Local and General

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 March 1943, Page 4

Local and General

The greatest depth recorded on the Grey Bar for some time was noted at high tide at 10.42 this morning, when 25 feet was meassured. The fresh northerly wind, combined with the spring tide, was responsible for the added depth, which, however, is not as satisfactory as it appears, because of the tendency to back up the heavy deposits which remain outside. However, during the last fortnight there has been a marked improvement, and at low water there is a depth of a little more than 13 feet on the inner bar and 14 feet on the outer bar. although 1000 feet out, on the northern limits, a patch giving a depth of only 13 feet remains.

Notice of motion calling for immediate inquiry into the complaint made several weeks ago by the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland) that some of his official correspondence had been opened by the postal censorship department, was moved by Mr. W. J. Polson in the House yesterday. The subject was one which had been touched on the previous day by Mr. E. P. Meachen (Government, Marlborough) in a speech in the Address-in-Reply debate, and as a result Mr. Polson gave notice to move at the next sitting day, “That in view of the facts disclosed by the member for Marlborough in his speech in the Address-in-Reply debate indicating that he was in possession of particulars relating to the censorship of official correspondence of the Leader of the Opposition which in face of it could only have been supplieed by a member of the staff of the official censor, the House recommends that an immediate inquirv be instituted into the whole circumstances.

The Patriotic Shop conducted by residents south of Sawyer’s Creek bridge, yesterday, realised £33. A total of 3217 tons of coal were railed through the Buller Gorge from Westport to the East Coast during February. National Savings contributions in .Greymouth, this' week, aggregated £309/18/8, leaving a deficiency of £312/1/4 compared with the quota of £622.

“We are in a pretty bad position on the West Coast,” commented Mr J. S. Robertson, chairman of the Sawmillers’, Association, tendering evidence to the Manpower Appeal Committee in Greymouth, this morning. He was alluding to the position of labour in the timber industry, saying there was an urgent need to retain every man possible and to avoid transfers to other districts.

The provision of the extra sugar ration for those who did not receive the additional amount for marmalade in August was clarified by the Greymouth Rationing Office, this morning. The additional 31b to be made available to these persons will be supplied by retail grocers, who will inspect the old ration books for support of the applicants’ claim that the extra ration has not been previously drawn. Retailers are to keep a record of sugar so supplied.

At a meeting of settlers of the Arahura Valley, convened by the Westland County Council, proposals to combat river erosion, estimated to cost £3,340, were approved, and these will be submitted to the Soil Erosion and Rivers Control Council next week. The District Engineer of the Public Works Department (Mr. E. F. Evans) wrote stating that the proposals were to raise the existing timber and stone wall to four feet above flood level and extend it upstream along the road for eight chains.

A request that military officers be informed that in future their military servants’ duties are to be confined to military duties was contained in notice of a question given in the House of Representatives yesterday by Mr. J. Hodgens (Government, Palmerston North) to the Acting-Minister for Defence. Mr. Hodgens asked that officers residing in private houses away from military establishments should be informed that their male servants must not be expected to mow lawns, attend to gardens, run messages, transport children to school, and do general household chores at the behest of the officers’ wives. He had been informed of two cases in Palmerston North of officers living privately who had all these services provided by the State through the agency of a male servant in uniform. —P.A.

“I am appalled at the steady growth of stealing, pilfering, and dishonesty in this country,” writes the Bishop of Waikato, Rt. Rev. C. A. Cherrmgton, in the March issue of the Waikato Diocesan Magazine. “Various public men of note are seriously disturbed and contribute articles stressing the seriousness of the situation. That you cannot leave your bicycle, hang out your clothes, or leave your farm implements in your own field ready for the next job, is simply a sickening situation. ' I have lived in large industrial districts most of my hie and neither there nor in semi-heathen Mauritius was there anything like the tale of theft to which one is treated day by day in this country. “What is the reason of it? There is only one. We are losing sight ol the one and only reason against our doing wrong in any direction.”

Whether the hedgehog is at present beneficial or otherwise, it must in the end prove baneful, says a correspondent to the Forest and Bird Protection Society’s journal. The hedgehog has no natural enemy m New Zealand, and so far appears to. have been able to find ample food; moreover, it hibernates during « a period of food shortage,” he adds. “It is believed to have been introduced to New Zealand by the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society in 1870, while the Otago Society imported 100 in 1885, only three of which survived. The reason for the importations is obscure. To-day, the density of the hedgehog population is little realised.” The correspondent says that with three small pit traps, he caught 317 in 17 months, besides some rabbits and a polecat. The hedgehog certainly killed rats and mice, but had also been known to raid chicken houses, for which the stoat was often blamed.

According to a policy statement on civil defence, made by the Minister of Civil Defence (Mr. Wilson), _ this week, the E.P.S. establishment figure for Greymouth is 700 and that for Westport 600. The distribution of the establishment figures in the most vulnerable cities and towns, which include Greymouth and Westport, is to be on the following basis: Wardens 20 per cent., law and order 10 per cent., communications 10 per cent., medical 20 per cent., fire 20 per cent., and works 20 per cent. A new feature of the proposals, said the Minister, was the constitution, at least in the four main centres and the secondary ports, of mobile squads, extra to establishment and with a strength of approximately 10 per cent, of the establishment figures given. They would be trained like the other frontline personnel and would be used as required for the reinforcement of such units as wardens, fire, medical and communications. A special training unit would be established in eacly of the 25 more important centres. The’ nucleus would be chosen from officers who had graduated from the recent civil defence school of instruction.

Power will be cut off in the Coal Creek, Runanga and Barrytown areas to-morrow (Sunday) from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for line repairs.—Advt.

Attention! Please note White’s Big Fashion Opening This Tuesday.— Advt.

Infants’ Silk and Wool Vests in Creme, with short sleeves. Sizes 1,2 and 3, 3/6 at C. Smith’s. —Advt.

If unexpected guests walked in would your bedrooms stand inspection? Not if your spreads, eiderdowns and sheets are dull, rumpled and sagging. Nothing adds so much to the fresh, crisp appearance of a bedroom as professionally laundered linen. Our special methods and modern equipment keep the colours bright and clear. We have the equipment for fluffing pile fabrics back to downy softness. ’Phone 136 and Westland Laundry will be at your service.— Advt.