LOCAL & GENERAL

Grey River Argus, 12 October 1944, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

The Queen Mary Hospital at Hamner, which, is caring for 170 soldiers, during last month, received a large quantity of comforts from the Greymouth sub-centres of the Red Cross Society. Goods to provide fare for morning and' afternoon tea which have been sent forward include 33 tins of bisquits, a cartoon of small tins of bisquits, three cases of cakes and two large cardboard boxes or cakes, while considerable amounts or similar foodstuffs have also been despatched from Hokitika.

■All men over 35 years of age are about to be released by the N.Z.E.E. Third Division, also all married men with three or more children. They will get a fortnight’s leave on pay, and then will be required to report io the manpower authorities for direction to industry. Men with experience on dairy farms, and in dairy factories and sawmills, will be selected by the manpower authorities irrespective of their medical grading.

The Liverpool *' and Strongman State coal mines will work on Labour ilav in response to a request by the Mining Controller, Mr. C. H. Bennev This was decided at a meeting of the Miners’ Union last evening. It is probable that the Dobson and Walisend miners will fall in line with the Runanga Union’s effort to increase production The Liverpool . mine, which was idle yesterday, on account of rain being too heavy for the men to cross the viaduct from the batn house to the mine mouth, is to resume to-day.

Though a swell with a lift of ten feet was running on the Grey bar last evening, soundings were taken by the Harbourmaster (Captain H. Moar) and it was decided to despatch the Rata and allow the Kaimai, which had been waiting in the roadstead since Tuesday evening, to enter port. The soundings showed that there had been a loss of a foot on both the inner and the outer bars, on which the low water depth is now ten feet and thirteen feet respectively, though Captain Moar remarked that with the rough conditions the soundings could not be regarded as completely satisfactory.

Fever Victims ! Are you a sufferer of that peculiar type of fever which outbreaks about this time eveiy year ? Most housewives succumb eventually, whether it’s early or late in the outbreak. And it s name . Spring Cleaning ! Now ladies, view this spring cleaning sensibly -you 11 have quite enough to do in the house without attacking those blankets, curtains, drapings, eiderdowns, etc. Just send them all into the Westland Laundry. You’ll be delighted with the wonderful job we will make of them. We specialise in tinting curtains and use Lux for all delicate fabrics and blankets, and see that every care is taken —just as you would if you Were doing them yourself ’Phone 136. The Westland Laundry Ltd. Depot: 27 Albert Street.—Advt.

During September, 227 shipping hours were lost outside Greymouth harbour and 365 hours were lost inside as a result of the state of the bar. This was reported to last evening’s meeting of the Greymouth Harbour Board by the Harbourmaster (Captain H. Mo.ar. The Karu lost the greatest amount of time—--199 hours inside. During the month, a total of 24 vessels, aggregating 14,443 tons arrived at the port, and 23 vessels aggregating 14,023 tons, left the port

Mr E. Cholerton, Proprietor of “Procter’s,” Opticians, Christchurch may be consulted on all defects of eyesight at Grey Motor Buildings, opposite Post Office (upstairs), today, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and to-morrow (Friday), 9 a.m. to 3.30 p.m. Appointments may be made by ringing Miss Pfeifer, ’Phone No. 475.—Advt.

The Greymouth Women’s _ Institute held their October meeting in the Lyceum Hall, Mrs. Green presiding over a good attendance. One new member was welcomed. Mrs. Stewart and Mrs. Kilpatrick were appointed delegates to the half-year-ly Council meeting of the West Coast Federation. Mrs. Chisnall of Ashburton is to conduct a school of organisers for W.I. members. Mrs. Latimer who is leaving the district to reside in Dunedin, was farewelled and presented with a shoulder spray by the President, who, with Mrs. Rose, was chosen as delegates to attend the West Coast Trades Council. Competition winners were: Best 6 Spring Flowers, Miss Prendergast 1; Mrs. Coombe 2. Butterless Savoury; Mrs. Johnson 1; Miss Prendergast 2. Best Bloom: Miss Prendergast 1; Mrs. Bailey 2. ’ Best Covered Book: Mrs. Smart 1; Mrs. Thompson 2. Knitting Handed in, three pullovers. Afternoon tea was served by the hostesses, Mrs. McKnight, Miss Prendergast, Mrs. Meates and Miss Johnson. A mystery parcel was won by Mrs. Bailey.

Residents of Runanga and Dunollie are kindly requested to telephone their orders for floral work direct to Gwen Robinson in future, as we have no agents in Runanga.— Advt.

In the House yesterday, Mr. E. B. Corbett (Nat., Egmont), in the notice of a question to the Minister of Defence, asked whether, in view of a r eported monetary grant to the staff of New Zealand House, London, as the Government’s appreciation of their loyal service during the blitz, the Government would extend similar appreciation to the New Zealand Army personnel torpedoed on their journey to New Zealand from service overseas with complete loss of personal possessions. Mr. Corbett said that claims recently lodged by members of the First Echelon who were torpedoed in the Indian Ocean, for payment for losses suffered were not sympathetically received by the Government.—P.A.

