LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 January 1944, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Yesterday was the second hottest day of the Summer in Greymouth, and the beaches drew a large number of bathers throughout the afternoon. The temperature reached its peak of 78 degrees at 6 p.m., compared with 79 degrees at 3 p.m. on November 27 last.

The representatives of the State miners’ organisations in the Grey district who visited Wellington to discuss with the Government the dispute which recently idled the mines, returned to Greymouth on Saturday. The deputation reported on their visit to a mass meeting of the State Miners’ Union at Runanga yesterday.

The date of payment of Incometax is Thursday, February 10, 1944. Additional tax will accrue if the tax is not paid on or before March 2, 1944. The demands will be posted from the office of the Commissioner of Taxes on or about February 3 and must be presented with all payments. If a demand has not been received the Commissioner should be communicated with.

Between 30 and 40 girls employed in commercial houses, banks, and solicitors’ offices will be interviewed by the manpower authorities in Greymouth on Wednesday with a view to filling vacancies in essential undertakings in this district and completing the Grey district’s quota for war factories in the North Island. On Friday a .further 15 to 20 girls will be interviewed at Hokitika.

The telephone lines carrying the north circuit from Greymouth were in danger of dislocation at 6 o’clock last evening, when a pole at Ngahere was practically destroyed by fire. A resident notified the Post Office of the occurrence and a faultman arrived in time to maintain the circuit, although the pole, which was adjacent to the railway line, was burnt through at the base.

During the past month Air Training Corps cadets from the West Coast units at Greymouth, Hokitika, Reefton, Westport and Granity have been attending a series of camps held at Burnside. A full syllabus of service subjects has been covered and each cadet has fired complete practices with rifle, sub-machine gun and revelver. The cadets have also inspected new equipment which will be issued to all units at an early date.

An Auckland resident who visited the public pound in his district last week with the object of viewing a brown gelding pony which had strayed into the borough bought the animal at what must be the lowest purchase price paid for a horse in Auckland for some time—2/6. The only other expense incurred by the new owner was the purchase of several yards of rope for leading it away. The rope cost exactly the same as the pony.

A spectacular scrub fire broke out on the hillside at the top of Devon Street and above Kilgour Road at 2.45 on Saturday afternoon, requiring the services of the Fire Brigade for an hour and a-half. Fanned by a strong wind, the fire, which commenced on a section owned by Mr H. Rodgers, spread rapidly and threatened nearby dwellings, but powerful jets of water well directed kept the blaze from the immediate vicinity of the houses till it was extinguished. The opinion that “the present military situation does not warrant the use of manpower and ammunition in fostering rifle clubs” is expressed by Mr D. for the Minister of Defence, in a letter to Mr O’Brien, M.P., in response to a request that former members of the Hokitika Home Guard be permitted to form a rifle club. “The activities of existing Defence rifle clubs were some time ago suspended for the duration of the war, and it is. not proposed to make any change in this arrangement. While I fully appreciate the keenness of the ex-members of the Hokitika Home Guard, it is regretted that their request cannot be met under, existing conditions,” adds Mr Wilson.

A West Coast Trades Council, as a branch of the Federation of Labour, was formed at Greymouth on Friday evening, when, pending the annual meeting, the following officers were elected: President, Mr. A. Purton (Waterside Workers’ Union); Secre-tary-Treasurer: Mr. T. Pratt (Engineering and Allied Trades’ Employees’ Union); Vice-President: Mr. C. Elley (Timber Workers’ Union); Executive: Messrs J. Walton (Harbour Board Employees’ Union), R. Hall (Grey Valley Mine Workers’ Union), D. Barnes (Co-op. Mine Workers’ Union). National Council delegate: Mr. T. Pratt. It was resolved that the Council support the railway workers in their demands for improved wagerates, and urge upon the Government the necessity of raising the living standard of the railway, workers.

“This is going to cost the board £6OO or £7OO during this financial year and no provision has been made for it in the estimates. I do not know how they think we can arrange our finances if they are going to spring surprise packets like this on us,” said Mr. T. Golden, chairman of the Southland Hospital Board, at a meeting of the board when a letter was received from the Hospital Boards’ Association forwarding a copy of the new award foi - domestic workers in hospitals. The award came into force on October 1, 1943. It was stated that increases of 5/- to 10/~ a week were provided for in the award. “This sort of thing makes stabilisation a joke, Mr. Golden added. “It is not a question of complaining about the increase in wages, but we do object to not having an opportunity of making provision in the estimates for the increase.”

I The first of the new text books to . be issued for the free primary schools ■ will be available at the opening of the new school year this February. Announcing this, the Minister of Education (Mr. Mason) said the event would mark the beginning of the realisation of a long-cherished ideal, i innn^ ro /?, having been initiated in 1939 while Mr. Fraser was Minister of Education. Both public and private • would participate in the benefit of the free issue, Mr. Mason added, i Because of the shortage of paper and I the limitation of printing facilities, the whole series could not be issued immediately. The first books would be text books on arithmetic and only those tor Standard I would be available at the onening of the schools next month. Those for Standard II will follow a few months later.—

Once more the world looks up—and men face another year. Change is upon _us —new dreams and new hopes arise. And again we resolve to profit by Last year’s experience. But housewives, are you goirw to' profit by last vear s experience? You remember how done up” you feel after a day s , heavy _ washing—well, heed Nature s warning and send all vour washing to the Westland Laundrv. it s quite economical and all C J° .9 s are hygienically washed and sterilised rp seven separate waters—nmy theffinest laundry soap used. Our modern methods of washing cause far less wear and tear than the old-fashioned washboard method. Try our No. 2 Thrifty wash—lBlbs flat work completely laundered for 3/-- We specialise also in washing blankets and eiderdowns, curtains and drapes. ’Phone 136. Depot- 27 Albert Street.—Advt. P