LOCAL AND GENERAL

Grey River Argus, 1 May 1944, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

National War Savings investments at • Greymouth last week totalled £764 14s. The quota is £497.

The Ngahere dredge return for the fortnight ended April 28 was 249 ounces from 86,760 yards, worked in 223 hours.

Only three committee members attended the bi-ennial meeting; of householders to elect a Dobson School Committee last week, and the meeting lapsed for the want of a quorum.

As a result of lightning striking the Arahura-Dobson main electric power line at about 12.20 p.m., on Saturday the Grey district was. without electric power for six minutes. Apparently no serious damage was caused.

Fur Coats for to-day and to-mor-row are at White’s. —Advt.

Wellington customs figures for April, with those for April, 1943, m parentheses, are as follows: Net customs £268,585 (£216,328); sales tax £103,287 (£94,415); beer duty £15,983 £15,456); war tax £368,416 (£348,039). —Press Assn. t

The New Zealand Meat Producers’ Board advises that the price schedule for wether mutton in the North and South Islands will be increased by one farthing per lb. commencing to-day (Monday).—'Press Assn.

Knocked down by a man on a horse at Dobson, on Saturday, a young girl, Fay Shand, aged 13 years, a daughter of Mr. and Mrs Sidney Shand, suffered severe bruises and shock. However, no bones were broken, and after receiving first aid she was able to return to her home.

Members are reminded that the monthly meeting of the Greymouth Branch of the New Zealand Labour Party will be held in the Lyceum Hall, to-morrow evening at 8 o’clock, and all are requested to attend. An executive meeting will be held at 7.15 p.m.

The cadets of the Greymouth A.T.C. No. 36 Squadron, held a very successful dance at Herb Moore’s Cabaret, on Friday, the proceeds of which will be used towards furnishing the lounge at Squadron Headquarters. The cadets are to be commended for ative as the lounge has practically no furniture.

Before Mr. Justice Northcroft in the Supreme Court at Greymouth on Friday Myrtle Violet Stokes, of Christchurch, petitioned for divorce from Arthur Joseph Stanley Stokes, Greymouth, railway employee, \ on the ground of separation. A decree nisi was granted, petitioner to have interim custody of the six youngest children of the marriage.

Members of the Labour Party are reminded of the monthly meeting of the Greymouth Branch, which takes place at 8 p.m. to-morrow—Advt.

After having been unworkable since Tuesday the port of Greymouth was busy ’ yesterday when loading operas tions were carried out on four vessels, which arrived on Saturday—the Foolta and Karepo at 4 p.m., the Kartigi at 9 p.m. and the Gael at 5.30 p.m. The Karepo (which is expected to sail this morning) and Poolta were yesterday loading coal for Wellington, and the Kartigi was also loading for the North Island. The Titoki is in the roadstead, and is to load coal for Castlecliff. The Rata is due on Wednesday to load coal for Nelson and Tarakohe, i

A low water’ depth of 16 feet six inches was recorded on the Grey bar •when soundings were taken on Saturday afternoon, and the Deputy-Har-bourmaster (Captain W. Harle) said yesterday that though conditions were most unfavourable for good sounding when the tug went out indications were that the bar had been improved by the recent fresh, cimbined with the heavy seas. Fresh soundings will be taken when conditions improve. The port was worked on Saturday, when the Karepo. which had been waiting for some days, and other vessels entered, but there was a heavy sea again yesterday.

A limited’ supply of alarm clocks is now available at Sutherland s, Tainui Street. —Advt.

