LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 August 1936, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The Liverpool mine will be again idle to-morrow. The James mine will work.

The scarifying and preparatory work for tar-sealing is now in progress in Gresson Street, by the Borough staff. The tar-sealing will be undertaken next season, stated the Borough Engineer (Mr. A. J. Fairmaid), to-day.

Advice has been received by the West Coast Farmers’ Union, that Mr. W. Blair, Government Veterinary Surgeon superintending the South Island, is to make a lecturing tour of the West Coast, under the auspices of the union. He will arrive at Rotomanu on Tuesday, August 18, and will be at Greymouth on the following day, then going to Karamea, and later visiting South Westland as far as Wataroa.

Arrangements have been completed by the Pensions Department by which in months when the twenty-third day falls on a Sunday payment of pensions will begin on the preceding Friday, the twenty-first day. Under the new arrangements, when the twentythird day falls on a Saturday or Sunday, payment will begin on the preceding Friday. The first day affected is August. 23, which falls on a Sunday. Payment will begin on Friday, August 21. Owing to increased work at. the Pensions Department Office, Greymouth, a cadet will be added to the staff, in the. course of the next few days.

The progress of radio broadcasting in New Zealand is demonstrated by the fact that licenses increased during the year ended June 30 last by 43,374, the largest, numerical increase in licenses ever recorded in one year. The year’s increase was actually greater than the total number of licenses existing on June 30, 1929, which was 42,267. There are to-day 208,691 radio licenses, including 21 broadcasting, 422 free (to the blind), three special, four multiple, three experimental (research), 929 amateur, 1,176 dealers’, and the following listeners’ licenses in the four districts: —Auckland 65,143, Canterbury 37,435, Otago 27,963, Wellington 75,592; total 206,133. During the first three months of the current financial year the increase in radio licenses has been 14,297 an improvement on the progress made during the corresponding period of last year to the extent of nearly 4,000 licenses.

Blood-curdling screams coming from ■a Greymouth hairdresser's shop, today, attracted the attention of a Pressman, who was hoping for a nice murder. on a day. when local news was scarce. However enquiries revealed that the disturbance was being caused by a very juvenile customer, who strenuously objected to the hair-cut-ting process, and spurned all attempts to distract attention from the scissors. Some children are angelic while in the chair, but others! This recalls the story told of a hairdresser who plied his trade in Greymouth, some years ago. Mother took her little hopeful into the saloon, one day, but the said hODeflll declared the hndinoca “hlor»V”l

and nearly raised the roof with his screams. All attempts at persuasion failed, and the hairdresser then suggested to mother that she should go and do some shopping, as the child would probably prove more amenable if she was not present. The suggestion was acted upon. As soon as the coast was clear, the hairdresser and his assistant got busy. The policy of persuasion was abandoned, and the yelling child was firmly tied to the chair with towels! The haircut was completed in great time, the bonds were released, and the howls were stopped with a supply of “lollies.” Mother returned to find a smiling youngster, and the hairdresser’s assur-l ance that, once she disappeared, the child had given no trouble at all!

White’s have the stock of Carpets, Rugs and Runners. These are selling below present day cost. Now is your opportunity. These goods are right at S. Burnett White’s £6,060 sale. — Advt.

"Thanks! You helped make our Winter Sale a huge success.” Now we offer broken lines, oddments etc, at special clean-up prices. New goods will be arriving shortly, .and we must have room. Hurry to C. Smith’s for after-sale bargains. You’ll never regret.—Advt,

Guarantees are an interesting topic at all times as the results are mostly varied. Applied to International politics they have heen 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, Hokitika, and Westport.— Advt.

The Superintendent of State Coal Mines (Mr C. J. Strongman) advised the Greymouth Harbour Board, at its monthly meeting Last evening, that the price of all grades of State coal has been increased by 2/- per ton, as from to-day. The advice was received without comment by the Board.

The Red Cross flag which flew from the top of the New Zealand stationary hospital at Wazernes, near Amiens, during the years of the war, has been presented to the war relics section of the Auckland War Memorial Museum. Presented by Mr. A. E. Douglas, the flag has been well cared for, and is in excellent condition. No doubt it will be remembered by Dominion soldiers who were patients at the hospital.

