NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 38, Issue 22, 20 October 1944, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Armistice Day In a notice appearing in last night’s Gazette the Prime Minister requests citizens aud traffic control authorities throughout the Dominion to observe the practice adopted on similar former occasions of two minutes’ silence from 11 a.m. and suspension of all vehicular traffic during that period, on Armistice Day, November 11. Telephone Directories. The General Post Office advised yesterday that it was hoped to distribute the new Wellington telephone directories by the second or third week in November. Rise in Hutt River. A report from the Hutt River Board states that because of the recent ram the level of the river has risen seven feet. It is, however, expected that unless exceptionally heavy rains fall in the back country within the next day or two there will be no further rising of the river. Charitable Bequest. . Under the will of the late Benjamin Kemp, formerly of Wanganui, but late of Palmerston North, who died on August 3, a donation of National Savings, Liberty Bonds and Government Inscribed Stock of nominal value amounting to £3O is bequeathed to the Wanganui branch of the New Zealand Society for the Assistance of Crippled Children. Spoke English Better. An interesting sidelight on recent dis; missions urging the teaching of the Maori language in the schools occurred during the Maori conference that is being held in Wellington. Whereas'the majority of speakers preferred speaking in. their mother tongue, one Maori said he would use English as he found he could express what he wanted to say better in English than in Maori.

Greek Ambassador’s Thanks. The Consul-General for Greece in New Zealand, Mr. T. E. _Y. Seddon, has received from M. Aghnides, the Greek Ambassador in London, the following cablegram : “Cordial thanks to you and Greeks of New Zealand for kiud message.” This was in reply to a cablegram sent to the Greek Ambassador stating that Greeks in New Zealand rejoiced in the liberation of Athens. Condition of Rivers.

According to a report supplied by the Wellington Acclimatization Society, the main rivers iu the Rangitikei and Manawatu districts are, carrying a great amount of water, but the smaller streams are iu good order. The Otaki is in high spate and all streams south of it are also carrying much water. All the rivers in the Wairarapa area are discoloured, as also is the Hutt River system.

Ambulance Vehicle, The superintendent of the Wellington District Free Ambulance, Mr. R. Olen, emphasized at yesterday’s meeting of the board that truck chassis were unsuitable for ambulance work, saying that they were made for the conveyance of goods, not sick people. The board decided to secure a limousine chassis; properly sprung, with an eight-cylinder engine, to replace one of the cars which had broken down, and was quite beyond repair. Hawke’s Bay Wool Appraisals.

Large wool clips of good quality are expected throughout the forthcoming season in Hawke’s Bay, an improvement in quantity and standard on that of last year. The brokers have advised that sufficient storage space will be available for the handling of all clips customary to go through their stores. Attention is drawn to the dates of wool appraisals to be held in Napier during the 1944-45 season.

Log-Cabin Shelter Gone. The log-cabin air-raid shelter, which was erected in Lower Taranaki Street, Wellington, early in 1942, has disappeared. Nothing remains of this neverused shelter but a few sears in the bitumen surface- of the road, made to accommodate the tree-trunk supports used in the construction. Motor-vehicle drivers are rejoicing at the demolition of the shelter, as it was most awkwardly placed in regard to line of vision at a point in the city where four roads meet.