LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 August 1936, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Owing to insufficient entries being received, the West Coast amateur boxing championships, which were to have been held next Saturday night, at Greymouth, have been cancelled. No decision has yet been made by the Association regarding West Coast representation at the New Zealand championships.

A distribution of £16,000 to charitable and educational institutions and objects in the Wellington Provincial District, was authorised at the annual meeting of th© Macarthy Trust. This is the largest sum distributed since its commencement. The total distribution now exceeds £229,000. — Press Assn.

Despite fairly heavy seas over the week-end, good progress was made with the salvage of the wrecked Abel Tasman, and 50 sacks of hides were recovered by Messrs. Greatbach and Kelly, who have now undertaken the work, on a co-operative contract. The hides appear to be in good condition. ■Working with a sling, coupled to a steam winch, the contractors are able to work the vessel at all times.

The slashing of the upholstery of a seat in the Opera House had a sequel in the Children’s Court, Greymouth, to-day, when a boy aged 15 years was charged with committing mischief. The damage was set down at 30/-, but Mr. J-l. Morgan, S.M., adjourned the case for a week, to enable further information to be secured regarding the damage.

The Head Office of the Union Steam Ship Company has received a radio message from the steamer Awatea, when the vessel was three days out from the Clyde, bound for Wellington, and being then some ten thousand miles away. The Awatea reported fair weather, and an average speed of seventeen knots. The behaviour of the vessel was excellent. There was a remarkable absence of vibration and everything was going well. —Press Assn.

As soon as the Mortgage Adjustment Bill is through, the Minister of Labour (Mr Armstrong) will introduce legislation governing wages and conditions of employment of workers on dairy farms. Mr Armstrong said: This Bill which makes provision for annual holidays is based on the agreement with the Farmers’ Union. It is not proposed to go beyond the scope of the agreement. Once this legislation became law, there was little doubt that other farm workers would come in. Mr Armstrong said it was probable there would be further negotiations with the Farmers’ Union on their behalf. —Press Assn.

Star of the West Lodge, U.A.0.D., usual fortnightly meeting to-night — Advt.

Guarantees are an interesting topic at all times as the results are mostly varied. Applied to International politics they have been more or less a failure. The guaranteed butter prices are an experiment, but the guarantee behind Dewar’s Imperial Whisky has stood every test at all times. Stocked by all leading hotels. Messrs Griffen and Smith, Ltd., Agents, Greymouth, HokitlKa, sndj ■ Advt. The door takings at the professional wrestling contest in the Greymouth Town Hall, on Saturday night, were approximately £163.

The McGregor National Fund raised to assist the dependents of the late Squadron-Leader M. C. McGregor, who died following an accident with an aeroplane at Rongotai, Is now closed, the total amount received being £5149/15/-.—Press Assn.

"While at work at H. Frost’s stables at Victoria Park on Saturday, a stable hand, William Cunningham, aged 18 years was kicked by a horse, suffering slight, but painful, injuries to his face. He was admitted to the Grey Hospital for treatment. His condition to-day was reported to be satisfactory.

As the result of dissatisfaction with the general working conditions at the Hutt Railway Workshop, a .deputation waited on the General Manager of Railways (Mr G. H. Mackley), with a request that in co-operation with the unions, the Government should take action to stop pin-pricking methods employed by the management at the Hutt Shops. Mr Mackley promised that the representations of the deputation would receive consideration. Press Assn.

Whilst proceeding from Blackball to Nelson Creek on Saturday night, a sedan car, owned by Mr. J. Snedden, of Blackball, and driven by Mr. P. James, left the road at the Ngahere end of the Blackball bridge, and rolled over twice down a steep bank, being considerably damaged. The occupants, including several ladies, who were 'to attend a Women’s Institute meeting at Nelson Creek, escaped serious injury. Heavy rain was falling at the time of the accident.

