LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 24 July 1947, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Page from the Past Thames will elect a borough council instead of an advisory committee for the first time in 15 years at the municipal elections in November. The virtual bankruptcy of the town made history in 1932. At that time, when the council was preparing to hand its affairs over to a commissioner, the Mayor, Mr. S. Ensor, observed: "We are going for a holiday, 'not out of existence." Tcday, according to a northern report, the finances of the borough are sufficiently good to permit a return to normal government. Baby Wool ArriVing Soon Shipments of baby wool are now on the Way to New Zealand and should result in substantial quantities being distributed within the next three months. This information was given by the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr. Nordmeyer, in the House of Representatives yeste.rday, when replying to a question by Mr. coleman (L., Gisbai'ne) /The first shipment was due to arrive'on August 4, said ■ Mr. Nordmeydfr; Steps were also being taken to encourage the manufacture of larger quantities of wool suitable for knitting babies' garments. Fatal Fall from Tree Injured when he fell from a pi'ne tree on his property at Waiwera, a farmer died shortly afterwards. He was Mr. Lawrence Noakes, aged 62, a married man with seven children, of Upper Waiwera. Mr. Noakes had cliinbed the tree to gather pine cones. Members of his family in the house nearby heard a crash and found him in, a sitting position on the ground at the foot of the tree.- He was assisted into the house but collapsed and died before the arrival of the ambulance which had been summoned from Auckland. Caustic Soda Shortage . ... The present shortage of .causticsoda was the s.ubjept oT' dii|cussion; at the aniiual g^en'eral ' meeting--: qf the shareholders of the 'Levin Co-operative Dairy Company yes-' terday. One shareholder stated that the importance of caustic soda to the dairy industry should warrant its manufacture in New Zealand. Caustic soda is a by-product of the iron industry and is manufactured in England and the United S^ates. As it is so hard to procure, the Levin Dairy Company suggests that boiling water and soda crystals should be used in the place of caustic soda. Ex-Servicemen on Farms Twenty ex-servicemen on farms In Taranaki coinpleted yesterday a three-day visit to Massey Agricultural College. Arrangements for this refresher course were made by 'he New Plymouth Returned Services' Association in collaboration with the Rehabilitation Department. The visit was the direct result of favourable reports from other ex-servicemen who had attended the usual nine or 18weeks' courses eonducted by the college for the Rehabilitation Board. The'se latter courses at 1 Massey College have now provided ' training for about 1300 ex-service-men. 4C

Wanganella Silence "No one hears anything now about the Wanganella," said Mr. J. O. Johnson during a discusSion at last nighf's meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board. "What has become of the Wanganella?" he asked. "There was a- great deal of talk when she was held on the floating dock. Now ' that she has been at Clyde Quay for weeks, there is not a word." The chair* man, Mr. Price, told the board that f"he work on the vessel had been delayed through the difflculty of obtaining the necessary steel from England. The owners had commuhicated with the builders of the vessel and they were doing everything possible to get the necessary steel dispatched.