Local and General

Greymouth Evening Star, 13 September 1944, Page 4

Local and General

The Liverpool State mine was idle to-day class of mining timber). rhe managemci stated that the stoppage was unnecessary c.nd that there was sufficient timber available.

Th Q election of representatives o£ parents on the Board of Managers of the Greymouth Technical High School has Mrs. G. Blair and Mr. D. S. Kenneay re-elected, and Mr. J. H. North elected. x North is a former member of the B° ai d, mu retired several years ago on account of piessure of military duties.

Annroximately 1300 tons of general merchandise is being held at , Cl ir is \ c ? lu T l ’?’\^\ a X" ing shipping space for the North Island and. although shipping is expected v ithm a tew days, ft is doubtful whether the.space avail able will be sufficient to lift tne whole accumulated goods. Goods ior transpoi t to the North Island have been piling up all this week until at present a bottleneck has been created. A good deal of difficulty over the shipping of merchandise is caused by priority shipments.—P.A.

Winter returned to the West Coast with a ■ udden blast yesterday afternoon, biinging in its train heavy snow which coated tne n anaroa Ranges and fell liberally at Otira and beyond. How well-defined was the cola wont” is illustrated by the fact that the temoerature at Greymouth dropped from -j0 to 40 degrees between 3 p.m. and 5.30, hastened by a heavy fall of hail, which brought the snow to the Paparoas. At midnight the thermometer stood at 38, at 3 a.m. at 4 a.m. it had fallen to 34, while at 9 a.m. it registered 37 —the lowest at that hour for some time. Only eight points of ram fell during the 24 hours ended at 9 a.m. to-day.

In order to ensure the production of maximum supplies of timber for building purposes, particularly for housing, the War Cabinet has directed that all experienced timber mill hands or bushmen at present serving m the armed .forces within New Zealand are to ne released for direction to employment in ■he sawmilling industry. Announcing this, to-day, Mr. McLagan said the National Service Department was obtaining from official -ecords particulars of any experienced timber mill hands or bushmen at present serving in New Zealand so that they could be rebased at the earliest possible date. It. would help if the men themselves would advise the Director of National Service, Wellington, of their experience in the sawmilling industry. —P.A.

The Crippled Children Society appeal, sponsored by the Greymouth Rotary Club on Friday last, will produce at least £5OO.

Although it had been expected that the Westport highway in the vicinity of Inangahua Junction would have been cleared yesterday, the Public Works Department at Greymouth advised, to-day, that the slip is still creeping. The road is still blocked and may not be negotiable till the week-end.

The total production of whitebait for the 1943 season is estimated at approximately 5002 cwt., on the basis of returns sent in by local inspectors in the most important centres. Wataroa’s return is estimated at 1991 cwt, Hokitika 988, Buller 656, and Waikato 482. Greymouth’s estimate is Ho cwt.

While being driven to Greymouth from Runanga, during-the night, a car owned by Mr. Robert Duggan, of Runanga, left the highway in the vicinity of the memorial and overturned down the hillside. Mr. Duggan, who was driving the car, escaped injury and the car was not seriously damaged. It is understood there was a heavy fog in the vicinity at the time.

Thanks were extended to the following at a meeting of the Grey Hospital Board last, evening:—Salvation Army Band and Municipal Band (tor programmes at the Hospital), Mr Kitchingham and Mrs Uprichard (for old linen); Miss Craig, Miss Wilson and several anonymous donors (for flowers): ex-patients of Mcßrearty Ward for six vases and material and tray cloths.

In the course of a tour of the South Island in which he is meeting Goods Transport Control Committees, Mr. G. L. Laurenson, Commissioner of Transport, to-day visited Greymouth, Hokitika and Westport, where he conferred with the respective committees. He arrived from Westport early this afternoon, and after meeting the Greymouth Committee proceeded to Hokitika. Tomorrow morning Mr. Laurenson will visit Reefton, and will then return to Canterbury.

