DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 February 1942, Page 8

DOMINION ITEMS

I BREAD ZONING PLAN. AUCKLAND, February 16.. I Bread zoning is proceeding apace in I various parts of Auckland and its suburbs, and in most instances the .sealing of areas to one delivery has been accomplished without a hitch or complaint. . It is still possible under the scheme for customers to receive bread from their regular baker, although it. is delivered in the van of another. When the plan is in full operation, bakers will have saved more than 50 per tent, of their - aggregate petrol consumption. CADETS FOR NAVY. WELLINGTON, February 17. Two cadets, between 17 and 18 and eight months on November 30, 1942, and two between 17 and 19 on November 30, will be entered as officers in the Royal New Zealand Navy for long service, according to an announcement made by Mr Jones. The Minister emphasised that this announcement refers solely to candi- ’ dates who wish to make the New Zealand Navy their career in life, and it has nothing to do with service for me duration of the war only. ! SOLDIERS’ MESSAGES. J WELLINGTON, February 17. j “My attention has been directed to statements that have been made to the effect that soldiers in Iho Middle I East are being charged for the recording ui messages ior subsequent broadcasting in New Zealand,” announced Mr Wilson (Minister-in-Charge of Broadcasting). “It has never been the policy of the Government to charge for the recording of messages, and > consequently it is difficult to understand how these statements originate. “In order to make definitely certain that no charge is being made, 1 arranged for a cablegram to be sent m the broadcasting unit in Egypt, asking lor an assurance that soldiers could record messages gratuitously. Lie imiT replied that no charge is marie tn soldiers sending messages.” BLENH EIM COLLEGE. BLENHEIM. February 16. The Minister for Health (Mr. Nordmeyer), after an inspection, of the college and hospital accommodation at Blenheim, held out some hope to ..he College Board of at least a partial reversion of the college building from the emergency hospital to educational purposes. After conferring with the college governors, the Minister discussed with the Hospital Board proposals to expedite the construction of extensions to the public hospital, a contract for which is being held up through lack of materials. 'The Minister suggested that extensions could be entrusted to the Public Works Department. to ’be carried out in light materials. This proposition will be discussed by the Hospital Board this afternoon and also by The interested departments at Wellington. BURNHAM SOLDIER’S DEATH. CHRISTCHURCH. February 16. Private Robert Chambers Bellam, a cook, aged about 50, of Burnham Military Camp, was killed instantly when he fell from his cycle under the wheels of a lorry about 7.30 o’clock this evening. The accident occurred on the Main South road about one and a-half miles north of Burnham. Bellam. having finished his day’s work at the camp, was riding to his home at Rollcston to see his wife and children. The driver of a lorry, returning from delivering milk at Burnham Camp, recognised him, and coming slowly alongside the cycle, offered 1 him a' lift. Bellam accepted the offer, put his hand on to the lorry, which was travelling slowly, but his cycle ran into some shingle* on the road and sideslipped. throwing Bellam under the wheels of the lorry. He was killed instantly. WOMEN TRAMWAY WORKERS. AUCKLAND. February 16. j The employment, of women on the 1 Auckland trams was discussed by the I Transport Board when notification 2was received that a Government ordfl er had been made authorising tram--sway controlling bodies to call back workers for an additional day a week, such workers io be given a minimum of eight hours’ work and paid time and a-half. Sunday is not to be regarded as an additional day under the order. _ The engineer and manager (Mr. A. E. Ford) said the board should endeavour to till vacancies as they occurred, and work the sixth day only w hen it was essential. When the cost of the sixth day became large enough { to warrant structural alterations, con- | sideration could be given to the em- i ployment of women. To employ wo- | men would cost 14 to 20 per cent, j more than men. and would take approximately 120 women to do the I work of 100 men.

After discussion, the Board referred the question of employing women, to the chairman and the manager for an investigation and report.