Local and General

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 July 1943, Page 4

Local and General

The Liverpool State mine was idle to-day, following a discussion at the bath-house on a shortage of caps and wedges, used in timbering the working places, and also on requests from the Armed Forces Appeal Board for explanations from certain men who have lost time. It is the practice of the Board to seek reasons for any unusually lengthy absences from work when reviewing .appeals. There is a shortage of caps and wedges, but considerable difficulty has been experienced by the Department in getting orders fulfilled for this class of timber, because of the demand on sawmillers for all classes of timber. >

A visitor to Hokitika, who arrived on the rail-car from Christchurch! yesterday morning, was found dead at the Hotel Westland at noon. He has been identified as Mr Frank Mullen, a traveller for an Auckland firm.

• The graduated scale of mufti allowances fixed by the War Cabinet for payment to discharged servicemen will also be paid to servicewomen on discharge from the armed forces. An announcement to this effect was made last night by the Prime Minister. — P.A.

Difficulty in obtaining supplies r of hardwood timber for wharf repairs have been confronting the Engineer of the Greymouth Harbour Board (Mr. D. S. Kennedy) for some time, and he reported to last evening’s meeting that he had been in touch with a mill on the subject. “The position, though difficult, can probably be met in the next month or so,” he said. “This is providing the Railways Department agree to the suggestion I have made regarding the use of birch for some of the main beams.”

Expectations that the new slipway at Greymouth will be completed in time for the next periodic overhaul of the tug Kumea were expressed by Mr. D. S. Kennedy, Engineer of the Greymouth Harbour Board, at the meeting last evening. He reported that a start had been made in preparing gear and materials for the cradle and foundations. The Chairman'(Mr. J. B. Kent) remarked that it was likely the slipway would be “quite revenue producing,” inquiries having already been received respecting its use by other vessels. At the close of the civic welcome to the men who have returned from overseas at the Greymouth Town Hall last evening the Mayor (Mr. F. A. Kitchingham) announced that all the men would be welcome at the Patriotic Depot, where they would be provided with writing, reading and other facilities and also a cup of tea. Further, mittens, scarves or other similar comforts would be provided for any who needed them. ’“What about a bottle of beer?’ asked one of the contingent. “There’s an old saying, ‘seek and-ye shall find, rejoined the Mayor.

Topping News at Trumans! Millinery now smashed to clear. All Ready-to-Wears and Models in many snappy and casual styles. AH heavily reduced to clear. Grouped and priced from 6/11. —Advt.

As from July 1 the Mines Department will pay wharfage on all coal shipped by it from Greymouth, according to advice received by the Greymouth Harbour Board from the Under- Secretary of Mines (Mr. C. H. Benney). There had in the past been some question as to what coals other than State the Mines Department was paying wharfage and the special improvement rate on. There had been no uniformity, some coals being purchased f.o.b. and others f.o.r. The position has now been clarified as indicated.

Value in Fur Coats at Trumans: Warmth and Style in these superior N.Z. Fur Coats that are all so reasonably priced from llgns. Newest styles in full-length priced at llgns. —Advt.

“I notice by the papers that you are having a lot of trouble with the Greymouth River Bar and 1 have a scheme that I am sure would put things right in a very short time, stated a letter received by the Greymouth Harbour Board, last evening, from Mr. L. M. Valpy, of Invercargill, who described himself as a hydraulic miner. He said he had received inquiries from Siam, Burma, Fiji, Australia, South Africa, and Spain, and “had been able to help quite a lot of parties,” adding that he had been called in during trie construction of the Waipori Dam. It would give him, he said, great, pleasure to see an improvement in the Grey Bar. The. letter was “received,” no action being taken.

Presenting an interim report to the Greymouth Harbour Board, . last evening, on the proposed rehabilitation scheme, the Engineer (Mr. D. S. Kennedy) stated that, after adverse weather, survey work and plans for the roadstead soundings had been completed and actual soundings would be undertaken when tidal and weather conditions were suitable, if possible on or after Monday next. Sketches of the main wharf plans had been partly prepared and would shortly be ready for final drawing and tracing. Owing to the preparatory work on the slip taking practically all his time for three weeks, he had been un'able to devote much time to the rehabilitation project, but he would give it a certain amount of attention shortly.

