Col. G. W. Gillette Retires , Delivers Talk Col. George W. Gillette, director* of the SUte Ports Authority since 1947, retired yesterday. Colonel Gillette made farewell remarks at a dinner at Wilmington during the .holidays. The dinner was attended by shipping officials and Wilmington businessmen. Director Pioneered The state ports director who pio neered the state's port ievelopment program at Morehead City and Wil mington, predicted that North Carolina's ports, harbors and water ways will be vital factors in Tar Heel economy in coming years. He said there is "ample evi dence" that exports through state ports will continue to increase and import traffic will mount as buy ers and sellers learn, by experi ence, the saving to be gained by using state ports. Ports Play Big Role The ports have played* an im portant role in industrial develop ment in Eastern North Carolina, and the new terminals have added impetus to that growth. Colonel Gillette said. Several industrial developments of far reaching im pact, and which are directly con nected with port and water-borne operations, will locate in the har bor areas in 19f?4, he declared. Besides accommodating commer cial and military traffic since the state terminals began operation in the summer of 1952, Colonel Gil lette said that work on the adjust ments of truck and rail freight rates had produced a more favor able traffic position for North Carolina ports and inland shippers. New equipment and the construc tion of a fumigating plant, he add ed, have put the marine terminals in line to give importers a more complete service for special com modities such as bulk fertilizers, imported cotton and lumber. Several Business** Will Close for Holiday Happy New Year! Banks, the courthouse. town halls and THE NKWfc-TLMIM office will be dotted today. You'll Just have to take yaw chances on offices and stares be ing open. Some will be, some won't. THE NEWS TIMES here by makes a New Year's resolu tion: we are going to (Iff up trying to find out what will stay open and what won't be open on holidays. Businessmen and office managers don't even know themselves. Their stock reply to an in quiry is, "Well do what the oth ers are going to do." That, of counie, means that they'll come down the street, look and see if anybody else is open; if so, they'll stay open, if not, they'll lock up and go home. Business will be resumed as us ual on Saturday. Firm to Build Fill for Brickie Steen Contracting Corp.. Norfolk, Va., has aplied to the office of the district engineer (or a permit to dredge the Neusc liver and to construct a fill for the new high way bridge under construction across the Trent River at New Bern. Contract for the bridge was let several months ago. Plans submitted to the engin eer's office show that approximate ly 150.000 cubic yards of material will be dredged from the Neuse River and deposited to form a fill approximately 3.000 feet lone for the southern approach the bridge. Plans may be seen at the office of the district engineer or the post office at New Bern. Objections to this project by any person, firm, or association from the standpoint of navigation are to be turned into th FlexOGlasi For Windows of All Kinds & Hundreds of Other Uses! (ry?M Clwr- FWtifch - StwHw pi ??f - L?t lastiaf My 26< u?. ft. (M IwcWi WM>) lam, PMltm ta.i!r v r nsa Mtam. " ?sat. HOLDS IN HCAT ? KilPS OUT COIO-CHIANK THAN GLASS Cut With Shiars A Tack On - East To Scai On Stw