City and Suburban Items

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 260, 3 August 1928, Page 3

City and Suburban Items

i ■ News and Notes of Interest I

The City Council has decided to erect a barrier on the footpath immediately in front of the entrance to. the Willis Street School, as a safeguard to the school children, the cost to' be borne by the Wellington Automobile Club.

At the meeting of the City Council last night Councillor J. Burns asked if the council had received any communication from the Education Board in regard to the board’s property in Mercer Street being first offered to the City Council. The Mayor said he had seen the Minister of Education on the matter, and a valuation was to be obtained.

Replying to Councillor McKeen at the City Council meeting last night, the Mayor said the Government had given the same subsidy on the work on Point Halswell Road as on other unemployed works. The council did the whole of the work of cutting away corners and widening. The subsidy would be again paid this year.

The following- recommendations of the Geographic Board with regard to street names were given effect to by t|he City Council last night:—Housing block, Ngaio: “Tarikaka” to the main street; “Pomare,” ‘Ngata” and "Carroll” to the other three streets. The name of Burgle Lane, Miramar, is to be changed to Bruges Avenue.

At the request of the Vogeltown and Mornington Electors’ Association the following improvements, agreed to by the City Council last night, are to be made in the bus service to these districts; — (1) An additional bus to be provided on Friday nights at 10.30 p.m. from September, 1; (2) The last bus trip "on other week nights to leave Brooklyn at 6.20 p.m. from September 1. Consideration will be given to the question of running a bus service on holidays during the. midsummer months at a later date.

The Excelsior Lodge of Druids, No. 11, held their fortnightly meeting in the lodge room last Monday, Bro. Gillespie, Arch Druid, presiding over a large attendance. Holly Lodge, Johnsouville, attended to try their strength to gain the “Hearn” trophy against Excelsior Lodge. An animated contest took place, the Excelsior Lodge, proving victorious, still holds the Goat’s Head. Pride of Brooklyn Lodge are the next challengers. Refreshments were handed around, while Bro. "Ted" King rendered musical selections on the piano. The ladies’ evening will take place on August 29 in the Mokoia Hall. Bro. E. J. King played the "Garland of Flowers” in memory of the. late Bro. Wm. Naughton, while the lodge members stood in silence.

On a recent occasion two youths- on bicycles, and carrying rifles, were accosted by" one of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society’s rangers on a road in a nenr-by country district. After some little trouble the ranger managed to effect a search, aud much to bis amazement, discovered in one of the bags three hen pheasants. These were not the product of the rifle, as a rifle bullet would have shattered the birds into pieces. Ai> examination proved them to have been caught round the neck by snares. It. is an offence to tai lieu pheasants in the season under any circumstances, and to capture them in the fashion mentioned is a serious matter. Th'.- case against the offender has not yet been heard.

f Except for pigs and cows there was a falling-off in the slaughtering of stock at I the abattoirs during June. The total foes • were £ll7l, a decrease of £236 on the I preceding month, and £133 lower than for ; June of last year. | . At the City Council meeting last night it was decided to widen Maginnity Street to a uniform width with a splay at its intersection with Waring Taylor Street when the present corporation tenants desire to rebuild.

Councillor Semple drew attention at the City Council meeting last night to the necessity of paving or sealing work in Marion Strdet owing to the dust raised by the number of cars and also the bus service. Councillor H. D. Bennett said if Councillor Semple would bring the matter to the notice of the Works Committee it would receive attention.

The Works Committee last night recommended to the City Council that the widening of Glenmore Street, between the Botanical Gardens aud the viaduct be undertaken with a minimum of interference to the private properties on the eastern side of the street. The recommendation was agreed to.

■ "There is no law to prevent a property owner turning his property to the best advantage by converting a dwelling house into a shop, provided he does not interfere with another person’s legal rights and does not create a nuisance to his neighbours,” said Councillor Luckie at the City Council meeting last night in reply to Councillor R. McKeen, who referred to a dwelling which was being so converted on the Parade at Island Bay.

A meeting of the Wellington Esperanto Club was held on Tuesday night, in the Y.M.C.A. building, when there was a good attendance of members. Miss W. Tricker recited “La Vojo,” and the secretary, Mr. ]>. Potts, rendered an Esperanto translation of the monologue. "The Bears.” After the enrolment of new members classes were formed, aud an cnjofable evening was spent.