View now the big reductions in Winter Millinery at Trumans. Many snappy and sporty styles in all good Winter shades. Velours, Wool and Fur Felts styled to flatter both young and old, and all priced now to clear from 6/11. —Advt.

There were on March 31, 506 children registered with the Canterbury and Westland branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children Society, and of these 64 had registered during the year; 17 had been cured, 68 had spent a period in hospital, and 205 had received treatment as outpatients, most through the orthopaedic clinic. These facts are given in the society’s eighth annual report. In their financial statements for the year ended March 31, each of the sub-branches shows a credit balance. In Ashburton, the number of crippled children on the sub-branch’s roll is 10, in Greymouth 28, including two new cases,' in Hokitika 23 children are under the care of the committee, and in Westport 37 children are registered with the sub-branch.

A move by the Otago Harbour Board to foster the coastal shipping trade by “eliminating uneconomic, cut-throat competition between road, rail, and sea .transport” was considered by the Greymouth Harbour Board, last evening, on the representations of the Harbours’ Association. The Otago Board stated that railway competition had for many years seriously interfered with the trade of a number of ports, with the result that boards, after developing their ports, had to watch goods on which they depended for their revenue being diverted to the railways because of the fixing of special rates for freight designed to make rail carriage slightly cheaper than by sea, irrespective of whether these ratss were economic or not. The Chairman (Mr J; B. Kent) commented that the issue raised was important and that it should receive full consideration. On his suggestion, the Secretary was instructed to prepare a report for the next meeting.

There’s no need to suffer the tortures of a Gestapo victim through having to stand over the washtub. What with being unable to get help in the home mother’s domestic worries have certainly grown. Guarding your health these days is an obligation not only to yourself and your family but to the country’s war effort. Doctors and nurses are needed in the Armed Forces, Hospitals are crowded, throwing a big strain on the present staffs. Take advantage of our modern Laundry Service, make a convenience of us, that’s what we are here for, to relieve you of that Wash-day worry and help you to re-1 tain your good health.—Westland Laundry Ltd. ’Phone 136, Depot 27, Albert Street.-—Advt.

Flags were flown at half-mast on public buildings in Greymouth to-day in honour of the late General Sikorski', Polish Prime Minister, . whose funeral took place at Newark (Nottingham).

The licensee of the Buck’s Head Hotel, Taylorville, Mr. C. Senior, is retiring from the hotel business. Mr S. F. Malmanche, of Westport, will take over the license on Saturday next.

Although the team to represent Buller against West Coast on Saturday has been selected, it is suggested that it would be a fine gesture if some of the selected mdn offered their places to returned men who are keen to take the field again as representatives of Buller, says the “News.”

Service personnel who are home on furlough from the Middle East are entitled to receive from the local Oil Fuel Controller a special license .entitling them to 10 gallons of benzine. This allocation is on the same basis as that extended to all overseas personnel, whether on furlough or discharged.

Coal and timber traffic on the railways from the West Coast to Canterbury is exceedingly heavy this week. From Westport alone daily coal consignments are averaging between 400 and 500 tons, while Grey mines are also supplying large quantities. Consignments of timber from the south are maintaining big proportions.

The Government never did a better deed than when it appointed General Sir Bernard Freyberg to command the New Zealand Division, said Brigadier H. K. Kippenberger. D.S.O. and Bar, when speaking to nvpils of the Rangiora High School yesterday. General Freyberg was the biggest, bravest, and wisest man he knew, be added.

When the Christchurch Manpower Appeal Committee sits in Greymouth to-morrow week it will consider at least ten cases in one of the largest lists yet presented to it. These will include two cases adjourned from the sitting on June 5, also two against direction to the Hokitika Mental Hospital.. If the sitting does not conclude during the day it will be continued in the evening.

