LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 14 August 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

College Elections Three norninations have been received to flll the two vacancies ; for parents representatlves on the Horowhenua College Advisorj Committee. They are the- twc retiring members, Mrs. C. Barthclomew and Mr. A. C. Kennerley. of Levin, and also Mr. V. Cottle, oi Te Horo. A postal election is at present being conducted. Hotel Trapsactions o During the hearing by the Otago Land Saies Court of an appeal against the committee's refusai tc sanction the saie of an Alexandra hotel at £17,000, Mr. S. T. Barnett. of Wellington, who represented the Crown, stated that there was widespread speculation in Otago. Since the Act became law, there had been 85 hotel transactions in Otago. which figure represented as many as had taken place in the remainder of the Dominion. Wellington-Lyttelton Ferry On V/ednesday, August 21, • the Rangatira w7ill re-enter the Wel-lington-Lyttelton steamer service and from that date six trips weekly will be run as usual. While the Rangatira has been laid up for overnaul, part of the work of converting the vessel to one class has been done. This will be completed as opportunity offers. When the structural changes are completed. the Rangatira will be similar to the new Hinemoa which the company expects to have in service by next Christmas. Fate of Orakei-Korako Fear that neayly half of the existing Orakei-Korako therrrul region on the banks of the Waikato River, upstream from Atiamuri, would be submerged when the proposed hydro-electric station at Ohakiri was completed was expressed by Mr. C. A. Caldwell, district electrical engineer, Hamilton, in an address. Mr. Calwell said it was a pity that one of New Zealand's finest natural scenic spots would be lost for ever, but the country had to choose between tourist attractions or an adequate electrical supply, and had selected the latter. Stowed Away The English dance band leader Frank Heathwaite, aged 42, who wanted to go to his sister in New Zealand, walked aboard the liner Themistocles in England and remained in the ship for six weeks undetected. He mingled with" the passengers, slept in secluded places and obtained food from the diningroom after the-. passengers had finished their meals. Heathwaite. who comes from Liverpool,- was fihed £20 in the jPort Adelaiae Police Court for stowing away.. The reason for stowing away was not monetary. He simply could not get a passage. May See Again If the plans and hopes of his friends are realised, Mr. Lionel Voice, of Remuera, Auckland, may experience the greatest thrill of his life — he may be able to see again after being blind since upsetting a pot of'caustic soda when five years old. One eye had to be removed and the other could only recognise a light. Experts have decided that a corneal graft on the eye might almost entirely restore his sight and five of his friends are acting as guarantors for the sum required to send Mr. Voice to Australia where the graft could be made. Mr. Voice's wife is also blind, they being one of the only three blind couples in New Zealand living together on their own.

Greenstone in Deniand There is renewed interest in the purchase of greenstone on the West Coast. Not since the outbreak of the First World War, when buyers from the. European eou-n-tries were active and an Australian company spent over £30,000 in the development of ihe* Griffen Range deposit, has such an interest been taken commercially in the West Coast greenstone (nephrite). Recently, greenstone which has lain undisturbed for over 30 years on river banks among mining tailings and even in backyards has been' sold at remunerative prices. The bulk of the saies have been to New Zealand firms, but Un.ited States manufacturers have also shown interest. One of the largest buyers of good quality stone has been an Auckland firm which has a long-range plan for the utilisation of greenstone in the manufacture of modern jewellery, which will be sold all over the world.

Horse Crashes Into Pole The sole occupant of a light trap received extensive injuries when the horse she was driving bolted and crashed into a pole. She was Mrs. L. E. Vesty, of Hastings. She is suffering from chest, back and head injuries. Her condition is serious. Startled by the noon fire siren, the horse bolted along Willowpark Road, Hastings, for about half a mile, ana at a corner struck a -pole, the horse and trap coming to rest in the front garden of a house. The horse tore free of the harness and Mrs. Vesty was slung on to the footpath. The horse, who is named Ranger and . was exhibited at tlie Hawke's Bay Show by Mr. Vesty, was slightly injured. The chief business in the House of Representatives this week will be the presentation of the Budget to-morrow night by the Minister of Finance Mr. Nash. It ivill be the eleventh Budget of the Labour Government.