LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 6 November 1947, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Health Stamp Saies Health stamp saies throughout New Zealand for the first month of the campaign amounted to £75,176 which was just over threequarters of the national objective of £100,000, said the PostmasterGeneral, Hon. C. F. Hackett. He praised the result as an outstanding one. Permit to Climb Ladder Cqnsiderabe comment was directed at what were termed "inquitous clauses" in the Scaffolding and Excavation Act by the monthly meeting of the Manawatu Master Builders' Association. Particular objection was taken to the regulation relating to the necessity of obtaining a permit before work can be done on a ladder at a height greater than 12 feet from the ground. A further cause which was quoted from the Act insisted that work should not commence .until 24 hours after the permit had been issued. It was decided to place the matter before the forthcoming builders' conference with a view to having the act amended "to the point of making it commonsense and not ridiculous as at present." •' Fire Blight Calms Down Although odd reports of the appearance of fireblight are still being received by the Departmentment of Agriculture in Hastings, the worst phase of the outbreak appears to be over as far as the Pakowhai district is concerned. The outbreak will have an effect not only on this season's crop but also on that of next season, through spur infection. Nevertheless, taking the fruitgrowing district as a whole, it is at present obvious there will be very heavy crops of all varieties in pears. William Bon Cretians , have >been. most afiected while with appies, the worst blighted varieties are Ballarats and Sturmers. There is also slight infection on Winter Nelis arid Winter Cole pears and on Dougherty apples. Milk Treatment Plants Systems of milk treatment and testing in various North Island centres, including Tauranga, Opotiki, Gisborne, Napier, Palmerston North, Wanganui, New Plymouth, and Hamilton, were commented on by Mr. O. T. Hannigan, technical officer of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Board, in a report received at a meeting of the board. Mr. Hannigan said that he did not think the standard of milk treatment or the quality control in any of seven plants he visited, compared with the system maintained in Auckland. There was no doubt that, as soon as materials became available and a more set policy was laid down, some of the smaller plants would be greatly improved by the activities of the Dairy Division. Wanganella's Long Delay After months of a'nxiety and 1 repeated communications with i interests in.-Britain, definite advice : has been received in Wellington ! that the 500 tons Of steel plating I and sections for the reconstruction j of the crippled liner Wangai nella will be shipped on the j Horoata leaving* Liverpool- on j December 13. The Hororata will j call first at Auckland and the ! materials will be unloaded at | Wellington' probably towards the j end of January. Thus rather more than-a year will have elapsed from I when the liner stranded on Bar•rett's reef on January 19 last, before effective repairs will be possible. I Five or six months will be occupied I by the restoration work and it will be towards the end of June or July, 1948, according to the delivery and repair schedule, before the ship is restored. The next question will be to recommission the ship.