A Decision to renew an offer to hand over the waterside workers’ shelter to the Waterfront Control Commission was reached by the Greymouth Harbour Board at its meeting last evening. The Chairman (Mr. J. Mulcare) said that Mr. A. E. Bockett, Secretary of the Commission, who was visiting, Greymouth with Mr. J. Roberts, a member of the Commission, had seen him that evening, and had expressed concern .about the new building for wharf labourers and said he hoped the Board would contribute towards the cost. Elaborate plans had been prepared for the building, which would be of concrete and would cost a good deal of money, Mr. Mulcare said. He had told Mr. Bockett that he did not think the Board was in a position to contribute. He considered, however, that the Board would stand by its previous offer to hand over the present building to the Commission.

Fashions that are winners for R.ace Week and all other occasions are at White’s Fashion Corner.— Advt.

An application by Greymouth Borough Council to have the route ot Kennedy’s bus service to Karoro and, back to town altered on their license, so that instead of continuing from Tainui Street down Heapny Street and into ~ Shakespeare Street the buses would turn down Nganmu Street, along Alexander Street, Kilgour Road and Winnie Street on to Shakespeare Street, was refused by No. 3 Licensing Authority, Mr. T. H. Langford, yesterday, after he had in-, spected both routes. A bus to make' tne sharp turn into Ngarimu Street would have to drive into the centre of the road before turning, this being dangerous for following cyclists, particularly those from the nearby Grey Main School. However, tne Authority decided that the bus should not in future pull up in the centre of the Heaphy-Shakespeare Street intersection, but on the southern side of the Sawyer’s Creek bridge. Kennedy Bros, who objected to the Council's application, formerly useu, the route suggested until road repairs necessitated a temporary change.

Pillow Slips all. sold, but we have 40 dozen Tea Towels, 8/6 per halfdozen; size 17i- x 31i. Sold elsewhere 1/9 and 1/11 each. Send your order promptly to H. Hamer, Kumara.—Advt.

The Greymouth Harbour Board at its meeting last evening, decided to draw the attention of the public to the fact that under the Harbours Act, interference with harbour installations is punishable by a fine of £5O or two years’ imprisonment with hard labour. This decision was reached when the Board’s Engineer (Mr. D. S. Kennedy) reported that when the slipway was examined shortly before the tug was slipped, it was found that stones had been placed in the underwater- portion of the roller gear.

The s.s. Rata with .coal for Nelson, sailed last evening. . The :s.s. Kaimai left at 7.50 p.m. yesterday with coal for Wellington. The Port Waikato is loading timber for Wellington. The s.s. Gabriella, with coal and timber for Wellington, which has been bar-bound for more than four days, is due to sail this morning. The s.s. Kiwitea with coal for Wellington, may also get away this morning, having also been barbound for all of this week.

The dredge lifted and took to sea in 16 loads, 8000 tons of shingle, states the Greymouth Harbourmaster (Gaptain H. Moar) in his report for September, presented at last evening’s Harbour Board meeting. This work is slow owing to deterioration in buckets, etc. Considerable dredging is necessary to bring the port back to normal. I therefore recommend that a master be appointed to take charge while out in the river, for it is necessary! that he will have to remain on board at all times while dredging, and it is obvious that I cannot carry out the duties of the two positions satisfactorily. I would recommend in this "direction either Captain Harle or Captain Lang, whichever is Suitable to you, the other to act as Deputv-Harbourmaster. The Board decided to refer Captain Moar’s recommendation to a committee which had formerly been considering the arrangement of the Harbourmaster’s staff.

Mass will be celebrated on next Sunday, October 15th at Te Kinga, at 8 a.m., and at Kokiri, 10.15 a.m.— Advt.

The echo sounding gear on the tug “Kumea” continues to give unsatisfactory results, according to a report, presented to last evening’s meeting of the Grey Harbour Board by tne Harbourmaster (Captain H. Moar). Captain Moar said that he would suggest that the makers put the machine back into working order, after which instructions should he issued that this highly sensitive ana delicate machine should not be interfered with. Asked to lucidate his reference to interference with the echometer Captain Moar said that while on the tug it had been interfered with by some person who did not have sufficient knowledge of it. This interference had taken place when it was apparently working all right,. The echometer was also, referred to in a special report by the Board’s engineer (Mr. D. S. Kennedy) who said it had I not yet been possible to repair tne > echo sounder boxes. The Marconi I agents had now forwaraed a new wax for filling these ■ boxes, and when this was done they had promised to semi down their technical expert to go, over the whole machine. Part of tne . recent troubles could be traced to the poor quality of the wax used. The I Grey Power Board and the Harbour I Board staff had however carried out their part of the work well, but it ■ had not been possible apparently to overcome this insidious fault of 1 water getting into the wiring and so i rendering the machine virtually in-1 effective Now that the trouble had , been located and after further repair' some hope was promised for a better run with the machine.