No place in Wellington so . actively responds to the waywardness of the seasons as the markets of Allen Street. Anyone iu touch with nature could tell fairly accurately the season of Ihe year by the garden truck that is being offered for rale without recourse to an almanac. This year, however, such a person might easily be a full month out in his calculations owing to the exceptionally fine weather which has been experience'! for the past month pretty well all over the North Island, although a good deal more rain has been experienced -in the northern districts than in the southern half of the North Island. It is not often that one sees the big yellow trumpets of the narcissi family being sold at auction in large bunches in July, yet such lias been the case for the past fortnight, and daily-the quantities forwarded from the country are becoming larger, and for a month or six weeks past, jonquills—paper whites and yellows—have been on regular sale to an eager marlo'l. July was also :i rather wonib'i'ful iiii'utb for 'iolcts, which are still in full snppl.v. As another iiulicalion of an early spring, new potatoes have been on sale this week nt. from 3!'l. I" Jlcl. p'-i- lb. These are from the Auckland district.

At a cost of £315 a bitumen power sprayer for top-dressing the tram tracks is to be purchased-by the City Council. A deputation from the Khandallah Progressive Association waited upon the Works Committee of the City Council last night requesting improvements to Old Porirua Road, Colway Street, and Agra Crescent. The works are to receive consideration if a third loan is raised ' for the relief of unemployment. j Replying to a request that improve- ! ments should be carried out in Orangi i Kaupapa Road, the Northland Progres- • sive Association last night received a let- } ter from the Town Clerk stating that I following a petition from the residents, repairs had been made to the road. Mr. T. Barrow commented that the gutter had been cleaned out. Perhaps that was the improvement mentioned. . “The best footpath in Wellington was between Taranaki Street and Tory Street. It was like a billiard table,” commented the chairman, Mr. H. J. Atkinson, at the Northland Progressive Association meeting last night, when discussing the condition of the Northland footpaths.. “It was,” he continued, “now it is not. They put a main down the middle of it.” (Laughter.)

Reporting the result of bis inquiries to a meeting of the Northland Progressive Association last night, the secretary (Mr. A. L. Ange]) i-aid that it was not intended to erect a solid wall above the proposed footpath along the improved Glasgow Street, as the association had feared. Au iron railing was to be erected instead. This would allow motorists to see through it and to know whether the road was clear or not. He was not, he said, the only person to inquire into the matter; there had been from 100 to 150 other people making the same inquiry.

At a meeting qf the Northland Progressive Association last night Mr. A. Gapes said that in his opinion the Free Ambulance should not be absolutely free. Those who could pay should not expect a service for nothing. A flat charge of a guinea or half a gained should be made. The secretary (Mr. A. L. Angel) said that the Civic League had the matter in band. 11 was urging that the maintenance of the ambulance should be provided for by rate.

The City -Council last night agreed that (lie tramway department should contribute £2OO towards the erection of a memorial band rotunda at Island Bay. This rotunda will be erected iu the vicinity of the new play area, for the provision of which funds were raised by residents, and it is hoped that the whole of tins work of improvement, together wit fl the ban'l rotunda, will be completed before next summer. Thei contribution by the tramways department is a recognition that the improvements at Island Bay will result in increased tramway revenue from that quarter.

Dissatisfaction with the City Council’s treatment of West Road was expressed by speakers at the Northland Progressive Association meeting last night. Mr. J. It. Miller said that a reply from the City Council office stating that no improvements would be made to the road, which ) was reported in the letter to be in coraJ paratively fair order, was not satisfaeItory. An amount of £3OO had been on flic estimates fiu- a number of years. The chairman. Mr. JI. .1. Atkinson, said that he bad been a resident in Northland . for nine years. During all that time there had been j-nc-li an amount ou lite council ' estimates. Tlx- secretary said the Civic I League n ils investigating why money proI v ided in the (invites was being spent ! in the eily instead of in th'- suburbs, for t which it was raised. Tin- eouneil, he 1 s.'iid. rh"ul'l bi'.'iiglil I" l""’'k ov"i' the mut I'ji.

Replying to a question at the City Council meeting last night, Councillor M. F. Luckie said the By-laws Committee would have to consider the "question of placing a traffic constable at the corner of Manners Street and Taranaki Street.

An address on “Production and Its Problems iu the Dominion” will be delivered by the president of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union (Mr. W. J. Polson) before the Wellington branch of the Economic Society of Australia and New Zealand at Victoria University College on Monday evening.

That the Sea Scoiit movement is gaining ground in Wellington is shown by the figures giving the complements of the various local troops: Petone, 60; Evans Bay, -15; Collingwood, 25; Port Nicholson, 25; Island Bay, 12. Au Eastbourne troop is in process of formation.

All sorts of excuses are put forward in the Magistrate’s Court by people who break the city by-laws. Yesterday a barber was blamed, for being the cause of a man leaving his car unattended for a period longer than is allowed. The man’s explanation was that be was unavoidably detained owing to having, to wait for a haircut —the cost of which, instead of the usual Is. 6d., ended by totalling Ils. 6d.

