LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 February 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The West Coast Herd Testing Association’s averages for the month of January were: —Number of cows tested: 1,392; average milk: 766; test: 4.6; fat 35.32. Highest herd (46 cows) —721 —5.8 —42.52. Lowest herd (23 cows): 555—4.5—25.39. Highest cow: 1,320 —6.0 —79.00. Lowest cow; 420 — 3.1—13.00.

When a motor car which he was driving overturned in Ward Street, Runanga, early on Saturday morning, Alfred Quartermain, aged 22, of Greymouth, suffered fractured ribs and slight concussion. He was admitted to the Grey Hospital, and is progressing satisfactorily.

Swept by a big wave into a gut some distance out from the shore, Beverley Frost, aged 12 years, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. G. Frost, of South Beach, had a narrow escape from drowning, while bathing at South Beach, yesterday morning. Master F. Douglas noticed the girl being swept out of her depth and obtained assistance to rescue her. After first aid had been given, she was admitted to the Grey Hospital. Her condition, to-day, was reported to be satisfactory.

“You cannot expect me to go on answering questions like these,” said the Hon. W. Nash, Minister for Finance and Customs, last night, when denying that a rumour, which had received considerable currency in Christchurch, that the Government intended to raise the price of petrol by 3d. a gallon, had any truth in it. “I have never heard of it,” Mr. Nash said in issuing a, flat denial that the rumour had any truth in it. Mr. Nash also indicated that a rumour that the Government intended to put up the tax on spirits by 5/- was quite without foundation.

The disappointment that is felt in the Post and Telegraph service following the announcement of the Post and Telegraph Appeal Board’s decision concerning classification and payment grievances is the subject of editorial comment in the official organ of the Post and Telegraph Employees’ Association, “Katipo.” The comment points to the overwhelming number of decisions adverse to appellants, and describes them as “staggering even to those who had some idea, of how appeals are generally dealt with.” There were 873 appellants concerned with 892 appeals. Only 31 cases were successful, including 16 conceded by the department. A total of 625 cases on which evidence was taken were disallowed.

The valuable part played by the visit of the German training ship, Kommodore Johnsen in creating

better understanding and greater friendship between the people of New Zealand and Germany, was emphasised bv the port chaplain at Auckland. Rev.'ll. K. Vickery, in an interview. Visits like this, he said, accomplished as much as any League cf Nations. Mr. Vickery said the officers and 60 cadets on the Kommodore Johnsen had made many friends during their stay in Auckland. He praised them for the sportsmanlike way in which they had taken part in the swimming contests and Soccer matches that had been arranged, and for the manner in which they had co-operated at socials arranged bv the Flying Angel Missions to Seamen. The Kommodore Johnsen is expected to sail about the middle of this week for South Australia, on her return to Germany.

School Text Books for Primary Schools are all sold at published prices at B. Dixon’s, Tainui Street. All school stationery at standard prices. All goods sold are manufactured in New Zealand or England, and are the best of qualities and of unsurpassed value. —Advt.

New Year hospitality will certainly call for the best Whisky. Therefore we earnestly recommend Dewar’s Imperial as the New Year Spirit. It can safely be said that each bottle of Dewar’s has seen several New Years before the lever is prised, and it is the ageing process that brings to Dewar’s that unique flavour which appeals so greatly to all men who value good matured whisky. Griffen and Smith, Ltd., Distributors, Greymouth, Hokitika and Westport.—Advt.

A black marlin within 71b of the world’s record for a woman angler, was caught on Saturday by Mrs. E. Swift, of Chicago, when fishing oft Cape Brett, the fish weighing 8161 b. It was hooked at 2 p.m., and not landed till 10 p.m. The record is held by Carrie Finn, the authoress.—Press Assn.

As the result of a fall in the yard of his residence, at Runanga, on Saturday night, Mr. Henry Duggan suffered a fracture of the left leg. He was conveyed to Greymouth by Coburn’s bus, from which he had just alighted, and. was admitted to the Grey Hospital. His condition, to-oay, was reported to be satisfactoi y.

Included in the appointments of the Social Security building, and destroyed in Thursday morning’s fire; iwa& a complete new internal telephone system. The apparatus was recently purchased in England, at a cost, it is understood, of £lOOO, and it had only been installed in the building by the Post and Telegraph Department the day before the fire.—Press Assn.

