LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 December 1940, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A clause in the Finance Bill (No. 4) dealing with rural housing, states that advances made in respect of land leased by the Crown are to be a charge on the lessees’ interest in the land, and to have priority over any charge or loading arising from the erection of buildings, or the making of other improvements. Charges under the Rural Housing Act in respect of Crown leases are to be satisfied out of the value of improvements paid for by the incoming tenants.— Press Assn.

Gratifying reports regarding patriotic efforts have been received by Major Abel, hon. Dominion organiser of the million appeal. Several districts are well on the way to attainment of their quota, 'and one is well advanced towards doubling it. The Mayor of Pahiatua states that, by means of a queen carnival, £4658 was raised, greatly exceeding the district quota of £3OOO. Pahiatua is second only to Waipukurau, which is well on the way to doubling its quota. It is reported from the Waikato that, up to last evening, £43,000 was in hand, with a further £lOOO in sight, making £44,000 of the quota of £45,000. The Waikato zone was particularly to be commended, said Major Abel, for in the Sick, Wounded and Distress Fund, and the present appeal, the contributions were more than £1 for every man, woman and child in the zone. —Press Assn.

“It is worthy of note that the department is now providing nearly everything that this association has advocated for so many years in respect to swimming in the public schools.” That note of achievement appears in the annual report of the New Zealand Amateur Swimming Association under the heading of swimming in schools. The report states that important progress has been made by the Education Department during the yeai* in the physical training of school children. The appointment of Mr. P. A. Sithells as Director of Physical Education has been followed by commendable activity. A motion picture film has been provided for the instruction of school teachers in class lessons, and a much more positive attitude has been adopted in respect to swimming instruction in the training colleges. The result of this development should be a marked improvement in swimming in the schools during the next few years.

Mr. Norman Stouppe, of Barry and Stouppe, Opticians, is in Greymouth, and may be consulted .for sight testing to-morrow (Thursday) at the surgery of Mr. D. Mcßrearty, dentist. Please ring for your appointment.— Advt.

The Liverpool mine was idle today but will work to-morrow. The stoppage was caused through a shortage of shipping, and the binns being full.

In a question addressed to the Minister for- Defence (Mr. Jones) of which Mr. J. A. Lee gave notice in the House yesterday, information is sought as to what steps are being taken to ensure that men discharged as unfit from camp on account of disability incurred during training are warned to apply for a pension during any period of disability or convalescence, the sickness benefit from social security, or idleness at his family’s expense, not being adequate in such cases.

“I think it is in the blood of every Englishman to be thrilled to return to his mother country, and we have that feeling at present,” said the Gov-ernor-General (Lord Galway) speaking at a civic farewell to him and Lady Galway at New Plymouth last evening. Lord and Lady Galway are making a farewell tour of Taranaki, and were given a civic farewell also at Stratford. During the day Lady Galway met members of the Lady Galway Guild, and others associated with the work throughout Taranaki. —Press Assn.

The completion of the South Island main trunk railway, linking lines having their termini at Parnassus in Canterbury and Wharenui in Marlborough, was originally fixed for the end of 1941; but the Minister for Public Works (Mr. Semple) said in an interview yesterday that although completion was well in sight, the date was dependent on the men and machines available. The Minister reviewed the progress of the works, and in emphasising the factors operating to-day, mentioned that at the outbreak of war construction was actually ahead of schedule.

An inquiry whether the Government had yet come to a decision regarding an increase of 5 per cent, in allowances paid to wives of members of the armed forces was contained in an urgent question asked in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. J. A. Lee (Democratic Labour), on behalf of the Hon. W. E. Barnard. It was pointed out that such an increase would be in line with the recent increase in wages of workers under awards. “The whole question of the cost of living and economic stabilisation is under consideration by the Government at the present time,” said the Minister for Defence (Mr. Jones) in reply.

Mr W. A. Bodkin, Nationalist M.P. for Otago Central, will give public addresses at Greymouth on Saturday and at Hokitika on Monday.—Advt.

The amount of petrol allocated for December to holders of special licenses, such as insurance agents and commercial travellers, has been reduced by 20 per cent. The reduction was announced yesterday by the Oil Fuel Controller (Mr. G. L. Laurenson) when he was questioned on a report that all commercial licenses had been reduced. Permanent licenses for petrol for commercial vehicles had not been interfered with, Mr. Laurenson replied. The licenses were issued so that businesses could be conducted throughout the year, but in cases where cars would be laid up over the Christmas and New Year holidays, not being required for the special business purposes for which the extra petrol had been granted in other months, the petrol allocations were being reduced by 20 per cent. —Press Assn.