GENERAL NEWS

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 September 1947, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS

Wharf Control: Moves Made By Minister

Moves are now being made by the Minister of Labour, Mr McLagan, towards the early establishment of a new waterfront industry commission, writes the Evening Star’s Wellington correspondent. Mr McLagan has indicated his anxiety to form a commission in a manner acceptable to both workers’ and employers’ organisations. His proposal for a commission of six with two representatives of the emlpoyers, two of the workers, and two of the Government was acceptable to the Waterside Workers’ Union, but not to the employers. It is now generally expected in the waterfront industry that the Minister’ may return to the former type of commission with three members, presumably one appointed by the employers and one by the workers, with an independent chairman. The union is pressing for the early appointment of the commission, and has many outstanding matters to place before it. Overseas Mails A surface mail for the United Kingdom, Eire, and Europe, except the Balkan States and Italy, will close at the Chief Post Office, Greymouth, on September 6 at noon. Auckland Taxi Fares

Subject to approval by the Director of Stabilisation, an additional 6d may be charged by Auckland taxi operators for hiring by telephone. Announcing the decision to this effect, Mr Justice Archer said Auckland had its own peculiar problems and there was no reason why new ideas should not be tested. —(P.A.)

Otira Gorge Route Closed The Otira Gorge route from the West Coast to Canterbury was closed to traffic today because of a heavy fall of snow, according to advice received from the West Coast branch Of the Canterbury Automobile Association. There was a foot of snow on Porter’s Pass this morning. There was also snow on the Lewis Pass road, but graders cleared the road early to enable traffic to use the route. Denniston Mine Resumes The dispute which caused the Denniston mine to be idle for four days last week was settled on Sunday when two officials of the Miners’ National Executive attended a meeting of the union. Work was resumed yesterday by all employees of the Westport Coal Company who were affected by the dispute, but the terms of the . settlement were not announced. It is estimated that the loss of production while the mine was idle was more than 1500 tons. Weakness in Geography

Many candidates appeared to have only a hazy knowledge of the location of their own country’s fundamental physical features, says the Education Gazette in its August supplement, commenting on answers to a question in the geography paper of the 1946 School Certificate examination. Something like 25 per cent, of candidates did not know the locations of the Bay of Plenty and Banks Peninsula. Mount Egmont was well placed, but both Mount Ruapehu and Mount Cook wandered far afield. The shading-in of maps was often poorly done and names in some cases were written almost illegibly. Death Still a Mystery A photograph of Mr William Keefe Olds is posted in the Students’ Union building at Canterbury University College and underneath it is the following notice:—“According to police information, Mr William Keefe Olds (whose body was recently discovered in the college grounds) had friends at the university. If you know anything of Mr Olds it is your duty to inform the police.” No date has been set for the inquest into the death of Mr Olds and little progress has been made in the investigations to find where he went and what happened to him after midday on Friday, August 1.

Labour Party Club Rooms The new Labour Party clubrooms in Auckland came under .discussion in the House of Representatives. Mr W. A. Sheat (Oppn., Patea) raised the subject by quoting some remarks reported to have been made by the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, at the opening ceremony early last month. The Prime Minister was reported to have said: “Materials are not easy to obtain at present. I am not sure how it was done and I am not asking. It might not bear examination by the Building Controller.” Mr Sheat asked the Minister of Works, Mr Semple, whether there had been any alteration in the Government’s housing policy. Mr Semple replied that the Government’s policy of confining the use of building materials to essential types of construction had not been altered. He added that the work referred to at the Labour Party clubrooms involved only the renovation and refurnishing of the rooms and did not necessitate any structural alterations or additions.

Dominion Day Confusion instead of assistance was the experience of a Wellington organisation planning a celebration for Dominion Day when calendars and some diaries were consulted. Dominion Day is not a holiday that is widely observed and for that reason the day on which it falls is not well known. It is in September, but the organisation wishing to hold a gathering on the day wanted to make sure that the date this year was September 22. A lawyer friend saw that that was the day law offices would be closed, and a small pocket diary confirmed .that September 22 .was the day. Another diary,. however, proclaimed that Dominion Day was on September 29, and two calendars showed Dominion Day as September 25 in one instance and September 26 in another. The difficulty was solved by reference to the Department of Internal Affairs. Dominion Day, it was stated, is the fourth Monday in September, which this year is September 22.

Hokitika Revue Company puts on Show in Miners Hall, Blackball, on September 6. Be there.—Advt. Ladies’ large serviceable shopping bags. Strong “zip” fastener.’ Very roomy. In shades of black, tan and fawn. Special price 33s 9d.—C. Smith’s.—Advt.