LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 June 1936, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A sitting of the War Pensions Board will be held at the Courthouse, Greymouth, on Monday, July 13, to deal with West Coast, cases.

Monday next, June 22, will be the shortest day this year, the sun rising at Greymouth at 7.34 a.m. and setting at 4.31 p.m. It is interesting to note that the evenings will commence to lengthen on June 27, but it is not so comforting fact that the sun will continue to rise later daily until June 29.

The extent to which automatic stamp-vending machines are meeting the convenience of the public in New Zealand is demonstrated by the fact that last year £38,000 worth of penny stamps went into circulation through the tiny slots of these devices, which were in operation in all parts of the Dominion.

Mr P. R. Climie, secretary of the Canterbury Progress League, has been appointed as liaison or goodwill officer to assist the employment division of the Labour Department in Canterbury with the placement scheme and other employment schemes. Mr Climie was a member of the Unemployment Board, established under the Act since abolished.

A young married woman at Greymouth is suffering from shock, and minor facial injuries, as the result of an explosion of gas at her residence. Unknown to her, the child had been playing with the taps of the gas oven, and left the gas on. When the mother struck a match, to light, the oven, an explosion occurred.

The wandering cattle menace is still serious on West Coast roads, aaid considerable resentment, is felt among motorists, at. the failure of farmers to keep their stock within fences. The latest crash occurred near Ikamatua, when two cows walked out on to the road in the path of an approaching motor vehicle. A collision could not be avoided with the result, that at least one of the cows came off the worse for wear, and the motor-vehicle was extensively damaged.

You never know when you need us. Fire Brigade Ball, Tuesday evening —Advt.

There were many applicants for positions in the Post and Telegraph Department in anticipation of staff increases, said the Postmaster-Gen-eral (the Hon. F. .Jones) at Dunjedin yesterday. With improving conditions since December, 587 promotions had been made, and the department had been able to give employment, to about 450 outside applicants. Further staff increases might be anticipated. The Minister said that for the year ended on March 31, Savings Bank deposits exceeded withdrawals by £2,086,17.9. Interest credited to depositors was £1,406,459, and the balance at credit was £52,916,352, an increase of £3,492,638 over the previous year. For April and May, deposits exceeded withdrawals by £295,000 and £328,000 respectively. In answer to a question, the Minister said that it was unlikely that the Government would authorise a higher interest rate to depositors.—Press Assn.

Table Games for Winter evenings. A wonderful selection of all the latest as well as the old favourites await your inspection at B. Dixon’s, Tainui Street. Prices range from 1/- to 10/6 each. Best quality British made goods, at reasonable prices. View our special window display.—Advt.

Table Tennis Sets, best British made 2/-, 3/-, 5/-, 8/6 to 19/6. Best quality heavy weight Balls 4d each. Bats 2/- to 3/-. Chess or Draught Boards 9d. 1/-, 1/6, 2/- each. Chess Men 4/6, 5/6, 6/6, 12/6, 15/- to 30/-. a set. Draughtsmen 1/-, 1/3, 1/6, 2/-. Dominoes 1/-, 1/3, 1/6, 2/-, 2/6, 3/- a set. Best quality British goods only at B. Dixon’s, Tainui Street.—Advt. .

Colds are prevalent this winter, and the chemists report a brisk demand for remedies. Prevention is always better than cure and the wise West Coaster knows a great prevention a Dewar’s Imperial a day keeps colds at bay! As good as medicine, and far more enjoyable to take. Puts the germs of influenza to rout. Dewar's Imperial Whisky holds the record for purity and maturity. Stocked by all leading hotels. Messrs Griffen and Smith, Ltd., Agents, Greymouth, Hokitika, and Westport.—Advt.

Last night’s ‘'Gazette” states that the new Conciliation Commissioner, Mr M. J. Reardon, is assigned the following Industrial Districts: Northern Taranaki, Wellington, and the South Island. —Press Assn.

“To my mind, caretakers and domestic servants are the poorest paid people in the world,” said the Chairman of the Greymouth Main School Committee (Mr. A. E. Morgan), last evening. The committee had granted an increase in salary to the caretaker of the Blaketown school.

