In brief

Press, 26 July 1989, Page 8

In brief

Cars smashed in yard A man, aged 17, will appear in the District Court at Christchurch this morning after allegedly smashing cars in a car-yard. The incident was reported by a taxi driver who saw someone smashing cars in a yard on Moorhouse Avenue just before midnight last evening. The police found a man hiding nearby. He has been charged with intentional damage, theft of three wheels valued at $3OO, and being found in an enclosed yard. Railways jobs to go The National Union of Railwaymen and the Railways Corporation have reached agreement on the restructuring of yard operations that will result in about 200 N.U.R. members losing their jobs. The agreement provides for the introduction of radios to replace hand and lamp signals, allowing Railways to reduce gang sizes, said Rail Transport’s manager, Mr Alan McMaster. It also allowed for the introduction of job flexibility, enabling further staff reductions. Under the agreement workers will be offered voluntary severance, redeployment or relocation.—PA. Good deed turns sour A good deed turned sour for two would-be Auckland car thieves yesterday. The pair had earlier taken a new $32,000 car from outside a St Johns address. Driving through Mount Eden, they offered a lift to two men walking along the road. Unfortunately for them, the two men were plainclothes police on foot patrol. The ride detoured to the Auckland Central Police Station.—PA. Ferry traffic hazard The Interisiand Line is seeking a trespass order against a Picton man it says persists in directing traffic at the Picton ferry terminal. The terminal manager, Mr Tony Bascand, said it was dangerous for anyone other than qualified staff to direct traffic there. “Someone could be killed if this man is not stopped,” he said.— PA. Socred budget out The Social Credit leader and former M.P. for Rangitikei, Mr Bruce Beetham, yesterday released a “model budget” showing how Social Credit would work in New Zealand. He said the budget would revive the economy in a non-inflationary way by reducing financial costs to productive industry, diverting investment from financial speculation to new capital formation and increasing effective buying power without inflationary wage rises.—PA.