General News

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 79, 17 August 1944, Page 4

General News

School Holidays Primary and secondary schools in the Nelson district commence their term holidays on Monday, 21st August. Primary schools resume for the third term on Monday, 4th September and the Nelson Colleges on Wednesday, 13th September. Hospital Rating The Rotorua County Council approved a resolution of the Counties’ Association executive for the abolition of hospital rating. It also approved a resolution that thfe whole of the petrol tax, less departmental expenditure, be utilised for improvement of county roads, in lieu of the present inequitable and complicated subsidy on rates, with an increased allocation to the Main Highways Board. Stretchers for Schools With approximately 1000 first-aid stretchers in store the Auckland Metropolitan Emergency Precautions Service informed the Auckland Education Board that it considers they would serve a useful purpose if distributed among schools in the metropolitan area, says a Press Association telegram from Auckland. The board was asked at its meeting yesterday to comment on a proposal to place the stretchers on a permanent loan basis to the primary, secondary, and technical schools;. they would be required back only if a major emergency arose. The chairman of the board. Mr W. J. Campbell, said the schools would probably find a use for the stretchers.

Stale Timber Mills The State Forest Service had never contemplated that the producing capacity of all the Department mills would ever exceed 10 per cent, of the total cut of both indigenous and exotic timber, said the Rehabilitation Minister, the Hon. C. F. Skinner, addressing the annual meeting of the Federated Sawmillers’ Association. Ho also said that notwithstanding newspaper reports no final decision with regard to the es-

tablishment of the Reporoa Mill had yet been made. He referred to the still increasing quantities of timber that would be required for housing and rehabilitation and expressed confidence that the industry would stand up to this fresh demand. Railway Operation

The results of railway operation (excluding subsidiary services and miscellaneous non-operating revenue) on the various sections of the New Zealand Railways for the year ended 31st March, 1944, were as follows: North Island Main Line and branches, net revenue £1,730.565; South Island Main Line and branches, net revenue £383.810: Nelson section, loss of £10,510: Picton section, loss of £4797.

Donations by Hospital Board The Nelson Hospital Board at its monthly meeting made a donation of £5 5s to the Nelson branch of the St. John Ambulance Association, and also a donation of a similar amount to the Nelson Garrison Band. In respect of the grant to the band the board suggested that concerts might be given at the hospital mure frequently.

Amphibian Discovered An amphibian discovered at Mount Albert, Auckland, last week has been identified by the authorities of the Auckland Museum as a newt, which is a close relation to the salamander. It was originally mistaken for a tuatara lizard. Newts are kept in England and America as pets, but they are strangers to Australia and New Zealand. It is thought that it was brought from America and escaped. It died a few days after being in captivity and it has been preserved and added to the museum collection.

Railway Subsidiary Services The New Zealand Railways Department’s subsidiary services returned a profit of £78,402 last year—refreshment service, £51.266: bookstall, £6066: advertising, £2892; buildings occupied by refreshment service, ’bookstall proprietors, etc., £15,000; road services, £66,533. Against those profits were the losses made on the operation of the Lake Wakatipu steamers (£6048) and the departmental dwellings (£57.480). Air Letter-Cards The Postmaster-General, the Hon. P. Webb, announced yesterday that lightweight air letter-cards arc now available for communicating with New Zealand personnel, including the Merchant Navy, serving in Canada and the United States, says a Press Association message from Wellington Murchison Ambulance Service The Health Department advised the Nelson Hospital Board in a letter read at yesterday’s meeting, that jt could not approve the proposed agreement between the board and the Murchison Ambulance Association, in respect of the maintenance of the Murchison ambulance service. The reason for the Department’s attitude was that the board wished to enter an agreement to maintain an ambulance at Murchison for all time. The Department advised that the board could not give such an undertaking beyond the time when the association’s assets would have been expended. It was decided to forward a copy of the letter to the Ambulance Association. Railway Passengers The annual Railways Statement which has been presented to the House of Representatives shows that 18,317,323 ordinary passengers were carried on the railways last year, the total number of passengers being 38,611,267. Cycle Lamp Batteries The Minister of Supply, the Hon. D. G. Sullivan, announced to-day that as the supply position has now improved permits for the purchase of cycle lamp batteries are no longer necessary, says a Press Association message from Wellington. Gifts to Hospital “We owe our thanks to those people who have been so generous with their spring flowers,” stated Miss B. I. Matron of Nelson Hospital in her monthly report to the board. "We are grateful also for the gifts of fruit received for the nursing staff.’’ , the Matron added. West Coast Ports “A misunderstanding has apparently risen from recent correspondence on the subject of the difficulties associated with the question of the efficient and continuous operation of the Greymouth and Westport harbours,” said the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, last night. “I wish- to make it clear that the Government is anxious that both harbours should be improved and developed to the full limits posible, and that at present investigations into every aspect of the engineering problems involved are being put in train. Both harbours are of great national importance, and the best expert technical advice obtainable in New Zealand and abroad will be sought from the most competent engineers with experience in difficult harbour construction.” Zoning Scheme for Game The council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society decided at a meeting in Te Awamutu to take preliminary steps to institute a research scheme under which a scientist and staff would be engaged in zoning both the North and South Islands as to their suitability for various types of game. The president, Mr F. E. McKenzie, said he would place the scheme before Dr. Gilbert Archey for redrafting, and it would be submitted to the South Island Council for discussion. Mr McKenzie was authorised to proceed as indicated. The council also decided to reaffirm its decision to reopen the fish hatchery. Smaller Slings Though for nearly three years Auckland waterside workers have, under certain conditions, discharged slings containing about a ton of cargo from ships’ holds on to trailers drawn by small 14 horsepower tractors, they arc now refusing to make up slings of more than 12 cwt., says a Press Association telegram from Auckland. When the men first took this action on a ship discharging wheat on Monday morning the tractors and trailers were dispensed with. Two extra men employed in the hold to make up the big slings were dismissed. The wheat was wheeled into the sheds by hand trucks, on which the maximum load for two men is 12 cwt. The ship worked yesterday without the assistance of modern ' equipment. U.S. Voters in New Zealand Ballot papers to allo\. members of the United States armed services and merchant marine to vote in the Federal elections next November are now in New Zealand, and are available to all who apply and can prove their eligibility. Cards have also been received by which United States voters in New Zealand may apply for ballot facilities in the forthcoming State 1 elections. The provision of these I facilities is a Federal matter, and the majority of individual states have agreed to their use. In some cases, however, the arrangement has not proved acceptable and residents of these states will be unable to make use ot' the privilege. No date is given on the Federal ballot papers as to when they should be returned. Application must be made by Tuesday for state ballot, papers.