Local and General

Greymouth Evening Star, 10 January 1944, Page 4

Local and General

An unfortunate experience befel a party of Greymouth residents who recently travelled by rail-car to Christchurch, all of their luggage being removed before, they could claim it at the destination. It is not possible to check luggage on the rail-car and in the ordinary course it is removed from the compartment and placed on the platform to enable passengers to collect it. When the Greymoiith travellers, who were among the last to leave the crowded car, went to obtain their luggage it had disappeared, and no trace could be found. It is understood that several instances of a similar nature have recently occurred in Christchurch.

The trouble which idled the Wallsend State mine last week extended to the Liverpool and Strongman State mines to-day, all three being idle, following meetings of the men. The Dobson and Blackball mines were working. With the three mines idle the Department’s commitments which involved the supply of 1200 tons to Westport by to-mor-row for shipment cannot be met, as only 200 tons were available. No indication was available to-day as to when the mines will resume. It is understood that the Liverpool mine employees have gone on strike “in sympathy.”

Cabled advice has been received bv the Prisoner-of-War Inquiry Office that Stalag VIIIB will now be known as Stalag 344. Correspondence and parcels must be addressed accordingly. There are still approximately 1830 of the prisoners who -were in Italian camps to be accounted for. Of the balance, 1520 are in Germany, 182 are safe with the Allies, and 77 are in Switzerland. Next-of-kin who have received letters from New who were known to be in Camp P.G. 78/1, at Acquafredda, near Sulmona, are asked to forward their names and addresses and those of prisoners concerned to the office headquarters in Wellington, who will investigate. Copies of letters from prisoners transferred to German camps from Italy would be appreciated.—P.A.

The annual premiums for war damage insurance will be reduced from 5/- per cent, to 1/- per cent, as from March 1 next. A Dunedin insurance manager said that a number of persons seemed to be under the impression that if they cancelled their old policies on March 1 and took out new ones they could take advantage of the lower rate. The position, however, is that on and after March 1 any return of’war damage premium on a cancelled policy will not be calculated an the present rate, but on the new one. The refund on an annual policy taken out, say, on February 1 and cancelled on March 1, will be eleven-twelfths of ' a shilling per cent., and not eleven-twelfths of 5/-. It is also reported in insurance circles in Dunedin that regulations are to be made under the War .Damage Act to prevent the issue of fire policies for a shorter period than 12 months, except on property (such as crops), which in normal insurance practice has been insured for a lesser period than 12 "months.

The Catholic priests of the West Coast. left this morning for Christ- 1 church to attend the annual retreat for the clergy of the Diocese of Christchurch.

Only 5959 tons of goods traffic passed through the Otira Tunnel from the West Coast last week, compared with 8754 tons in the same period of 1943 and 10,102 tons in the corresponding week of 1942.

To celebrate the anniversary of the Province of Westland a partial holiday was observed in Greymouth, today. Government offices and banks were open, but shops were closed. Flags were flown on public buildings. The first of this year’s eclipses, a total eclipse of the sun, is due to. take place during the early hours of January 26, but no phase of it will be visible in New Zealand. The path of totality extends across the Eastern Pacific, South America, the Atlantic and north-west Africa.

A party of 130 Boy Scouts representing the various West Coast troops who have been in camp at Lake Ellesmere returned by the exnress on Saturday afternoon. During the camp a number of examinations for various proficiency badges were undergone.

Slaughtermen who have been on strike at. t'ie North Canterbury Sheepfarmers’ Co-operative _ Company’s meat works at Kaiapoi since Tuesday afternoon, resumed work at 8 o’clock this morning, pending the hearing of the dispute by a tribunal which the Minister of Laboui- (Mr Webb) said would be set up.—P.A.

A mechanical defect occurred in a rail-car, to-day, putting it out of commission with the result that a steam train left for Ross at 2.20 p.m. and another train ran instead of a rail-car back to Greymouth. A train will also leave in place of the railcar this evening for Christchurch, and at Stillwater passengers will transfer to a. rail-car.

