NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 150, 29 June 1928, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Hospital Board Finance. The chairman of the Wellington Hospital 'Board stated yesterday, that ho foresaw a very serious shortage of funds unless the board curtailed its, expenditure before the end of the year, Ho trusted that tho remaining twelve £10P 5§ per cent, debentures would ;bo taken up by those desiring such a form of local body investment. Preference, for N.Z. Manufactures, When making arrangements for tho erection of its new premises, in Queen street, tho Auckland Eleetrie Power Board decided to limit tenders for tho supply of the windows for the building to those of New Zealand manufacture, says "The Star." This decision occasioned comment' from His Majesty's Trade Commissioner at Wellington, but in reply tho board points out that its preference for British material has already been amply expressed, and in this case it intended ito adhere to its resolution to purchase the glass required from local manufacturers only. Grassed Firemen. The recent fire in a film office when some firemen were overcome by fumes, was referred to at to-day's meeting, of the Wellington. Kro Board. It was stated that analytical, investigation had showed that the gas present was carbon monoxide, its .effect being aggravated by acid vapours and oiiy deposits. The fire, the superintendent pointed out, had been smouldering for a long time before it was' discovered, and all the circumstances were most unusual. There was no indication when the brigade arrived that gas masks would.'be needed. ... •...■. " Arapuni Contract. Particulars' relating to the Arapuni contract are being sought by Mr. M. J. Savage (Auckland West), who gave notice, in the House, of yesterday afternoon to' call for a return showing the original contract price entered into by the Sir William Armstrong- Whitworth Company for the completion of the work1 on the 'Arapuni electric power scheme, the amount paid' to the contractors on account, the amount paid to the contractors in satisfaction of claims, the total cost of the work, and the estimated time -it would take to complete the work. Bitumen on Concrete. Some surprise has been expressed that the City Council, after pinning its faith,to the extent of £200,000 or more, upon bituminous, pavements, should now turn to concrete with a bitumen topping in Mercer street, but. there is reason for it. That part of the roadway which has been added by the widening has a poor foundation, for it is reclaimed land, and, moreover, is over, or very n-ear, an old wharf site, and the, concrete foundation is the most satisfactory way out. Concrete has also been resorted to in a length of Evans, Bay road, where continual trouble was .experienced as a result of a spring or springs which: trickled beneath the; pavement. Patching was tried, but the -I surface broke down again. The. con-, ciete raft has so far cured the trouble. Elsewhere where the foundations are not quite up to the mark but aro not definitelys-weak,, as" in certain lengths in the Hutt Valley roads, an extra layer of hot-mix (three-courso work instead o| two) has been put down. . . Building Breaches. "Ho doesn't deserve-much consideration," said Mr. W. K. M'Kean, S.M., at the Auckland Magistrate's Court yesterday, when imposing the maximum penalty for one offence on a builder who was charged, with several offences against the city building bylaws. Mr. Mackay, who appeared for the Auckland City Council, said, the defendant submitted a plan of a single: dwelling which he proposed to erect on a section in Ilomuera. Without notifying the council he proceeded to orect a double dwelling on the property in defiance of the city bylaws. Tho offence was admitted by defendant. In answer to counsel's plea for a light penalty and for time to pay, the Magistrate said he did not see how he could view the mattor of tho principal breach lightly. JFor building on a section of less than tho minimum frontage defendant .was fined the maximum penalty of £20, for a breach of the plumbing bylaws £5, and for erecting a shed in the yard without a permit 10s. Ho was also ordered to pay costs in each case.

