NEWS OF THE DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 148, 25 June 1945, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

WEATHER FORECAST Moderate to fresh southerly winds. Weather dull and cool, with some further drizzle or rain, but improving slowly. Further outlook, fair to cloudy. Situation report: An extensive depression centred east of Cook Strait is moving south-eastwards. Temperature at 9.30 a.m., 45deg. Rainfall for 24 hours to 9.30 a.m., 0.15 in. Rainfall from May 25 to date, 1.46 in. Full moon, June 26. High water: Today, 4.39 p.m.; tomorrow 5.5 a.m., 5.30 p.m. Sun sets today 4.59 p.m., rises tomorrow 7.37 a.m., sets 4.59 pm Condition of Streets. "The state of Auckland's streets is really a credit to the City Council," said the Mayor of Wellington, Mr. W. Appleton, in an interview at Auckland on Friday at the end of a short visit to the city. Mr. Appleton also commented ' upon the "surprisingly good" condition of the tramway tracks, which he thought might be partly attributable to the good supplies of scoria available. As in Auckland, the Wellington City Council had been greatly hampered in its operations during the war years. Ruapehu Active. Volumes of black smoke denser than have been seen for many months and rumblings louder than any yet heard from the foot of the mountain haye marked a further sudden increase in the activity from Ruapehu which has caused mild alarm in the district, states a Wanganui correspondent, writing on Friday Activity increased considerably last week until on Thursday a tremendous pall of smoke was hanging over the summit and stretching away to the horizon on the Ohakune side of the mountain. On Tuesday a wind drift sent the smoke and steam lower over the Chateau. The activity was first noticed from Wanganui a week ago. Although the Chateau reported that the smoke was blowing mainly in direction of Ohakune, nothing has been seen from the town, which is only about eight and a half miles from the mountain, because of dense cloud. One observer reported, however, that last Tuesday the mountain was working faster than he had ever seen it. "Dense clouds of dirty smoke were belching, out furiously, and presented a great picture in the bright moonlight," he said. Auckland's Municipal Housing. Auckland's municipal housing scheme, on practically the same lines as Wellington's, was proceeding well, said the Mayor (Mr. W. Appleton) today, and there .were plenty of inquiries from prospective home builders. Apart from that, he noticed that a large number of private houses were being built there. It was noticeable that much of the home building was being done in the neighbourhood of factories and industrial centres. By utilising land outside the city it was possible to house employees- within reasonable distance of their work, and this he considered was a very.wise move, as it saved expense and time to the workers. He thought that in Wellington this principle, if applied to the. coastal districts from Paremata to Plimmerton, would help to solve Wellington's congestion. With the clearance of the Te Aro Flat slum area, there would be a demand for housing, and while it would be possible to erect flats near city industries, the principle of goh>3 outside would allow room for the building of houses to suit families. It would be good policy for the heads of industries to assist those who wished to build their own homes by lending them money, which would ensure that care was taken •of the premises. "Auckland was freezing," he said., The coal shortage and the power cuts had been very hard on the people, especially, as though it was fine, the frosts had 'been severe.