GENERAL NEWS “Peculiar” Is Comment At Mine Tribunal

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 August 1948, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS “Peculiar” Is Comment At Mine Tribunal

The reason for the existence of three mining agreements on the West Coast was explained by the Under-Secretary for Mines, Mr C. H. Benney, one of the employers’ -assessors on the tribunal which yesterday dealt with the Strongman mine dispute. “There is a national agreement covering the whole of New Zealand, a West Coast agreement dealing with local customs and a State Miners’ Union agreement dealing for some peculiar reason, with very local customs,” he said. “That position is not peculiar to the West Coast,” stated Mr J. Harrington, who conducted the miners’ case. “No,” replied Mr Benney. “Just peculiar.”

Sawmiller Injured While working at the Taylorville sawmill yesterday, Alexander Day, aged 37, married, of Taylorville, slipped and fell on the axe which he was using' and received a severe cut on his left arm. He was admitted to the Grey Hospital, where his condition this afternoon was reported to be satisfactory.

Week-end Labour Caucus Labour members of Parliament will miss their accustomed week-end at home when Parliament adjourns next Friday. A lull Government caucus will be held, lasting over three days, in which it is expected further legislation will be discussed. There may be a showdown between the Left Wing and conservative- elements states a Wellington correspondent.

£lO,OOO Gift To University Advice of an anonymous gift of £lO,OOO for the benefit of the home science faculty was received by the council of the University of Otago yesterday., Other gifts received were £lOO from Mrs Park to provide a prize in mining; £2OO from Mrs Jennie Macandrew to provide a prize in music: and £ 100 which was raised to establish a prize in mathematics to commemorate the work of Dr R. J. T. Bell.—(P.A.)

Parliamentary Delegation The New Zealand delegation to the conference of the Empire Parliamentary Association in London in October left Auckland by flying-boat this morning for Sydney to join the liner, Orion, for Southampton, via Ceylon. The members are: Messrs C. R. Petrie (Labour, Otahuhu); P. G. Connolly (Labour, Dunedin Central); J. A. Roy (National, Clutha), and W. Sullivan (National. Bay of Plenty).— (P.A.)

Medical Professorship Dr F. H. Smirk, professor of medicine at the Otago Medical School was granted leave of absence by the University Council yesterday to take up a visiting professorship at the Hammersmith Post-Graduate School, of the University of London. Dr Smirk said last night that he expected to leave New Zealand in November. The post was for three months’ duration and gave an opportunity for the visitor to participate in post-graduate lecturing at London University. Dr Smirk added that he would be staying in Britain temporarily after the completion cf the professorship.— (P.A.) Blackball Miners’ Union The Blackball District Miners' Union, at its annual meeting, elected the following officers. —President, Mr A. Kennedy; vice-president, Mr A. MacGougan; treasurer, Mr A. Murdoch; auditors, Messrs E. Lockley and G. Anderson; check-inspect-ors, Messrs G. Lindley, S. Naylor and C. Anderson; committee, Messrs S. Perrin, A. Ross (outside workers’ representative, F. Beck (Blackball check representative), E. Lowery, J. Collins, W. Meadowcroft (truckers’ representative), D. Jennisol and D. Fitzgerald; delegate to control committee, Mr A. Kennedy; delegate to Trades Council, Mr A. MacGougan.

Westland National Savings Investments totalling £3730, which is £2645 in excess of the weekly quota of £lOB5, were lodged in National Savings accounts in Westland last week. Six of the 10 offices obtained their weekly quotas, while, by means of surpluses, the remaining

four offices were credited with successes. Details of lodgments at the various offices, with their quotas in parentheses, are as follows:—Greymouth, £3182 (£525); Blackball, £lB3 ( £50); Brunnerton, £5 (£50); Hokitika, £l9O (£185); Kumara, £6O (£2s);Otira, £ll (£10); Reefton, £3O (£90); Ross, £l7 (£25); Runanga, £2l (£100); Waiuta, £3l ( £25).

Psychiatric Research The award of a Rockefeller Foundation fellowship to Dr R. W. Medlicott, of Dunedin, to enable him to study psychiatric methods in the United States was announced today. Dr Medlicott is superintendent of Ashburn Hall and honorary psychiatric physician at the Dunedin Public Hospital. He expects to take up the fellowship next February, when he will work for a period in Rochester, New York. For the rest of the year’s visit he will inspect various psychiatric clinics in the United States. Before taking up his Dunedin appointments in April last year Dr Medlicott was on the medical staff of Porirua Mental Hospital.—(P.A.) Parcels For United Kingdom

During July 118,868 parcels of a total weight of 1,183,0531 b were dispatched through the parcel post to the United Kingdom, said the Postmaster-general (Mr F. Hackett) today. This is a big increase over the same month last year, when only 69,732 parcels weighing 631,0181 b were dispatched. Mr Hackett said there ’were seasonal variations in the quantities of parcels dispatched in different months. The tendency was for the number to increase greatly from August until December with the Christmas traffic and then fall away gradually until June and July. Overall the numbers and weights of food parcels being dispatched continued • steadily to increase, said Mr Hackett, and present indications were that the parcel dispatches this year would be a record.— (P.A.)

Mass will be celebrated on next Sunday, August 22, at Ruru, 8 a.m. and at Paroa, 10.15 a.m. —Advt.

Local woman finds way to beat rain! One of our first customers told us that when the Westland Laundry opened seven years ago, it was a real godsend to her.' Washdays' in the winter were a nightmare. The worry of getting clothes dried, ironed and aired during the rainy season was considerable. It was a real joy to pack up everything and send it to the Westland, and to know that it would be returned perfectly laundered—and much better than she could ever do it herself. And as to the cost, she agreed entirely with the Westland that taking everything into consideration there was absolutely nothing to be gained by doing the family wash at home. Phone 136. Depot, Sam McAra, Mackay street. —Advt.