NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20622, 25 November 1941, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Another Ballot Soon Another '“washing-up” ballot of single men for the Second Expeditionary Force will be published in a special Gazette on December 2. It is understood the call-up will be smaller than in previous ballots, the total for the Dominion toeing probably about 5000. A majority of the men will be those who have become 21 years of age since the last ballot, and in addition there will be some who were not called in previous ballots.

War Services Social. Members of the war services in Gisborne held a card evening in the Soldiers' Service Club rooms on Saturday night, and a very enjoyable evening was spent. Community singing and dancing followed supper. Winners-of prizes at the card tournament were Mrs. Samson and Mr. J. Gordon, while Mrs. R. D. Kelly and Mr. W. J. Sinclair also received prizes. The evening was arranged by the club’s entertainment committee, who were thanked for their splendid effort.

Signalmen’s Claims The Gisborne Harbour Board yesterday authorised the chairman and secretary-manager, Messrs. A. J. Nicol and PI. A. Barton, to attend a conference to be held in Wellington at an early date for discussion of claims arising out of a recent industrial judgment on the signalmen's rights in respect of overtime worked on holidays and Sundays. The award affects a large number of boards throughout New Zealand, and the aggregate amount claimed is substantial.

District Nursing Service A proposal that the board should consider making a full-time appointment of its present part-time arrangement with a qualified nurse for district services in Gisborne, was jfiaced before the Cook Hospital Board in a letter from the Department of Health, received at yesterday afternoon’s meeting. On the motion of Mrs. A. E. Beere, the board decided to hold over the matter until next year, for consideration when the estimates were under review. The board was anxious to know what effect the operation of the general-practitioner service would have upon the demand for out-patient nursing service. Soldiers in Hospital. With some satisfaction, the Cook Hospital Board at its monthly meeting yesterday afternoon received advice from the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer, that the war expenses account would continue to bear an additional cost of 5s per day for soldiers treated in hospital, until the scheme was received at the close of the war. ft was pointed out that while the total amount now claimable, 11s per day, did not cover the full cost to the board of boarding and treating military cases, the payment of the additional 5s would help to lilt an unfair burden from district ratepayers. Wage Effect on Education V, “It is pleasing to report that considerable publicity has recently been given to the excessive wages being paid to youths and girls in their teens,” stated the principal of the Hutt Valley Memorial Technical College, Mr. A. McFadyen, when reporting to his board of managers. He said that there was a distinct danger that, unless new legislation regarding a minimum school-leaving age or other legislation intended to have a steadying effect, were introduced, parents who were prepared to sacrifice the future of their children for some immediate but temporary financial benefit would not send them to secondary schools at all.

Harbour Employees’ Appeal. In a letter received yesterday from a former employee, the Gisborne Harbour Board was asked to reconsider its recent decision not to subsidise the army earnings of its employees, since voluntary enlistments were no longer being received. The exemployee stated that he volunteered for naval service early in the war, but had been reserved. He had now been called up for service with the New Zealand Tank Corps, however, and he asked that the board consider his case on its merits. The chairman, Mr. A. J. Nicol, moved that in view of the recent decision of the board, the letter be received only. The motion was carried unanimously.

Sheepskin Appraisement Between 7,000 and 8,000 sheepskins were displayed in Gisborne stores to-day for appraisement. This was to have been held last week, but an unavoidable last-minute postponement was made until to-day. The delay was unfortunate, for the skins nad been displayed last week ready for the valuations to be made by the appraiser, and with wool pouring in during the busiest part of the season and the second wool appraisement set down for next week, brokers found the situation awkward. When the skin appraisement is concluded, brokers will be set the task of clearing the display space of skins and making ready for the wool appraisement, for which the catalogues should be substantial.

Helping Themselves Having been granted the use of about half an acre of land at the corner of Delhi street and Marine parade, Wairoa, members of the Wairoa National Reserve spent all of Sunday clearing it of grass and levelling it to form a parade ground. This section has an interesting history. It was once the hub of the business area of the town, for it is opposite the wharves to which boats used to trade. For many years a general store stood on it and seven years ago the buildings was pulled down so that ;he timber could be used for erecting stables at the Wairoa racecourse. Today, with the ceasing of the sea traffic, and the opening of the railvsfay, the business portion of the town has moved, westwards.—-Special.