LOCAL AND GENERAL

Timaru Herald, Volume CLIII, Issue 22486, 22 January 1943, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ragwort Pest Because no relief workers are available, the Waltotara County Council has decided to put some of the permanent staff on the ragwort eradication schemes. It was stated at the monthly meeting that the grant for this work is £2OO. Service in Two Wars Searching for binoculars to lend to the U.S. Navy, Mrs C. E. Powers, of New York, found with them a letter thanking her father for the use of them in the last war. The letter was signed by Franklin D. Roosevelt, then Assistant-Secretary of the Navy. Fall From Bicycle lan Thorby, aged 13, who resides at 13 Roslyn Terrace, received mild concussion and abrasions yesterday when he fell from the bicycle he was riding. He was admitted to the Timaru Public Hospital where his condition was reported last night as being satisfactory. Military Defaulters Ernest Arthur Crane, schoolmaster, Maxwell Barrett Rands, chemist, and Arnold Winston Larsen, nurseryman, were committed to defaulters’ detention by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Wellington, for failing to render military service, Senior-Ser-geant T. Campagnolo said that Crane held the degree of Master of Arts and Rands that of Master of Science. Vicar’s Atonement The vicar of Warracknabeal (Victoria), the Rev. C. D. Origan, has announced that he will eat nothing but dry bread on Friday and sleep on the floor on Saturday nights as an atonement for the people’s laxity in spiritual matters. Because so many were over-fond of their beds, especially on Sunday mornings, he Intended to sleep on the floor without a mattress every Saturday night. Selling Pennies at Profit Another example of the "penny racket” has been discovered in Auckland, this one, unlike some of the more innocent affairs, actually being an offence under the law. Boys who come by a large number of pennies In their after-school hours are reported to be selling them to customers at a penny profit a dozen. Those who have succumbed to this "illegal trade evidently have been so much in need of the coppers that they have willingly paid the extra sum.

Rehabilitation Schemes The opinion that farmers should make their labour requirements known when rehabilitation schemes for returned soldiers are being considered was expressed by Mr R. Farley (Westmere) at a meeting of the Wanganui District Primary Production Council. This view was supported by Mr G. L. Marshall (Turakina) and it was decided to write to the Rehabilitation Committee in Wanganui and request that it confer with the council on the question of farm workers. Mischief Regarded Seriously The military authorities take a serious view of any Interference with defence works or defence materials by curious or irresponsible members of the public. Recently two boys were charged before the Wanganui Children’s Court with the offence of mischief in interfering with a concrete block, which they had moved near to a railway line, causing slight damage to a passing locomotive. Parents will assist the authorities and avoid similar prosecutions by warning their children against such acts of interference. Picnic Arranged At a well attended meeting of members of the South Canterbury Piping and Dancing Association, it was decided to hold a picnic in the Temuka Domain on Saturday, February 20. Inquiries are to be made regarding tire running of a special train. The ’Woodbury Country Fair Committee wrote seeking a permit to conduct a national dancing competition on March 6, in aid of the patriotic funds. It was decided to notify the Woodbury Committee that, provided transport from Geraldine to Woodbury could be arranged, the Association would assist in every way. Wallpaper Stocks Low For some time past stocks of wallpaper in the Dominion have been low and there has not been a wide choice from which to make a selection. At the present moment stocks are down to a very low mark owing to comparatively heavy buying recently on the part of the public on the principle that it is better to buy. now, as in the near future there may not be any at all. The outlook for replenishing stocks is certainly not very bright. There is any amount of wallpaper on order from overseas, but it is given no priority, and, although some is ready for shipment, there does not seem to be much prospect at present of any shipping space.

Sawmill!: J Project The decision of the Government to proceed with the milling of timber in the Otanewainuku State Forest is contained in a letter by the Commissioner of State Forests, the Hon. J. G. Barclay, to the Member for Tauranga, Mr F. W. Doidge. The proposed sawmill area covers 744 acres, or less than a quarter of the forest, Mr Barclay said, and. although a small portion of this area may be said to lie within the Te Puke water catchment area, he was satisfied that: the removal of the timber would have no appreciable ill-effect upon the water supply. In his reply to the Commissioner, Mr Doidge pointed out that local authorities did net agree that the removal of timber in the area would not have an appreciable effect upon the Te Puke water supply. Key Man, Civil and Military Added to all previous troubles of the Wellington Hospital Board is now the common problem of where to find staff to do the work, and the board has decided to make a direct approach to the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, and the Minister of Manpower. A particular case was discussed by the board at its last meeting, that of a member of its firm of architects, for whom an appeal had been lodged on the ground that his services were vital to the prosecution of the building programme. It was claimed also that he was a key man in a special section of the military organisation and the appeal was lost. Mr H. F. Toogood said that the position was Impossible. The board was pressed to provide more accommodation for men returning wounded and the Army took the very man whose services were essential in that respect; surely there was some higher authority to whom they could apply. Mr C. S. Cederholm remarked that equally this man was a key man in the defence services. The chairman, Mr F. Castle, suggested that the question should be discussed with the Prime Minister and Minister of Manpower when the board’s deputation waited on them.