Local and General

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 October 1944, Page 4

Local and General

“Foremost in the policy of the National Party is a scheme for the establishment of a post-war credit fund of £5,000,000 annually,” said the Leader of the Opposition (Mr. Holland), in an address in the Awarua. by-elec-tion campaign, last evening. “This, if we were the Government of New Zealand, i would be put into operation forthwith, along i the lines of the plan operating so successfully in Britain. It really means that the individual taxpayer would have a portion of war taxation paid back after the war. In Britain a taxpayer with a wife and three children and an income of £4OO annually pays £22/15/- annually in taxation, but £lB/8/is put awav for him, and refunded after the war. In New Zealand the same person pays £5O annually in taxes, and receives nothing back except social security benefits, for which he must either be sick or in need before he can qualify.”—P.A.

Following a meeting of Millerton miners on Tuesday,' work was resumed at the mine yesterday. The interruption of operations on Tuesday meant a loss of 400 tons in coal output for the day.

The Denniston miners held a stopwork meeting, this morning, and decided to go home. The Westport Coal Company’s management seems to be unaware of the cause of the stoppage. —P.A.

Upturned tacks, based on small pieces of cardboard, were found today by cyclists in Tainui and Shakespeare Streets and Marsden Road. The tacks were obviously placed deliberately, for the purpose of puncturing cycle tyres.

While at work in the Blackwater Mines Ltd. mine at Waiuta yesterday Wiliam Downes, a returned soldier, lost the first two joints of the index finger of the left hand when he was struck by a piece of stone which fell from the roof. He was attended by Dr. K. Brockenshire, and he was admitted to the Inangahua: Hospital this morning.

During the past month members of the women’s branch of the Greymouth Patriotic Committee'have prepared and packed the gift parcels for the Christmas issue to servicemen overseas. There were 76 cases, each containing six parcels. The committee thanks all who assisted with donations and in the packing of the parcels.

The express to Christchurch was 10 minutes late leaving Greyrjouth, this morning, its departure from Hokitika having been delayed to enable 167 packages of whitebait to be loaded. In addition, a substantial quantity was lifted at Camerons. Last evening the parcels office at the Greymouth station was besieged with consignments, some for as far away as Wellington.

With the departure of the Karu with timber for Wellington early this morning, the port of Greymouth was empty to-day. The Rata will arrive about 6 p.m. to load 800 tons of coal for New Plymouth, and should sail to-morrow morning, while the Pakura will berth this evening to load for Miramar. After being on the Westport run for several weeks, the Titoki will return to Greymouth on Saturday to load for Tarakohe. The Gabriella will contribute to the weekend rush by loading for Wellington.

In the absence of Mrs Guthberlet, Mrs S. Williams presided at a meeting of the Brunner Women’s Institute. Mrs Mahon reported on the West Coast Federation meeting. It was decided that members bring a small gift to be sent to the Makogai Lepers with ■ a donation. Arrangements were made for the birthday party. Competition winners were: — Jam sponge, Mrs Browning; something from a sugar-bag, Mrs Rogers and Mrs equal: the wandering shilling, Mrs Wotton.

The statement that Britain had two years' supply of wool in hand was made by the Minister of Finance (Mr. Nash) in an address in the Awarua by-election campaign last evening.. Mr. Nash said steps were being taken to see if the wool surplus could be dealt with. He said that the lour years’ contract with Britain for the purchase of meat and butter could be amended alter two years. It also provided that New Zealand could send small quantities to other countries to retain certain pre-war markets.—P.A.

Blackball was the only town in Westland which did not have to call on reserves to secure its full quota of national war savings last week. All other offices in the .district were credited with successes because of accumulated surpluses. The investments for the week were as follow:—Greymouth, £409; Blackball, £77; Brunnerton, £5; Hokitika, £7O; Kumara, £22; Otira, £7; Reefton, £35; Ross, £23; Runanga, £l5; Waiuta, £B. The district total was £383 short of the weekly quota.

During the year ended March 31 last 1488 films of all classes totalling 3,720,500 feet were examined by the New Zealand film censorship authorities, states the annual report of the Department of Internal Affairs. Of this number, 102 were passed subject to excisions, 113 were passed with recommedations that they were more suitable for adult audiences, and 22 were passed with the caution that they were not suitable for children. The countries of origin of the quota or feature films examined were: Great Britain, 24; Australia, 1; Russia, 2; United States of America, 342.

“At the earliest favourable time it is proposed to develop the service on a regional basis,” states the annual report of the Country Library Service. “Instead of separate services for city and country, it is proposed with the co-operation of the city library authorities, to combine the services of town and country in one regional service. A strong national library service is essential to co-ordinate the work of such regions.” In addition to many hundreds of isolated individuals, 510 towns and small centres had participated in the Service. The School Library Service had shown a solid increase, and up to the end of March, 650 schools, with 38,782 children, were served, the books on issue to the schools being 40,698 (the respective figures for the previous year being 502 schools, 28,001 children, and 29,906 books).

The Brunner Miners’ Union elected the following officers at the annual meeting and at subsequent ballots: — President: Mr M. Hall (re-elected unopposed); vice-president: Mr E. Duggan (elected unopposed); treasurer: Mr A. Pickering (re-elected unopposed); secretary: Mr R. Scott (reelected to Central Committee: Mr M. Hall; delegate to Trades Council: Mr J. Davey; check inspectors: Messrs R. Ross and W. Kerr; pit committee: Messrs H. Browning and T. Kilkelly: miners’ weighman: Mr R. Scott; leading trucker, Mr F. Cruse. A vote of thanks was accorded to Mr and Mrs George Simon, senr., who during the past three years have visited the Grey "Hospital at least once a week and, from funds provided by the Union, have bought and distributed chocolate, biscufits, cigarettes and fruit to patients from the Wallsend mine and sick and injured members of their families.

Mr. C. W. Dunlop, 5.D.0., N.Z, of W. J. Dunlop and Son, Opticians, Christchurch, and his Caravan Consulting Room will visit intending clients in the Greymoutli, Runanga, Blackball and Ikamatua areas on receipt of letters making appointments C/o P. 0., Greymouth.—Advt.

Some women say—“l don’t mind washing, but I loathe ironing!” Well, let the Westland Laundry take the whole wearisome burden off your shoulders. We have three services— Bagwash, Thrifty and Fully Finished, and one of these will surely suit your needs —and, of course, your purse—because every one of these services has proved its economy. Our modern washing and ironing machines cause far less wear and tear than the oldfashioned scrub-board—and all washing is hygienically washed and sterilised in seven senarate waters. Only the finest laundry soap is used with Lux chips for blankets. Give us a trial order—we are certain you’ll be thrilled with the results. Depot: 27 Albert Street. ’Phone 136, Westland Laundry Limited.—Advt.