A' farm labour survey is at present taking place on the West Coast and elsewhere ,as part of the scheme of meeting the demand for labour by releasing men returning from service with the armed forces overseas. Forms designed to secure information on the extent and nature of labour required are available at all Post Offices or from the secretary of the West Coast Council of Primary Production (Mr. J l . Mulcare.) On completion they should be forwarded to Mr. Mulcare who will send them on to the District Manpower Officer for appropiate action. It is stated that early application by farmers is essential. The Commissioner of Taxes draws the attention of taxpayers to an advertisement appearing in this issue setting out the procedure to be observed when claiming Deferred Maintenance Expenditure for taxation purposes.—Advt. With the main Greymouth-Still-water highway closed at Dobson, where a culvert is being built to replace a bridge, traffic is being diverted through a back road. However, built on a poor foundation ana surfaced only with mine ashes, this road has not stood up to the*Wear of abnormal traffic, particularly as heavy rain softened the ground. As a result, more than one vehicle has been bogged on the road and a particularly unenviable experience was that of passengers in a N Z.R. bus, travelling to Greymouth on Saturday evening. The vehicle became bogged up to the axle, just as heavy rain was being experienced, and the passengers had to alight to assist in levering the vehicle out of the mud, this finally being accomplished with the aid of another Road Service bus. Though temporary repairs were affected yesterday, the road presents a hazard to motorists and will become increasingly difficult should rain continue., It is not likely that the main highway will be open before the end of the week. Consequently motorists are advised to proceed along the Coal Creek Taylorville road

The Westland Laundry I do declare. is the answer complete to the housewife’s prayer. In the past, when pegging my washing on the line, I worried whether the day would be wet or fine, but now from such worry I am thankf’uly i ree l for I send all my washing to the Westland Laundry. Why fuss and fret when days are wet. Let the raindrops patter, and wash-day worries scatter. This rhyme was sent in by one of the many satisfied customers of the Westland Laundry Ltd. ’Phone 136. Depot: 27 Albert Street.—-Advt.

At a meeting of the West Coast Council of Sport held in Greymouth the boundaries of the Council’s area were fixed to include the Westland, Grey, and Inangahua Counties. Plans of all playing areas are to be obtained so that the Council can see what areas are available and where further areas can be secured. The Council decided to adopt a card system for use in schools so that when children leave school they may be encouraged to continue to play in the sports which previously interested them. A proposal to establish a youth centre was referred to a committee consisting of the chairman (Mr. J. B. Kent), the secretary (Mr J'. M. McNulty), and Messrs W. S. McClymont and F. Wiliams. It was decided to ask the Greymouth Borough Council to expedite clearing up of the north end Jand the draining of the south end of the Recreation Ground. Advice that representations Were being made to the Government regarding supplies of tennis and golf balls and cricket material, was received from the National Council.

The rainfall at Greymouth for the month of April, ended yesterday, was the heaviest for over a decade, —as far back as the figures are —14.68 inches falling on 26 of the 30 days (also a record). The maximum fall was on Saturday, April 29, when 2.04 inches fell In the corresponding month last year only 8.08 inches fell on 16 days, with a maximum fafij of 1.26 inches on April 24. In 194/, the nearest approach to last moYW® figure was made, 13.92 inches falling on 20 days, with the heaviest fall ot 2.43 inches on the 6th. The are the figures for April m.the years 1941 to 1939: 4.55, 6.52, 3.48, 13.41, 5.57 757, 7.59, 10.31 and 10.23 incnes. So far this year; 47.87 inches have fallen and if the present average is | maintained, the figures of. 93.59 ana , 121.51 inches for the previous ! years will be easily exceeded, and the ( total for the year will be over 140 inches.

A grant of £350 to the New Zealand Journalists’ Association has been made by the Government to establish a James Cowan Memorial Prize. > Mr. Cowan who died some months ago, was a noted New Zealand journalist and historian, and an authority on the Maoris. A deputation waited on the Under-Sec-retary of Internal Affairs (Mr. .J. W. Heenan), when the establishment of a fitting memorial to Mr. Cowan was discussed. The Minister of Internal Affairs (the Hon. W. E. Parry) has now written to the association, stating that he has approved of the payment of £350 to be held in trust, the annual interest therefrom to be used together with an annual grant of £lO from the association, for the provision of a prize for the best work done by a journalist during the preceding twelve months. “The fact that this grant has been made is in itself an indication of the esteem in which the late Mr. Cowan was held by the Government as well as myself personally,” stated Mr. Parry. “His life was indeed an inspiration to his fellow journalists and I sincerely trust that the annual prize may be a means of keeping his memory green in the world of journalism.”