GENERAL NEWS Builders Complain Of Hardship

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 April 1948, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS Builders Complain Of Hardship

Suggestions for altering the present system of payment ..to builders were made by Mr T. F. Playfair (Auckland) at this morning’s conference in Dunedin of the New Zealand Federated Builders and Contractors’ Association. The system was a hardship to builders who often procured materials in advance, said Mr Playfair. He suggested that the State Advances Corporation be approached to agree that on all contracts where the money is paid through the corporation the contractor should get monthly payments, to include payment for materials on the site, thfe first payment to be 30 days after the start and payment to be made without special application, apart only from notification of the date of the start of the contract. The minimum payment would be £lOO, except for the semi-final and final payment. It was agreed that the Ministers concerned should be interviewed on the subject.—(P.A.)

Beautifying Wellington Immediate steps will be taken to beautify the city of Wellington _as soon as the duration of the Royal visit is known. Announcing this the deputy mayor, Mr R .L. Macalister, saici the director ofi reserves had been instructed to purchase any necessary plants and shrubs.—(P.A.)

Labour Caucus This Week A caucus of members of the Parliamentary Labour Party will open in Wellington today. The meeting may extend over three days. The Minister of Finance and Customs (Mr W. Nash) will report to caucus .on his recent mission to Havana to attend the United Nations conference on trade and employment.—(P.A.)

Land Development The establishment on the West Coast of a test development area of better class marginal land has been given preliminary consideration by the Land Settlement Board which is favourable to the project, and is obtaining a detailed programme and an estimate of finance that would be required before making a final decision. Information to this effect was received from the Lands and Survey Department by the Westland Progress League which met last night. Members expressed pleasure at the development.

Reserved Seats In order to avoid tne delays ex_ nerienced in queuing in the North island to ascertain the seat numbers allocated to South Island passengers who make reservation from their home towns, intending passengers may request that these seat numbers be 'made available at the homestation. Within five days after the request is made the desired information will be available at the station. Information to this effect was received by the Westland Progress League from the Railways Department last evening.

Novel Advertising The enterprise of an Auckland advertising firm was responsible for the placing of six modern steel rubbish receptacles on footpaths in tlie business area of Greyrnouth today. The receptacles are fixtures, with a iemovable bin for emptying, and are complete with a slogan apnealm? to citizens to keep the streets clean. Authority for their erection was given. Uy the Grey mouth Borough Council; which, however, was riot involved in any expense in the matter. Advertising space on the receptacles is the revenue-producer which accounts for their being supplied free of charge.

Timber Export The sellers’ market for pmus insignis timber has now reached its maximum and Australian buyers would not be prepared to stand the extra cost of railing this type of tnnber cut in Canterbury to Greyrnouth for transport across the Tasman Sea. When this advice was received by the Westland Progress League last evening it was decided to make no further endeavours to have this timber exported from Greyrnouth. It was remarked by Mr J. S. Robertson that the life of Canterbury pinus insignis for export purposes was only another two years.

Government Trucks Nine Railway Road Service trucks were put off the road by a transport officer at Hari Hari during recent weeks as being unfit for service, it was reported at last evening’s meeting of the Westland Progress League. This comment followed receipt of a reply from the department to a complaint regarding the condition of the buses, which were first registered 10 years ago, had bodies in fair condition, while mechanically the vehicles were in good order. Some new vehicles were expected to be available however, in June or July and of these three 20-seater “Mack” coaches had been allocated to the Hokitika-We-heka route.

Mass will be celebrated on next Sunday, April 11, at Kotuku, 8 a.m. and Rotomanu 10 a.m.—Advt.

Who did win? See all the highlights round by round of the world’s heavy-weight championship battle between Joe Louis and Joe Walcott at the Opera House on Friday, Saturday and Monday, and judge for yourself.—Advt.

I can still give you a good Three Star brandy in half or full bottles. Pre-war Portuguese Invalid wine and cocktails from the best of Italian and French Vermouths also in stock. If you are contemplating a party call and see me for your claret cup and cocktails.—D. R. Dowell, Albion Hotel.—Advt.

Like having someone else do the dishes. You enjoy a meal a lot more when you know that someone else will wash the dishes its the same way with the clothes you have the same sense of freedom and of extra pleasure when you know that your clothes will come back sparkling fresh from the Westland Laundry without hours of wash-day drudgery for you, Phone 136 and let us take the drudge out of wash-day.—Advt.