LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 May 1942, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

At the Christchurch Competitions Festival, last evening, Billie Boyle, of Greymouth, won the Sailor’s Hornpipe, 10 and under 13 years.

Sufficient sets of battledress to outfit the effective strength of the No. 2 Battalion (Grey district) Home Guard have been received at Greymouth, and will be issued at an early date.

The Reserve Bank announced yesterday that subscriptions to the Liberty Loan now total £7,109,000, made up "as follows: 21 per cent, stock £2,682,810; 3 per cent, stock £4,426,670.—P.A.

Thirty-six men drawn in the Fifteenth Ballot (Territorial Force) were medically examined at Greymuth yesterday. Twenty were passed as fit, and 14 temporarily unfit (five fit for camp), while the gradings of two men were deferred.

The scarcity of matches has opened up new fields for trading and their present worth was- fully realised by an Auckland resident this week when a fellow-shopper offered three boxes of wooden matches in exchange for a half-loaf of bread at a dairy (reports the “N.Z. Herald”). He was just about to intercede and buy them himself when the shopkeeper accepted the proposal and proceeded to wrap up the bread.

“I see a member of Parliament protests that the lowering of the alcoholic content of beer will lower the morale of soldiers,” said the Bishop of Aotearoa, Rt. Rev. F. A. Bennett, in Napier. “I have a suggestion to make. Before they eo into action, the Maori boys always dance a haka. This stirs them up, and they are carried away by the words of the haka to bring back the honour of their people. I propose that if the pakeha did a haka before going into battle he would not need beer.”

A decline in the prevalence of influenza among soldiers in camps in the Canterbury district was reported yesterday. Two emergency hospitals were Opened to treat the cases; but the position had so far improved to justify the closing of one of the hospitals yesterday. Commenting on the prevalence" of influenza last night, Dr. T. Fletcher Telford (District Medical Officer for Health) said there had been a fair amount among Territorial soldiers, but the incidence among the civilian population was not more than ordinary.

The monthly meeting of the Kotuku W.I. was held in Jacks’ Hall, Mrs. Rowse presiding over a good attendance. Competition, “A Patchwork Cushion,” was won by Mrs. Rowse. The roll-call was “Uses in place of sugar.” A social half-hour was enjoyed. Two prominent members, Mrs. Waller and Mrs. Stewart, who left the district recently, were entertained and farewelled by the members and presented with parting-gifts. Supper was served by the hostesses, Mesdarnes J. Priest and Dalziell.

An unusual case was heard by the Magistrate, Mr. T. E. Maunsell, _at Murchison when, on the information of Detective-Sergeant F. Hayhurst, Ursula Della Bosca was charged with sending a letter otherwise than through the Post Office which in the ordinary course would have been transmitted through the Post Office. The charge was made under the Censorship and Publicity Emergency Regulations, under which all correspondence is subject to censorship. The maximum penalty is 12 months’ imprisonment. As the letter contained only harmless information a fine of £2 with costs was imposed.

The Southland Hospital Board is experiencing difficulty at the moment through patients not bringing their ration books with them. Hospital Boards (the Southland Times says) are in the same position as hotels, and though patients are allowed 14 ounces of sugar a week —two ounces more than the general ration—it is necessary that coupons should be supplied before the ration is obtained. When a patient is admitted to hospital it is essential that the ration book should be handed over to those in charge, and in the case of a person-be-ing admitted urgently relatives and friends are required to send the book in as quickly as possible.

Before the Conciliation Commissioner, Mr. S. Ritchie, at Greymouth yesterday, a sitting of the Conciliation Council was held to consider claims for a new award for dredge workers in the Nelson, Marlborough, and Westland provinces. The assessors for the employers were: Messrs H. F. Rutland, W. J. Radford, W. J. Ellis, and A. V. McLuskie, and for the employees: Messrs J. E. Laing, W. A. Boyd, W. O’Brien, and R. McDonald. After a sitting lasting nearly 11 hours agreement was reached on many clauses, but the main claims and counter-claims, affecting wages, holidays, etc., were not settled.

The inability of the Internal Marketing Division to supply adequate lemons to meet the public demand has resulted in an anomalous situation arising in Hawke’s Bay. The district surrounding Hastings is well suited to the growing of lemons, and heavy crops are grown there, but the fruitmarketing regulations do not permit this fruit to be sold through the shops. As a result, lemons can be bought from the orchards at prices ranging from 9d to 1/- a dozen, while in the shops lemons handled by the Internal Marketing Division must be sold at four, live or six for a shilling. In recent weeks the division has been able to supply shops with approximately a case a week at a time in the year when the demand for lemons is at the highest. A retailer said that so far this month he had received from the Government only a fifth of the lemons he usually sold in May.

