LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 September 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At a sitting of the Greymouth Magistrate’s Court, to-day, before Mr. J. M. Bunt, J.P., a first offender for drunkenness was fined the amount of his bail, 10/-. A parcel of books for use by the men engaged on defence work around '’Greymouth, is acknowledged from Mrs M. Coakley, in response to the appeal •-issued by the Mayor (Mr. F. A. KitchUngham). Freight hauled through the Otira tunnel last, week from west to east amounted to 15,697 tons, compared with 14,874 tons in the corresponding week of last year, an increase of 823 tons. In 1937, the corresponding total was 13,631 tons.

A special notice of interest to all commercial transport operators appears on page 1 of this issue. —Advt.

Consistency Is the secret spirit of success and one of the most successful consistent “Spirits is Dewar j Imperial Whisky. All those good qualities of fine, matured whisky are found in Dewar’s, and this is the rea son it is so consistently called for throughout the world hy judges of good whisky. Man is gifted "With a very sensitive taste when choosi g his eatables, wearables etc., and why not use that same good taste in the choice of his drinkables, and drink the best. Messrs. Griffen and Smith, Ltd., Distributors, Greymouth, Hokitika and Westport.—Advt.

J. L. Hales, who was employed on road construction on the ReeftonMaruia road was injured by an explosion of gelignite, yesterday afternoon. He was conveyed to the mangahua Hospital, and his injuries are such that it is feared it will be necessary to amputate the right arm neai the elbow joint. The left hand and arm were also injured and his condition is serious. He is a son ot Mr. and Mrs. L. Hales of Greymouth.

The issue of coupons for the supply of petrol to the owners of private motor-cars and motor-cycles is proceeding steadily at Greymouth, approximately 400 sheets of coupons being issued up to this afternoon. About the same number of owners have yet to claim coupons. It is evident that a number, having filled their tanks before the restrictions were enforced, are not in urgent need of further supplies.

The period allowed for the registration of aliens has expired, and 190 have registered in the West Coast police district. Natives of practically every country in the world are included in the registrations. It is known that there are other aliens in the distnc not yet registered, and they are reminded that the onus is on them to register immediately at the nearest police station.

Bees on the West Coast are very backward this Spring and for the first time apiarists, in some cases, have had artificially to feed their bees. The Apiary Instructor at Greymouth (Mr. C. R. Paterson) stated, to-day, that the cause of the trouble was the poor honey season experienced last year and the cold, wet conditions which had been experienced for some months, retarding the flowering of many of the chief sources of the bees’ food supply.

When she was visiting Scotland in the course of her recent overseas tour with her parents, Miss Mary Campbell, Poukawa, was interested in the operations of a fisherman on the bank of the river Tweed. He was catching numbers of small trout, about six inches in length, with a rod and fly. When she commented on the size of the fish, and told him of the weight and size of trout caught in New Zealand waters, the man, with broad accent, replied: “Ach; but they’re salmon.”

Farmers’ unions throughout Hawke’s Bay have been active in meeting the war situation. Executives in some centres have set up committees with a view to organising labour to enable farms which may be left by men engaged elsewhere to be carried on. Lists of 'supervisors have been prepared, and the services enlisted of the shearing gangs, labour squadrons, harvesters, and fencers, who will be required. It is intended to regulate activities in organised groups throughout these areas. —Press Assn.

An Austin motor-car, belonging to Mr. Keith R. McLaughlin, of Cobden, was taken last evening from outside the Opera House, where it had been parked. Later, the car was found in Turamaha Street, near the Westland Brewery. The car, which had collided with a telegraph pole, was badly damaged. One wheel was knocked off, and it had to be towed to a garage by a break-down van. Blood on the driver’s seat indicated that the person who had taken the car had been injured, and this is expected to prove a clue for the police.

Claude William Reid, 27, and Graham Wilfred Morton, 28, appeared in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch, yesterday, on the following charges and where committed for sentence to the Supreme Court: The theft at Greymouth of a spare motor wheel, valued at £8; claiming credit by fraud, at Westport, on September 5, by incurring a debt for board and lodging; on September 6. breaking and entering the store at Woodend and committing theft; on September 11, breaking and entering the store at Springfield, with intent to commit a crime: on September 9, breaking and entering the Sefton railway station and committing theft. The accused pleaded guilty and were committed for sentence on the indictable charges. They were remanded on the theft and fraud charges until September 22.

In view of the additional orders received since the outbreak of war, for timber for defence work in New Zealand, a proposal was made by the West Coast millers that the men employed in the mills should work two Saturdays, thus making up the time lost when the mills closed on two Fridays, owing to the slackness of orders for clean timber. In some cases, the extra two Saturdays’ work was needed to expedite the delivery of defence orders, but in others it was not considered really necessary. After ascertaining the opinions of Union members, and no direct request having been made by the Government, it has been decided not to proceed with the proposal. In an interview with the “Star,” to-day, Mr F. L. Turley, secretary of the Timber Workers’ Union, stated that the circular sent out to executive members, asking their opinion as to whether they were agreeable to work two Saturdays, to make up the two Fridays .lost on account of the shortage of orders about a month ago, and on account of the very large orders that had come to hand for the military authorities, was purely asking the members of the executive for their individual opinions on the matter. It had now been decided that, as no direct request had come from the Government to further expedite the delivery of timber for military purposes, the two Saturdays would definitely not be worked.

An important meeting of all commercial transport operators (whether members of Associations or not) is to be held in the Grey County Chambers. Greymouth, on Friday evening next at 7.30 o’clock. An officer of the Transport Department will be present to outline the Government’s requirements regarding motor transport.—Advt.

Two new maps of the European war zones, both in colours, one in four colours with detailed information, 1/-, posted 1/1: the other in six colours with more detail and two small inset maps, price 1/3. posted 1/4. Procurable at. B. Dixon’s, Ltd. —Advt.