LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 December 1940, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Five building permits, for work valued at £1,950, were issued in the Borough of Greymouth during November. Twenty-two conscripted Territorials were medically examined at Greymouth yesterday, 15 being fit, six temporarily unfit, and one permanently unfit.

Primary schools under the control of the Canterbury Education Board will conclude their school year for 1940 on December 19, and will begin the 1941 session on February 4.

“I cannot take cognisance of what a wife earns,” said Mr. R. C. Abernethy, S.M., in a judgement summons case in the Invercargill Magistrate’s Court. “The wife may be a rich woman but that does not matter if the husband has incurred the debt.” Mr. J. G. Imlay suggested that a wifeys income might have a bearing since it might determine the amount of surplus that the husband should have for the payment of his debts.

In accordance with notice given, Cr. C. Neville moved as follows, at last evening’s meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council: “That Cr. A. H. McKane’s motion relating to the holding of the Finance Committee’s meetings in open, be rescinded, and that the Council hold two ordinary meetings per month, on the first and third Thursdays, and that financial matters be dealt with on the third Thursday in each month.” The motion was seconded by Cr. J. B. Kent, and carried.

The fact that there is a grave shortage of house surgeons in New Zealand to-day was mentioned at a meeting of the Otago Hospital Board. Two extra house surgeons are required for the Dunedin Hospital, and in his report the medical superintendent, Dr. J. Thomson, stated that he .had conferred with the dean of the Medical School, Dr. Hercus, who said that there were far more vacancies at present than could be filled by qualified men.

At the meeting of the Ngahere W.1., recently, Mrs. Donaldson presided i over a fair attendance. Final arrange- . ments were made for the children’s ' Xmas Party. Letters of thanks were 1 sent to the School Committee for their . donation to the party funds, and to Mr. Philip for his gift of a rocking horse to be raffled the night of the party. The' competition resulted as follows:—Mrs. 1 Richardson 1, Mrs. Armstrong 2, Mrs. Thornton H.C. January’s competition As to be a tray cloth made from a flour bag. Games and competitions occupied the Social hour and during the afternoon tea the guest of the afternoon, I Mrs. Todd, was presented with a crys- ‘ 'tai vase, by the president, on behalf of .the members. The hostesses were Mesdames Ware and Richardson. The motto: “Do as well as you.can to-day, and perhaps to-morrow you may be (able to do better.”

Just arrived: A shipment of Ladies’ Silk and Cotton Vests in two styles—round neck and shaped top. In flesh and creme only. 2/11 each.—C. Smith. —Advt. White Wool 3-ply in “Aotea” and Petone brands, lid per skein. Also, navy blue wool, extra heavy weight, 3-ply, 1/6 per two-ounce skein.—C. Smith’s. —Advt.

Books issued by the Greymouth Municipal Library during November totalled 1,520; membership tickets 36, children’s tickets nine; new books ’placed in circulation 25. Fees collected at the Greymouth .Municipal Abattoir during November totalled £lO3/16/10. Stock was dealt with as follows: Cows 15, bullocks 157, sheep 410, lambs 35, pigs 69, calves six. One pig was condemned.

Notice of its intention to introduce a higher rate of charge for taxis hired ,on a time basis was given by the Auckland Metropolitan Licensing Authority yesterday. Coming into operation on December 23, the new rates will apply only to hire for scenic drives, .weddings, and funerals, the charge for (Other trips being by distance, and at ,the present rate. Time hire at present Is at the rate of 12/- an hour, and 1/(for every five minutes thereafter. The new charges are to be 15/- and 1/3. Extras will be payable in special circumstances, such as for more than four passengers.—Press Assn.

The annual Rose Day appeal of the Greymouth Branch of the Plunket Society is being held to-day, roses being sold in the streets and in business premises by many willing assistants. A shop day is being held in conjunction with the street appeal, and indications this afternoon were that good business would be done. Greymouth was well catered for in the way of shop day appeals, to-day, there being four separate shops open in the business area, in aid of funds for patriotic purposes, sport and children’s welfare.

