Untitled

Grey River Argus, 30 June 1947, Page 4

An enthusiastic meeting . of exmembers of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade was held in Wellington on Thursday, when it was decided to form an association of ex-members of the brigade in Wellington, Hutt and adjoining localities. This association will affiliate with the New Zealand Rifle Brigade Federation. A committee was elected with Colonel R. St. J. Beere as president and Mr A. Gordon as secretary. The meeting decided to hold a a reunion on the nearest. Saturday to September 15, to which representatives of other “Dinks” associations will be invited.

The steamer Karu was delayed on her voyage to Wellington with much needed gas coal, by the stormy conditions at the other side of Farewell Spit.

The Hospital Boards’ Association has drawn up a new scale of salaries for nurses, with increases, and it is now being considered by an advisory committee.

On Saturday Lake Coleridge was reported to have slightly risen, whilst the Waitaki River showed a slight decrease in volume.

Easterly winds recently have had a remarkable drying effect and bush and scrub fires were in evidence in several parts of the province yesterday. This is most unusual, following the heavy downpours experienced° for niore than a week up to Wednesday last.

Contrasting with stormy conditions earlier reported on the east coast, the weather yesterday was perfect on the West Coast, and with bright sunshine the -<spect of the countryside and the mountains was such as to delight the soul of an artist.

Donald Shearer, aged 16, a motor mechanic, of Ruatapu, was admitted to the Grey River Hospital on Saturday suffering from an injury to his ankle, sustained while playing in a third grade Rugby match at Cobden.

New Zealanders were practical people. They had been quick to learn from the mistakes made in rehabilitation after the first world war, said the Governor-General (Sir Bernard Freyberg) when he addressed the annual conference of the Disabled Servicemen’s League. He had seen rehabilitation in many forms throughout the Dominion, the establishing of men in useful trades, on the land, and in the higher fields of scholarship, and he was satisfied that a great job was being done, said his Excellency. The work that impressed his most, however, was that performed in the interests of disabled servicemen.

Last month more than 1,000,0001 b weight of individually-addressed gift parcels were sent from New Zealand to Great Britain. It is an increase of 100 per cent on the weight of parcels sent in May, 1946. The gift food parcels numbered 124,544 and weighed 1,122,3111 b compared with 82,811 parcels weighing 542,511 despatched in May of last year. The Minister said that the parcels sent in May, 1947, went by nine vessels.

Higher salaries for the Auckland City Council’s executive officers have been authorised by the Economic Stabilisation Commission. The Mayor Mr AHum, said the total of the increases was £1546, divided among 19 officers. Mr F. N. Ambler, a member of the City Council’s Finance Committee opposed the increases in salaries on the grounds that the officers concerned were already adequately paid. The new high level would undoubtedly be used by other local body officers when pressing their claims for increases.

The Brunner branch of the R.S.A. at a recent meeting decided to hold a shop day at Taylorville and also at Dobson. It was decided to hold a social evening for members every second Wednesday, and to hold a concert at a later date. The annual meeting of the women’s branch was set down for early in July.

One new member was welcomed at a meeting of the Brunner Women’s Guild. The competition winners were Mes’dames A. McPhie and Reid, and the winner of the wandering shilling was Mrs Leaker. The hostesses were Mesdames Scott and Morris.

Because of the inability of PauJ Boesch to leave Wellington by plane on Saturday, the wrestling match sched'uled for Saturday night at Greymouth was cancelled. Otto Kuss was originally scheduled to meet Jim Wright, but Wright sustained injuries to his ribs and Boesch was substituted. The storm, howeverprecluded Boesch’s chancess of getting down from Wellington, and the association had no other alternative but to cancel the bout.

The Greymouth Salvation Army celebrated its diamond jubilee with special services during ‘the week-end. Brigadier D. H. Smith, of Wellington, with a number of cadets from Wellington, conducted all the meetings. A musical festival was held on Saturday night and four services yesterday, the afternoon service being a missionary one. Brigadier Smith, who spent some years in Korea as a missionary, gave some sidelights on missionary work. The chairman at the afternoon meeting was the Mayor, Mr F. A. Kitchingham. This evening a thanksgiving service will be held. The unusual distinction of having been a member of the United States forces in Sipan during the war at the same time as his son is possessed by Mr Clay Colley, an American consulting engineer, whe is visiting Christchurch. Mr Colley was then a lieutenant-commander in the United States Navy. Aviation Machinist Mate I Tom Colley met his father on four occasions while both were on active service. They made a flight together to Guam, and also met on Tinian. Mr Tom Colley, who is now 21, won the Silver Star, the distinguished flying Cross, the Air Medal, and a commendation from Admiral W. F. Halsey. Most of his service was as a tail gunner in a Navy Liberator. Mr Clay Colley served six months as commanding officer at the American naval ammunition depot in Samar, an island in the Gulf of Leyte, in the Philippines. Photographs' of war-time damage in the city of Manila, capital of the Philippines, minimised rather than •exaggerated the actual position, said Mr Clay Colley, a consulting engineer attached to the Pacific Division of the Link-Belt Company, of San Francisco, who is visiting Christchurch.