LOCAL GENERAL

Grey River Argus, 13 August 1946, Page 4

LOCAL GENERAL

Clutha River dredge for the week ended August 9, worked 123 hours for 177 ounces of gold.

With Greymouth maintaining a position well towards' the bottom of the list in respect to the surrender of meat and butter coupons in an effort to send additional food supplies to Britain the Greymouth Famine Emergency Committee is considering a scheme, whereby, with the assistance of teachers and pupils cf the schools in the district, better results will be shown. It is hoped that the new scheme will come into operation after the term holidays which begin at the end of this month. Last week, 11 cases, comprising 1,500 tins of foodstuffs contributed by residents of the Grey district, were dispatched enroute for Britain.

On Friday, during the period of gas economy in Auckland, there was an urgent appeal for the supply to be turned on for three minutes to save the life of a woman at a large private hospital. The gas was needed for a hlood test on the woman patient who had been admitted in a dying condition. The Auckland Gas Company immediately turned on the supply to allow the experiment to be made. The test was successful and the patient rallied under subsequent .treatment. The hospital bacteriologist said the test was designed to estimate the nitrogen content of the patient’s blood' and electricity was useless for the test. Only an intense gas flame produced sufficient heat to bring about the necessary digestion of protein in the blood by acids.

All out-going trains from Greymouth on Wednesday afternoon next have been delayed to suit patrons from the country districts desirous of attending the musical comedy, “Our Miss Gibbs” and trains will now leave Greymouth at the following delayed times: Reef ton 5.15 p.m.; Otira 5 p.m.; Rewanui 5.13 p.m. (normal departure time): Hokitika line 5.8 p.m. —Advt.

There is a suspicion in Wellington that, tobacco interests are holding back supplies in the anticipation that the duty may be lowered in the Budget, to be submitted on Thursday by Rt. Hon. W. Nash. There has been a shortage of cigarettes for over a week. Many Wellington retail tobacconists claim that the wholesale firms are taking no risks, and intend keeping the mid-month quotas in bond until the Budget has been presented. Deliveries are made on the 16th of the month, but retailers have been advised that the delivery this month will not be made until August 19. While admitting that they have heard' suggestions of reduced duties on cigarettes and tobacco, Wellington wholesalers assert the withholding of the deliveries is merely a coincidence with the date of the Budget, and delivery next Monday will be more convenient. No doubt, if the duty is cut! The duty on tobacco amounts meantime to eleven shillings and eight pence per lb, or about half the retail price. Some people reckon the proportion of duty could be lessened by the raising of the retail price of imported supplies!

Members of the cast of principals, the Br.desmaids and the Dudes’ Chorus of “Our Miss Gibbs” will visit the Grev Hospital after to-morrow after " noon’s matinee performance at tne Regent Theatre, to render a of items in the various wards at tne institution. —Advt.

Rehabilitation loans recommended by the Greymouth Rehabilitation Committee for July totalled £10,812 4s, the lowest for the district for some months. This figure included five furniture loans totalling £454 14s, seven housing loans amounting to £7607 10s, and two farming . loans aggregating £2750. In addition, two business loans were recommended. August promises to be a busy month for the local office, 12 applications for various loans being already received.