DOMINION ITEMS

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 July 1944, Page 2

DOMINION ITEMS

FATAL EXPLOSION. HASTINGS, July 21. While engaged blasting metal in a. quarry at Pakipaki, yesterday, Victor Herbert Hawthorne, 52, married, farm contractor, was killed almost instantaneously by a premature explosion. FOUND DEAD IN TRUCK. WELLINGTON, July 20. About 7.45 a.m. to-day the body of a man was discovered in the cab of a motor-truck standing in Wood Street, Lower Hutt. The man was later identified as Thomas McLean, a driver, aged 64, of Britannia Street, Petone. The body was lying slumped on the seat, and could not easily be seen from the road. It is understood that the truck was seen standing in the same position on Wednesday afternoon, and it ,is thought possible that death may have occurred about 4 p.m. that day. AIRMAN’S APPEAL. CHRISTCHURCH, July 20. The No. 10 Armed Forces Appeal Board decided to-day to make no recommendation in the appeal 'by James Cyril Lloyd for release from the Air Force, after his transfer to Ohakea. He alleged that he had been ordered to Ohakea so that he would be absent from Wigram when the station was being visited by the commission investigating manpower in the forces, also that he was one of a number of men told to be on the inter-island steamer by a certain date. If they could not travel so soon, they were given part of their annual leave so as to be clear of the station, he claimed. CROSSING COLLISION. OAMARU. July 20. A soldier just returned from service overseas and a w young woman are now in the Oamaru Public Hospital as a result of injuries received when the motor-car in which they were travelling collided with a north-bound goods train at Puttick’s crossing, near Oamaru, this afternoon. "The injured were:— Miss Dessa McPherson, aged 22, clerk, of Usk Street, Oamaru —a compound fracture of the leg, head injuries, and shock. Condition serious. David Alan Anderson, soldier, of Waiareka, near Oamaru —a broken rib, shock, and bruises. TOWEL PRICES. WELLINGTON, July 20.. Limit retail prices for the American towels and towelling recently imported and distributed by . the Ministry of Supply are defined in a price order gazetted to-day. The price limits are:— Tea Towels. —Cotton, 16 by 30 inches, 1/3 each; cotton, 17 by 32 inches, 1/11 each; linen and rayon, 17 by 32 inches 2/9 each: huck, 16 by 32 inches, 2/8 each. Tea Towelling.—Cotton, 17 inches wide, 2/- and 2/3 a yard; canaburg, 42-43 inches wide, 3/9 yard. Towelling: Huck, 17 inches wide, 2/2 a yard; 24 inches wide, 2/8 a yard; terry towels, 20 by 40 inches, 6/- and 7/9 each; 22 by 44 inches, 7/6 and 8/9 each. WIDOW’S DEATH. DUNEDIN, July 21. At the inquest on Mrs. Evelyn Jean McMillan, 34, widow, of Mosgj'el, whose body was found in the snow outside her front door on the morning of July 1, the Coroner (Mr. Bartholomew) found in accordance with the pathologist’s evidence that death was due to exposure while in a state of concussion, resulting from a fall accelerated by the toxaemia of pregnancy. The Coroner said that although the circumstances were unusual, exhaustive inquiries showed no signs of. outside interference. The likely ex- , planation was that deceased had a sudden vomiting spasm, had opened the front door to vomit, and had fallen down the steps, striking her head. WHEAT PRODUCTION. WELLINGTON, July 20. The opinion that the only way of increasing the production of wheat for the Dominion’s needs was to ask for a substantial increase in the price to 7/3 a bushel was expressed by a resolution of the Dominion conference of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union to-night. Sponsoring the remit, Mr. H. L. ChisnalJ, (Mid-Canterbury) said wheat-growers of that area were facing a tragic position this year, and he anticipated that the district’s production would be down by 20,000 bushels. Their costs had risen more than those of any other section of the community. Fuel oil was up more than 100 per cent. An amendment to the effect that transport and f.o.b. costs be fixed at a maximum of, say, 5d a bushel, in order that the producer on marginal land back country should not be seriously encumbered, was lost.

NEW ZEALAND’S SHEEP. WELLINGTON, July 20

“The collection of sheep returns this year reveals that the sheep population has increased to 33,083,318 from 31,751,660 in 1941, when the last statistical returns were compiled.” the Minister of Agriculture (Mr. Roberts) said to-day. “Of this increase of more than 1,000,000, the greater proportion occurred in the North Island, where there were now 18,821,609 sheep, compared with 17,862,330 in 1941. The South Island total is now 14.261,709, compared with 13,889,330 in 1941. “Interim figures for the various sheep districts at April 30, 1944, are as follows, the actual figures for April 30, 1941, being shown in parenthesis for comparative purposes:—Auckland. 4.804,410 (4,179,994); GisborneHawke’s Bay, 7,212,688 (7,051.024): Wellington-West Coast, 6,804,511 (6.631,312); Marlborough-Nelson, 1,370,747 (1,531,386); CanterburyKaikoura, 5,662.696 (5,412.360); Otago-Southland, 7,228,266 (6,945,584).”

FARMERS’ ORGANISATION. ‘ WELLINGTON, July 20. For some time discussions have been proceeding between representatives ot the New Zealand Sheepowners’ Federation and the New Zealand Farmers’ Union with a view to improving farmers’ organisation. During this week a joint committee has been discussing the question, and such progress was made that Jt was able to report to the annual conferences of ' the two bodies to-day that an artree- | ment had been arrived at which I would enable reconstruction to proceed-. i The basis of the recommendation | was that both bodies should join in i the establishment of a complete orI ganisation, and other farming bodies are being approached for their sup1 port. The name suggested D the Umtj ed Farmers’ Federation of'New Zeal land, and the type of organisation envisaged is control of each product by a section, which will be composed of and controlled bv farmers engaged in that type of production. These sections will evolve from branches composed ot farmers of a district, those engaged, in the production of each product appointing and controlling the officers and their representatives in. the provincial and Dominion section committees, who will transact business concerning those products in their respective spheres. These sections will be linked with a general executive in the province, and in the Dominion sphere, thus drawing all producers together on general questions affecting farmers.