Tn the course of his advocacy of the inauguration of an infant school at Karoro, for children from the southern end of ’the Greymouth Borough, Mr. J. L. Patterson, at last evening’s meeting of the Main School Committee, predicted a, big increase in the roll number of the Main School, in the near future. Karoro was a new suburb, and there ware young couples and plenty of youngsters living there.

This morning was one of the coldest recorded at Greymouth so far this winter, the temperature at 9 a.m. being only 33 degrees, while a sharp frost, was experienced last night. Cold temperatures' were general in the South Island this morning, Arthur’s Pass having the record for New Zealand. with only 22 degrees at 9 a.m., while at 'Christchurch the temperature was 30 degrees, and 13 degrees of frost was experienced last night.

While at work at the Grey Hospital on Wednesday, the All Black, Graham Gilbert, a Post Office linesman, suffered a painful injury to his right foot, a nail piercing his shoe, and running right through the ball of the foot. He has been confined to his home since, and has been attended by Dr. H. S. Ray. Gilbert may not be available for the West Coast-Canterbury match, on Tuesday, and will not take the field for his club to-morrow.

Thousands of Auckland people lined the city streets yesterday, to watch the first procession in several years, to be conducted by the Auckland Univejrsitv. College student's. Although only about 20 units took part, the topical humoulr presented was of high quality and was greatly appreciated by the crowd. Over 150 women ? indents, assisted by members of the procession, collected about £l6O for the Mayor’s Crippled Children Fund. —Press Assn.

Support those who assist you. Schaef’s Hall, Tuesday evening, Fire Brigade Ball. —Advt.

Australia is finding Southland beech increasingly useful, and approximately 200.000 feet of it will be aboard the coastal trader Kiwitea when she leaves Bluff for Melbourne, states the “Southland Daily News.” Southland beech is being adapted to a variety of uses, chief of which is the motorbody building at which Australia is proving herself so expert. This large export cargo has led to an increase in activity among Southland mills, and there is every reason to expect that the favour which Southland beech has found among Australian manufacturers will maintain the export trade and establish it firmly.

A special road-making tool recently landed at Gisborne will attract attention on tho highways, says the “Poverty Bay Herald.” It consists of a crawling tractor, fitted with a special “trail-builder” blade which is thrust ahead of the power unit. Its special purposes are slip-clearing and light formation work, the blade being adjustable as to height, cant, and angle. By its use soil can bo formed up to a given level, taken out of a cutting, and moved sidewise to any desired position, or graded down as the circumstances of the job may require. For clearing slips of any magnitude, grading up the shoulders of bitumen sections, forming deviations, and similar work, it should prove most valuable, and, moreover, its operation should be economical.

In further reference to the correspondence on the subject of the employment of youths of Runanga on the improvement to the main highway at the 17-Mile Bluff, the Mayor of Runanga (Mr R. McTaggart) said last evening, in reply to the letter signed ‘•.Justice”:-—“1 do not wish to carry on a controversy with a person who is not man enough to sign his name, but ( would be pleased to discuss this matter with him. This work was provided, following my own personal representations to the Minister of Mines, and the Minister of Public Works, for the purpose of giving employment to single unemployed men in Runanga, irrespective of age, and it is evident from the personnel of those who have been given work, and those who are to start next week, that we have not departed from this. The position was that, for various reasons, there was work available for only ten men this week, and these were selected without discrimination of age, etc., and the remainder will start on Monday. There are now no eligible single unemployed in the. Borough, with the exception of two, unfit to go to camp. The work is to be done on the co-operative principle, based on the Public Works rate of 16/"- per day. There will be plenty of opportunity to earn good money, no limit being placed on the earnings; but of course, in the case of some of the younger lads, they may not reach the 16/- a day standard. - Go where everybody goes! C.

Smith’s Winter Sale for extraout-of-the-ordinary bargains in Silks and Woollens that make your shillings s-t-r-e-t-c-h out! Let’s give you an idea of what’s what! 36in Woollen Crepes, from 3/3; 3Gin English Worsteds for only 4/6; 36in Tweeds from 2/3; 54in Tweeds from 6/3; 54in Coatings from 7/6. Everything is reduced! Make a call to-day.—Advt.

