LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 July 1915, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

The industrial agreement now being entered into between the Westport Borough Council and the Westport Labor Union provides to: preference for unionists in all future empK°y ment > bllt uoes not insat upon present immng the Union. Contributions to the 11,011 W 1 A ,deducted from employed , Wd g efa 0,1 K ll of the Union. Pocket size Electric TowfiiP*, “ al *dy and novel, 3s at Wade’s. —Advil.. A lad named Donald Reedy met w'dh . a painful accident on Friday evening at t-ra new school being erected at Callaghans'. He was stepping froiri one joist to another when he slipped, his forehead coming in contact with one of the joists, and inflicting a severe cut. He was taken to Kumara by, Mr Biddinglon for surgical treatment. The wound required five stitches.

In view of a warning recently cabled from Sydney concerning requests for money wired from Cairo, it is interesting to note that the parents in Westport of a soldier now in Egypt a few days ago received a request for £lO. The cablegram was signed in the name of their sou. It is difficult to imagine (says the Westport Times) any circumstances in which New Zealand boys should want cash beyond their pay. There is ground for suspicion that confidence tricksters are at work a

Electric Pocket Lamps, 3s, instantaneous and useful. At Wade’s.—Advt.

During the two days prior to the school closing for the midwinter holidays, the children of the Kumara State Schoolboys and girls—made twelve dozen facecloths (used instead of sponges) for tho soldiers, and sacrificed their play to do so ; also, on departing for their vacation, each child took away a Hile bundle to work up during absence from school. This example of the children shows, says the Kumara Times, that each and every one of us can do his or her share in helping our Empire in the great calamity that has fallen upon the world.

See the value we are giving in Ladies’ Tweed Coats at our sale, as follows: One lot in Navy, Browns, and Tweeds, at 12s 6d, 17s 6d, 21s, and 255, all greatly reduced ; one Leopard Skin Coat, formerly four guineas, now 455; about 40 Coats, in various qualities, formerly 50s to 70s, now 32s 6d, 355, 45s and 50s, much under cost price ; also a few Wool Sports Coats at 10s 6d, 12s 6d, and 15s 6d. Note address: Walker’s, Boundary Street. —Advt,

At a meeting of the Kumara Hospital Committee on Friday night there were present: Messrs J. A. Murdoch (Chairman), E. Mulvihill C. E. Evenden, R. McGlofie, and W. E. Richards. The Surgeon Superintendent reported as follows : Remaining in hospital on May 31st, 34; admitted during June, 9; total treated, 43; died. 4: 'discharged, 6; remaining in hospital on June 30th, 53. The Secretary reported receipts for the month amounting to £4l 14s 6d. Air Mulvihill, on behalf of the House Committee, reported everything in good order and working smoothly at, the hospital. Accounts amounting to £9O 11s 5d were passed and recommended to the Board for payment. Mr W. E. Richards was appointed on the House Committee vice Mr Murdoch, who retired bv rotation.

New supplies of the following books are to hand : “The Chronicles of the Imp” (by J. Famo!); “Innocent” (by Marie Corelli) ; “A Bride of the Plains” (by Baroness Orczy.” Obtainable from A. E. Kilgour, Bookseller, price 3/6, post-age 3d extra.—Advt.

“The Prince of Wales is immensely popular, not because he Is the Prince, but because he is a good soldier,” said Dr A. A. Martin, of Palmerston North, while describing his experiences with ' a British field ambulance in France. ‘He is a very slim youth, with narrow shoulders, but is extraordinarily wiry.” Dr Martin said that the Prince talks with the soldiers by the roadside, visits the sick and wounded in the hospitals, and has in many ways earned the respect and admiration of the troops. He drives his own car, and is one of the most furious motorists in Flanders, where there are now no speed regulations, and rarely drives at less than sixty miles an hour. “However, the car has very good brakes, and he can stop it quickly,” Dr Martin added.

Visit Walker’s Sale and secure a handsome set of Furs. Wo have only a few left, as follows: One each, imitation Ermine Set, Muff and Scarf, only 14s fid and 255; one each, dark brown Fitch Set, formerly £5 10s and £4 10s, now offered at £4 and £2 15s; one light brown Fitch Set, formerly £5 10s, now £3 10s; one handsome grey American Oppossum Set, formerly £7 15s, now £5 17s fid; one imitation Leopard Fur Set, formerly 425, now 27s fid; one brown Sable Set, formerly four guineas, now 50s; one black Astrakhan Set, formerly 425, now 21s. All the above Furs are marvellous value and well worth your attention. Walker’s, Boundary Street.—Advt.

The ordinary meeting of the Kumara Borough Council was held on Friday, when there were present; The Mayor (Mr J. A. Murdoch), Cr s R. P. McDonald, E. Mulvihill, G. Burger, and F. Roberts. Mr T. E- Y. Seddon, M.P., wrote thanking the Council for its message on the unveiling of the memorial to his late father. A slaughter-house license was granted to Mr Murphy, whose request to use the water from the main hitherto supplied to Mr Kennedy for lighting purposes was acceded to. The Public Works Committee was instructed to report on Mr John Stewart’s application to have a box drain constructed from his fence to Main Street. Mrs Murdoch was granted the use of the Town Hall for euchre tournaments in aid of the Wounded Soldiers’ Fund. The Council empower, cd Mr Evenden to carry out certain repairs desired by the Fire Brigade at a cost of £2, Cr Mulvihill to supervise the work. It, was decided that Boundary Road bo closed. It was decided to accept the Westland Hospital and Charitable Aid Board’s levy of £BS on the Borough. Cr McDonald (Chairman of the Public Works Committee) reported that the day labor man had been cleaning up the streets. The. Mayor gave notice to move that tho annual rate be struck. Accounts amounting to £270 7s 8d were passed for payment.'

