LOCAL AND GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 24 July 1945, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A pension of £5OO a year has been approved by the Federal Parliamentary Labour Party for Mrs. Curtin, widow of John Curtin, former Prime Minister of Australia.

Eight out of 12 women interviewed at the Greymouth Manpower Office, to-morrow will receive directions to report at the Grey Hospital on August 2 to undertake domestic work. The women, most of whom are shop assistants, have the right of appeal. According to a decision of the Coal Mines Council, Wellington,’ conveyed to the Grey Miners’ Central Committee, a bonus of 2/2 for men on day wages employed by co-operative parties on contract trucking may now be paid. The payment will be retrospective to May 1.

An announcement that a committee was now sitting in Wellington to explore the guaranteed prices for butter and cheese was made by the north ward representative on the Dairy Board (Mr A. J. Murdoch, M.P.) to the Northland Dairy Conference yesterday. Mr Murdoch said he hoped that as a result of the current deliberations increases would be forthcoming to cover increased costs to the industry.—P.A.

The proposal to give power to local bodies in the United Kingdom to take over unoccupied houses for the benefit of the homeless was mentioned in the House of Representatives yesterday, by Miss M. B. Howard (Government, Christchurch East). She gave notice to ask the Prime Minister if he had noted the report, and also if the New Zealand Government would grant similar powers to local bodies in New Zealand.—P.A.

At the Dominion conference of the W.D.F.U. held in Wellington last week the following remits were adopted:—That the division ask the Government, in its town building scheme, to provide blocks of flats for elderly, unattached women, where they could find companionship among the other residents. The flats, with communal dining-rooms and sittingrooms, would foster friendliness and do away with enforced loneliness. That the Government be asked to supply mobile caravans to provide sole country teachers .with suitable accommodation, sleeping quarters, and facilities for light meals.

Replying to representations for a daily bus service from Kumara, conveying workers and school-children to and from Greymouth, the Minister of Transport. Mr. O’Brien, has written to the Kumara Borough Council stating that on 1 account of an improvement in the petrol situation he was now inclined to favour the scheme, and intended to make investigations with a view to inaugurating a suitable service. This letter was in answer to correspondence by the Council and Westland Progress League prior to a conference of interested parties held at Greymouth last week.

The election of officers for the Cooperative Women’s Guild took place at the conference yesterday and resulted: President, Mrs. O. King fManawatu), Vice President, Mrs. A. Jervis (Manawatu), Secretary Mrs. L. Bennett (Manawatu); Treasurer, Mrs. F. Oakley (Runanga), Dominion Council: Mesdames Burt (Bennydale), Malkin (Waipukurau), Smith (Woodville), Black (Huntly) and Miss Foster (Auckland). Trustees, Mesdames J. Reynolds and J. Kelly (Runanga). A full list of remits was discussed dealing with social problems, and Guild "matters. The conference has concluded, and to-day the delegates inspected the Liverpool mine.

Twenty-eight wives, ten fiancees and five children of New Zealand airmen from Canada and two wives from the United States arrived at Wellington to-day. They were given an official welcome at which the Minister for Defence, Mr. Jones, the High Commissioner for Canada, Doctor Riddell, and Mrs. Riddell spoke. The gathering was of a most cheerful atmosphere, and Mr. Jones said it was sort of a balancing up, in view of the way Americans had been taking away New Zealand girls. Mr. Riddell told them that New Zealand was a country where it was always warm outside and always cold inside. It’ they could solve the heating problem they wouldj confer a real benefit on the Dominion. —P.A.

The merriest, funniest parody yet on the seven ages of man at the Concert in the Regent Theatre on Wednesday night.—Advt.

With milk already in short supply in Greymouth and the surrounding districts, unofficial rationing by vendors still being enforced, a recent large increase in the price of lucerne hay to West Coast dairymen may have the effect of further reducing supplies. A local producer disclosed this morning that the price of lucerne had increased from £4 10/- to £7 10/a ton, presumably as a result of exports to Australia, and, pointing out that fodder constituted one of the main costs in the production of milk, he stated that many producers would experience difficulty in carrying on. The price of milk, he declared, had been pegged, but the prices of products interwoven with the dairy industry allowed to rocket skywards. The consumers had been safeguarded from the dairymen, but no attempt had been made to safeguard the latter, and they were hostile about the position.

Garden lovers and general public are to be given monthly lectures by noted horticulturists. The success of this innovation will mainly depend on the measure of support given by the public. The first lecture will be de-, livered by Dr. McKay in the Grey Main School on Thursday at 7.45 p.m.—Advt.

Three questions about social- security were asked- in the House of Representatives yesterday. Mr J. Acland (Opposition, Temuka). gave notice to ask the Minister of Finance if he was aware that when a person in receipt of the age benefit, who had certain money, including money on registered mortgage, withdrew such mortgage money for a war loan investment, he forfeited his age benefit. Mr Acland said that an old age pensioner who had money so invested withdrew £7OO and invested it in the Victory Loan, and his age benefit was then cancelled. Mr T. L. Macdonald (Opposition, Mataura), in a question to the Minister of Social Security, asked if it was the practice of the Social Security Department not only to keep a check on the savings bank accounts of age beneficiaries, but to question the holders of such accounts regarding the purpose for which withdrawals were made. Mr Macdonald said, that m one case where £25 was withdrawn for the purchase of household linen, a note was received asking how the money had been spent. Mr G. H. Mackley (Opposition, Masterton) gave notice to ask the Minister of Finance whether the Government would consider making legislative provision for periodical actuarial examinations of the social security fund.—P.A.

Infants’ Washable Shoes, m white, blue and pink. Sizes 1,2, and 3. Priced from 2/8 to 4/11. C. Smith Ltd.—Advt. It is Red Letter day at White’s. Every garment reduced to a price that you will remember. Call early and obtain your share at special Red Letter Day Prices.—White’s Fashion Corner.—Advt.