General News

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25548, 16 July 1948, Page 6

General News

On the Wrong Side The Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser) was on the wrong side of the House of Representatives when the business of the House began yesterday afternoon. The Prime Minister had crossed the floor. of the House to discuss some matter on the order paper with the Leader of the Opposition (Mr S. G. Holland), and was seated next to Mr Holland when he was called upon by Mr Speaker. Mr Fraser, as he rose from the seat usually occupied by Mr W. Sullivan, was greeted with generous if not encouraging applause, which he acknowledged with a smile, saying: “This is, near enough. This is as close a-s I will ever get.”—(P.A.) Judge Commends Smail Boy The action of Robin Currin, aged 12, in taking the number of a car concerned in an accident was commended by Mr Justice Cornish in the Supreme Court at Nelson yesterday. The boy was a witness in a case on Tuesday and was brought before his Honour yesterday. “I was very pleased with your prompt action in taking the number of the car in Washington valley,” said his Honour. “You showed promptness, resource and quick thinking and enabled the police to trace the car which had been involved in an accident. As a result of your doing that, a small boy who was hurl was able to get a sum of money that was not at all illiberal from the owner of the car and, what was more the law was put in action and enforced. In doing that you acted like a good citizen.” Big Pinus Insignia Shipments

Two big cargoes of Pinus insignis are being shipped from Lyttelton to Australia. The Salamaua, which is scheduled to sail to-day, is taking 500,000 superficial feet, and the Mill Hill, which arrived on Wednesday, will take a further 800,000 superficial feet. Labour was not available yesterday to work the Mill Hill, but she will probably begin loading to-day. No difficulties have been experienced by the Railway Department in securing enough waggons for transporting the timber to Lyttelton. On Monday and Tuesday of this week, there were 12 vessels in port, and on Wednesday there were 10. The Scottish Monarch is loading a cargo of wool, tallow, and skins for oversea, and the Forthbank is discharging 2300 tons of phosphate. Wellington Tram Fares , A public hearing by the Price Tribunal of the application by the Wellington City Council to increase tram fares will be held on July 27. The council will apply for an increase of one penny in all adult cash fares and a general increase on concession tickets and other special fares. The proposals mean that the charge for the first section would be 3d instead of 2d, with Id for each additional section. The single section cash fare for children would remain at Id, but two and three sections would cost 2d instead of Id, and four and five sections 3d instead of 2d. Seme concessions would be abolished. —(P.A.) Letting of Empty House Sought A case at Dunsandel of an empty house not being made available for occupation has been brought to. the notice of the Ellesmere County Council by a firm of solicitors. The firm requested that the council should serve notice on the owner under the Fair Rents Amendments, 1947, requiring the house to be let as a dwelling. It was stated that the house was situated close to the township, that offers of purchase had been refused, and that the property, though habitable, was deteriorating. The council has agreed to serve notice as requested. Influenza in Canterbury

Influenza was not a notifiable disease, said the District Medical Officer of Health (Dr. J. H. Blakelock) yesterday, referring to the prevalence of influenza and winter colds in Auckland. He had not heard that the incidence of the disease in Canterbury was any greater than usual. Eightieth Anniversary of Greymouth The first borough on the West Coast, Greymouth, will to-day celebrate its eightieth anniversary. It was incorporated in 1868 after a proclamation had been made by the Governor of the Colony (Sir George Ferguson Brown). The borough now has a population of more than 9000, and has had 29 mayors. Timaru was incorporated three days before Greymouth and Hokitika a month later. Lake Ellesmere Outlet The prevailing southerly conditions have made much more difficult the work of cutting an outlet for Lake Ellesmere near Taumutu. Employees of the North Canterbury Catchment Board, under the direction of the board’s chief engineer (Mr H. W. Harris) began preliminary operations on the cut early on Wednesday, when the wind was north-easterly. On Wednesday night, when it was hoped to have the outlet open, the wind change to the south caused the sea to pour fresh shingle against the outlet. At one stage, the cut was almost through, but shingle driven in by heavy seas prevented the completion of the task. Last night, Mr Harris and his men were still working on the cut. but their activities were impeded very considerably by the unfavourable weather. Tne men have the use of a comfortable bunkhouse, which was recently reconditioned, at Taumutu. Railway Educational Courses Organised by members of the traffic operating branch, educational courses for employees of the Railway Department in Canterbury, Marlborough, and the West Coast will be instituted soon to give the staff a better appreciation of the work of the department. The courses will be on a voluntary, cooperative basis, both instructors and staff attending in their own time. It is hoped to secure films to supplement the lectures, and to send a Christchurch officer to Wellington for specialist training in the u§e of film projectors and in the selection of films. The object of the courses is to keep the staff abreast of modern transport developments, and to ensure that the best possible service is given railway users. The department has also conducted successful series of lectures on the West Coast and in Ashburton. It is hoped to arrange for railway workers in the more isolated districts to participate in the lectures. Ownership and Possession

“Only in exceptional circumstances should a person buying a house expect to obtain possession within a year,” said Mr A. A. McLachlan, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court at Timartr yesterday in adjourning a claim for possession until October 20, which will .be about 12 months from the time the plaintiff purchased the house. Films on Railway Activities

Short documentary films on railway activities are being made by the Government Film Studios, Miramar. The first of these, entitled “The Railway Worker,” is now being shown at some theatres in the Christchurch area. While the film is of particular interest to railway employees, it also aims to give the general public a better insight into the daily routine of the Railway Department. Sequences for the film were obtained throughout New Zealand. Christchurch-built Ketch Sold

The 41ft ketch Mandalay has been bought by the Methodist Missionary Society for £2450 from Mr W. A. Wilkinson, commodore of the Tamaki Yacht Club, Auckland, and will be sailed to the Solomons in a few weeks for the use of the society’s missionaries there. The ketch is at present on a boatbuilder’s slipway having the hull sheathed, and is being generally fitted for her future work. When the refitting is finished, an Auckland crew will sail the Mandalay to Bougainville. The Mandalay was built by Mr George Andrews at Christchurch in 1933 and taken to Auckland from Wellington by Mr Wilkinson about five years ago. The craft has a water-line length of 38ft, a beam of 12ft and a draught of 6ft. She has an auxiliary diesel engine which gives a speed of about six knots.