MAJOR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 46, 18 November 1936, Page 5

MAJOR PUBLIC WORKS PROJECTS

Road Reconstruction and Railway Deviation GOOD PROGRESS MADE Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, 'November 17. Good progress is being made with the reconstruction of the Wanganui-Raetihi highway and at present the Public Works Department has 150 men employed on the road. This number is expected to increase to 200 when suitable accommodation can be provided. Another major work commenced recently in the Wanganui district is the Turakina-Okoia railway deviation. The department has 116 men employed on the preliminary operations, but as the line begins to open up, over 300 will be necessary. So far the tunnels have not been commenced, but the engineers hope to start work on the longest after Christmas. This will be located near Fordell, and when completed will- be about 70 chains long. The road, which is being constructed to give access to the tunnel mouth, is now well on toward completion. .Surveys are still being made and final details of the project have not yet been decided. The social requirements of the men engaged on these works are not being neglected. By erecting halls, the department hopes to provide means of recreation in the near future. A social hall will be erected at Otoko for the men on the Wanganui-Raetihi highway, while a similar building will be constructed near Fordell for the deviation workers. These buildings will be under the control of the Y.M.C.A. Provision will be made for reading and billiard-rooms, canteens and libraries. Indicating the extra clerical work necessary in connection with the railway deviation and other operations, the Public Works office staff at Wanganui has been increased from three clerks to 14. TO BORROW £15,000 Manawatu Agricultural and Pastoral Association MEETING GIVES AUTHORITY Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, November 17. The borrowing of £15,000 by the Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association was authorised today by an extraordinary general meeting attended by 28 members. The resolution carried gave authority to the general committee to borrow £12,000 from the Bank of New Zealand Officers’ Guarantee and Provident Fund and £3OOO on overdraft from the Bank of New Zealand to repay the Hopwood mort- ■ gage of £BOOO and moneys due to the Bank of New Zealand and to execute the necessary mortgage or mortgages as security for repayment and interest. Mr. J. A. Nash said the association had been in a quandary for some time regarding finance. The Hopwood mortgage fell due and the mortgagee was prepared to ■ leave the money fog five years ata higher ' rate of interest or at 41 per cent, at call. In reference to the “at call” proposal it J was not thought advisable for the association to have a debt hanging over it J which could be called up at any time. : The committee had been able to ar- 1 range the loan of' £12,000 from the bank i officers’ fund at 4} per cent, for fire years. There would be no difficulty in renewing . at the end of five years because the fund had to keep its money invested to meet superannuation payments to members. The carrying of an overdraft of £3OOO would : give the association something to work i for. The recent show and the winter show i had shown a reasonable profit, and it j might be that the association would be ■ able to pay something off the main lia- , bility at the end of five years. ( WOMEN JN MOTOR ] PATROL CAR i t i /1 Objection by Auckland ’ Association i i i Palmerston North, November 17. ; _lf any Auckland members took excep- ■ tion to this endeavour to provide the • best possible service they must be smallminded, said the president of the Manawatu Automobile Association, Mr. N. H. Mackie, at the monthly executive meeting, in expressing regret that such promi- 1 nence had been given to a suggestion that two female, members of the Manawatu association staff should accompany an Auckland patrol car on a tour. Mr. Mackie said no male member of the Mana- . watu staff was available to give the touring information which would be required, and it had been suggested that the two young women could undertake the work so that the best possible service in this connection could be given. However, the Auckland association had advised that it did not consider it advisable to have two young women in the service officer’s car in case comment was made. Being under an obligation to Auckland, Manawatu had to accept this recommendation. The Manawatu and Auckland associations were on friendly terms and at least the discussion by the former could have been taken in committee or an amplified report released for publication. It was regrettable that such prominence was given to a routine matter. The two women could have worn suitable patrol smocks. It was making a mountain out of a molehill. LOUDSPEAKERS AT SIDE-SHOWS No Restriction on Noise Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, November 17. There was little support for a proposal advanced at to-day’s general committee meeting of the Manawatu and West Coast Agricultural and Pastoral Association to prohibit the use of loudspeakers by sideshow operators. Mr. J. A. Russell (chairman, said he thought the proposal a necessary one. Another member spoke of the upsetting of horses in the show ring by the noise of the loudspeakers. The association got a great deal ot revenue from the sideshows, and had to cater for the public idea of this form of entertainment, said Mr. E. M hitcombe. A sideshow section without noise would attract no one. . , , . .. . „ Mr J A. Nash pointed out that the association had raised the rent of sideshow accommodation this year, and could still go on doing this. At the same time it had to allow the sideshow people the means of attracting the Public. The more noise there was the brighter the sideshow section. On his motion it was decided that no action be ‘taken. The secretary (Mr. H. Kwshng) plained that the increased charge for sideshow accommodation met with no oppositiom and sideshows’ revenue was nearly doubled.