The following persons were granted hotel licences at the quarterly meeting of the Buller Licensing Committee: -Agnes McManus (Commercial Hotel, Westport), Arthur D. Batt (Albion Hotel, Westport);, Bertha . Sherlock; (Mount Rochfort Hotel, Denniston); [Patrick M. Collins (Commercial Hotel, Nelson Creek). The following applications for confirmation were granted: James Durnin (Mount Rochfort Uotel), Albert George Colvin (Black and White Hotel, Westport). Edward C. Holder was given authority to carry on the business of the Criterion Hotel for three months.

Writing to last evening’s meeting of the Greymouth Borough Council, Radio Centre, Ltd., advised that they were opening a shop in Mackay Street, and applied for permission to erect a speaker over the entrance. An assurance was given that the speaker would be operated softly, and that no nuisance would be created. Cr. H. Herring remarked that there were radios all over the town at present, and another could not do any harm. Cr. J. B. Kent: “We have a remedy. If it is not properly controlled, and a nuisance is created, we can prosecute.” On the motion of Cr. G. R. Harker, permission was granted, to continue at the pleasure of the Council.

A piece of cake in a tobacco tin was produced by Mr. J. A. Roy (Opposition, Clutha) in the House of Representatives yesterday in support of a ■question of which he gave notice to the Minister for Defence (Mr. Jones). He asked whether the Minister would -take steps to have investigated complaints of soldiers on active service who stated that cakes sent to them, by relations and patriotic societies, had proved on opening to be unfit for consumption. “A patriotic society in my district purchased cake from a Dunedin firm, the tin of which was already sealed up, and on opening it found it to be of very poor quality, and not fit to go overseas,” Mr. Roy said. “A sample of this cake I friave in my possession.”

Reporting to the Greymouth Bor..ough Council, last evening, the Engineer (Mr. A. J. Fairmaid) said that the erection of the footbridge over (Sawyer’s Creek, at the intersection of Bridge Street and Marsden Road, has been commenced. The Works Committee recommended that the footbridge across Sawyer’s Creek in Marlborough Street be proceeded with, following completion of that now in hand in Bridge Street, and that the .reconstruction of Preston Road bridge ,be put in hand immediately thereafter. The recommendation was adopted, but, speaking personally. Cr. F. F. Boustridge (chairman of the Corrmit,.tee) said that he would have preferred the Preston Road bridge to be reconstructed first.

A striking comment on the “system,” or lack of it, in issuing import licenses for essential goods was furnished by a report of an Auckland Powei' Board meeting recently, when it was revealed that 354 Government houses in Auckland cannot be made ready for a tenancy, because the Power Board, having received no response to its applications for licenses to import the necessary material, cannot complete the necessary electrical connection (comments the New Zealand ‘Observer,’). If there is any more ■farcical spectacle presented than that of one Government department spending vast sums on houses, while another department, guided by official policy, is forced to obstruct the processes by which material for such houses may be procured, then it would be interesting to hear about it. When import licensing has reacted in such a way that the Government cannot get its own houses completed it may be readily imagined what the private importer has had to put up with.

Remember to-morrow night, at the Town Hall. Be sure and hear Mr W. A. Bodkin, M.P. See advertisement on page one.—Advt. A request for an explanation of the Government’s intentions in regard to alleviating “the present unsatisfactory and critical position in which potato growers find themselves,” was made in an urgent question by Mr. J. N. Massey (Opposition, Franklin) in Jthe House yesterday to the Minister .for Marketing (Mr. Nash). “In the Pukekohe district it is estimated that there are still more than 2,500 tons to be lifted, and even at the extremely Jow prices prevailing, normal requirements Will absorb only about half this .total, leaving a surplus of more than >1,250 tons, with increasing quantities coming on the market daily from later ■districts,” Mr. Massey said. “Particular hardship is being caused by the (fact that while growers remain in the position of being unable to dig their props, they will be prevented from carrying out their normal and essential rotation cropping.” The Minister said he was sorry if there was hardship. The Government was making

inquiries to see if it was possible to market greater quantities overseas. He did not know of any other country where potatoes could be sold, but ■would endeavour to find a market.

White’s are showing beautiful Summer Coats specially for Xmas trade. The colourings are of the very latest and fit; quality and style guaranteed.—Advt.