Mrs. L. Gibson presided over a good attendance at the monthly meeting of the Brunner Women’s Institute. The meeting opened with the Institute Ode, and all present reading the Aspirations. An invitation from Blaketown W.I. to attend their birthday party, was accepted. Mrs. Mahon (delegate) read the report of the Federation meeting held in Greymouth recently. Six parcels for the soldiers were to be forwarded this month. It was decided to hold a shop-day atTaylorville on Saturday morning. All members are asked to contribute to same. The treasurer read her report and statement for the month. Mrs. Pender gave a further demonstration in smocking and was accorded a vote of thanks. The members are working steadily on garments for the Lady Galway Guild, also patriotic knitting, etc.. A number expressed willingness to make bags for the E.P.S. The motto for the month was “A garden is not made by saying ‘How beautiful’ and sitting in the shade.” Competition, a sugar bag article to cost not more than 1/-, was poorly contested, the winner being Mrs. Todd. These articles were given to the shop-day. Competition, a jar of flowers, was won by Mrs. Richardson. The roll call, a funny story, was well responded to. The social half-hour competition was won by Mrs. Richardson. Hostesses Mesdames Kerr, Harper and Mahon served supper.

Have your blankets washed by the Westland Laundry Ltd. They are carefully washed in Lux Soap and fluffed in a modern dryer, which thoroughly airs the blankets ready for use. ’Phone 136.—Advt.

It pays to buy your Fashion Goods from White’s. The style and quality are so much superior. We have the stock. Call to-day or any time, and give us the pleasure of helping you. Yes, you can Lay-by if you wish.— White’s Fashion Corner. —Advt.

The Liverpool mine was idle today on account of bad weather hampering shipping, but will resume tomorrow.

Two years and four days after it last rumbled round its track at the Centennial Exhibition, the Kiwi Train was sold by auction recently. It had been in store ever since the Exhibition closed. Only a few buyers attended. The blue and silver locomotive and tender were knocked down for £ 60, the principal value being in the eight-cylinder motor-car engine that was the source.of the locomotive’s power. The five carriages were bought for £l6/10/- each by a Wellington coachbuilder. Other equipment was also sold, but the rails had been disposed of previously.

“It is not a question of married versus single, but a question of in which position a man can best serve his country in the war effort,” said Mr. J. W. Hinchey, secretary of the Southland Manpower Committee, at a sitting of the committee, in reference to the objection of a young man to an appeal on his behalf by the Railways Department (reports the “Southland Times”). In a letter which he wrote to the committee the reservist said he did not see why he should be exempted from service with the Army when married men were being called up. The committee decided to grant the reservists’ request and the appeal was dismissed accordingly.

“It is a great pity the New Zealand farmer is so fond of using barbed wire,” said Rotarian Les Longbottom during a vocational talk at the Dunedin Rotary Club’s luncheon. The conditions in the Dominion for the production of good hides were, he said, ideal, but the tanner had frequently to complain of damage to hides, which meant a very considerable loss of valuable material. The defects were almost entirely due to brand marks, cuts from barbed wire, flaying cuts, and horn marks. The tanning industry had been very greatly expanded at the request of the Government in order to produce all the leather required for the boots for the Forces, as well as for the general public, and the indications were that the production was going to keep pace with the requirements, thus showing the value'of the industry to the Dominion.

Strawberry plants, which are reported to be more advanced at present than last year, are being transferred from nurseries in thousands each day to market gardens around Auckland, and with the present favourable weather the new season’s crop gives every promise of being good (states the “New Zealand Herald”). At the beginning of the planting difficulty was experienced in obtaining adequate fertiliser, but the position has now improved and growers’ demands are being satisfied. Although in recent years between 1,500,000 and 1,750,000 plants were grown on 70 to 80 acres, it is estimated that the acreage set aside for the cultivation of the fruit this year will be only two-thirds of that used formerly. The Captain Cook strawberry is the most widely-cultivated in Auckland because it has a fairly high resistance to disease.

For that perfect coat —an all-wool Velour is the answer; 54 inches and with a caressing softness and finish as smooth as a petal. Delightful colourings, Bottle, Navy, Black. Blue, Cherry, Dusky Pink. From 16/6 yd. —C. Smith's.—Advt.

“Rayarna”—that new wool-like fabric—it feels degrees lighter than it looks, and it wears to a standstill. You will realise its worth and buy several lengths of it while the range is so wide and almost unlimited. Plain and checks, from 4/11. —C. Smith’s.—Advt.