DOMINION NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 14 September 1940, Page 2

DOMINION NEWS

WOMEN’S WAR AUXILIARY

(Per Prdss,-Association—Copyright).

CHRISTCHURCH, Sep. 13

Registration of members of the 'Women’s War Service Auxiliary will begin at 10 a.in. on Monday, when the district offices of the auxiliary will open in room 4, Regent Theatre buildings, Cathedral Square. The auxiliary is the official organisation to coordinate, all women’s war work.

A large number of letters from Women anxious to, give, service have been received, some from as far south as Waimate, according to Miss M. B. Howard, chairwoman of the district committee/of the auxiliary. Miss Howard said yesterday that there had also been a steady stream of young women applying at her own office.

Several, thousand registrations were expected, , said Miss Howard. The General Service Corps had already canvassed, parts of the city and had enrdiled. perhaps , 500 women, and the corps had over its registrations to the auxiliary. The corps had done its work with great thoroughness, obtaining all possible information about, the persons enrolled.

Next week the committee will send out a questionable . 'to all women’s organisations in /and near the city, askiujg ''them-• about, the war work they are'doing or may be. prepared to 'dob';' -'Miss Howard said that it was hopedriater to establish sub-centres in the country districts. ./The. wearing of a uniform ■by the “W-W.S.A,” had not yet been suggested, skid Miss/Howard.’ However, there would be ' something in the form of' a badge. or an armlet to distinguish those women who had registered. No official secretary had yet been appointed. Miss Howard mentioned • that among the younger women, who had already applied there' was a special inclination to drive motor-vehicles. Many were also interested in canteen work.

PORT BOWEN RAILWAY. WANGANUI, Sep. 13, The railway line extending from Oastlecliff wharf along the seafront to opposite the Port Bowen wreck, known to Cast*ecliff residents as the Port Bowen railway, has the distinction of being the most recently-built Government-owned railway in New Zealand. , The. railway, however, is not a permanent one. It is not ballasted in the usiial way, the 'sleepers being bedded in sand. Up to the present the lino has not had much use, but later heavy loads of iron, steel and machinery from the Port Bowen, will be hauled over it. Much of the superstructure of the Port Bowen has been dismantled and the steamer, bears a derelict appearance. Derricks and also stumps of masts have been kept in position for taking heavy lifts, and to lower material on to small trucks which run out on to the ramp to the side of the steamer Special hoisting gear lias also been rigged on shore near the end of the ramp, to be used in transferring material on to the railway trucks. It will be some time before a. start is made to cut away the plates of the Port Bowen. .

DANGER OF PETROL. x AUCKLAND, September 13. The danger cd mixing petrol with kerosene for use in primus stoves was mentioned by Constable McKenzie and by a storekeeper, Henry George Carter, w.hen giving evidence at an inquest, into the death of William James Morris, a labourer, aged 52, who died .iii the. Auckland Hospital on August 28. Morris lived in a bach at Palm Reach, Waiheke Island. T’le bach caught fire and Was burned down on the night, of. August 24, Morris, who was in the bach at tlur time, suffered severe burns. While waiting to be sent to hospital. Morris, who was then conscious, said a primus stove had exploded. Constable McKenzie said that when lie searched the debris after the fire lie found a partly melted primus stove without the filter cap on. He thought Morris must have used a mixture of petrol and kerosene, and it had exploded. Kerosene by itself would not explode.

The Coroner found that Morris bar' died f from shock following upon burns received when his bach was burned down.

ALLEGED THEFT. AUCKLAND, September 13. A clerk, Phyllis. Olive B? r>ie f 4 30,'was charged in the Magistrate’s Court that ori April 20 last, being a clerk in the employ of Robert* Urquhart, she stole £996, the property of Robert Urquliart. Detective-Sergeant Walsh, who said accused was arrested this morning, a died for a remand until next Thursday. Accused was remanded on bail in two sureties, each of £2OO.