The Milk Snpply. Wellington's municipal milk supply system may again be discussed by Parliament this session. Notice was given by Mr. J. G. Eliott (Oroua) in the House of Eepresentativos yesterday afternoon of his intention to introduce the Wellington City Milk Supply Amendment Bill. ' ' Daylight Saving. Members of the Hataitai Bowling Club expressed appreciation of tho benefits of. the Summer Tirno Act at the annual meeting of the club last evening. Copies of their resolution of appreciation are to be sout to the Prime Minister (the Eight Hon. J. G. Coates), Mr. T. IVrsyth, M.P. (Wellington East), and Mr. T. K. Sidoy, M.P. (Dunedin South). "Too Soft a Time." "The young man of this country is having too soft a time," declared Mr. W. T. Lill (Ashburton County Council) at the coiiferonco of local body representatives on unemployment at Christchurch on Wednesday (reports the "Press"). "It would do him good if lie was kicked out and told to get a .living somehow. We should bear in mind the words of Cecil Rhodes, when a father asked his advice on what to do with his son: 'Give him a good education/ said Rhodes-, 'and then give him iivo shillings and turn hmi out.' " Mr. Lill went on to say that he never thought the time would come, when a child could not get enough'to eat in this country where, thero was such abundance. ■ t . ! Tuberculosis Patients. "I have'to draw your attention," states Dr. Ewan, Medical Superintendent, iil a report to the Wellington Hospital Board, "to the serious lac*.' of accommodation for T.B. patients, Ewart Hospital with 45 beds is always full. Tho verandahs of the medical . wards are also' continually full of those cases, and we are now commencing to use the verandahs in tho. surgical wards. In the femalo ward there are 14 cases, and in the male ward 12. Ninety per cent, of these cases are chronic; that is, unsuitable for sanatorium treatment, The wards wore not built for tho accommodation of these patients,. and while every possible care is taken to prevent infection sproading to othor patients, there, is always an element of risk. Further, other patients, in these wards are deprived of the use of the verandahs, and in some instances their recovery is rotarded, as they cannot be placed out in the sunshine during convaloscence. It is very desirable that the accommodation at the Ewart Hospital should bo increased as soon as possible." . ,An Award for Cheese. New Zealand's first award from an overseas dairy produce competition has recently been' presented to the museum of the : Massey Agricultural College (states tho "Manawatu Evening. Standard"). An exhibition was held in Melbourne in 1888, and the Greytown Cooperative Dairy Company, which had pioneered the co-operative system five years previously, won a medallion for its. cheese exhibit. Later, Mr. F. H. Wood, one of the shareholders, bought out the factory, and both medal and factory passed into his possession. The Massey , College authorities, hearing, about the medallion, communicated with Mr. Wood, informing him' of its intention to ostablish a museum which would trace the early history of the Dominion's dairy industry. Mr. Wood immediately forwarded the' curio, and Professor Riddet, of the college. staff, sent to him an acknowledgment of the gift, stating that it was a much-prized addition to the collection. New School Wanted. ■" The, Te Aro. School has an ardent supporter in Mr. P. Fraser (Wollington Central). Mr. Fraser lost no time when tho House of Representatives met yestorday afternoon in bringing the need of a now building under the notice of the Minister of Education (the Hon. E. A. Wright). He gave notice of his intention of asking the Minister when he proposed instructing his Department to make. the necessary arrangements for commencing tho erection of a new school on the old Terrace gaol site, which was .now being prepared by the Prisons Deartmont. Mr. Fraser pointed out that Sir Jambs Parr, Mr. Wright's predecessor in office, had definitely promised that the building would be erected not later than 1926. Japanese Naval Visitors. When tho Japanese warships visit Wellington next month arrangemonts will- have been made for the midshipmen to visit various schools and educational institutions in the. city. A letter from the Education Department was yesterday received by the College Board of Governors asking it to arrange for the visitors to be cordially received in such schools as might be selected, and recalling the fact that the last time Japanese naval visitors were in Wellington the young men appeared to be keenly interested in primary as well as secondary education. The Department suggested that the principals or headmasters of the schools might arrange a little special display of. drill, games, or singing in order to give special interest to the visit. The board appointed Mr. R. Darroch to make the necessary arrangements. Radio at the Hospital. The Wellington Hospital Board has received a letter from the secretary of the Amateur Radio Society's fund for the purchase of a broadcast receiving installation for the patients in the Hospital, stating that tenders were called some time ago for the placing of the apparatus in a number of the-wards. A contract'for £695 was let, but unforeseen: difficulties had delayed the completion of the work. The society had been informed, however, tha. the installation was now working efficiently. An official test of the installation will be made on Saturday afternoon next. It was resolved by the board that when tho balance of the money raised by the Eadjo Committee is handed to the board, the installation will be completed, so far as tho money will allow. , Central Fire Station Site. The annual report of the Wellington Fire Board contains the following reference to the deadlock about the site of the central station: —"Matters- in connection with ,the transfer of the main, fire station site 'from the City Council to the Fire Board have not progressed since last report. However, a Commission of architects has reported to the City Council regarding a civic centre, and in this they recommend the transference of the central fire station to a site adjacent. Further inquiries aro being made, but as regards the site suggested it does not appear that the' requirements of a central . fire station can be fully met." The matter,came up for discussion at to-day's meeting of the Mre Board, but was taken in committee. ■ There was some mild merriment in tho House of Representatives yesterday when Mr. A. Harris (Waiteinata)'; gave notice to. ask the Prime' Minister if the Government would provide a sufficient sum on tho Estimate's to carry out an exploration of the bed of Auckland harbour and to prepare the preliminary plans for a .bridge over the harbour. . ■ . ' . . li-is Nolan, aged eight, who lives at 108, Maida Vale road, was knocked down by a motor-car near the junction of Maida Vale and Grafton roads shortly befoi'o 5 o'clock last evening. She was found by tho Free Ambulance to bo suffering from concussion, shock, and injuries to her left foot, and was re; ;oved to the Hospital. Her condition is not serious.