NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 277, 19 August 1944, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF

New Coalfields

Two new coalfields are reported to have been discovered in the Buller Gorge. One field in the Mackley country has easy access to the Buller Gorge railway and contains an inestimable quantity of coal, while the other, at the back of Heaphys. on the opposite side of the gorge, is only 20 miles from Westport by road and eight miles from the luangahua Junction railway.,■

Infectious Diseases. The sanitary inspector, Mr. D. G. Joll, reported to the’Hutt County Council yesterday that during July 16 cases of scarlet fever had been notified, most of them being in the Hutt Valley. Post-war Khandallah.

The enlargement and modernization of the Khandallah public hall, a new post office, the opening of a branch of a trading bank and a station at Boxhill were reported at a recent meeting of the Khandallah Progressive Association to be among the post-war objectives.

Fires in July. The Wellington Fire Brigade received 103 alarms of fire during July. Of that total, 57 were to actual fires and 56 were false alarms. Of the actual fires, 22 were property, 18 were gorse, grass, or rubbish, and 17 were chimneys. Of the false alarms, 27 were justifiable and 19 were malicious.

Oposums in Khandallah. Opossums have been causing considerable damage to gardens in Khandallah and the local Progressive xVssociatiou has been given authority by the Internal Affairs Department to take oposums by any means not. involving unnecessary cruelty, on obtaining a permit from the Wellington Acclimatization Society, free of charge to bona fide applicants.

Harbour Board’s Fire-Fighting Gear. A report was furnished to the Wellington Fire Board yesterday by the superintendent. Mr. C. 1 A. Woolley, on hisi annual inspection of the Wellington Harbour Board’s fire-fighting appliances. The report was to the effect that everything, having been closely inspected, was found to he in good working order, and a credit to the officer in charge.

Window Map-Displays. Till recently the shops of Wellington rarely displayed in their windows maps showing tlie various theatres of war. But since the invasion the number of these maps on display has greatly increased. The design in them has vastly improved, and the positions of the fighting groups are meticulously plotted. The result is that now in almost every street an accurate record of the fighting can be seen. Novox Resuscitator.

Mr. K. Cameron, who represents the Petonc Borough Council on the Free Ambulance Board, has presented that organization with a Novox resuscitator, a piece of eauipment used in the application of C 02 gas to a patient in need of resuscitation. Sir Charles Norwood, president of the Wellington Free Ambulance. expressed tlie hearty thanks of the board for the gift of this plant, which he said was likely to be helpful in the service.

Money in Flowers. Narcissi has been bringing big prices at the Wellington flower market this week. Yesterday half-a-dozen bunches of extra large “fried egg” daffodils of extreme beauty realized 27/6, a price which worked out at about Bd. or od. a bloom. Large ordinary “King Alfreds” (all yellaw) were sold a little later at 19/- for half-a-dozen bunches. Prices paid for daphne, freesias. violets and poppies ranged to the ceiling. People must have flowers for the weekend —a fact known to every retail flower vendor in the city.

Stokes Valley Domain. The Hutt County Council yesterday made n grant of £5O for this year, and promised a similar sum next year, toward the cost of erecting a pavilion in the Stokes Valley Domain. Mr. G. Neale, president of the Stokes Valley Ratepayers’ Association, said the association had £l2l in hand, and would provide the labour to erect a pavilion in keeping with the surroundings of the domain. There was room for 8000 or 9000 people in Stokes Valley, and the pavilion would be a paying, proposition, as it would be used as dressing-rooms by swimmers, bowlers, cricketers, and footballers.

Uniform Holidays. Difficulties in the way of providing uniform holidays at the end of the year were mentioned, by the president of the M ellincton Chamber of Commerce, Mr. 1. Wilson, at this week’s meeting. The Hutt chamber wrote that at a, recent meeting of Hutt Valley industries and supply authorities, representing some 6000 employees, it was decided to recommend 1 to all factories and businesses within their area to arrange, where possible, their holiday periods-so that they would repoen on January 9. Mr. Milson said that it would not be possible to arrange all holidays on that basis. “M here you are dealing with essential goods, you cannot simply shut down like a production unit,” he added.