Local and General

Greymouth Evening Star, 12 September 1944, Page 4

Local and General

The second marked fall in the ir * cl <| e P ce scarlet fever since July was recorded in tne Canterbury health district last week, when the numbei' of notifications, 44, was the lowest since the week, ended April I<. J- ne Health Department’s weekly . statistics show also eight cases of scarlet fever on the West Coast, one case of cerebro-spinal menm o itjs in Canterbury, four cases in Canterbury ana one on the West Coast of tuberculosis, and three cases of malaria, all in Canterbury. There were three deaths from tuberculosis n Canterbury.

Rt. Rev. Dr. Lyons, Catholic Bishop of Christchurch, will arrive in Greymouth by the express from Christchurch on Thursday afternoon, and on arrival will be accorded a civic welcome in the Town Hall. A procession of children from the Catholic schools of St. Patrick’s parish and members of enuren societies will precede the Bishop to the Hall. The Bishop will celebrate High Mass at St. Patrick’s Church on Friday morning and on Sunday morning, will celebrate the 8.30 o’clock Mass at St. Patrick’s. On Saturday he will visit Runanga. Next week he will make a tour of the southern parts of his diocese.

The gate takings at the Seddon Shield Rugby match at Westport on Saturday totalled £157. The Greymouth Technical High School commenced the third term this morning. The roll number is practically unchanged compared with the close* of the second term.'

During the week ended on Saturday 17,990 tons of J goods traffic were railed through the Otira Tunnel from the West Coast. This compares with 17,019 tons in the similar period of last year and 20,000 tons in the corresponding week of 1942.

Snow was falling heavily, to-day, all the way from Springfield to Arthur’s Pass, according to advice received by the Public Works Department at Greymouth. The highway is open between Greymouth and the Pass;

The fan at the Dobson State mine was idle for some time during last night as a result of a power failure. As the fan was not going continuously for the time required by the regultttions before the men were due to start work, the mine was idle today.

For the first time since last week, work was resumed on the'Greymoutn wharf, this morning, three colliers taking in' cargo. Although the fresh in the Grey River had fallen to five knots, there was still a considerable sea on the bar, preventing the entrance of the Kaimiro and Titoki and the departure of the Karu, which was barbound for the sixth day.

Road and rail communications on the West Coast were back to normal, to-day, after the disruptions causeci by the week-end storm. The highway to Otira was cleared at Rocky Creek late yesterday afternoon, and the slip at Inangahua Junction was expected to be removed to-day. Rail traffic on the Midland line was restored by midafternoon yesterday.

Although a number of heavy falls of rain took place yesterday and overnight, only 49 points were recorded at Greymouth during the 24 hours ended at 9 a.m. to-day. The total for the year is now 88.12 inches, of which 4.83 inches have fallen since 9 a.m. last Tuesday. The barometer after a rising tendency yesterday morning, slumped badly, but this morning was again rising from the low level of 992.4 millibars.

Railway passenger traffic from the West Coast, to-day, was heavy there being no fewer than 186 passengers on the nine-car express which left Greymouth this morning. A doubleunit rail-car had to be run from Westport, and a large number of those passengers joined the express at Stillwater. A double-unit car ran from Westport last evening, arriving here at 8.18 instead of the normal hour-of 7.5. The express from Christchurch is bringing 185 passengers and is of the normal composition of five cars.

The response to the drive for waste paper in Greymouth recently has been good, and this week a further 23 bales will be despatched from the Town Hall depot. This paper will go to the Mataura Mills, as have former consignments, although the mills in future will not receive large amounts owing to their being embarrassed by accumulated stocks. It is reported that'the bulk of paper collected in the Dominion will in future be shipped to Australia instead of being pulped here.

Representatives of the Westland District Progress League, Messrs AV. D. Taylor and J. M. Bunt, met the Minister of Marine (Mr. O’Brien) at Greymouth, last evening, to ask him if the question of a deep-sea harbour for the West Coast was to be investigated, and, if so, in what way. Mr. O’Brien said that the question would not be investigated by a commission, but by the best engineers available. Those engineers would report on the Greymouth and Westport harbours and also on the possibility of constructing a deep-sea harbour on the West Coast, and would then confer with New Zealand engineers.

In lhe Magistrate’s Court at Greymouth, this morning, Mi' G. G. Chisholm, S.M., gave judgment for plaintiff by default in the civil case of the Grey Electric Power Board v. E. R. Harlin for £2/18/-, with costs, £1 5/-. The following applications were heard in the Warden’s Court: —United Sawmills Ltd., four tramway licenses at Te Kinga.—Granted. John Tennent, special sea beach claim, three acres, Block 2, Te Miko S.D.— Granted. Vera May Nisbet, surrender special sea beach claim, Block 11, Waiwhero S.D.—Accepted. Vera May Nisbet, application for special sea beach claim.—Recommended. Albert Fischer, ordinary prospecting licence, 100 acres, Block 15', Waiwhero S.D. — Granted. Frank Bird, special alluvial claim, 10 acres, Block 3, Ahaura S.D.—Certificate of abandonment granted, and claim granted. James Leonard Bourke, renewal residence site licerfce, Cobden.—Granted.

Entries for the A. and P. Dog Show close with W. E. Pring, Saturday, 16th inst.—Advt.

“Such a high opinion do these people entertain of New Zealand that the profuse words of praise bestowed on this country were sometimes rather embarrassing,” said Mr. P. J. Twomey (secretary of the New Zealand Makogai Lepers Trust Board) who recently returned to New Zealand from a visit to the leper stations in New Caledonia, made at the suggestion of the British Vice-Consul. While at the stations, Mr. Twomey conferred on leper work with the French doctors there, and was entertained by the French Governor. At the Ducos station he met two nursing sisters who had contracted leprosy. One of them had been decorated by the French Government. Among the patients he saw two married couples and several children. “The British Consul recently distributed gifts from New’ Zealand to these outcasts and_ it was a red letter day for them,” Mr. Twomey said. The European French population in»New Caledonia were deeply impressed with New Zealand’s kindness, he added.

A sharp rise in the number of and incidence of illegitimate births is revealed in the latest available statistics. For the quarter ended June 30 there were 521 illegitimate births, amounting to 6.45 per cent, of the total births. This is a higher illegitimacy rate than for any quarter in the last six years. It is also higher than the annual rate for any year, at least as far back as 1912, and probably in the history of the country. In 1938 the illegitimacy rate was 4.27 per cent. In 1939 it fell to 3.93, in 1940 to 3.92, and in 1941 to 3.65. There was a slight increase in 1942 to 3.99, and a further sharp increase in 1943 to 4.84. The increase continued in the first quarter this year to -5.77, and in the second quarter to 6.45 per cent. Of all first births last year 23.94 per cent, were either illegitimate or wjthin seven months of marriage. (For the purpose of statistics all illegitimate births are regarded as first births).

A New Suit from White’s with which to begin your Spring Wardrobe would be an extremely wise investment; the selection is extensive and the materials and manufacture J Y that can be obtained.— White s Fashion Corner.—Advt.

Chikfren’s Aprons in floral prints with contrasting bindings. Sizes 18in to 33in, priced from 2/9.—C. Smith Ltd.—Advt. ' i