The Westland District Progress League has so far not received a reply from the Minister of National Service to its resolution objecting to young women being manpowered from the district. The Council of the League, last evening, decided to write to the Minister again seeking a reply. Mr. W. E. James said he understood further directions' to the Hokitika Mental Hospital were to be issued; he considered this to be the same as directing women to Wellington, as it took them away from Greymouth.

There were higher seas running on the Greymouth-bar, to-day, than for several days, effectively preventing the port being worked. The Karu, with timber for Wellington, is barbound for the seventh day, and she is now joined by the Poolta, Pakura. and Kiwitea, all of which have completed their coal loading. The Kaimiro has been in the roadstead since Sunday night, and she is accompanied by the Titoki and Gael. While four boats are barbound and two other regular callers are held up in the roadstead shipping schedules on the coastal runs are disrupted in other parts of the Dominion as well as the Coast.

A big development of the tourist industry after the war is indicated by the appointment of a Tourist Development Committee of the Organisation cf National Development. Mr Parry, who is Chairman of the Committee, stated, to-day, that a preliminary meeting of the Committee was hold yesterday, when he had emphasised the important of co-ordinat-ing all aspects of the tourist industry. The prospective development of the air services would give visitors more time to spend at tourist resorts, and the South Island should receive a fair share of the tourist traffic. The Committee will hold regular meetings.- -P.A.

You may be thinking of making an investment in the Victory Loan, but have not yet decided what to do. Listen to-night at 8 o’clock to a very special entertaining and informative programme from 3ZR. This will give you the answer. —Advt.

There was a large attendance of members at the monthly meeting on Monday evening of the Blaketown Home and School Association. Mr. L. J. Shuker presided. A set of boxing gloves was procured for the school. Judges were appointed and final arrangements made for a fancy dress ball. It was proposed that an executive committee be formed consisting of four members besides the President, Vice-President and Secretary to discuss most of the business before the ordinary meeting takes place and thus save considerable time. Members of the Grey Main Home and School Association were welcome. Mrs. Parfitt suitably replied. After the screening of sound films, a play reading, community singing, games and dancing, supper was served by the hostesses.

I may be a worker, an employer, a wife, or a child. What have I to do with the Victory Loan? Listen tonight at 8 to 3ZR for the answer.— Advt.

An executive meeting of the Grey R.S.A., was held on Monday evening, Mr. J. J. Crooks presiding. It was decided to express the sympathy of members with the President (Mr. O. McLean) and to wish him a speedy recovery. Mr. G. G. Mitchell and the chairman were deputed to reply to a letter from the Waikato R.S.A., regarding the North Island housing shortage, which it was stated was due to a lack of timber in the North Island. Mr. Mitchell was chosen to give a broadcast talk on the Liberty Loan on behalf of the Association. It was decided to conduct the annual street appeal during Labour week-end and to hold a general meeting next month. Mr. T. H. Jones reported on visits to the Grey Hospital, stating that there were now nine members in the instition.

Mr N. Stouppe, of Barry and Stouppe, opticians, may be consulted for sight-testing to-morrow (Thursday). His address is C/o Mr D. Mcßrearty.—Advt.

On the suggestion of its Scenic and Tourist Committee, the Council of the Westland District Progress League, last evening, passed a resolution favouring the Greymouth town clock being placed in a suitable and conspicuous position immediately it is removed from its present structure at the Chief Post Office. The Public Utilities and Amenities Committee considered the proposed hill site for the town clock the most suitable, and recommended that the clock be erected thereon at the earliest possible date being dismantled from the Post Office tower, and this was agreed to, for transmission to the Borough Council. It was stated that the present hill site is 90ft. hieh and that from that height the chimes would be heard over a wide area. A further motion was carried urging that a simple structure be erected with a view to a war memorial ultimately being incorporated.

. .Listen to Radio Station 3ZR tonight at 8 o’clock when you can learn how your savings may work for Victory by investing in the Victory Loan. —Advt.