General News

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24742, 6 December 1945, Page 4

General News

Police Pay and Conditions

"Critical Period" for Farmers "The farming community has come to a critical period of its destiny," says Mr K. W. J. Hall, president of the North Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, in a foreword to the North Canterbury Farmers' Union Year Book for 1945. "During the war we have cheerfully submitted to controls and restrictions of all sorts because we were told that they were necessary for winning the war. But now the war is over'we must decide whether we want to go back to unrestricted trading, with its booms and slumps, or whether we want the present restrictions maintained, or whether we would prefer some other course, such as co-operation or pro-ducer-control of the sale of our farm products." Christmas Mails from Britain

Christmas mails from England will not reach New Zealand until after Christmas, according to a statement made yesterday by the Acting-Post-master-General (the Hon. F. Jones). He said these mails, posted in England during the latter part of October and early November, had been delayed, and unfortunately would not now arrive until early in the New Year. They were first shipped to Ivew Zealand on the Orion, but that ship had to return to port with engine trouble. The delayed mails* had since been reshipped on the Athlone Castle. Flame Throwers to Clear Weeds In an address to the North Canterbury Primary Production Council yesterday on the work of the committee set up to deal with the problem of noxious weeds, Mr R. McGillivray, a member of the committee, said that on a visit to Australia last year he had seen, demonstrations of flame throwers by American Army authorities. One type threw a flame a distance of 180 feet, or 200 feet with a favourable wind. A .small tank type threw the flame 150 yards. The results achieved were really astounding. Heavy fuel was required for the throwers, he said. Petrol caused a terrific flame, but it would not carry. Blackberry in Riccarton Bush

Blackberry is the worst weed in the Riccarton Bush, and control of this pest and other self-introduced weeds still presents a major problem." This comment was made by Mr W. B. Brockie, representative of the Canterbury branch of the Royal Society of New Zealand on the board of trustees of Riccarton Bush, in a report to the annual meeting of the branch last evening. Mr Brockie said a severe frost had killed all the remaining titaki planted about 20 years ago, and many of the mahoe were so badly frosted that it was doubtful whether they would recover. As the mahoe in some places constituted a considerable portion of the undergrowth, increased light would be admitted to the floor of the bush, and this would tend to increase the spread of weed growth. "Inadequate finance prevents the employment of sufficient labour to restore the bush effectively to a condition in keeping with its original native state," added Mr Brockie.

A resolution strongly supporting the end.eavours of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Police Association to obtain improvements in conditions of employment in the police service was unanimously sdopted at a meeting of approximately 70 members of the Dunedin branch of the association, representative of all branches of the service. Improvements suggested at the meeting were the immediate introduction of a 40-hour working week, payment at double time rates for work performed on statutory holidays, and payment at time and a half rates for overtime worked. Members considered that the Government should also grant extra payment for those personnel who performed night duty. A recent statement of the Prime Minister (the Rt. Hon. P. Eraser) that the majority of resignations from the service were being received from temporary employees was denied, members claiming that the figures which had already appeared in the press disclosed the true position.—(M.) Orari River Overflows

Freshes occurred in 'all rivers in the Geraldine County yesterday as a result of three inches of rain in less than 15 hours. The Orari river overflowed at its junction with Sweetwater creek at the Upper Orari bridge, and a stream about two feet in depth flowed through the Orari Bridge schoolhouse grounds and through the property of Mr C. McDonald. A bulldozer, which had arrived the previous day to undertake protection work, will be . unable to start until the ground is less boggy. An inspection of the danger spot was made yesterday by Mr G. R. Milward (South Canterbury Catchment Board engineer), accompanied by Mr E. L. Robinson (assistant-engineer) and Mr J. R. Hawcridge (Geraldine River Eoard engineer). A subsidy of £9 for £1 has been approved for a major £150,000 protective works scheme for the Orari river, and surveys are being made. Eight, to 10 inches of snow is reported from Tekapo, and there is snow on all the high ranges. Milk Levies

A vote of £15,000 to reimburse milk vendors for amounts paid to local authorities in milk levies is provided in the Supplementary Estimates. A footnote explains that as the price of milk is stabilised, and vendors' margins fixed- by the Minister of Marketing, it is necessary for the amount of the levies to be met by subsidy.— (F.0.P.R.) West Coast Harbours

An amount of £7500 is provided in the Supplementary Estimates for the cost of obtaining a report on West Coast harbours. The report is to be made after an inspection by two eminent English engineers. A small item of £54 is included to' meet the cost of sounding at Point Elizabeth, where it has been suggested there should be a harbour. Sums of £22,907 for the maintenance of Greymouth harbour equipment and £25,590" towards the cost of repairs to the Greymouth Harbour Board dredge are also in the Marine Department section.— (F.OJ.R.)

Wheat Season Reviewed Instead of the formal annual report by the Wheat Research Institute, a comprehensive review of the wheat industry in New Zealand last season is being attractively printed and illustrated and will be ready for distribution later this month. Dr. O. H. Frankel referred to the review at a meeting of the Wheat Research Committee yesterday, when he said it would contain reports on the weather, the areas and yields of crops, the quality of the season's wheat, wheat prices, and marketing, and details of imports and the wheat crop insurance scheme. Dr. Frankel praised the assistance the committee b,ad received from the Economic Information Service in preparing the report, and mentioned particularly the work of Mr H. I. Forde, a former editor of the "Journal of Agriculture." . Vacancies for Bushmen

There are 104 vacancies in the sawmilling industry on the West Coast, according to a statement made by the Manpower Officer (Mr G. G. M. Mitchell) at a sitting of the Christchurch Industrial Manpower Committee at Greymouth yesterday morning. He arMed that the majority of the vacancies were for bushmen. At present sawmillers would not take on adult men unless they were experienced and preferred to take on boys and them in the industry, he said.