Local and General

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 February 1945, Page 4

Local and General

The Postrnaster-General (Mr. P. C. V»ebb) said to-day that he regretted to announce the loss of the undermentioned air letter-card mails from New Zealand forces m the Middle East: Portion of the mails dispatched from Egypt on January 13 and January 16, and consisting of approximately 18,000 lettercards. From Southern Rhodesia mails dispatched between January 4 and January 19. and from India a small mail dispatched on January 27. The Minister said that a number of aireranh mails dispatched from Britain, the Middle East, arid countries in Africa, India, and Ceylon, and containing messages handed in during approximately the same periods, had also been lost. These airgraph mails were, however, being repeated by the countries of origin, and films were expected to arrive un New Zealand shortly.—P.A.

April'2B, 1945, has been fixed by Order-in-Council as the date for the first election of representatives of constituent districts in the Westland Catchment District for the Westland Catchment Board.

This morning’s express to Christchurch was of seven carriages and was well patronised, 230 passengers travelling. The express from Christchurch to arrive this afternoon Carries 245 passengers in six cars.

All women present Were called upon at the first meeting of 1945 of the Grey Branch of the National Council of Women, to do their utmost in solving the problems of peace. Mrs E. F. Evans presided. It was decided that the Australian Women’s Charter should be used as a basis for study with special reference to woman in the home, health, education, housing, child care, and rehabilitation.

Only a brief sitting of the Supreme Court is likely to be held at Greymouth on Monday next, the only cases on the list so far being one petition for restitution of conjugal rights by Albert William Bennett against Jessie Ellen Bennett, and one petition in divorce from Florence Gladys Bailey by William George Bailey, on the grounds of separation.

In less than three . weeks this month, 9.52 inches of rain have fallen at Greymouth, two points more than last month’s total, bringing the total for the year to 18.95 inches. Heavy rain up to yesterday morning contributed 1.16 inches to the total and 32 points were recorded in the precipitation up to this morning. Work on the waterfront has been held up by the rain.

As a result of injuries received at his work at A. R. Wallis’ Ltd. mill at Haupiri this morning, a sawmiller, Donald Fletcher, aged 18 years, of Nelson Creek, was admitted to the Grey Hospital this afternoon. He had received a compound fracture of the right great toe, and his condition this afternoon was reported to be satisfactory.

Last week 209 tons attained their quotas of National War Savings, six more than in the preceding week. Seventeen of the principal centres were successful, and in 17 of the 18 postal districts, the full district quota was reached. With the close of the financial year now in sight, the number of towns attaining their full year’s quota is showing continued improvement, many of them having recorded well in excess of the amounts stipulated.

The condition of the staff-room, which had been the source of a number of complaints to the various educational authorities, was again raised at last evening’s meeting of the Board of Governors of the Greymouth Technical High School, as a result of a paragraph in the report of the Principal, Mr W. M. Stewart, referring to the disgraceful and inadeauate conditions of the room. Mr Stewart stated that there was only one room, 16ft 9in. by 10ft. Gin. to accommodate 23 mixed members of the staff, while amenities connected with the room were in a bad way. One member said that such conditions would not be permitted to exist in a business house. It was decided to take the matter up again and endeavour to obtain other accommodation.

The question of whether it would not be advisable to abandon the commercial course was raised at last evening’s meeting of the Board of Governors of the Greymouth Technical High School, when Mr. W. Braithwaite said he had received advice that not one pupil had passed the Public Service Commissioner’s • examination last year, while one boy trained in the course had entered a mine and a girl had started behind a counter The Principal, Mr. W. Stewart, said that there were as many as ten applications by firms for typists received at the school. However, many pupils of various courses, in defiance of their own parents’ wishes, had ignored years of training and entered coal mines. “I took theology at school, yet I am not a minister,” remarked the chairman, Mr. J. B. Kent.

Cabinet has considered the report of engineers in connection with the collapse of the wharf at Hokitika, and the Minister of Marine, Mr. O’Brien, has advised the Hokitika Borough Council and Harbour Board that the two bodies will have to find £5OO towards the cost of the protection work. After discussion by the members of each body, the Minister has been advised that the £5OO will be raised. In the meantime, the Public Works Department has continued work preparing the affected part of the wharf for the deposit of loads of rock and this should take place shortly. Rain tell in Hokitika on Sunday, but not sufficiently heavy to cause a flood in the river. It is considered a flood at the present time would place the south-western end of the town in a precarious position.

Knitters are urgently needed to knit for the boys in the Navy. Garments required are pullovers, scarves, sox, gloves and balaclavas. Would willing knitters please get in touch with Patriotic Depot or Navy League Secretary, G. Steer (’Phone 454).— Advt.

Equipment supplied to members of the Third Division of the New Zealand Forces in the Pacific was not all it should have been, said Mr D. W. Bain, until recently a war correspondent in the Pacific area, in an address given at a meeting of the Christchurch Businessmen’s Club Brigadier A. S. Falconer had been reported as saying that New Zealand troops were the best looked after in the world, said Mr Bain. If it were true that the New Zealanders were so well looked after in Europe, then their conditions in the Pacific were a disgrace. Amenities such as club rooms, ice-crea mplant, etc., which were sent to the forward areas were too few, and had arrived too late. He did not allege that it was the fault of the National Patriotic Fund Board commissioners, but the fact was that troops who had gone forward did not ger these amenities until they had turned about on the way back. Compared with the provision made for the American troops, that for the New Zealanders was ludicrous.

The fact that he could not grant exemption from attending school to children under 15 years of -age, though requested to do so, was emphasised last evening at a meeting of the Board of Governors of the Greymouth Technical High School, by the Principal, Mr W.' M. Stewart. Pointing out that a considerable number of parents were not complying with the compulsory attendance regulation, he said that it was not the problem of the Board to ensure that all children under 15 enrol at some school or other; its task began when they had enrolled. However, a number of parents had written to him for some reason or other —their son or daughter was nearly 15 and could get a job—and asked for exemption, but, though he did not want to appear hard and was in fact sympathetic, he simply did not have the power to accede. Presumably the correct course would be foi' parents to forward their request to the Director of Education. In the case of children not yet enrolled at a post-primary school, the proper approach to secure exemption would be to the Chief Inspector of the Canterbury Education Board.

Men’s Fur Felt Hats, in shades of Grey, Fawn and Blue. All sizes. To clear at 12/6.—C. Smith.—Advt.