LATE NEWS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 May 1917, Page 1

LATE NEWS

,PKK PRESS ASSOCIATION. —OOPTHIfIHI] PAP.CE-S FtR SOLBiERS. A Big Mail. WELLINGTON, May 11. Th© Acting Prime Minister (Bir Jnme. Allen) Las received an interesting report from Major H< Ids worth, ini't.-u, or of Army Postal Services, New Zealand Expeditionary Forces, New Zee - land Base Post Office, Mount Pleasant. London. Writing under date ho say; that the work in connection with thDepartment is continuing to run smoothly. “The first lot of Christmas parcels arrived on Ist December, the second ldt on 14tli. December. he staff put in excellent work, am. practically the whole of the first lot was in France by Christinas Day and the second lot (684 boxes) was completed and forwarded by 4th. January. There were .50,00 g parcels dealt witsi during December and 70,600 in January It has been found impossible to, checkeach newspaper with the cards, so if newspapers are returned the difficulties increased. Any that canuot be delivered are. supposed, to be returned, hut, as a matter of fact, comparatively few newspapers are returned the difficulties of transport being very considerable. It is customary in most units to distribute the papers addressed to those men who are not with their unit amongst those who are there. I have spoken to a number of officers and men and have not yet met an objector to the practice Some idea of J:he amount of mail matter handled may be gathered from the following figures for December: Postings to New Zealand (letters), 392, 600; Utters dealt with, 4524; bags received from all sources 3623:; number of letters reeeivea from New Zealand 640,000; number of letter packets received from New Zealand 18,400; number of bags despathclied 4460; number of parcels despatched from Base Post Office, 49,656; parcels for deceased and missing men opened and distributed to units at the front 1659, 1-e-direet-tions onted, 30,000; correspondence received and answered, 4509.”

Freezing WorksWELLINGTON, May *ll A question whether the erection of new freezing works had increased the demand for slaugtermen unjustifiably was raised before the Military- Service Board to-day by the military representative. The companies, he staid, ha’d extended their works in order to take advantage of .the-high-prices and profitable conditions, and so had increased the boards requiring filling, hut there was no corresponding increase in the numbers of cattle and sheep slaughtered. -The authorities) wero asked to exemptrnlaughtcrmen in the interests of tli/ companies. A smaller number of the works employing fewer men, could handle all the stock by «extending the season slightly. Expert evidence and the Board were against the military representative. It was) mentioned that the prompt bandli’j&i nf the stock was necessary if a loss was to be avoided. Additional freezing works tended to increase the flecks and herds. New works were particularly' valuable at the present time. They provided storage for meat, and assisted to tide over the periods of shipping shortages. Shipping Shortage. f / , WELLINGTON, May 12.* The shipping difficulty is becoming more a'cute. The British authorities have now taken four out of five New Zealaad steamers which traded to the West Coast of America. The Hon. Sir James Allen, in giving this information, added: “I don’t wish to be an alarmist, hut the indications are (that unless shipbuilding makes up for the shortages there will be still fewer steamers trading to New Zealand from Britain. Producers know almost as much a'st we do. They can judge whether it is advisable to continue piling up perishable material wkich is difficult to get. away. 7 ’ Coal Output. f v WELLINGTON- May 12th. The output of coal from the West Coast mines has not diminished appreciably within the last week, as shown by the following figures:—For week ending Saturday sth May, the total was 6301 tons; Blackball: Ngakuta', 1621 tons'; Opouri, 64 tons; Waimea, 395 tons; total, 2052 tons. Paparoa: Nagkuta, 402 v tons. Brunner, Kamo 133 tons. Point Elizabeth, Awahou, 234 tons; Kamo, 785 tons; Rosamond, 522 tons; Kowliai, 367 tons; total, 190 j) tons, Liverpool: Awahou, 126 tons; Kamo, 874 tons; Rosamond 227 tons: Kowhai, 645 tons; Total 1773 tony. Ten Years. WELLINGTON, May 14th.—At the Supreme Court to-day John Laving© aged 54 years, was sentenced to ten yogi's for jrndecently assaulting a male.