New platforms 50ft in length are to be constructed at the South Beach and Ho Ho railway stations to cope with rail-car passenger traffic, and work will commence in the near future. The Minister of Railways, who has informed Mr. O’Brien to this effect, also advises that a new holding yard and sheep drafting race are to be provided at Ross, where an additional sheep pen will be concreted.

The first of the special trains from Greymouth to Westport to handle Grey district coal for shipment ran on Saturday afternoon, when 260 tons were conveyed from Greymouth. Further trains will run as required. The Rata loaded only 700 tons at Greymouth, yesterday, leaving 150 tons which will probably also be railed to Westport. Meanwhile the consignment of Buller district coal through Greymouth has ceased.

The express to Christchurch from Greymouth, this morning, was a limit train of 12 carriages, and was fully booked with 480 passengers. The train to the Coast is also heavy. On Saturday the expresses were heavily delayed, the first not arriving until about 4 p.m., and the normal express at 5.50 p.m. Delays were caused by the heavy nature of the trains and the difficulty of providing refreshment accommodation at Otira.

For what is expected to be the last time for such a purpose, electric power was cut off in Greymouth from Murrray Street south, yesterday afternoon, to enable the staff of the Grey Electric Power Board to remove the old poles from which 11,000 volt lines had been shifted to new poles. This work is now complete after being in progress for a considerable time. The installation of equipment in the new sub-station at the Town Belt is in progress, and when 'the changeover is made power will have to be shut down for a period.

So far no advice has been received of the day on which the Minister of Marine (Mr. O’Brien) wifi visit Greymouth this week to confer with the Harbour Board in connection with the bar. However, Mr R. Trevor Smith, Inspecting Engineer of the Public Works Department, Christchurch, who has been visiting the West Coast on a tour of inspection of various projects, on Saturday conferred with the Chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr. J. B. Kent) and inspected the plans and other data in respect to the proposed deep-sea harbour.

Bathing costumes are no longer procurable, their manufacture having ceased following the Government action 12 months ago of declaring this l>ie non-essential. In some centres the influx of servicemen with their corresponding demands has seriously depleted retailers’ stock. Commenting on the Government’s decision to declare swimming costumes non-essential, retailers generally say that the action appeared to be short-sighted in view of the need, in the interests of health, to encourage people to indulge in outdoor sports like swimming and water-polo.

The recent heavy rain produced a run of about two and a half knots in the Grey River which, soundings taken at 8 o’clock last evening indicated, effected a slight improvement in the condition of the bar. The shoaling has decreased slightly in the middle of the channel, but in case _of fresh deposits taking place the low water depth is still regarded as six feet. Another fresh would probably materially improve the situation. The depth at high water yesterday was 15 feet 10 inches—the ‘same as on Saturday. A vessel left port with coal at 10.15 p.m., hex- departure being forttiitous as a moderate sea was running this morning.

When a racehorse, In Chancery, broke away from its attendant while on the road between the Reefton racecourse and the railway station after the races at Reefton on Saturday, several people were injured before the horse was recovered. The injuries received were not serious, but one of the injured, Reginald Richards, 14, of Ahaura, was admitted to the Grey Hospital yesetrday, suffering from bruises to the back. His condition to-day was reported to be satisfactory. His father, Mr. J. Richards, received a bruised arm, and Mr. S. Burrows, also of Ahaura, received a sprained ankle and bruises on the back and legs.

Good quality art silk hose, in latest shades. Sizes Silin, to lOin. Require one clothing coupon. 3/11 to 6/10 pair. C. Smith’s—Advt.

Rehabilitation Plans! Both in New Zealand and England, plans are being made for the economic and social welfare of the boys when they return from the war. Meantime, housewives, why not make plans for your own comfort and convenience? For example, why continue with the old-fashioned drudgery of doing your own washing and ironing? Come in, we’ll show you samples of our perfect work! Overcome that prejudice that a laundry ‘knocks your linen to pieces.” Oux- modern methods cause far less wear and tear than the old scrub board. And our No. 2 Thrift Service is thriftness itself, covering 181bs flat work, completely laundered for only 5/-. This is the equivalent of the average household’s fortnightly wash. ’Phone 136.-Depot: 27 Albert Street. The Westland Laundry Ltd.—Advt.