NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 159, 31 March 1939, Page 13

NEWS IN BRIEF

Meeting Of Cabinet

A meeting of Cabinet was held yes-, terday. The Prime .Minister, Mr. Savage, subsequently said that Ministers had been engaged in transacting routine and administrative business.

Police Plans Getting Better. ••Police plans in collision cases are getting belter'and better: the details are clearly set out and Hie whole easily understood.” said Mr. J. H. Luxford. S.M.. in the Magistrates' Court, Lower Hutt, yesterday- "They are getting plenty of practice/’ said Sergeant J. W. Alcllolm.

Green Turtle Protected. Green turtle and leathery turtle are absolutely protected by notice published in the Gazette issued last evening. These are a rare species which are found sometimes in the Bay of Islands district, and one of which was recently destroyed.

What is an Industry? “I don’t think anyone in the industrial world knows what an industry is now.” said Mr. J. A. Gilmour, S.M., in the Industrial Court yesterday, when asked whether roadmaking was an industry. An application was made to the Court by the inspector of awards for an interpretation of the New Zealand motor and horse drivers’ award.

Long Trip to Defend Case. A charge of driving without due care and attention preferred against John Young Hannay, Napier, for whom Air. G I. Joseph, appeared, in the Magistrates’ Court, Lower Hutt, yesterday was dismissed by Mr. J- H. Luxford, S.M. Mr. Joseph said bis client had a 33 years’ unblemished record as a driver and had travelled to Lower Ilutt to defend himself on a charge affecting bis driving record. Youthful Motorists.

A suggestion made by Dr. J. W. Mcllraith that- efforts be made to provide Instruction to post-primary school pupils in driving motor vehicles and the rules of the road was referred to the Transport Department at yesterday's quarterly meeting of the New Zealand Road Safety Council. Dr. Mcllraith pointed out’that such a practice was In operation in American high schools and should prove of value in New Zealand, as many post-primary school pupils were driving cars.

New Milk Tokens Forgotten. . In spite of adequate notice, many householders failed to remember that Wellington city milk supply tokens put out on Wednesday night must be those representing winter prices, the changeover to which was advertised for March 29. The regulations provided for the roundsmen accepting a cash difference for a few days, but not the old tokens by themselves, and the result was a delay in delivery while householders made up the deficiency.

Arrested Twice In A Day. A man described as an engineer was arrested in Featherston Street. \A ellington, at 1.5 p.m. on Wednesday tor drunkenness and was locked up. At 7.40 p.m. he was bailed out, the amount deposited being 10/-, and at 9 p.m. he was again arrested in Featherston Street for drunkenness. After being iu custody for the night he appeared before Mr. W. F. Stilwell, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court yesterday, pleaded guilty and was fined .10/-. The police said he was a first offender. Dominion Soccer.

The 17 associations affiliated to the New Zealand Football Association have a total of 602 club, primary school, secondary school and sub-association teams attached to them, according to a table included in the annual report of the Dominion body. Auckland heads the list with 150 teams (club 82, primary 39, secondary 17 and sub-associa-tion 12) ; AVellington is next with 119 (Club 88, primary 24 and secondary 7). Canterbury has 93 teams and Otago 66.

Missionary Talk Records. In keeping with recent developments in the mechanizing of the missionary appeal, the missions committee of the Presbyterian Church has decided to take gramophone records of addresses by its missionaries while they are oil furlough. Effective use can then be made of these talks after the speakers have returned to their work on the field.

Traffic Control. ••During the period under review, Hie Transport Department’s inspectors gave verba) warnings, advice and instruction to more than 21,000 motorists,” stated the report on traffic control for the six months ended January 31. 1939, which was submitted to the quarterly meeting of the New Zealand Road Safety Council yesterday. During the period, 3461 offences, which the inspectors considered were serious enough to warrant prosecutions were reported to the traffic bureau, of which 2679 resulted in prosecutions, and 782 warnings were issued.

Taxi Licences. A. recommendation that no taxi licences be issued to persons under 26 years of age was placed before yesterday’s meeting of the Road Safety Council by Mr. M. F. Luekie. The law at present allowed anyone over 21 years of tige to secure a taxi licence, said Mr. Luekie. There had been a marked increase in the number of applications by young men. Mr. Luekie said he considered if an unsuitable occupation for young men. The recommendation was referred to a special committee for consideration. Fatal .Accidents.

Since August. 1938. 1.1.1 fatal accidents had occurred in New Zealand, 126 persons being killed, stated a report on accident statistics submitted to yesterday's .meeting of the New Zealand Road Safety Council in Wellington. Twentyeight of the 111 accidents occurred in the South Island and S 3 in the North Island. Forty-seven of the accidents occurred at night and there were 56 fatalities, of which 18 were pedestrians, during hours of darkness. Seventyeight of the total of 126 bad been killed on the open road and 48 in towns. Liquor was known to have been present in 22 of the accidents.

Downward Trend. A downward trend in fatal accidents among persons under 20 years of age during the past six months was disclosed in a report submitted to the New Zealand Road Safety Council in Wellington yesterday on road safety education among children. Tributes were paid by members to the excellent work of primary school teachers. Among children from five to 14 years. Mr. C. .1. Talbot remarking that children wore becoming the safest persons on the road because of their careful observance of the rules. The reporr stated that approximately £lOOO had been expended’on child education in road safety during 1938-39.