The usual meeting of the Runanga t'atriotic Committee is postponed until Wecfnesday evening at 7 o’clock.—Advt.

A dance under the auspices of the Raupo Hockey Club, will be held in the United Pavilion on Friday next, at 8 p.m.

In this issue Barker s Tea Rooms (late Webb’s) announce that they always have a large assortment of cakes and. pastry on hand? Wedding and birthday cakes are made to order at the shortest notice. There is now on view at the above establishment a splendid specimen of the pastrycook’s art in the shape of a wedding cake, which is well worthy of a few moment’s inspection.

A meeting of the Reefton. Methodist Quarter Board was held on Friday evening. the Rev. C. Penny presiding. The attendance of officials from Reefton and Black’s Point was representative, and much routine business was done. The balance-sheet for the quarter was considered, and arrangements were made to raise the removal expenses and also to deal with the deficit in income. Satisfactory reports were received of work in connection with the various branches of church work and Sunday Schools.

The remains of the late John Kyle, of Runanga. were conveyed to their last resting place, Groymouth Cemetery, yesterday afternoon, and were followed by a large concourse of mourners from all parts of the district. The body was borne from the house to the train by deceased’s fellow workmen. The Rev. M. Twcedie gave a very touching address at the graveside, drawing the attention of his hearers to the uncertainty of life, and the necessity of being prepared for the call, which all, in due course, will receive. A large number of wreaths were tendered, showing the respect in which deceased and the family are held.

Messrs H. J. Bignell, Jos. Noble, and E. Pennhallnriack arc the retiring members in connection with the Grey Education Board elections, to be held on the 26th inst. This, in all probability, will be the hist election under the old Act, after which members will hold office until their successors are appointed under the new Act, providing for alterations in the boundaries of Education Districts and a reduction of the number of Boards in the Dominion. Mr H. J, Bignell has announced himself as a candidate for reelection, and Ms nomination has been unanimously endorsed by the members of the Greymouth School Committee.

“Money is still very plentiful here," rcT marks the Trade Review, in commenting on the state of the money market at the end of June. After showing that the excess of exports over imports for the last financial year was £7,650,746, the Review adds: “With such a splendid credit balance on onr trading an ample supply of funds is inevitable, but the question in the minds of all interested in finance is naturally, ‘How long will this condition last?’ There is such a tremendous wastage of capital through the war, that a subsequent shortage appears inevitable, and we must be prepared for a period, possibly a few years, when capital will not be readily obtainable, and rates will rule high or than we have been accustomed to. The Government and the various local bodies will be requiring capital, and if ilio world’s markets are ruling high, local funds will be absorbed. It appears, therefore, that though money is plentiful at present there will be ample investment for it later on, and rates can hardly be expected to rule any easier.”

Figures recently published by the Government Statistician show that Wellington is undoubtedly one of the dearest towns in the Dominion in which to live, Civil servants and others on fixed salaries have found this to be the case when transferred from other towns to the capital. Married men who have been “promoted" to Wellington with an increase of salary of £25 per annum, have found the promotion to be, merely nominal, the higher cost of food and of house rent more than swallowing up their increased pay. There is a pronounced disinclination on the part of many officers of the Civil Service to being transferred to Wellington. At least one private company with many branches throughout New Zealand ha s allowed an extra 10 per cent, increase of salary to its officers domiciled in the Empire City. This course was adopted after a consultation with the Government statistical office on the cost of living in. the capital. Civil servants have rather strong views on the subject, and, were it not for the war, it is stated that a movement would be organised to ask the Government to make some additional allowance to their public servants in Wellington. It is felt, however, that the present is not an opportune time to pres s their claims.

Mr J. I). Lynch returned from Wellington on Saturday after a flying visit to the Empire City in connection with his interests in the several coal concerns with which he is connected. Owing mainly to the abnormal slackness of the bunkering trade with oversea steamers, local coal companies are finding extreme difficulty in disposing of their output in competition with the many other concerns of a like nature in the Dominion and the continued importation of Newcastle coal. Mr Lynch attended meetings of the shareholders of the Brunner mines, as well as the annual meeting of the Paparoa Company. At the latter meeting he had something trenchant to say regarding the small output—-about 50,000 tons—from a mine which has cost nearly a quarter of a million in money, and which is now being run at a loss of several thousands a. .year. The shareholders’ meeting was*/ad. journod to a subsequent date to enquire into ' condition of affairs. Mr Lynch told our representative that the immediate, outlook for the Coast mines is anything but bright; trade is bad, and the supply greatly exceeds the demand for steam coal. The Puponga mine, in Blind . Bay, in which he and others are interested. and which produces screened household coal of a very hard nature, is making good and promises to compensate proprietary interests in a small measure for the adverse condition of the steam coal trade. The coal industry does not pro- . mise too well until normal shipping conditions again pertain.