Untitled

Evening Star, Issue 26067, 3 April 1947, Page 6

There will be no publication of the ‘ Star ' to-morrow—Good Friday. A denial that the establishment of three tyre factories in New Zealand was adversely affecting the prospects of the Dominion iu importing tyres was made by Mr G. P. Proctor, managing director of Dunlop,. New Zealand, Ltd.,'at the annual meeting of the company in Wellington. Referring in his report to the likelihood of continued shortages of certain types of tyres, Mr Proctor said : that these would be due to raw material difficulties facing overseas manufacturers. “ This statement may seem strange to the public in view of the plentiful supply of raw rubber,” he said, “ but a raw material of equal importance is tyre cord or fabric,. and the reduced output in the spinning section of the textile industry lias caused a grave world shortage.” A decision to send £IOO sterling to the Lord Mayor of London for relief in the flooded areas of Britain was made by the Wellington Justices of the Peace Association Tast night, When he was informed of this, the Mayor of Wellington, Mr W. Appleton, said he would use the gift to start a publio fund for that purpose. , Owners and masters of _ pleasure craft navigating beyond river and smooth water limits are to be required to possess certificates of seaworthiness —the skipper to have an appropriate certificate and the vessel to be equipped with certain safety equipment. This was revealed by the Minister of Marine, Mr. O’Brien, when asking those connected witli small craft for comments on the draft rules calling for safety measures to be taken 'by owners and crews. In connection with fishermen, there are to be three phases—namely, _ provision of safety equipment, certification of skippers and seaworthiness of boats. The Minister added that there was also a provision calling for due notice to be given in writing of intention to proceed outside rivers and smooth water limits, so -permitting the routing of vessels from point to point if necessary and giving assistance in cases of emergency. A report published yesterday afternoon that all power stations were so heavily overloaded that the North Island’s whole power system Aay break down at any time is stated officially to have been based on an .erroneous statement' made in an advertisement which has been withdrawn-. “ There is no risk of a breakdown for we have not the water to run the plant we have,” said the general manager of the 'State Hydro-electric Department, Mr F. T. M. Kissel, to-night. “ Because of that, there is, in fact, less risk of a breakdown than ever.”

A ease of interest to sheep farmers was decided, in the Magistrate’s Court at Ohakune, when Mr A. Coleman, S.M., on the grounds of excusability, dismissed an information laid by the inspector of awards that a shearer shore sheep on a Sunday, contrary to the terms of the shearers and shed hands’ award. The defendant was Gordon Gaulter. The magistrate found that breach of the award was committed, hut in circumstances that made it excusable. “ That is not to say that if . other prosecutions are made for similar breaches convictions will not follow,” said the Magistrate. Each would be decided on its merit?. The facts of a case had to be strong to, warrant a dismissal, and in this case the facts were strong enough for that. Eight other informations laid by the inspector of awards arising from the same set of circumstances, were withdrawn'. The defence was sponsored by the Federated Farmers.

The many overseas inquiries, totalling more than 2,600, about immigration prospects handled by the National Employment Service since the war cover many subjects, includihg prospects of employment, the kind of life led in New Zealand, customs and laws. Personal dbmestic problems are often mentioned. A recent letter from New-castle-on-Tyne concluded: “Finally, could you inform us whether it will be possible to bring a three-legged Scots terrier whom we would hate to leave behind? ” The Labour member of the Petone Borough Council. Mr J. Huggan, said at a special meeting of the council that the present Government might last only another four or six weeks. He was condemning a motion before the council agreeing to support the transit housing proposal for Trentham Military Camp if the Government would guarantee to reimburse local bodies for any financial loss they might suffer in operating it. Mr Huggan said no such call should be made on the Government. “ There’s a doubt about the present Government—it may only last the next month or the next six weeks,” he said. Due to a slight misalignment of the steel guide to one of the penstock gates, the filling of Karapiro hydro lake will not commence to-day, and may not to-morrow. The latest statement this morning could not give anything definite concerning the commencement of the filling. All the gate fittings are being, carefully rechecked. As soon as this is completed the diversion tunnel gate will be lowered without further warning. Everything is in readiness to demolish Horaliora station.. As the result of the hold-up Horahora will run again to-day. (flie Leader of the Opposition', Mr Holland, visited Karapiro works yesterday afternoon and paid a tribute to the engineering staff and the workmen who have built the most modern works in the Dominion.—-Cambridge Association message.