The fact that a Greymouth shopkeeper had been missing sums of money from the till led to the precaution being adopted of installing an alarm-bell in the upstairs portion of the premises, this bell ringing when the till was opened. The sequel was the appearance of a 13-years-old boy in the Children’s Court, to-day, charged with the theft of 10/-. He was caught in possession of a 10/note, which he had extracted from the till. Mr H. Morgan, S.M., admonished and discharged the hoy.

The story is related of one demonstrative spectator in the dress circle at the wrestling contest in the Greymouth Town Hall, on Saturday night, who almost lost his false teeth, but for the alertness of a fellow spectator in the body of the hall. The dress circle patron, at the height of one of the torrid exchanges in the ring, became' so active in his excited barracking, that 'his plate went hurtling down among the spectators below. Fortunately, one of the spectators below saw the falling ivories in the nick of time, and made a. good save, returning them to their relieved owner.

“We have such a great, respect for our Prime Minister that there is not a single member of the Cabinet who would think of crossing his will,” said Hon. D. G. Sullivan, Minister for Industries and Commerce, speaking at a complimentary social held in his honour at the Riccarton Town Hall on Saturday evening. ‘‘Mr Savage is a truly great man, of enormous strength of character, unyielding and utterly determined in those things affecting the country. Once he has made up his mind not even his dearest friend can turn him from his decisions. There is not one of us that has the heart to reject his wishes or oppose what he considers is a right couise for the party to follow.”

At a special general meeting of (he Wellington Chamber of Commerce, called to discuss the Government’s proposals for graduated taxation on land, the following resolution was passed unanimously: “This meeting of Wellington merchants, manufacturers, traders, and others, protests against the proposed application of the graduated land tax to urban land, when such land is in full economic use, and requests the Associated Chambers of Commerce to bring the protest before the Government.” The meeting was in committee, but a statement issued later indicated that the general opinion was that the incidence of the tax would create hardship and probably lead to unemployment, because of the heavy burden or large commercial firms. —Press Assn.

Senior and junior inter-club debates between the Runanga and United Clubs were held on Saturday night, United winning the “A” debate and Runanga the “B.” At the conclusion of the debates, the judge, Mr. P. Kyngdon congratulated the Runanga Club on the improvement it had shown. The subject of the “A” debate was: “That the Fear of Punishment has more Influence on Humaiv Conduct than the Hope of Reward.” The awards were: United (aff.), R. R. Dawber 87 (reply 18), S. W. S. Strong 82, A. Mosley 80, J. Booth 94, team work 16; total 377. Runanga (neg.) 3. Braithwaite 84 (reply 14), G. Caldwell 70, D. Barnes 68, J. Unwin 53, team work 12; total 291. The subject of the “B” debate was “That the Accumulation of Wealth indicates Success in Life.” The awards were Runanga (aff.), T. Walker 70 (reply 12), T. Howard 84, J. Knight 62, L. Cook 67, team work 10, total 305. United (neg.) G. Jupp 59, (reply 18), A. M. Robertson 60/ R. L. Stevenson 60 T. Sotheran 64, team work 18: total 279.

Guests at Revington’s include: — Messrs P. Boesch (New York), C. Pluto (Sydney), fl. Bowden, J. B. May, Mr and Mrs R. L. Fisher (Christchurch), Mrs A. M. Haresnape, Mt W. A. Wall (Auckland), Miss F. I. Brown, Mrs W. A. Parton. Messrs E. C. Smith, N. Brown, D. A. Carty, A. R. Whitehead, C. E. Jones. (Wellington), A. Blakely, R. Neale (Kaiapoi), G. D. Campbell, T. O. W. Buchanan, E. B. Harding, J. Stevenson, P. Twohill, E. A. Owles, G. F. Hogg (Westport).

The death has occurred of the Rev. M. J. Byrt, minister in charge of the Taumarunui Presbyterian Church. Mr. Byrt, who was 60 years of age, was born in Australia. He came to New Zealand 30 years ago and joined the ministry of the Presbyterian Church during the war. He leaves a wife, two sons and one daughter.— Press Assn.