Local and General

Greymouth Evening Star, 11 December 1945, Page 4

Local and General

To-day is the ninth anniversary of the accession of King George VI. Flags were flow n on some public buildings.

To provide 800 tons of potatoes for delivery to the British Navy early in ' January the Government has issued a transportation order under which the movement of Pukekohe supplies to the market is prohibited. Digging operations at Pukekoke came to a standstill to-day, and it is reported that no more potatoes will be available for merchants from that district till the order is lifted. Pukekohe is the fhief source of North Island supplies at this time of the year, and it is likely the most acute shortage ever experienced at the approach of Christmas will develop during the next fortnight.—P.A.

The suggestion that the Auckland Electric Power Board’s proposed gift to Britain m appreciation of the manner the people took it” during the war, should take the form of a pulpit, built of New Zealand timbers, to be placed in the Church of St. Lawrence Jewry, has been made to the Board by the High Commissioner (Mr. Jordan). The pulpit would probably cost £lOOO. Before making a decision the Board will discuss the matter with Mr. Jordan. The church stands in the city of London and is the Lord Mayor’s official church as well as the official church of the Ne(w Zealand Association, London. The alternative suggestion is a gift be made to a London hospital of the endowment of beds, or to. help in reconstruction work.— P.A.

The Greymouth Public Library is featuring a display of about sixty books on gardening. The display is in accordance with the Librarian’s policy of periodically bringing together books on allied subjects which would normally be scattered. The books are loaned by the Headquarters of the Country Library Service, Wellington.

Through the lack of rain the dairy industry in the Auckland district is threatened with a crisis, particularly in the north. Pastures are burning up and production has already fallen off considerably. The last few months have constituted a record for dry weather. At a meeting of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Committee, yesterday, Mr C. J. Lovegrove said the position was worse than at any time during the last 10 years.—P.A.

The declaration of essentiality af--fecting the following West Coast concerns has been revoked, according to notices in the “Gazette”:—Grey Borough Council abattoirs; ' Hari Hari Boxmaking Co., Ltd.; L. A. Bradley, Murchison (boxmaking); Buller County Council Lime Works; Koiterahgi Lime Co.; Murchison Lime Co.; West Coast Farmers’ Co-opera-tive Lime Producing Co.,' at Ross; Westport State flaxmill, and R. Whiley and Sons, Kanieri (flaxmill). Dredging operations in the berthages, which are heavily shoaled, were commenced yesterday by the Greymouth Harbour Board’s dredge “Mawhera,” and were continued today. This is the first time that dredging has been carried out in the port since last March, and it is expected that the dredge will be kept busy clearing out the berthages for some months, and will operate there whenever the weather, bar and river are favourable and when there is no congregation of vessels.

The Canterbury Businessmen’s Association has made a survey of the whole of the South Island and has decided that the West Coast is the most likely place for extensive manufacturing businesses. This information was given to the Greymouth Chamber of Commerce, which met last night, by its Chairman, Mr. R. N. Anderson, “It is now up to us to do what we can to push industries on the Coast,” he added, and he suggested that the Chamber affiliate with the Manufacturers’ Association, “as it seems that we might get manufacturing over here and we may as well get in early.” Mr. Anderson also referred to power for industries and suggested that the Power Board be approached about the cost of power, particularly in view of the position at Dunedin and other places where reduced rates were offered to new industries.

“Whenever there has been a serious railway dislocation during the past year or two, whether by slips or otherwise, before anything can be done by local officials it has to be referred to the Department’s head office in Christchurch,” said Mr. W. F. Harley, at last evening’s meeting of the Greymouth Chamber of Commerce, when he framed a resolution that the Minister of Railways be asked to re-establish a District Traffic Manager and staff at Greymouth to control the West Coast railways as far as Arthur’s Pass. Any hold-ups then, continued Mr. Harley, could be dealt with on the spot and not have to be referred to Christchurch. He pointed’ out that up to 20'years ago there had been a Traffic Manager at Greymouth, but he had been removed, but now an engineer liad been appointed to the town and there should be a manager. The resolution was adopted.

According to a stateinent made during the hearing of a case in the Magistrate’s Court at Christchurch, barbers throughout New Zealand will approach the Government soon for a subsidy on hair-cuts. At present, said Claude Alfred Lang, a tobacconist, assistants had to show a weekly turnover of £lO to clear their employers. Barbers were working under a stabilised order and not a price order fixed by the Price Tribunal, - and could, therefore, not apply for a change in the order. Lang, who is president of the Canterbury and Westland Hairdressers’ Association, said he was at present organising '■balance sheets to place the position before the Government. He appeared in the court on a charge of charging 1/6 for cutting the hair of a boy under 16 years of age, contrary to Price Order No. 141, which fixed the price at 1/-. Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M., ordered Lang to pay the costs of the prosecution.

It’s Xmas time and the best for six years. Do it justice and purchase from Revingtons Bottle Store (street entrance) the best of wines and ales. —Advt.

“State servants are being' shifted from one end of New Zealand to the other, and it has been going on for donkey’s years, often they do not know what they are going into when they reach their destination, and something should be done to alleviate their position,” said Mr. J. W. Greenslade, speaking on the housing problem at last evening’s meeting of the Grey--1 mouth Chamber of Commerce. He moved the following motion which was carried: “That the Government be requested to give urgent attention to the housing problem as it affects their staff and the transferring of these men; this being of vital importance to the well being of the service.” Referring to Greymouth, Mr. Greenslade said that many people had come to Greymouth but had left the district when they were unable to secure accommodation. He was supported by Mr. G. F. Shallcrass who suggested that the staffs of banking and insurance institutions also be considered and it be suggested that when the houses were built they be of a standardised design in each centre, eliminating a great deal of shift expenses. Give Recordings or Music for Christmas.—Anderson and Hopgood, Albert Street.—Advt. For Xmas giving; a little Girl’s Frock in spun Art Silk, smocked and hand-embroidered. In Sky, Peach and White. Size 18in, 19/6.—C. Smith Ltd—Advt. Special Notice. Westland Laundry Ltd. wish to notify all customers requiring extras in the way of curtains, drapings, blankets and eiderdowns laundered before Christmas, to send early and avoid disappointment. We will not be able to handle these lines a week before the holidays. ’Phone 136. Westland Laundry Ltd. Depot: Sam McAra, Mackay St.—Advt.