PERSONAL ITEMS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24541, 25 March 1943, Page 4

PERSONAL ITEMS

Mr. Alfred Herrick, of Suva, is the Station Hotel. Mr. A. H. .Johnskone, K.C., left for Wellington last night. Mr. J. Stanton, city solicitor travelled to Wellington last night. ' Mr. A. Grayson, president of the North Island Motor Union, left for the south yesterday. Mr. C. R. Gribble, secretary of the Auckland Transport Board, left for Wellington last night. The Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer is on a visit to Northland hospitals. He will in. spcct the Bay of Islands Hospital at Kawakawa to-day. DEATH OF SURGEON DR. HUGH DOUGLAS (0.C.) HAMILTON, "Wednesday The death lias occurred of Dr. Hugh Douglas, of Hamilton, aged 72. A son ' of the late Rev George Douglas, he was born near Newcastle, England, and was educated at Edinburgh, where he graduated as a surgeon. He came to New Zealand and joined the staff 0 f the Auckland Hospital and later practised at Devonport. in 1899 Dr. Doug, las was appointed superintendent of the Waikato Hospital, a position he held for 21 years. Dr. Douglas took a keen interest in • public affairs. For 24 years he was a member of the Hamilton High School Hoard of Governors and a foundation member and past-president of the Horticultural Society. He was also j a trustee of Bryant House, Raglan, a - foundation member and pjist-presidunt of the Rotary Club and a manager of St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church. He is survived by his wife, one soil, Dr. Stewart Douglas, who is serving overseas, and three daughters, Dr.. Mary Douglas, Sister Margaret Douglas aid Mrs. Harris, wife of Dr. H. E. Hariris, of Hamilton. * OBITUARY MR. J. L. JAMIESON The death has occurred in a private hospital in Auckland of Mr. Johtt Laclilan Jamieson, who was well knew a throughout the Dominion as a customs agent. He was born in Duncdiu. tor 25 years he was accountant with Sar : good, Son and Ewen iu Dunedin, and later' was for a number of years with J. M. Hey wood and Company, Christchurch. His final service was on the staff of J. B. O'Loghlen, Limited, in Auckland. Mr. Jamieson took a prominent interest in the Masonic order, and was a founder of the. Empire Lodge, Otago, and a past master of the Lodge St. Andrew, Otago. He was a member also of Lodge Kilwinning, Canterbury.' He is survived by his wife and one daughter. MR. A. SMITH • (0.C.) EOTOK.UA, Wednesday The death occurred at Rotorua yesterday of Mr. -Albert. Smithy aged 63. He was born in Halifax and came io the Dominion as a child. He resided in the Rotorua district for 47 years. He was associated in the establishment of a passenger transport service, which ; subsequently incorporated the Rotorua Bus Company, of which he was a ; director until these services were ac- ! quired by the Government three years . ago. and he was a. member of the Rotorua Borough Council for four years, He is survived by his wife and three . sons. [ V ' ( WASTEFUL HOUSEWIVES ; CHECK ON USE OF FUEL • LONDON, Feb 3 Under a new Ministry of Fuel Order, which came into force in Britain on . January 1, Ministry inspectors are era- ; powered to enter private houses and demand an explanation from housewives whose fuel consumption exceeds that of [ the corresponding period in the previous , year. j Brit before Ministry action is taken [ householders will be advised by their , local supply companies about any in- ( crease in normal consumption. If the inspectors find that there is no reason- [ able cause for extra consumption the [ householders may be prosecuted. Inspectors are authorised to test fittings and appliances which may, through some technical fault unperceivecf by the housewife, be wasting fuel, f They will look for: Luxury appliances - such as hot-plates, which are unnecesI sarv in wartime. Electric-light bulbs of . an unreasonably high wattage on staircases and in halls lamp is [ sufficient). Coal fires in bedrooms, ex- [ cept in cases of sickness. ; AID FOR SOLDIERS I REPLY TO WIFE'S COMPLAINT ' A reply has been received to a letter j published in the Herald on March 13 , in which a soldier's wife signing herself "Down and Out" complained of her financial position and of the lack of . sympathy shown by the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board in her case. | The reply, from Mr. H. E. Combs, M.P., a member of the board, is as follows: , "Your correspondent does not give sufficient data on which to base a reply, but it is evident that having to live on £2 12s 6d a week prior to the birth of her baby was a matter agreed i on by herself and her husband. Their combined military income was at least £3 15s a week (free of all taxes), phis his keep as a soldier. W r hen the baby was born, this income was increased by a further £1 16 a week; but the retention by the husband of £1 2s 6d a week as his peisonal spending money, when his wife was in need, was obviously a matter for rearrangement. If this soldier retained 2s a day out of his 7s 6d his wife would have the use of another 7s a week. In the circumstances complained of (and of course known to him) this would have been the right thing for him to dc.' _ ® "So far as her alleged difficulties with the Soldiers' Financial Assistance Board are concerned, it is impossible to say whether they are well-founded _ or not without having all the relevant information. If 'Down and Out' will write to me I will undertake to have her file re-examined and her application for assistance reconsidered. "In general, may I add that the board's authority is limited to meeting hardships due to the fact that the sum total of the military pay and _ allowances and the keep of the soldier are less than his civil income from {>'' sources—less taxes. I can assure the public that the board as a board ane as individuals are most anxious to do their duty fairly under the authoritv given by the Government." NOUMEA'S PROPERTY BOOM (0.C.) NOUMEA. March <5 The increased value of house property in Noumea is shown bv the sale of a small hotel-restaurant known a» the Cafe de Paris, in the Quartier Lati" district. A few months back it found no buyer at 200,000 francs. Las month it was sold for 425,000. Moder villas of average size (three bedrooms have changed hands at 500,000 francs.