LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Star, Issue 20610, 9 October 1930, Page 3

LOCAL AND GENERAL

I n a Press Association message from Wellington dealing with a meeting of the Post and Telegraph Officers’ Guild, it was stated that the Chief Postmaster in Southland had written statting that it was the unanimous wish of the Southland members that the Dunedin delegates should represent them. . The Chief Postmaster replies that this statement is absolutely contrary to fact. He is not a member of the guild, and has no intention of joining it. Ho has not communicated with the guild promoter in any way. The Chief Postmaster lias no knowledge of the activties of the guild members in Southland, ft is stated that out of a total of forty controlling officers in the Southland distinct thirty-seven, including the Chief Postmaster, are definitely loyal to the Post and Telegraph Association.

An assurance that the Government would fulfil its promise to erect a standby steam plant for the supply of electricity for South Auckland was sought by tho central Power Board. .It was stated that whether or not the Government would proceed with Arapuni it had promised a standby plant. At present the board had a year of expansion to face, and could not assure consumers that ample power would be available. A protest was also entered at the delay of the Loans Board to grant an application for permission to take a loan poll for the supply of power to Raglan.

The report from Lake Coleridge last evening was the most reassuring since the power shortage first threatened. Steady rain fell in the Harper watershed in the afternoon, and the inflow from the river had greatly increased. The lake level should certainly show a rise when the gauge is read.' It may be a long time yet. however, before * the Christchurch streets can be lighted at night. At the Magistrate’s Court at Riverton the mine manager of the Linton Coal Company Ltd., proceeded against Edward Hunt, Samuel Giles, and Peter Fuller,' miners employed in the Linton mine, for a breach of the safety provisions of the Coal Alines Act. Ihe defendants pleaded not guilty. Alter hearing tlie evidence the magistrate stated that when previous cases arising out of somewhat similar facts were before the court he did not enter a conviction, because he was not satisfied that sufficient warning had been given to the men of intention enforce the regulations, < The previous proceedings should have acted ns a warning to the defendants. He commented in strong terms on the action of the miners in refusing to obey the regulations and pin-pricking the management of the mine, and stated that he intended to uphold the manager in enforcing the regulations. As the company did not press for a heavy penalty, each of the defendants Hunt and Giles was convicted and fined £1 with costs. The defendant Fuller, who was a novice, was convicted and ordered io pay costs (£1 13s).

Taking advantage of Professor Hornell’s visit to Canterbury to inspect Lake Coleridge the Port Christchurch League, which favours the scrapping of Lyttelton and the development of a port in the estuary at or near Sumner, engaged Professor Hornell to report on its scheme. In an interview after his tour of inspection lie declared that Lyttelton was. out. of date and incapable of adequate expansion to meet the growing requirements. He declared that there was in the Sumner Estuary every facility for making an up-to--date harbour.

.The Gutty Sark, the New Zealand Air Force flying boat, returned to the Hohsouvillo air base from’ Wellington yesterday. Boisterous weather in Wellington delayed the departure of the flying boat, which was to have made the trip on Tuesday. The Cutty Sark left Wellington at noon, and reached Auckland at 5.30 p.m. after stopping at New Plymouth to refuel. The actual flying time was about live hours, the stop at New Plymouth occupying half an hour. Squadron-leader Isitt piloted the machine, and he was accompanied bv Leading Air Craftsman Syme. Squadron-leader Isitt, who inspected the landing facilities at Nelson on Sunday in view of the proposal ,to inaugurate a commercial seaplane sendee between Wellington and Nelson, stated that tbo harbour at Nelson afforded adequate protected water for the purpose. The Dominion Air Lines Compivny, which intends to operate the service, will use flying boats of a similar type to the Cutty Sark.