MILLERTON NOTES

Grey River Argus, 10 March 1933, Page 7

MILLERTON NOTES

(Our Ows Correspondent.) The Millerton Pigeon Club had their usual weekly race lor young birds from Nelson at the week-end, the weather being ideal lor the birds, and very fast, time was registered. The results were: If. Mulgrove Ist (velocity 951.7 yards per minute); A. Harris 2nd (949.2yd5); H. Mulgrove 3rd (931.4 yds). The flying distance from Nelson to Millerton is estimated at 78 miles 1164 yards. The time taken to complete the flight was one hour 41 minutes, and forty birds competed in the race. All of the pigeons arrived home. Millerton miners are having a lean time, the mine having been a fortnight idle prior to this week, so that the pay for that period is nil. This week the men have been working, and the outlook is better. Two accidents have happened at the mine this week. On Monday a miner, Mr V. Goodall, sustained injuries to his leg through a fall of coal. The other was on the Tuesday, when a shiftman, Mr D. Thomas, was seriously hurt and was conveyed to the Buller Hospital. The Millerton bowlers, holders of the Ballinger Buckles, were defeated by the Waimangaroa challengers on Sunday. The weather was excellent for play, hut the locals seemed to be off dolour. The results were as follows, Waimangaroa. players being mentioned first: Davis, Hounslow, Lunn and Queripal (s) 21 defeated Orman, Buist, Clarke and Murray (s) 19; Perrie, Hennessy, Elvine and Fayen (s) 22 defeated Shaw, Burt. Chippendale and Boswell (s) 16; Tennetti. Belnon, Kelly and Eckersley (s) 15 defeated Harker, Smith. Russell and McCulloch (s) 14. The total points were: Waimangaroa 58, Millerton 49. The Millerton Rangers Rugby juniors journeyed to Stockton on Sunday to play a friendly game with the Stockton team, and an interesting display of football was given, the game ending in a draw—a goal kicked by Chippendale for Stockton, to an unconverted try for Millerton scored by Boswell. A return game takes place on the Millerton Domain on Sunday

The local unemployed held their weekly meeting at Peggie’s Hall on Sunday nt 11 o’clock. A report was given by the U.W.M. Secretary re Hospital Board treatment for unemployed workers on the Hill who were unfortunate in falling behind with their medical dues. After a lot of discussion by the members the meeting decided to semi a delegation to interview the Buller Hospital Board on the matter. The delegates appointed were the President, Secretary and Air McKenzie. It was also decided that the Secretary write the Minister of Unemployment re the granting of boots and clothing for the dole work ers and their families. This is one of the vital needs of the unemployed workers and their families. If one goes back to the start of the coal slump, a matter now of a few years, one finds in the case of Millerton that the miners were not -working anything like half time. Following this, about 180 workers were thrown on the scrap heap about 12 months ago, and the large majority of those have never received the full relief work allocation. The point is that the Millerton unemployed have had a longer period of depression to go through than the majority of unemployed in New Zealand, with the result that they are short of clothing and footwear. That is why (hey have instructed their Secretary to write the Minister of Unemployment in regard to this need. Another mutter is the move afoot to draft the majority of unemployed away back into the hills prospecting. This means that men have to go away half starved and half clothed in the height of winter. and anyone who has lived on the West Coast knows what this means. Another point is that the women folk and children would have to try and cultivate the gardens and collect fuel, for heating purposes. In the event of a severe illness, which is always possible, owing to the undernourished condition of the local unemployed and their families, anyone might be dead before the absent husband had any news of it. It means a lowering of the standard of living, as 30s per week for six days works out nt 5s per day, with two homes to be kept with this. What an existence for human beings? Still the workers do not see the fundamental need of a policy organisation. A world war looks to be drawing nearer every day. Ono has only to read the paper report and draw one's Own conclusions. We find by those reports what the intellectuals in the loading universities of Britain are doing to-day. Those of Oxford. Cambridge and Manchester University hold meetings and decided by overwhelming majorities not .to fight under any circumstances. Nottingham University also held a meeting for the same purpose, but the authorities forbade a similar debate. The students there fore passed a resolution protesting against deprivation of the rights of free speech. Let the working classes of the world adopt this attitude and the war raging in the East between China and Japan, would soon terminate.