Local and General News

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21816, 20 November 1940, Page 6

Local and General News

Parking on Bay The new parking area at the south end of Caroline Bay is expected to accommodate between 80 and 100 cars, not 700 to 800, as reported yesterday. Hospital Patients Two hundred and eight patients were admitted to the Timaru Public Hospital during October and 205 discharged, leaving 154 still in the institution as compared with 145 in October, 1939. The daily average of occupied beds was 151, as against 145.2 last year. Those treated in the out-patients department during the month numbered 882, an increase of 137 on the corresponding period last year. Social Service Seven new applications for assistance, together with 10 applications for further assistance, had been granted by the Social Service Committee of the Timaru Hospital Board since the last meeting, according to a report submitted yesterday. Fifty-two orders to the value of £194/11/6 were distributed as compared with 60 amounting to £172/17/6 for the same period in 1939. - "Stingy” Allowance Describing an allowance of 5/- a week by the Department of Education for school cleaners and caretakers as “stingy,” Mr G. A. Maddison, chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Education Board, said that the Minister of Education would be visiting the district early in February and the matter could then be referred to him. The sum mentioned is over and above wages now being paid by school committees. Debt Owed to Mr Chamberlain “We all owe a debt to Mr Neville Chamberlain,” said Second-Lieutenant D. Barnes, South Canterbury Area Commander for the Home Guard, when speaking in Amyes’ woolshed at Motukaike on Monday night. “He proved to every one of us that appeasement does not work when you are dealing with a bully. The only thing a bully will take any notice of is a crack, and we are going to give Hitler that crack.” Placement of Farm Workers Instead of applying direct to the Placement Officer, farmers in country centres requiring seasonal farm labour may apply to the nearest local body employing Scheme 13 labour and the local body will be empowered to release any suitable men who might be available. This information was conveyed to the Timaru Hospital Board yesterday in a circular received from the Employment Division of the National Service Department. Construction Gang Dismissed “With the curtailing of the Board's construction the line gang has for some months been employed on maintenance work, including Waitohi and Seadown reconstruction,” reported the engineer, Mr R. D. Veitch, to the South Canterbury Power Board yesterday. "As this work has now reached a point where it is becoming uneconomical to perform with this gang, it has now been disbanded, but I am pleased to report that work for the men has been found with the Public Works Department.” Dentures for Soldiers Would the Timaru Hospital Board be prepared to supply dentures to soldiers who had their teeth extracted in camps and were subsequently discharged through physical disability before they could be provided with dentures? This question from the Director-General of Health was considered by the Hospital Board at a meeting yesterday. The Board decided to reply that the dental department was booked up for seven months ahead, and that each case would have to be treated on its merits. Power Board Loans “In view of the fact that the secretary of the Local Government Loans Board suggested that the authority to raise loan money under the 1938 Development Loan (which expires on January 10, 1941), be allowed to lapse and fresh authority sought at a later date, the Finance Committee recommended to the South Canterbury Power Board yesterday that a further amount of £3OOO be now raised under the existing authority which should then be allowed to lapse.” The recommendation was adopted by the Board. Power Supply Interruptions “Power supply interruptions were very heavy during October owing to abnormally heavy winds being experienced between the 13th and 28th,” said the engineer, Mr R. D. Veitch, in his report to tne South Canterbury Power Board yesterday. “While damage was done in all districts, Geraldine, Fairlie and Waimate fared worst,” he continued. “An examination of the fault sheets shows that a preponderance of the faults was caused by trees in proximity to power lines, which circumstance is being slowly rectified.” Killing Black Shags The Forest and Bird Protection Society has protested to the Department of Internal Affairs against the issuing of a permit to kill black shags at Lake Waikaremoana. It complains that there is a comical quality of control over the lake, in that the administration of the area is entrusted to the Tourist and Publicity Department, while the Department of Internal Affairs claims supervision of the fish and bird life. In the society’s protest the president, Captain E. V. Sanderson, remarks that war is being sanctioned on a native bird in a sanctuary set apart for native birds. Wet Canteens Praised The manner in which the wet canteens at Papakura and Burnham military camps were being conducted was praised by chaplains at the meeting of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church. Vlie Rev. R. G. McDowell, chaplain at Papakura, said he had been in camp for seven weeks and had not seen a drunken man. The most that happened was that a few young men would visit the Y.M.C.A. hut when the canteen closed, singing happily. No man was served with drink who showed any signs of being affected by it. The Rev. H. O. Bowman spoke similarly of Burnham camp. Welcome Rain For some weeks the farmers of South Canterbury have been anxious for a fall of rain sufficient to reach the moisture in the sub-soil, and it has come at a most opportune time. Seasonal conditions during the last few months have been exceptional, and it is many years since prospects generally have been better. Spring crops are reported to be looking very well, and yesterday’s rain should do an immense amount of good. Home gardens were also much in need of a drenching, and they, too, should respond if a warm spell follows the ralm The total fall in Timaru up till 8 o’clock last night was 71 points. City Rating Values A reduction of £3,883,256 in Government valuations in the City of Auckland compared with last year was announced last week by the Valuation Department. The fall is accounted for mainly by the revision made last year, as a result of which values in the city Ponsonby, Hearne Bay, Grafton and Newton are £4,816,346, or 15 per cent, lower. Values in Point Chevalier, Remuera, Tamakl, Orakei, Avondale and Grey Lynn have appreciated by £933,090. Rapid growth in Mount Albert has been responsible for a rise of £335,000 in the district valuation, State building being a factor ih the increase. The alteration of values will mean a considerable change in the incidence of the hospital levy for next year.