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Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17503, 27 February 1931, Page 6

Tt was reported at to-day’s meeting of the Poverty Bay Power Board that one man was employed under the No. 5 unemployment scheme painting power poles near the ground with a wood preservative. Mr. M. T. Trafford considered that the board should employ as many men under this scheme as possible, for the only cost to the board would be in the purchase of material. The engineer, Mr. W. 11. Bus-well, said this was only a start, and more could bo employed if such action was thought desirable. Two other unemployed wore working at the powerhouse. “A year ago business men in Singapore and other parts of the Malay States were very depressed, but now they are quite cheerful as to the trade outlook,’’ said Mr. G. Anderson, a visitor from the East, on his arrival at Auckland. ‘Everybody is getting down to things and working practically double time .for half the wages they wore receiving previously. Whereas it cost 9d a pound to produce rubber, by the economic methods now employed, the cost has now •.een reduced to 3d. Several hundreds ot the Indian coolies who were employed on the rubber plantations are being repatriated, and those who are left on the mbs arc content to do two men’s jobs each.

The driver of a charabanc, Mr. McDowell,' had a narrow escape from fatal injuries recently. lie was driving a charabanc, which contained a number of passengers, to Palmerston North from Sox ton. When between Karare and Longburn he heard something strike the bus near his seat, and immediately tho glass in the door on the side opposite to him was shattered. Mr. McDowell immediately applied the brakes, think.ng that someone must have run into him. On investigating,!' however, it was discovered that a bullet had struck the charabanc just hehind Mr. McDowell’s head travelled through the bus and passed out the opposite side through the glass in the door. Neithe the passengers nor Mr. McDowell could see anyone in the paddocks adjacent.