NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 196, 16 May 1936, Page 13

NEWS IN BRIEF

I Moving Population | As ail instance of Hie moving Jiopni Intion of the cities of New Zealand, Dr. ' .1. W. Mcllraitli, senior inspector of I schools, stated to the New Zealand Educational Conference yesterday that, a city headmaster had informed him that a third of Ids pupils left every yen r. £5O For Workers’ Education. The Workers’ Educational .Gswiation was voted a. grant of £5O by the New Zealand Educational Institute in conference at Wellington yesterday. Extension of Sea-Wall. Authority to extend the sett-wall at I’limmerton for a distance of 500 yards, was granted its overseer nt a meeting of the Hutt County Connell yeslerday afternoon. Direct Fire, Alarm. Yesterday the Wellington Fire Board approved of a direct fire alarm connection between the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum and the Central Fire Station. Such is the nature and value of the contents of the new building that the trustees consider that tlie fire risk should be reduced to a minimum. Two nightwatchmen are already on duty in the building. April's Fires. During (be month of April Hie Wellington Eire Brigade received 54 calls to fires, i f these 35 were for actual fires and .19 were false alarms. Of the actual fires 12 were for property, 11 for chimney and 12 for gorse, grass and rubbisli fires. Of the false alarms 10 were justifiable and nine were considered to be malicious. In regard to Hie latter, (he number of .malicious false alarms shows a falling-off, as during April, 1935, 23 malicious false alarms were recorded. Malicious False Eire Alarms. In the course of his annuitl report, the superintendent of the Wellington Fire Brigade (Mr. C. A. Woolley) says: “The number of malicious false alarms shows a slight, increase as compared with the previous year. It Is regrettable that the brigade should continue to suffer from tills serious menace; however, the work of converting all boxes on Hie street alarm system io the break glass-press button type is steadily proceeding, and in due course it is considered Hutt these acts of malice will show a marked decline.”

Electing a President. For tlie first time in Hie history of Hie New Zealand Educational Institute a past president (Mr. F. L. Combs, M.A.)- was- elected president at Hie annual conference yesterday. The senior vice-president was unable to accept nomination as president, with Hie result that nominations were called for from the conference. Two past presidents and another member were nominated. 'The former polled 30 votes each. On a second poll in which the third candidate was eliminated, Mr. Combs polled 35 votes in 69 cast. Earthquakes Ignored.

After some months of hard work the old brick power-house in Mercer Street, Wellington, where for over a quarter of a century Wellington's electrical energy for lighting was created, is no more. Only a few pieces of side wall clinging to the building next door and half a dozen vertical steel standards remain to bo shifted. One of Hie last tasks was io lower the base of the walls on the Mercer Street frontage. Without any regard for the “pull” or “tug” of earthquakes this wall, 3 feet in breadth, was built, on a light damp course of bitumenised asphalt without any connection otherwise between Hie foundation and Hie wall. Yet that brick wall never showed a crack during its life. Three Paintings of Wellington Harbour Three artists of New Zealand note are engaged in painting Wellington harbour from different points of view for the Wellington Harbour Board. These are to form a board contribution io the National Art Gallery. Mr. (Sydney Thompson, of Christchurch, now holding a. one-man show in Sydney, is painting a close-up of the Wellington wharves from a position in the Harbour Board’s premises. Mr. Nugent Welch is painting bis impression of Wellington and its harbour from a bridle track above Kaiwarra, while Mr. Archibald Nieoll, of Christchurch, is painting Wellington city and harbour from Hie heights of Brooklyn. All three paintings will probably be finished next month. There will be great interest manifested in tlie three efforts, which will bo displayed at Hie annual show of the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts, to be held in conjunction with the oitenlng of the National Art Gallery.