No decision has been arrived at yet respecting the abolition or reduction of export duty on gold, said the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash) when replying to a question asked ny Mr. Bodkin in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr. Nash added that the matter would receive further consideration with the Government’s mining legislation proposals.—/‘Star" Special Service.

Many excuses are heard in Police Courts'from drivers of motor vehicles prosecuted for •‘stepping on the gas.” An original one was given by the owner of a fleet of lorries whose driver had been summoned for exceediug 25 miles an hour, in the Papakura Court, last week. The owner said “his driver had just got mar Tied and was in a hurry to get home.” The magistrate. Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M.. commented with a smile that the excuse was new.

“The desirability of terminating the primary school course at 11 years of age is almost beyond argument,” said the Director of Education, Mr N. T. Lambourne, when speaking of the advantages of intermediate schools in an address at the Wellington School Committees’ and Educational Federation. Educationists. psychologists, and others, he added, seemed to have come to the conclusion, that at about Standard IV. pupils should be translated to another system of education.

Philatelists at Greymouth have received letters by the “tin can mail” from the island of Niuafoou, in the Tongan group. The envelopes have been carefully marked, so as not to ruin the face of the stamps. A rubber stamp across the face of each envelope bears the legend:—“This ’ letter, enclosed in a water-tight tin, was put into the sea from the cruise steamer, Monowai, off Niuafoou, or “Tin Can Is-j land,” in the Tongan group, latitude 15deg.. 33min. south, longitude 175 deg. 39min. west, on July 15, 1936. Commander, G. G. Morgan, D.S.C.”

A case without precedent, so far as can be ascertained, occurred on the farm of Captain 11. Dillon at Roto-o- -| rang! (near Cambridge), when a Jersey cow which had calved a fortnight ago and was being milked gave birth to a second calf. After the first calving the cow appeared normal, and was brought in again in the usual way. The heifer calf which was born 14 days ago is quite healthy, and now has a twin brother younger than itself, both being of normal size. Although both calves are thriving, the mother is in a poor condition, following her unusual experience. From inquiries made in the district, it appears that this is a unique occurrence in the history of dairying.

Mass will be celebrated on nex Sunday, August 16th., at Kokiri 8 a.m. and at Te Kinga, 10.30 a.m. —Advt.

Pacific Steel Ltd., who propose establishing an iron works at Onakaka, applied to the Greymouth Harbour Board last evening for a possible site for hinns for the purpose of loading coal at the wharves, the hinns to have a capacity of from 3000 to 5000 tons. The Chairman (Mr P. .1. McLean) in moving that the Engineer I (Mr I). C. Milne) be asked to supply particulars of land available, said that the company was likely to require large quantities of coal but there was really nothing definite yet, the outcome of the proposals depending on conversations with the Government. However, the Board should give every encouragement to any industry likely to be established in the district. The motion was carried.

An indication that Government services will ultimately work under the 40-hour week principle was given by I the Prime Minister, when replying in the House of Representatives yesterday to a question by Mr R. A. Wright, who asked recently whether the Government intended to introduce the 40hour week into such departments as the railways, postal, police, gaols and mental hospitals on September 1, and if so, whether steps were being taken to train the additional men and women who would be required to effect, the change. “The policy of the Government is to reduce the hours of labour in all services, public and private, and the necessary steps are being taken to carry it into effect at the earliest possible moment.” said Mr Savage.

’ The expenditure of £500,000 is proposed by the Government for the J construction of a highway over the Haast Pass, connecting Westland with , Otago, and opening up what will unquestionably be one of the finest scenic drives in the world. Of this I sum £250,000 has been voted for work on the road from Bruce Bay to the Haast river on the Westland side and £250,000 to complete the road in Otago from the Haast river over the Haast Pass to Makarora. where it will join up with the existing highway. Estimates of the cost include provision for the erection of bridges I and the construction of the road to the highway standard. At ''present 120 men are working on the road in South Westland, and it is proposed to place an additional 50 men on the job immediately. It is also proposed to place'lso men on the work on the Otago side.

Annual Sale Lines at B. Dixon’s.’ — 7/- Novels for 4/6; 4/6 Novels for 2/6; 2/6 Novels for 1/6; .1/6 Novels for 1/-. Hundreds of Miscellaneous Books sold at similar reductions. Big reduction in Children’s Reward Books, Prize Books and Library Books. Come in and see them. —Advt.