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Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 12 August 1943, Page 4

McKay’s have pleasure in announcing a preview of Spring Goods to-morrow You are invited to inspect the display of new Frocks, Coats, Suits and Millinery.*

McKay's have just opened Twin Sets and Cardigans in a lovely range of new shades in all sizes. An early choice is advised.*

New Blouses in attractive styles. Lovely quality Silk in shades of Shell Pink, Rose Pink, Petrol and Pale Green. All sizes. Priced from 27/6 to 32/6. Two coupons. McKay’s.*

Seventieth Anniversary The Westport Borough Council celebrated its seventieth anniversary at. its monthly meeting last evening. Data concerning the formation of the first council at Westport state that on 22nd April, 1873. as the result of a petition signed by residents and forwarded to the Government, Westport was gazetted as a municipility, and on that day, to celebrate the occasion the first shipment of coal from the port was sent away. The first meeting of the council was held in the Courthouse, and Mr J. Humphreys was elected unopposed as the first Mayor of Westport Since that time there have been 23 Mayors of Westport, including the present Mayor (Mr J. M. Robertson.) Food From Fish Sample fishing kits for use by survivors from wrecked or torpedoed ships and crews of planes force-landing on the sea have been received from the United States by the president of the New Zealand Deep Sea Anglers’ Association, Lieutenant-Colonel T. H. Pettit, of Auckland. tl is suggested that the kits could be manufactured in New Zealand. The kit is contained in a small 31b can, and holds dehydrated bait, six different hook-and-line rigs, a collapsible fish net, a fish spear, a corrosionresistant knife with floats, cotton gloves to protect the hands against burns in handling naked fishing lines, and written instructions for every contingency. The purpose of the fishing kit is to enable occupants of boats or rafts to catch fish, and so provide them with food and the basic necessities of life for an indefinite period. A recent discovery by naturalists was that drinking water could be extracted from the tissues of fish. Grey River Whitebait Fishermen in the Grey “liver, near Cobden bridge, caught about half a pint of whitebait, the first of the season, on Monday afternoon. Although the season opened officially in the Westland provincial district on Ist August, no large catches have been reported, and it is usually September before anything in the nature of a “run” commences. Demand for Island Tomatoes With the season for local hothouse tomatoes over, supplies of Island tomatoes were keenly sought at the Auckland Markets on Tuesday. Choice lines realised 27s 6d a case, but inferior fruit sold at from 23s to 265. Local tree tomatoes also met with a ready sale, and brought increased rates. City Restaurants In spite of the much-increased demand for meals few new restaurants have been opened lately in Auckland, and it is probable that difficulties in obtaining labour have acted as a deterrent (states the “Herald”). Two former tea rooms are now serving full meals, and several others have installed extra equipment and are supplying grills. A few suburban establishments frequented by servicemen have branched out as hamburger bars, a form of trade which can be undertaken with a moderate amount of additional plant There is little prospect of new large restaurants being opened in face of existing handicaps, which include control of charges by the Price Tribunal* in addition to the labour problem. Slit Trenches Filled All open slit trenches in the borough had now been filled in, said the Mayor, Mr H. A. Anderson, at a meeting of the Mount Albert Borough Council this week. It was decided to seek the opinion of the metropolitan E.P.S. executive concerning the closing of timbered trenches and salvage of the timber and the filling-in of those made by the council on private property. Advice had been received that the Director of National Service had agreed to the closing of slit trenches where they constituted a nuisance or danger, or where maintenance was difficult or expensive.

Hard Winter in Alps The winter in Westland is reported to be the severest for many years, states the “Christchurch Star-Sun.” One opossum trapper, who has trapped in the high country for the past twenty-two years, reports that the snow is very deep to a low level on the mountains. The mountain rats, birds, and even the opossums have left the ranges for the low country. The trappers, in order to get round their traps, have had to resort to snowshoes. These have been made from supplejacks, and are strung with light rope. The men have become expert on the shoes and are able to make good headway. They report a noticeable absence of deer.

On Marlborough Farms Lambs are arriving in good numbers in the Wairau Valley and in the Awatere, and early reports suggest that the lambing season will be a good one (states the “Express”). Cows are coming in, too. Towards the end of the week, if the weather does not break, farmers will set to on their cultivation for spring wheat, peos rnd linen. In the meantime, the small birds ara doing their utmost to keep the wolf from the door by persistent attacks on winter crops and they are doing some damage. The measure of their depredations in the fields has been indicated to seme home gardeners, who .have had to become Home Guards to protect what remains even of their silver beet, which this year has been piueked to the bone by hungry birds. Scarcity of Food Wartime restrictions are being felt very keenly in Boston, Massachusetts according to a former Wellington resident. Writing to her parents she says meat is scarce and butter and chickens are practically unprocurable. She had not seen potatoes for months. The Anzac Club, she states, is doing splendid work for the boys of the Dominions. The servicemen are billeted In suitable homes when on leave and elaborate arrangements are made to entertain them.

Golden Bay Hospital Service A complaint that several cases from Collingwood were in the Takaka Cottage Hospital was made by the chairman, Major R. Dagger, at the meeting of the Nelson Hospital Board yesterday afternoon. He pointed out that during July there were no patients admitted to the Collingwood Hospital. That was not giving the Takaka Hospital a chance, he added, as it was being overcrowded. It came back to what the board had prophesied. The solution of the hospital service in Golden Bay would have been to have a central hospital for the whole district, but the Department of Health had decreed otherwise.