A collision between a motor lorty. driven by Mr. A. Farquhar, storekeeper, of Runanga, and a cyclist, Mr. Benjamin Watkin, storekeeper, of Bright Street, Cobden, occurred at the north end of the Cobden bridge this afternoon. Watkin was thrown heavily and was admitted to the Grey Hospital, in an unconscious condition. No details as to his injuries were available when the “Star” went to press.

“One hears so many excuses . in these cases," said Mr. F. H. Levien, S.M.. when listening to explanations from defendants in the Auckland Magistrate’s Court as to why they were on licensed premises after hours. One defendant said he had Summer sickness, and he entered the hotel on his way to work to get a port wine and brandy. “It would have been cheaper to go to a chemist,” he said, as the Magistrate imposed a fine of £l, with 10/- costs.

Support for the proposal to _ erect in Auckland a, memorial hall in recognition of the pioneer mothers of the Auckland province, has been given by Archbishop Averill, in a communication which he has sent to the Auckland Provincial Centennial Council. “The celebration of the centenary will he incomplete unless we acknowledge what New Zealand owes to the brave, courageous pioneer "women,” he stated. “Ever since I saw that wonderful monument to the pioneer women ‘of the covered waggon days’ at Pasadena, California, called ‘The Madonna on the Trial,’ I have always hoped that New Zealand would honour itself in 1940 by honouring its pioneer women.”

It is understood that the latest sphere of activity in which higher prices are to be experienced, at Greymouth, is that of dance orchestras. The leader of one such organisation stated that the price for providing music at balls has already been increased, and the prices for providing music at ordinary dances may follow suit. It is not known whether the increase will be passed on to dancers, in the form of higher prices for admission. The orchestra leader quoted, however, pointed out that dancers would not. be harshly treated, even if they had to pay a little more. The cost, of a double ticket for any of the ordinary dances was lower than the price of two seats at a picture show', and supper was provided at many of the dance-halls.

Free firewood available at Omoto racecourse. Early application.—Advt.

“I hope that when the centenary comes, due regard will be paid to the work of the early missionaries • who showed such faith and courage and who did so much to soften the impact of our Western civilisation, or what is scmetimes 1 paraded as such, on the native culture,” said Bishop West-Wat-sen, in his letter in the latest issue of the “Church News.” “In these days of ‘relativity,’ one marvels at their depth of conviction and their simple-minded devotion. Difficulties thicken in the way of missionary work to-day, but doors are still open. We shall wait with anxious interest the report of the World Missionary Conference at Madras. I hope that when Bishop Bennett returns he will be able to visit us and give us its message personally.”

The Westland Acclimatisation Society has forwarded to Mr. I. T. Bennington, secretary of the Grey District Society, for exhibition, the catfish which was caught last week in Lake Mahinapua, bj r an eeling party. The catfish, which is native in Australia and South America is rare in New Zealand and the one on exhibition is evidently a descendant of fish introduced into the lake many years ago. It is similar in habits to the New Zealand mudfish, hibernating in the mud fur long periods during drought seasons. In appearance, it is similar to a large cock-a-bully, but has seven long feelers around its mouth. Although the fish on' exhibition is only about a pound and a-half in weight, they are known to grow up to lOOlbs, and it is reported that a fish of about 301bs in weight has been seen in Lake Mahinapua.

The ninety-ninth anniversary of the conference between Captain William Hobson and the Maori chiefs preceding the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi fell yesterday. Hobson arrive?! at the Bay of Islands 1 on January 29, 1840, commissioned to obtain from the Maori chiefs a surrender to the Queen of their acknowledged rights of sovereignty over the land. On the following day. he went ashore at Kororarfka, hoisted the Union Jack, and read in the church his two commissions, one extending the limits of the colony of New South Wales to include New Zealand, and the other appointing him Lieutenant-Governor of such parts of the country as had been or might be ceded. The centenary of the treaty will be celebrated by a. large Maori and pakeha gathering at Waitangi next year, when it is expected that the carved whare runanga, or meeting-house, to b n erected near the Residency, will be dedicated.

Still the best place in town for materials by the yard, C. Smith’s have many attractive bargains in stocktaking specials. Take a tip from us and buy now! —Advt.