NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25426, 6 January 1944, Page 2

NEWS OF THE DAY

T EGISLATION to enable lower-paid workers to receive wage increases in spite of stabilisation is to be introduced by the Government, states a report in the latest issue of the Union Record, which is the official paper of the New Zealand Building Trades’ Federation, the Auckland, Wellington, and Hutt Valley Carpenters’ Unions, the Auckland Drivers, Labourers’, Plasterers’, Boot Operatives’ and Ship, Yacht, and Boatbuilders’ Unions. The paper also quotes a report to the Auckland Trades Council that the New Zealand Federation of Labour, which has also taken up the matter with the Government, has a definite undertaking that the wages of lower-paid workers will be raised to a minimum of £5 5s a week for males and £3 a week for females. Departmental Inquiry

For some time there have been rumours in Wellington that an inquiry is being held within the Ministry of Supply and that the investigation has to do with matters relating to the issue of import licences. There has been no official statement on the subject, but it has been confirmed that a departmental inquiry was ordered by the Public Service Commissioner. Availability of Petrol Coupons

The December and January petrol coupons (Nos. 6 and 7 respectively) are available in both these months. This statement was made yesterday (says a Press Association telegram by an official of the. Oil Fuel Controller’s office when a complaint was referred to him concerning the difficulty experienced by motorists in having the December coupon accepted this month by resellers in" some of the provincial areas.

Tuberculosis Huts The calling of tenders for 14 movable huts for Maori tuberculosis patients in Taranaki means an extension of a scheme introduced some years ago. The huts are used by Maori patients returning to their homes after treatment in sanatoria. Instead of living in houses which are sometimes overcrowded, they live nearby in the huts, and, under the supervision of their own doctors or Health Department nurses, observe the rules designed to prevent a recrudescence of the malady. Only the Best “Our greatest problem to-day Is to sell ’ the cheaper class of seats,” said an Auckland picture theatre manager, commenting on theatre attendances. He added that it was probably indicative of the greater amount of money in circulation that most patrons sought to buy the more expensive seats and these generally were all sold at the main sessions. American servicemen were among those who consistently occupied the higher-priced sections of the theatre. Attack by Wild Pig 1

Severe injuries to an arm were suffered by Mr P. Crowther, lorry driver, of Taupo, when he endeavoured to rescue his dog from a wild boar in the scrub off the Napier-Taupo road. About 10 miles down the road from Taupo Mr Crowther’s dog jumped out of the back of his lorry into scrub after the pig. Mr Crowther immediately followed, and when he made a grab with his left hand at the dog’s hind leg to pull it off, the boar drove both tusks through his arm and with an upward turn tore the sinews and muscles almcst out. Mr Crowther was taken to Taupo by a passing motorist, and later admitted to the Rotorup Hospital, where his condition was reported to be serious. Inventor’s Death Reported Mr J. P. Johansson, the inventor of the wrench and the pipe-wrench, died recently at Enkoping, Sweden. Born 90 years ago he began work as a hand in a small blacksmith’s shop. Already at that age he gave evidence of his inventive talent. In course of time he started his own workshop. Tired of all the cumbersome tools which a pipefitter had to use in those days he tried to evolve something better. The result was the adjustable pipe-wrench, and soon after he invented the ordinary wrench. Until the time of his death Mr Johansson was active in his workshop,, experimenting and producing new inventions. In all, “Johansson with the pliers,” as he was called, made more than 500 inventions.

Brigadier Hargest Speaks Brigadier James Hargest was heard in. a programme entitled “New Zealanders in Britain,” broadcast by the 8.8. C. on Monday night. The programme will be repeated by the national stations 2YA and 4YA at 11.15 to-morrow night. After sending a message to his wife and family, Brigadier Hargest greeted members of Parliament and his old comrades of the last war. He then spoke about the men of the sth Brigade, and thanked them for their loyalty and help. He referred to those members of the brigade who had fallen, and greeted those who were now back in the Dominion. He also said that it was three years since he had last spoken from the 8.8. C. There had been many changes since then. Brigadier Hargest’s voice was very clear, and the broadcast was heard by Mrs Hargest at • Rakauhauka, Southland. It was three years since she had heard her husband speak. Workers Prolong Holiday Operations at the New Zealand Refrigerating Company’s Imlay works, Wanganui, have been retarded by the failure of several men employed on the chains to report back for work after the holidays. When the works resumed the killing of fat lambs on Monday 25 of the men employed on the chains failed to attend, and 15 were still absent on Tuesday. The first two chains of 32 men each were fully manned, but' the third chain was waiting for a sufficient complement before it could operate. Commenting on this position, the manager, Mr H. E. Ziesler, said that it. was the result of holidays on full pay. The works had been closed for the Christmas and New Year holidays, and the men had been paid for a rest period of five days. It was also stated that the men knew they would be faced with heavy killings when the works reopened, but the absentees apparently did not appreciate the concession which had been given them. A Lucky Meeting But for his lucky meeting with Mr Septimus J. Robinson, a solitary gold fossicker, in the rough bush country of Leslie Valley, in the Nelson district, a young Canterbury tramper, Stanley Williams, who was lost for two days in the Mount Arthur area, might well have lost. his life. The gold digger, after sharing his meagre food supplies with the young man. redirected him to the tableland, where he met two searchers from his own party, members of the Canterbury Tramping Club. Suffering from sunburn and extreme fatigue, Williams collapsed after meeting his friends, but soon recovered and was taken back to Salisbury hut on the tableland, which point he had left alone to go shooting. Becoming lost, Williams followed the Arthur Stream down to the Leslie River, which joins the Karamea River. It was there, about 10 miles from Salisbury hut, that he came across Mr Robinson. The miner had almost exhausted his food supplies prior to his return to Pokororo, and was only able to give the youth a piece of bread. News of Williams’s safety was received in Nelson in time to cancel a large-scale search.