NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 131, 6 June 1939, Page 8

NEWS OF THE DAY

Ice in Willis Street.

Stories of outsize hailstones in Africa and other tropical countries were dwarfed by a strictly local fall in Willis Street this morning, when people in the vicinity saw a section of the street spattered with pieces of ice ranging from small pieces to some weighing ten or twelve pbunds. Unfortunately for those who rejoice in hailstorm records, the "fall" was from an ice wagon, and was so "local" that the larger pieces were easily pushed to the gutter out of the way of traffic. State Buildings. Fresh tenders have been called for the completion of the Government office blocks in Stout Street, Wellington, and Jean Batten Place Auckland. This was necessary because of the decision, after the first tenders were called, to amend the specifications for the interior fittings. The tenders for the work, as amended, are to close next Tuesday. Trams Fill Courtenay Place. The. unusual sight of an unbroken line of outward-bound tramcars stretching from the Courtenay Place shelter almost to Taranaki Street was seen about ten minutes past five .last night. The hold-up was due to the stoppage of traffic while the fire engines from the central station answered a call. "Crocodiles" in the City. Holiday potations had nothing whatever to do with the sight of a crocodile, a pleasing green one at that, in the city yesterday. The obvious comment that pink elephants might also be witnessed later in the day was forthcoming from several to whom the startling news was related, but the laugh was on them when it was revealed that the "crocodile" was composed of girls from a well-known private school walking in double file through the city. Praise for Mr. Semple. Commendation of the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple) in his efforts to rid New Zealand of the drunken driver is recorded in the latest issue of the "Methodist Times." The article says that the statement made by the Minister, that in six years 1200 persons had been killed on the roads, was alarming. Only a week previously he had stated that in 42 days 42 persons had met their deaths in motor accidents. The writer recalls that last year Mr. Semple said that 130 convictions against intoxicated drivers had been registered,, and £11,000 had been collected from offending motorists. The "Methodist Times" expresses satisfaction that Judges and Magistrates are falling into line with the Minister in the administration of the law, and cites a statement by Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., in which he says "a slightly intoxicated driver is the greatest evil of the present time."