NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 176, 20 April 1940, Page 13

NEWS IN BRIEF

Fire Brigade Strength The Wellington Fire Board yesterday agreed to the adoption of a scheme of training young men for fire brigade work by which the gaps in the brigade, caused by enlistment, could be filled. The superintendent, Mr. C. A. Woolley, said he thought he should have 50 or 60 young men under survey from whom he could select 10 or 12 needed as circumstances dictated. Mr. L. Glover said Mr. Woolley was too modest. What he really wanted was another 10 men on the permanent staff, which would enable him to have a full squad, day and night, at the Thorndon station. Some of the best men in the brigade were enlisting, leaving the older and less competent men on the staff to carry on. Mr. Woolley admitted that the brigade was not up to full strength, stating that at present another four men. were required on the permanent staff. His officers were now training young men on five evenings of the week. Direct Fire Alarm. A direct fire alarm wire has been, provided between the new Government Dental Clinic in Upper Willis Street, ■Wellington, and the Central Fire Brigade Station. Prized Above Champagne. Strict rationing of petrol had enhanced the value of this product in the eyes of the English people, said Sir Harry Batterbee, High Commissioner for tiie United Kingdom, when he addressed a meeting of business men in Timaru this week. “I had a letter from a friend this week, and he said that petrol was now regarded as almost more valuable than champagne,” he added. Fire Brigade Calls. Three justifiable false alarms, a call to a gorse fire, and calls to two chimney fires, and a fire in a building, were received yesterday between 9 a.m. and 8 p.m. by the Wellington Fire Brigade. The building is a two-story wooden structure in College Street, o-wned and occupied by Unity House, Ltd., and is used as staff rooms for a factory. Slight damage was done to a toilet room. It is believed that the outbreak was caused by a match or cigarette butt thrown into some rubbish. Condition of Fire Stations. When repairs to suburban fire stations were being considered by the Wellington Fire Board yesterday, Mr. L. Glover said that if something were not done soon to the Brooklyn station it would fall down. “A hot water system burst there six months ago, and it remains burst,” he said. “If something is not done before the winter is over the place will either fall down or it will be so badly cracked that it will have to be rebuilt.” The secretary was asked to remind the board's architect of his report on the work required to be done at fire stations.

“Electric Stove Afterwards.” “What shall it profit a man if he have an electric stove and lose the Empire?” asked Mr. Kitson at a meeting of the AVaimoiri County Council during a dispute with Mr. C. E. Cross on expenditure by the electricity committee during the war. Mr. Kitson had urged that ratepayers should be prepared to go short in some facilities, and suggested that electrical expansion might be curtailed. Mr. Cross said that installations had to be continued and consumption maintained. “What are we going to .do?” he asked. “Win the war and talk about electric stoves afterwards,” replied Mr. Kitson.

Public Trust Business. Estimates of a value of £504,530 were reported and accepted for administra-' tion by the Public Trustee during' March, the new business for the yeari being £5,880,776. Grants of adminis-' (ration made by the Court, in favour of, the Public Trustee numbered 116 for the month. During March, 567 new; wills appointing the Public Trustee] executor were prepared on behalf oft testators and lodged for safe custody, and 407 existing wills were revised to provide for cha_nges desired by testators. The total number of wills now held in the Public Trust Office on behalf of living persons is 97,999. More Fire Calls.

During March, 94 alarms of fire were received by the Wellington brigade. Of these 62 were to fires and 32 false alarms. During the 12 months ended March 31 the brigade received 1176 calls, compared with 947 last year. The number of actual fires was 253, compared with 224 last year; gorse, grass and rubbish fires, 304, compared with 324; and 87 chimney fires, compared with 60. The number of false alarms for the year was 531, compared with 339. Of these 360 were justifiable and 171 malicious, compared with 206 and 133 for the preceding year. Pheasants Raid Gardens. Because of their cheeky habits, pheasants have been a nuisance to gardeners in parts of suburban Auckland, in recent weeks. In Remuera, Kohimarama and other places where they enjoy sanctuary, as many as half a dozen have been seen together attacking autumn vegetables, particularly roots such as potatoes and kumaras. j Working vigorously with claws and' beak, they quickly find their way down to the mealy tubers, and soon leave little for the patient grower. Though easily frightened away, they persistently return and continue their raids. Besides the older birds, many wellgrown spring chickens have taken part in these depredations.

Danger of Waikanae Bridge. Six serious accidents have occurred on tile Waikanae bridge on the main western highway during the last two years and a half. All the accidents were collisions between motor-vehicles. More than a year ago it was noticed that motorists were apparently failing to realize that this was a one-way bridge. On the suggestion of the Transport Department, therefore, the Automobile Association erected conspicuous signs drawing attention to this fact. In spite of this signposting, however. accidents are still happening. It is officially emphasized that motorists apparently do not yet realize that the Waikanae bridge is too narrow for passing other vehicles. St. Dunstan’s Men to Meet. The fact that a teunion of blinded soldiers is to be held in Auckland on April 24, 25, and 26 by the executive of the St. Dunstan’s New Zealand Blinded Soldiers’ Association, draws attention to the origin and development of this great institution, generally considered as one of the wonders of the modern world. The badge of St. Dunstan’s is a lighted torch, intended to symbolize the light that has returned to the darkened lives of those men who lost their sight in the service of the Empire during the last war. The greatest advertisement the institution received in its initial stages during the war was the cheerfulness and hopefulness of the men themselves. The numbers steadily increased till at the end of the war 1500 men had entered St. Dunstan’s, all learning some occupation fitting them for the battle of life in a new sphere. Next week's reunion in Auckland is being assisted financially by the trustees of the Commercial Travellers’ Blinded Soldiers’ Fund.