The Secretary of the Greymouth Master Grocers’ Association, Mr A. M. Carroll, stated to-day that, contrary to the statement appearing ,in the “Star” yesterday by an executive of a wholesale house, there was a definite shortage of tobacco in Greymouth. (The wholesaler described the situation as a “fictitious shortage”). Mr Carroll added that retailers had no reserve stocks and had to rely solely on their share of the small shipments as they came to hand.

“I have to inform you that all category A. men, that is those who are Grade 1 and between the ages of 21 and 40 inclusive, are liable to be dis-’ patched for service overseas,” said the Acting-Minister of Defence in reply to an inquiry from Mr. Clyde Carr. M.P., about the liability for overseas service of men who are 40 years of age. The Minister wrote: “Owing to the difficulty of obtaining the full requirements for the next draft, it is possible that some men who are 40 years of age will be posted to that reinforcement, and no doubt a few may not have bad a great deal of training. This, however, will be completed overseas before the men in question are posted to serve with units in the field.”

During the past year two officers of the Public -Service have been given full-time duties connected with paper conservation, says the annual report of the Public Service Commissioner fMr. J. H. Boyes). All requests to the Government Printing Office involving the use of paper have been reviewed before approval was given for printing. Opportunity was also taken to make inspections of existing stocks of paper and forms held by different district offices. "As a result of the operations of these two officers,” the report adds, “consumption was cut down very considerably, and the position regarding paper supplies of the Government Printing Office was vastly improved. Another indirect benefit of this survey of departmental forms has been the abandonment of the furnishing of certain returns which under present conditions could hardly be deemed essential.”

The Auckland Presbytery decided recently to support the appeal of three taxi-drivers, who are also elders of the Church, against beinj compelled to do Sunday work on roster. The Presbytery also claimed, for such conscientious objectors the right of appeal to some impartial tribunal. Reporting on behalf of the public Questions committee, the Rev. J. D. Smith said the work had apparently been portioned out among the drivers under regulations from which there was no appeal. One of the men concerned was superintendent of a Sunday school. One of them was obtaining signatures for a petition to the Taxi Control Committee on conscientious grounds, and he thought he had a right to the support of the Presbytery. The public questions committee recognised that there was a certain amount of essential work that had to be done on Sundays, but there were a number of drivers quite willing to do that, and it seemed, an unnecessary complication to try to compel others.

Under an agreement between the Workers’ Union and the Board, ■ stated to have been concluded when the late Mr A.J-I. McKane was chair|man, employees of ths Greymouth Harbour Board worked as wharf attendants on Christmas Day, 1942, New Year’s Day, Good Friday, and Easter Monday, 1943, at ordinary rates, not being paid the double rates provided for in the award. The Board, at its meeting last evening, received from the District Inspector of Labour a letter inquiring into the position. A further letter from the Harbour Boards’ Industrial Union of Employers advised that the award clearly" specified that work should be ' 42 hours a week of seven days, with not more than seven hours in any one day. The Board was liable to a claim for one hour overtime for each eight-hour day worked. It added that the question of shift workers being paid for holidays was one of the main questions in the dispute between the Harbour Boards and the Workers’ Union, and suggested that nothing be done which would prejudice the position. The- Chairman (Mr J. B. Kent) pointed out that no letter had been received from the Greymouth Employees’ Union, which was loyally abiding, by the long-standing agreement made to suit the holiday arrangements of the men. The Secretary (Mr W. B. Gilbert) reported that he had supplied certain particulars to the Employers’ Union on requesT from Wellington.

Never mind the weather. Let fleecy-backed celanese keep you warm. In Vests and Panties, we have them waiting for you in peach and ivory at 6/3 each. W. size.—C. Smith’s.—Advt.

Don’t forget that Style and Quality cost less at White’s Corner, Your Fashion Centre.—Advt.

It’s a wise investor who relies bn the soft, caressing warmth of woolly panties. Elastic at waist and banded, in peach and ivory. W. size 4/11. — C. Smith’s.—Advt.