Cases of notifiable diseases reported in the city of Wellington during the year ended March 31, numbered 808, as against 786 for the previous twelve months. The annual report of the chief health inspector, Mr. E. C. Alexander, presented to the City Council last night, showed that scarlet fever had continued the most prevalent disease throughout the rear, and accounted for 62 per cent, of the total of all diseases notified. Diphtheria showed a substantial drop from 163 cases last year, to 107 this year. Pneumonic influenza all but disappeared, there being two cases against 33 last year. All other diseases remained at about the same as last year. The city remained free from typhoid fever throughout the year.

The executive committee of the Hospital Boards’ Association is at. present meeting in Wellington, there being present at yesterday’s sitting Messrs. W. Wallaee, Auckland (president).; F. Gillanders, Hawera; W. E. 8. Knight, Dunedin; C. M. Luke, Wellington; J. Matheson, Invercargill; J. 11. McCarroll, Aratapu; Hon. W. 11. Mclntyre. M.L.C., Millerton; aud IL J. Otley. Christchurch. At the commencement of the proceedings yesterday a motion of sympathy with Mr. J. B. Andrew, of Napier, who is at present in the Wellington Hospital, was passed, and hope was expressed for his early and complete recovery from injuries recently sustained.

Last night (he Evans Bay Troop of Sea Scouts provided parents and friends with an enjoyable entertainment in the Kilbiruie Hall. The first item on the programme was a lecture on "South Africa” by Miss Grylls, of the Empire Services League. This was followed by a piano solo (K. Picton). sea chanties, “John Brown's Body” and “Johnny Come Down to Hilo,” by the troop; songs, "Shipmates o' Mine” and “The Trumpeter” (Mr. S. Croft); songs, “Sophy’s Sweetheart” and "The Lost Child" (Mr. H. Warren) ; and a violin duet (Mr. Page and Miss Norris). “Rule Britannia” by the assembled troop cofhpleted the list. A presentation was made to the retiring seamaster, Mr. J. W. Cook. Commander Young. R.N. (Sea Seoul Commissioner for New Zeaand>, s.'iid (bat lie was irry pleased to observe from the large attendance the intviest being maiiil’esled in the Sea Scout movement in Wellington. Prooofi] -: v. ill bo liomited to the funds of the Evans Bay Yacht Club.

The heavy frosts experienced during the last few days have resulted in the capture of several frostfisb on the coast (says the “Otago Daily Times”)! One enterprising Maori secured seven at Moeraki—six on Monday, and one yesterday. The largest was a remarkably fine speciment, measuring about six feet, in length. These fish meet with a ready sale at highly remunerative prices.

ileference to the proposed consolidation of the city’s health by-lav... is made by the city health inspector, Mr. E. C. Alexander, in his annual report presented to the City Council last night. Several additions and alterations have been submitted, he says, which, if made effective, should assist greatly in further improving the public health. The chief points referred to are these:—(l) All gas cooking and heating appliances to be provided with a vent; (2) water closets in food premises to be aerially disconnected; (3) rubbish receptacles to have "metal covers; (4) waste, of a damp or moist nature, to be wrapped before being deposited in rubbish receptacles; and (5) library books to be disinfected before returned to library from infected premises.

“A noticeable improvement,” states the annual report of the city health inspector, presented to the City Council last night, “is taking place in the class of buildings being erected and intended to be used for food purposes, particularly in regard to efficient ventilation, permanency of structure, and means of excludii.' rats or other vermin. Continued progress continues in having existing premises improved, and particular attention is given to the rat-proofing of these premises. The by-laws requiring license to be obtained before premises may be used for the manufacture, storage and sale of food has, as was - anticipated, furnished a ready means of preventing unsuitable premises being used for such purpose. Of the total applications received, premises were found to be quite unsuitable for the class of business intended tol be carried on in 165 cases, without extensive alterations being carried out. The fact that the applicants in those cases did not proceed with the proposals is evidence of the effectiveness' of the by-law and regulations when judiciously enforced.”

“A. point that is frequently overlooked by detractors of the instalment selling system is that there is good reason to believe that it has the effect of increasing the volume of national production, and thus increasing proportionately the real income of society,” said Professor H. Belshaw, speaking at the fortnightly luncheon of the Karangahape Road Business Promotion Society recently (reports the “Sun”). “Instalment selling has come to stay,” he continue]. “It has become an integral part of the modern social system. and if it is not perfect, criticisms of its imperfections should be constructive, and not destructive.” Losses by traders, continued the speaker, were much lower than would be the ease under the operation of ordinary credit, while the actual extension of credit brought about by the development of instalment selling was not so great as was generally supposed. In America the increase in the total amount of credit given, in recent .years had been shown to be only 6 per cent. The system had its dangers, but they could easily be guarded against.