Young man, sooner or later you I will require a home. Why not commence now by purchasing a Free-: hold Section in the new Marsden Road block? Only 10 p.c. deposit required. Balance on easy terms. Make the payment of one of these sections a bank-j ing system. You can eabily spare approximately 10/- per week. Act now. the benefit is yours.—S. Burnett White,' Land Agent, Mackay Street. —Advt.

“There is no doubt in my mind that wo get full value for our advertisements in the papers,” commented the chairman, Mr J. J. Ryburn, at the monthly meeting of the Waikato Hospital Board. “When we advertised for the position of house manager we received 132 applications and we received 106 applications for the position of clerk. ', This meant that we had a wonderfully complete list from winch to choose.”

Reference to the low standard of spelling was made by the inspector on school work to the Wellington Education Board. “We' feel,” the report states, “that in the treatment, of spelling there remain certain definite weaknesses, several of which have been referred to in earlier reports. In many cases the teaching is mechanical and devitalised, consisting mainly of the setting, dictating, and marking daily of a few words selected at random, a quite inadequate method which is calculated to dull rather than to quicken the ‘spelling conscience.’ ”

A warning against the flying of kites in the vicinity of aerodromes was issu* d by the Minister of Defence (the lion. F. Jones). He stated that the practice was prevalent and that it was looked upon by the aviation authorities as very dangerous, especially to pupils who weie taking initial courses in flying. Tho practice of flying kites had been most marked at the Rongotai Aerodrome, Wellington, and the chief instructor of tho Wellington Aero Chib had drawn his attention to the* danger. “The practice of flying kites," said Mr Jones, "constitutes a. real danger to airmen and particularly to the machines which in many instances are being flown frequently by club pupils.” The Minister pointed out that under the air navigation regulations of 1933 it was provided that “no fixed balloon, kite, or moored airship shall be elevated in the vicinity of any aerodrome without the special authorisation of the Minister.”

A Mokoia fanner is delighting his friends with his account of a remarkable return of a valued watch and chain from the depths of the sea Csays the Hawera Star). While fishing from a launch recently, the hooks on his line caught in his waistcoat. Immediately afterward his companions, also farmers from the Mokoia district, drew his attention io the absence of his watch and chain. Tne bereft angler was disconsolate —the w,...v.. ...is a new one. and the chain had a sentimental value to him. Half an hour later, to the owner’s delight, the watch was hauled up from the sea on the line of another member of the party. Still later, the chain was recovered from the depths on another line. The owner’s amazement, joy, and relief were unbounded, and since his return home he has been telling lua -Mends of this astounding story of the sea. His neighbours’ interest in the story is none the less deep and sincere because they were ‘‘let into the know” earlier by the man who “lifted” the watch and chain from the owner while he was asleep and carefully stage-managed its “return” from the depths of the ocean.

New Books you may want. “N.Z. Radio Record Cookery Book,” 1/-. “1936 Radio Constructor’s Guide Book,” 2/6; “Word Games and Word Puzzles,” 1/-; “Life Began Yesterday,” the latest book on the Oxford Group Movement, 6/-; “By Patience and the Word,” the story of the Moravian Missions, 5/6; ‘‘Gone Afield,” by Cecil Roberts, 7/-; “A Pilgrim’s Way in New Zealand.” by Mulgan 15/-. Procurable at B. Dixon’s, Tainui Street. Postage extra.—Advt.

Wise spending means big savings! That is why we say get your Sheets at C. Smith’s Winter Sale. Reliable qualities at reduced prices and note the extra length for double beds! Extra heavy Twill Sheets, white or Unbleached 54x21 yards 6/6 pair; SOinx 2 : 4 yards 10/6 pair Just the Sheet for hard everyday use! Don’t forget, you can buy your Pillow Slips, Towels, Tea Towels in fact, everything for the house at lower-than-ever prices, during this great money-sav-ing event. C. Smith’s Annual Winter Sale! —Advt.