying come to an agreement. The purchase price Was hot disclosed. The trust bought the hotel arid contents on the “walk in. Walk out’* principle. The trust will also take over the Milford Hotel Oh March 1, and to obviate confusion With the name .of Hie Government hotel at Milford, the hotel at the corner of Tay ahd Kelvin streets Will revert to its former name. Hotel Cecil.—(P.A.) Youth* Attacked By Bull When he was, attacked, by a bull he Was leading out Of a paddOCk at Nikau, Oh the West Coast, a youth named Laurie had ft fortunate escape from SftribUS injury. Mr M, Goulding, hearing ft noise, came out or bis cowshed and saw the boy being pinned against the fence by the bull. ■ He managed to distract the aniiriai’a attention from the youth and endeavoured to secure the Chain, attached to the bull, to a post. The animal then, charged him and drove him through the fence. Mr Goulding retained bis hold * on -the Chain; and although dazed, secured it to iTpogt. The hull baa been destroyed.