LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 December 1944, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

National War Savings investments at Greymouth this week totalled £315 10/-, a deficiency of £lB7/10/- as compared with the quota of £497.

With the rainfall for the year now totalling 118.78 inches, only 7.11 inches are required to fall in the next fortnight to equal the record for Greymouth of 125.89 inches which was established in 1910. The rainfall for the two weeks up to this morning totalled 7.62 inches.

Last month’s sales of health stamps reached the satisfactory total oi' £9,363, compared with £8,232 for November, 1943, said the PostmasterGeneral (Mr. Webb). Mr. Webb said that if the sales in the remaining period for which the stamps ’would be available remained on this satisfactory Level lagt year’s record would be equalled or excelled.—P.A.

Members of the. Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union at their monthly stop-work meeting, this week, protested against any increase in the pay and allowances to Members of the House “till such time as the lowerpaid workers have had their wages increased to enable them to enjoy a reasonable standard of living and reduce the hardships incurred on them and their families.”

A paragraph recently stating that the idea that seagulls were protected was fallacious has caused some perturbation among bird-lovers round Wellington Harbour (says the “Evening Post”). Inquiries made of the Department of Internal Affairs show that the only unprotected gull is the black-backed gull. All other gulls are protected, as are terns and other seabirds that are not as a rule alluded to as gulls.

A meeting of the newly-formed West Coast Regional Branch of the Professional Engineers’ Association of New Zealand was held at Greymouth, last evening. The following w T' e elected officers: —Chairman. Mr C. W. Fraser; hon. secretary, Mr IH. Hutchinson; committee: Messrs E. E. James, R. C. McLachlan, S. W. J. Trotter, A. B. Bremner, G. H. McKenzie, A. J. Fail maid, and D. S. Kennedy.

This afternoon’s express from Christchurch is one of large dimensions, 420 passengers being carried on ten carriages. It is expected that the train will not be unduly delayed as it is hoped that a deviation round the derailed engine at Kaimata will have been completed by 4 p.m. This morning’s express of six cars took 150 passengers from Greymouth, and was a quarter of an hour late in leaving here.

On a scheduled trip in the recently established Empire Air Service a Liberator made a record crossing of the Tasman on Thursday, accomplishing the journey from' Mascot aerodrome, Sydney, to Whenuapai (Auckland) in five hours and 52 minutes, said the Minister in Charge ol Civil Aviation (Mr. Jones) yesterday. The previous best time was six hours and two minutes, by a Trans-Tasman flying-boat in the charge of Captain Oscar Garden, in October, 1941.— P.A.

Though the large number of extra cables put out by vessels berthed at Greymouth wharf hindered shunting operations this morning, work was resumed on loading and unloading cargoes and with four ships in port and two others expected, the port will be busy this week-end provided rain does not again interfere with work. The Kakapo and Poolta may sail to-morrow, when the Pakura is to arrive, while the Kartigi is to arrive in the roadstead this afternoon. The Gabriella and Karu probably will not sail till next week.

The Lady Galway Guild, Greymouth, this week despatched a case of clothing to Wellington for shipment to the people of Greece. The Mayoress (Mrs. F. A. Kitchingham) said this morning that the clothing was in perfect condition and she expressed the thanks of the Guild for the sacrifice made by townspeople in donating' such good articles. A further case of clothing will be despatched for Greece early in the New Year, while recently a large case was forwarded for the Polish children at Pahiatua.

A record pay, aggregating approximately £37,000, including taxes', was made to State mine workers in the Grey district yesterday. This amount includes two weeks’ pay for work already done and two weeks’ holiday pay for the Christmas-New Year holiday period. Workers in lhe Liverpool and Strongman collieries received in the vicinity of £20.000 gross, and the remainder of the aggregate was paid out at the Dobson, Wallsend and Blackball mines. An important factor in making the nay so high was the increased production over the fortnight immediately preceding the' pay-out.

No. 36 A.T.C. Squadron of the Air Training Corps, Greymouth, held a social at their headquarters, Mawhera Quay, last evening. Flight Sergeant K. Paterson presiding over a large attendance, including the officers of the unit, visiting A.T.C. members, school units and former A.T.C. members now serving with the R.N.Z.A.F. Pilot Officer G. Gillespie, 0.C., reviewed the work of the squadron during the past year and complimented the cadets on the high standard of efficiency reached. Pilot Officer J. E. A. McKeefry also spoke, endorsing the remarks of the commanding officer and stressing the need for more recruits in the New Year.

Although bananas are scarce in . New Zealand, the position apparently is not as bad as in England. In a letter to friends in the Dominion a ■ resident of a Yorkshire town writes: “This sounds funny, but my granddaughter, who is six years old, hasn't seen a banana. The other day she got a painting book and in it was a picture of a banana. I asked her ’ what is was and she said it was a yellow cucumber. She was in a fog when I told her what it was and wanted to know whether she could eat it and whether there were stones in it like cherries.” A New Zealand sailor also relates that on a visit to Lancashire he took some small bananas with him, and the children of the household he was visiting, not knowing what they were, ate the skins as well as the fruit.

The arrival of a Christmas present in the form of a bowler hat for the Mayor, Mr. H; A. Anderson, caused considerable amusement at a supper following a meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council says “The Herald.” An anonymous letter saying that the donor was a humble ratepayer accompanied the gift. “As an ardent admirer of the way you have conducted the affairs of the borough during your years as Mayor,” said the letter, “may I utter a slight regret that your sartorial appearance has on occasion caused me anguish. I refer to your bowler hat, which by the look of it has given like yourself long years of service, but unlike yourself is due for retirement. May I be permitted to crown that lofty and shining dome with a hat more in keeping with the exalted office you occupy with such distinction, and present you with a new bowler. You can then, like Mr. Webb, raise it with the knowledge that you will be holding in your hand a masterpiece of the craftsman’s art.” Girls’ Play Suits with oleated shorts, in patterned linens. Size 12 : and 14 only;. 15/-.—C. Smith Ltd.—i