General News

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23413, 21 August 1941, Page 4

General News

Mouse Causes Damage of £IOO

An electrical short-circuit caused by a incuse and resulting in damage amounting to about £IOO was reported to the Waimairi County Council last night. The electricity committee’s report stated that the electrical engineer had reported that a mouse had caused a shortcircuit on the 11,000-volt feeders at the Blighs road sub-station on Friday morning, and that power had been off injhe Upper Riccarton district for about three-quarters of an hour. “The matter of taking steps to prevent mice from being able to get into the sub-station,” the committee’s report added, “was left to the engineer.”

Police Station at Timaru

The condition of the police station at Timaru was strongly criticised by Mr A. E. S. Hanan at last evening’s meeting of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce. “There is no need to visit the Tower of London to see dungeons. They are right here,” he remarked. Declaring that men should not have to work under such conditions, the speaker said that the need for a new station had been mentioned in the House by Mr Clyde Carr, M.P., and it was possible that something might be done soon. It was stated that the question had been raised some time ago, but had been shelved by the Government because of the war. The chamber decided to write to the Minister for Justice (the Hon. H. G. R. Mason) expressing satisfaction that the plans were to be proceeded with, and urging the earliest possible erection of a new building.

Horse Killed by Electric Shock

On the majority’s contention that the council was “under a moral obligation” and because of the woman’s financial circumstances, the Waimairi County Council last night decided to make a grant of £lO to a woman whose horse had been killed by a shock from a power line brought down in a storm. A letter before the council stated that the woman was elderly and in poor circumstances, that the horse had been valued at £ls and that burial had cost £l. The horse was her sole means of transport, and, as a replacement was needed, the council’s favourable consideration of her case was sought. The accident, the letter added, had been in no way her fault. While councillors agreed that the council was under no legal obligation, opinions differed on the question of moral obligation. The motion to. grant £lO was carried, amendments suggesting smaller amounts being lost.

Men for Police Force

“There is a shortage of men. We are continually recruiting, but are never able to keep up to our authorised strength,” said Superintendent C. W. Lopdell, when inquiries were made as to the position of the Police Force in the Wellington district. He emphasised that the force, though seeking recruits, did not intend to relax its standards, but said that it was provable that men of not quite the same physical standard might be taken on for special work for the duration of the war only. “Our duties are always increasing, and becoming more urgent, but our manpower always threatens to be decreased,by the desire of many members to get away, although regulations have now prohibited this,” he added.—P.A.

Waimairi Comity Flats

That the time had come for the Waimain County Council “to do something to regulate flats in the county” was an opinion expressed by, Cr. W. G. Chapman and supported by other councillors at the meeting of the County Council last night. The chairman (Mr C. E. Cross) said that if the laws were not rigid enough they would have to be made more rigid. The time had certainly come when the council should take a stand about conditions. It was a matter which would be covered in general at the town-planning conference. The council agreed to refer the question _ and possible amendments to the by-laws to its finance and by-laws committee with power to act.

Totara Street Flooding

Agreeing that it was imperative to have the causes of flooding in the Totara street area removed, the Waimairi County Council last evening decided that a conference should be held with representatives of the Drainage Board and Riccarton Borough Council. It was stated by members that the question involved the board and the Riccarton council as much as Waimairi. No date for the proposed conference was arranged.

Outpatient Service

“Steps will be taken in the near future' to make the best possible use of the services of medical practitioners, both for persons attending hospitals, whether as inpatients or outpatients, and for the general public,” said the Minister for Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) in the House yesterday, when replying to an urgent question by Mr J. Thorn (Government, Thames) concerning the alleged refusal of outpatient treatment for two persons at the Thames Hospital. Mr Thorn asked if the Minister could say whether steps were being taken, or were in contemplation, to ensure that outpatient service would be provided under the Social Security Act for those requiring it.—P.R.

Doctors and Lodges

“It is not proposed to take any action which will have the effect of placing difficulties-in the way of doctors fulfilling the terms of any contract between them and friendly societies,” replied the Minister for Health (the Hon. A. H. Nordmeyer) in the' House yesterday to a question by Mr H. S. S. Kyle (Opposition; Riccarton). —P.R.

New Industry Sought

The possibility of establishing industries subsidiary to the manufacture of linen flax as a means of providing labour for unemployed seasonal workers and of utilising by-products of linen flax was discussed by the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce at its meeting last evening. The chamber decided to write to the Minister for Industries and Commerce (the Hon. D. G. Sullivan) asking that officers of the department be /allowed to visit Timaru to, address a meeting on the linen flax industry at which the formation of subsidiary industries could be discussed. The establishment of industries was considered very desirable by Mr J. M. Bishop, who said that the making of linen flax fibre was begun as a war measure only, and 1 unless subsidiary industries were formed it might eventually cease to exist.

Anonymous Letters

A suggestion that, the Government should consider the prohibition, under the war regulations, of the publication of anonymous letters in newspapers was made by Mr E. P. Meachen (Government, Marlborough) in a question which he asked the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. W. Nash) in the House yesterday. “Many .anonymous letters now appearing tend to create sectional antagonism, thereby militating against the unity necessary for a full war effort,” Mr Meachen said.—P.R.