GENERAL NEWS NO PLAN FOR STABILISATION CONFERENCE

Greymouth Evening Star, 4 November 1946, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS NO PLAN FOR STABILISATION CONFERENCE

The Government has no plans as yet for calling a conference to redefine the principles and methods of economic stabilisation, it .was stated when inquiries were made to-day in official quarters in Wellington re- . garding a reference to the possibility of such a conference being held early next year. No decision even to hold a conference has been made, it was stated, let alone the approximate date. The proposed report was described as purely speculative—a se- ; quel to a desire expressed by some trade union, farming or manufacturing groups that the bases on which wages, costs and prices are fixed should now be reviewed in the light of changing economic circumstances. —-(P.A.) Reefton Woman’s Death. Mrs. Nellie Trim, the wife of the Rev. Francis Edgar Trim, of Reefton, died at the Reefton hospital on Saturday. An inquest into her death was opened at Reefton this morning, and adjourned after evidence of identification had been given. Rehabilitation Loans. Thirty-five loans to former servicemen were recommended by the Greymouth Rehabilitation Committee last month. Seven housing loans totalling £6717, 13 furniture loans to a total of £lllB/5/- and 15 business loans were recommended. No farming loans were recommended during the month. Mining Applications. At to-day’s sitting of the Warden’s Court at Greymouth, Mi’- A. A. McLachlan (Warden) dealt with the following applications:—Ernest Lloyd Jones and James Keith Henderson, coal prospecting licence over 19 ' acres, section 26, block I, Cobden S.D. —Recommended for consent of the Minister of Mines. William Mc- ■ Laughlin, ordinary prospecting licence over 24 acres, sections 2903 and 1, Block XI, Mawheranui S.D.— ; Granted. ’ A Cruel Fraud > In the Supreme Court' at Dunedin this morning, Mr Justice Kennedy ' sentenced Thomas Gibson Waters, a salesman, to 15 months’ reformative detention on two charges of false pretences in connection with the sale of land. The Judge said that it was . clear that the prisoner had fraudulently exploited the needs of returned ■ servicemen for housing. His action . was cruel in the effect upon his victims, for the greater part of the ’ money, £6OO, would never be seen . again by them.—(P.A.)

83 Sports Coats Stolen A serious case of pillaging on the New Zealand coast is reported by a Dunedin firm which has branches in other parts of the Dominiion. Recently an Auckland manufacturer consigned to this firm’s Christchurch branch a large number of men’s sports coats. As the case was being unloaded at Lyttelton it was discovered to have been broached and an investigation showed that 83 of the 120 coats it had originally contained had been stolen.

Hokitika Post Office. “The contract for the construction of a building to replace the Hokitika Post Office is just about ready,” said the Minister of - Transport, Mr: O’Brien, this afternoon when the Evening Star inquired as to the progress made. The renewal of the old building has been advocated by Hokitika and Greymouth organisations for some time. Referring to the purchase by the National Airways Corporation of Air Travel (N.Z.) Ltd., the Minister said that the present time-tables would be maintained and probably improved. The preparation of a tenyear plan for the district had not yet been completed, he added. Motorist Fined.

Charged with driving a motor-car without reasonable consideration for other persons using the highway, Alphonsus Francis O’Donnell, for whom Mr. J. W. Hannan entered a plea of guilty, was fined £l, with 10/- costs, by Mr. A. A. McLachlan, S.M., in the Police Court at Greymouth to-day. Transport Department Inspector H. Lane said that the defendant pulled out of the parking line into the stream of traffic at Wingham Park on September 1. Mr. Hannan said he understood it was a question of “backing out” as many others did on the same day. Judgment for plaintiff by default, with costs, was given in the following civil debt case: —W. D. Taylor v. J. M. Mouatt, £2/2/-, costs £l/7/6. No Fireworks Available

Any juvenile observance of Guy Fawke’s Day, to-morrow, will have to be without the ' traditional fireworks. There are none for sale in Greymouth shops and there has been no indication as to when, if ever, the pleasure of '“setting off a big one” will be available to children. No import licences have been granted for the importation of fireworks since before the war and there have been none on sale for many years. They are again being manufactured in quantity in Britain and the United States, but in the absence of import licences, are unlikely to be seen in New Zealand for a long time. One Greymouth businessman, who formerly sold a big quantity of English fireworks, said to-day that there was no possibility of any stocks for Christmas. Praise for Servicemen Commendation from the Supreme Court Bench of the conduct of returned servicemen in New Zealand in the light of the lack of an increase of serious crime in New Zealand was expressed by Mr Justice Fair at the opening of the quarterly session of the Supreme Court in Wanganui today. “The conduct of our returned servicemen and the high standard of their behaviour are matters for real and very sincere congratulation to all those connected with them, their parents who brought them up, their families with whom they grew up, and their friends,” said his Honor, Justice Fair, “and I am sure they must all feel very happy that the increases in serious crime reported from other countries do not exist in, this country.”—(P.A.)

Your attention is drawn to the protest meeting called for to-morrow

(Tuesday), (Guy Fawkes Day), (Melbourne Cup day). It’s to be a big day. Make a night of it.—Advt. Haines Motors, Christchurch, pay higher prices for carefully owned used cars.—2o2 Manchester street. — Advt. Legs are lovelier in C. Smith’s “Berkley” hose. Obtainable in all shades and in sizes 9in, 9iin, and lOin. Specially priced at