DOMINION NEWS

Grey River Argus, 7 September 1939, Page 4

DOMINION NEWS

[Per Press Association]. CHRISTCHURCH, September 6. Some idea of the magnitude of the Mid-Canterbury irrigation scheme was given by the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) at the public inspection of the work on Monday, when he quoted figures relating to the quantity of spoil to be handled. Four million cubic yards of material will have been shifted when the construction of channels and races is finished. Already 1,770,000 yards have been handled. The scheme is designed to irrigate 420,000 acres. PRICE FOR NEW ZEALAND DIARY PRODUCE. WELLINGTON, September 6. “After consultation with the Food Defence Plan Department the London Provision Exchange has requested the trade to hold the prices of New Zealand butter and cheese at the level ruling on September 4 until further notice,” said the Minister for Marketing (the Hon. W. Nash) in the House of Representatives last night. “These prices are 124 s to 125 s for salted butter an f ] 61s for cheeset” The Minister said that it had not yet bee n decided that Britain would buy all New Zealand’s butter and cheese. In reply to a question he said that this had not been concluded, but he expected early advice on the subejet. CALIFORNIA CLIPPER AT HONOLULU. AUCKLAND, September 6. | After staying a day at Canton Is-i land the California Clipper completed | the third stage of its return survey, flight to San Francisco yesterday, j when it flew 1903 miles to Honolulu I in exactly 12 hours. Leaving Canton at 4.50 a.m. (New Zealand time), the. flying-boat met excellent weather and| landed at Honolulu at 4.50 p.m. Although no official advice has been re- j ceived, Pan-American Airways oflic’als at Auckland believe that the California will leave Honolulu this afternoon on the 2440-mile overnight flight to San Francisco. If this programme is carried out the machine will land in America five days after leaving Auckland.

SECOND COURT OF ARBITRATION. CHRISTCHURCH. September 6Curiosity as to the future of the Second Court of Arbitration was expressed by Mr F. W. Doidge (Opposition, Tauranga) during a discussion on the estimates of the Labour Department in the House of Representatives yesterday. “What is the position about this Court?” asked Mr Doidge. “A Judge was appointed at £2OOO a year for, life. Is the Court to function again and is the Federation of Labour responsible for the present position?” The Minister for Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb): ,‘W The Federation of Labour is not sponsible for the Court not functioning. and when the occasion arises for the Court t 0 come into existence again that will be done.”

OVERSEAS FREIGHT CONTRACTS. WELLINGTON, September 6. Freight contracts for the carriage of New Zealand refrigerated produce to Great Britain are at present under

consideration in London. This was announced in the House of Representatives last night by the Minister for Marketing (the Hon. W. Nash), who said during discussion on the estimates of the Marketing Department that certain offers which had been made by the shipping companies were now being considered.