NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 50, 28 August 1934, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Jackson Street Widening. Negotiations have been concluded between the Petone Borough Council and Mr. J. S. Jackson, the owner of a building in Jackson Street containing the shops of Campbell and Co., diapers, and Eadio Supplies, to have it set back in the new alignment of the street. Work has already been commenced at the back of the building. There is only one remaining building in this particular block that has to be set back, and negotiations to that ond are at present in progress. West Coast Bands. ! Endeavours are being imnle in form a West Coast Brass Bands' Association, comprising all the bands on the West Coast, reports the "Grey Biver Argus." It was originally suggested that the West Coast bands should link np with the Canterbury Association, but this was considered impracticable owing to the expense incurred in travelling, etc. The formation of a West Coast Association appears to bo a necessary step, and it is expected that it should tend to create friendly rivalry between the various bands on the West Coast. "Kind, Warm-hearted People." A statement that they would pay a farowoll visit to Dunedin was made by Lord Bledisloc to the Mayor (Ecv. E. T. Cox) last week when their Excellencies wero farewelled by tho civic committee, says the "Dunedin Star." Tho reasons for their inability to remain longer in tho Dominion were given by Lord Blcdisloe," when addressing • the members of tho Art Gallery_ Society. Ho said they were vory sorry indeed to have to say "good-bye." The ties with the Old Country wero diverse, and a large cstnto which, he had personally managed for thirty yoars was being more or less neglcetod. If ii; were not for those ties, they could not conceive themselves to be happier people than to sottlo and live among tho kind, warm-hearted people of New Zealand for tho rest of their lives. A New Industry. "A new industry, that of pottery, has started in Wellington," said Mr. B. G. Bidling, director of the Wellington Technical College, at a meeting of the Board of Governors of tho College last evening; Pottery was an art in itself, and should be introduced as a craft in tho art school. "It is my hope," said Mr. W. N. Isaac in his report as head of tho art school, "that tho important craft of pottery which, through lack of accommodation, has not had a place for some timo in the curriculum of the school, will again bo instituted. From inquiries made by many visitors to the Arts and Crafts Exhibition, I believe that flourishing classes in this subject cOuld- obtain if suitable accommodation wero made available." Tho arts advisory committee also mentioned the matter, but was unable to make a recommendation until accommodation could bo provided. It was resolved to hold the matter over until further information could be gained. Petone Boatsheds. A recommendation of the beach beautifying committee to the Petone Borough Council last evening with regard to repairs to the council's boatsheds was that £.12 should be expended to put the roof in a reasonable state ,o£ repair, and that the matter of improving the skidway and tho approach should be held over until next year's estimates were being framed. Councillor J. Cumming suggested that something should be done immediately about repairing the skidway. Some of the piles were a danger. The borough engineer (Mr. C. L. Jackson) said that only about 40ft of the original 80ft of skidway remained. Some of tho piles were not sound enough for rebuilding, and should be removed. It was decided to carry out tho repairs suggested by the boa^h beautifying committee, aiid also to remove vthc unsound piles. Acceptance of' Cremation. During the last few years thero has been a remarkable increase hi the number of cremations at tho Karori Cemetery. Whereas the proportion of cremations to burials for a good many years from 1910, when tho crematorium was built, was about 3 per cent., rising gradually to ± per eont. in 1924', last year the figure was 13.5 per cent., representing 149 cremations. Tho majority of those cremated are professional men, who have expressed in writing their wish that their bodies should bo cremated; in other cases their spoken wishes or the wishes of near relatives are conveyed to the city authorities. As tho trond has been steadily towards an increasing number of cremations annually it can be taken that it will continue, and the City Council is at present calling for tenders for the erection of a columbarium attached to tho crematorium, for the storage of urns to contain the ashes of tho dead. Each urn will be placed in n niche, below which may be placed a memorial tablet in marble. Tho niches now provided in the crematorium building aro now practically all taken. In some cases rolativcs prefer to have tho ashes buried in special plots, and in others, generally when the deceased has expressed tho special wish, the ashes are scattered. Open-air Meetings. A request for permission to hold openair meotings was contained in a lengthy letter from the Petone group of the Communist Party of New Zealand ceived at tho meeting of the Petone Borough Council last evening. It waf stated that it was proposed, should the necessary permission be granted, to hold an open-air meeting on August 31. The Mayor (Mr. D. McKenzie) said he thought the applicants should have some place at which tcf discuss their problems. ("Hoar, hear." Council lor A. Scholefleld said that ho thought pormission should be granted, subject to the ordinary rogulatious governing opon-air meetings. Councillor E. T. E. Hogg said that ho believed that when those requests came before the council four or five years ago they were referred to the police. Ho thought that; permission should be grant-el subject to revocation at tho pleasure of the council, and subject to compliance with tho bylaws and the rfiquirenieiils of tinl police. The required permission was unanimously granted, by the cuunc.iL