LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 December 1940, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Banks were closed at Greymouth, to-day, in observance of the anniversary of Westland, which occurred yesterday.

Twenty-three vessels, aggregating 12,850 tons, entered the port of Greymouth during the month of November and 20 vessels (13,333 tons) departed. In November last year there were 26 arrivals (15,419 tons) and 23 departures (12,568 tons).

Due to last week’s fine spell, the month ended on Saturday was the driest November experienced at Greymouth for five years, the rainfall totalling 7.46 inches. Rain fell on 16 days during the month, the maximum fall for any one day being 1.96 inches on November 13. In November 1939, the rainfall was 10.11 inches, on 23 days. The last dry November was in 1935, when the total rainfall was 6.17 inches, on 15 days. „

The poor opinion of the worth of New Zealand currency abroad is illustrated in a letter to a Dunedin resident from a New Zealander who recently visited Colon, which is on the Atlantic side of the Panama canal. “The first thing we had to do on our arrival,” said the writer, “was to find a place where we could get a bit of money changed. I was with two friends at the time so, as it was night, we-went into a ‘speakeasy’ and each cashed a Bank of England note. For these we got only three American dollars. They wouldn’t look at New Zealand money,” he concluded.

“Out West,” with the Railway

Swing Time Revue, Town Hall, Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 p.m.—Advt. A sensational rumour circulating in Auckland that bales of wool shipped from the East. Coast and destined for overseas had been deliberately soaked with sulphuric acid and that a “Fifth Column,” bent on sabotage, had been responsible, has been officially denied. It was explained that the wool had been loaded at Napier for Auckland and that the vessel was also carrying supposedly “empty return” acid jars. It had been found, however, that the jars still contained a small residue of acid, and two bales had been affected slightly as a result. The shipping firm sent the bales to an Auckland firm specialising in the handling of such goods and asked that the wool be rebaled and put in new packs. It was stressed that there was no question of sabotage, as far as the slight damage was concerned, and that the loss occasioned by the acid would amount to a few shillings only.

“Waltz Time” at the Railway Revue, Town Hall, Tuesday and Wednesday at 8 o’clock.—Advt. Shorty “Proves all men are Liars,” Town Hall, to-morrow and Wednesday, at 8 o’clock.—Advt. The Summer brings out the fresh beauty of Fashions. Do your Xmas buying at White’s Fashion Corner.— Advt.

The All Purposes Patriotic Fund now totals £280,810, and it is expected that by the.end of this week it will reach one-third of a million pounds, stated Mr. J. Abel, Hon. Dominion Organiser. The official returns to date are as follow: Otago £61,000; Canterbury £60,0000; Wellington £45,000; Auckland £43,000; East Coast £22,500; Hawke’s Bay £16,000; Southland £13,000; Nelson £8,200; Taranaki £5,000; Westland £4000; Marlborough £3,000. —Press Assn.

The scale of salaries on a New Zealand armed merchant cruiser was the subject of a notice of question asked in the House, by Mr. W. P. Endean (National, Remuera). Mr. Endean asked the Minister of Defence (Mr. Jones) if he was aware that a sublieutenant received £3 Ils 6d a week, while a steward on the same ship received £6 10s a week. “Does the Minister intend to correct this anomaly?” asked Mr. Endean.

An indication of the efforts of the Government in the establishment of the linen flax industry in New Zealand is shown by the announcement in the latest Gazette that tenders for the construction of retting factory units, costing a total of £54,570, have been passed by the Public Works Department. Details of the expenditure and the sites of the proposed factories are: Tapanui, £4370; Makikihi, £9123; Balclutha, £9670; " Otautau, £10,665; Oxford, £5899; Methven, £4900; Washdyke, £5573; Leeston, £4370.

As a means of training boys to be useful, should an emergency arise, the First Greymouth Boy Scout troop has ,been revived. A good response has been received from boys and at the first meeting on Saturday there was a large attendance. A competent scoutmaster and assistants have been secured and as much training as possible will be done before Christmas. With the object of setting up a strong committee to supervise the troop, a meeting is being held on Wednesday evening.

“Though technically married, the parties are no longer living together as husband and, wife,” said Mr. Justice Fair when pronouncing a divorce decree in Auckland, “and it is recognised that in cases of that kind it is desirable that the marriage should be dissolved and that what are the real facts should be recognised as the legal position, namely, that the husband and wife are no longer husband and wife in law or in fact.” He said it was in the interests of all parties that the decree nisi should be granted.

Shorty sells Inventions, Town Hall, Tuesday and Wednesday, at 8 o’clock. —Advt.

To cope with heavy railway traffic expected during the week before Christmas, the Railways Department has arranged a large number of special trains, and already 14 expresses running between Auckland and Wellington have been fully booked by prospective travellers for the period from December 20 to December 25. Many bookings have also been received in Auckland for seats on railcars running between Wellington and New Plymouth and Wellington and Wairoa, and eight railcars travelling on these lines during the same period have already been filled.

“The Alahabama Quartette,” Town Hall, Tuesday and Wednesday, at 8 o’clock.—Advt.

Five persons who had not made income tax returns within the prescribed time were fined the minimum of £2 in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington. Dr. N. A. Foden, who appeared for the Commissioner of Taxes, said the prosecutions had been brought to" warn people not to be late in making their returns, and a large number of similar prosecutions were being made throughout New Zealand. It was the practice of many taxpayers to wait till they received a default assessment before furnishing a return, which put the department to trouble and expense. The prosecutions were intended to discourage the practice.

See the Strip Tease Burlesque, Town Hall, Tuesday and Wednesday, at 8 o’clock.—Advt.

The Commonwealth Government is taking secret measures to safeguard the interests of the Free French Movement in Australia. These embrace measures to prevent sabotage from inside Australia and from personal information about members reaching the enemy. Secret agents are keeping check on those who are. known to be definitely hostile to the development of the Free French Movement. Official estimates reveal that there are about 1000 unnaturalised French men and 700 unnaturalised French women living permanently in Australia. Many belong to the Free French Movement. The Government will not make public the names of French men and women prominent in the Free French Movement because the Nazis and Italians ill-treat relatives in France with the object of crushing the spirits of members of their families in British