LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23491, 31 October 1939, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Mom New Locomotives Tiro more of the now J-class general utility locomotives ordered from Great Britain by the Railway Department have arrived at Auckland painted the same dull grey colour as the British vessel which carried them on her decks. The engines will be shipped to Wellington, where they will be unloaded. Prices o! Footwear The view that boots should not cost more was expressed by the Minister of Marketing, the Hon. W. Nash, in his broadcast address last night. While the export of hides and skins had been under consideration, Now Zealand industries had not suffered in any way, he said. Arrangements had been made to supply them with requirements of raw materials at prices as at September 1. The tanners had been supplied with all the hides they required at these rates.

Chinese Refugees Arrive Driven from their homes in Canton in the early days of the war in China, since when thev lived in Hongkong, a party of 29 Chinese has reached Auckland. Of this number 25 will take up residence in Now Zealand for two years, and the others intend to go to Suva. Among the party were seven women and their families, numbering 13 children, between the ages of three and 13 years. All the women were met by their husbands, who have been in New Zealand for some time.

Liner's Late Berthing Considerable difficulty was experienced yesterday with the oerthing of the Matson liner Mariposa, which arrived at Auckland from San Francisco. She entered the harbour in exceptionally boisterous conditions and when the two tugs began to bring her into a berth at Prince's Wharf the strong wind kept swinging her sideways away/ from the wharf. The liner was forced to go astern twice and did not finally succeed in tying up until about 10 o'clock, after slightly over an hour's manoeuvring. Old Photographs

The. gift by a former chairman, Mr. W. Wallace, of four photographs of historical interest was acknowledged with thanks by tho Auckland Hospital Board last night. The photographs, it was stated, were taken in 1887, when members of tho board were inspecting the site at Epsom which was later purchased for the erection of the Costley Home, now tho Auckland Infirmary. Members expressed the hope that owners of early photographs of the board's institutions would make similar gifts. Doctors on Service

In compliance with a request from the New Zealand branch of* the British Medical Association, the Auckland Hospital Board decided last night to make provision for fully safeguarding the positions of any of its honorary, part-paid or stipendiary medical officers who undertook war service, by granting them leave of -absence and undertaking to reinstate them without loss of seniority on their return. It was ako agreed that appointments made to fill such vacancies should bo temporary.

Replacement Values In support of the view that the Price Investigation Tribunal should be prepared to fix prices on the replacement value system, an exporting firm has written to the Auckland Chamber of Commerce giving an instance of what happened when prices fell at the close of the Great War. The day before the Armistice, it states, the price of 61b. tins of corned beef in London was 110s to 120s a dozen tins. The next day the price was nominally 90s, but there were no buyers. There were still no buyers a week later, and the price was nominally 455. Eventually most of the firm's stocks were sold at 35s a dozen.

Green Lane Tram Siding "This is something which gives valuable service to very large numbers of people and definitely aids in reducing the number of accidents," said the chairman, Mr. W. H. Nagle, referring at yesterday' 6 meeting of the Auckland Transport Board to the tram siding in Green Lane Road. A memorandum from the manager said that the board's trams with the use of the siding had been able to handle some verj largo crowds, including the 15,000 people at the Labour Day race meeting at Alexandra Park. Without the siding large numbers of trams would'have been parked in Manukau Road, with resultant congestion.

Rust on Steel Framework It is now about 10 months since the steel framework- of the Jean Batten Place State building was erected and the huge beams and girders are now well rusted. Expert opinion is that there is no fear of any deterioration of the quality of the steel because of the presence of rust. It is not deep enough to crumble or flake off and it can easily bo removed by wire brushes before concrete is applied. In any case, the welded joints were painted before there was any rusting, so that they have not suffered in any way through being subjected to weather. The resumption of building operations, interrupted by defence work, is pending.

Appreciation of Chairman A vote of sympathy with the chairman, Air. Allan J. Moody, in his recent accident, was passed by the Auckland Hospital Board, last night. On the suggestion of the acting-chairman, Mr. J. V. Maoky, it was decided to add an expression of the board's appreciation of Mr. Moody's constructive work and the devotion to duty he had shown since taking office, and to accompany the message with a sheaf of flowers. In a short letter from the Auckland Hospital, Mr. Moody stated that he greatly appreciated members' many kindnesses to him. He added that at the present rato of progress ho should not he very much ' longer away from duty.

Soldiers' Dependants Reports that a general means test was being applied in the payment of allotments from pay and allowances to tho dependants of men in the special military force were denied yesterday by tho army authorities. It-was stated that in no case was there any means test as regards allotments from pay, and tho only instance in which anything of the kind applied with the additional allowances mane by the Government to dependants was in the case of a widowed mother. Where a soldier made an allotment of at least 2s a day toward the support of his widowed mother, an additional allowance up to a maximum of Is 6d a day was made. Payment of this allowance was on a scale according to the mother's means.