NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20377, 14 October 1940, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Hostess House at Papakura Good progress is being made with the alterations and renovations to the Hostess House at Papakura, which is to be operated under the direction of the Auckland Provincial Patriotic Council for the accommodation of next-of-kin and fiancees of soldiers in camp. It is expected that the modernising of the house to make il suitable for its new purposes will be completed before the end of this month, and arrangements are being made for the opening ceremony. No Patron or Vice-Presidents At the annual meeting of the Foxton branch of the St. John Ambulance Association, Mr. D. Brooks proposed that the branch do without a patron and vice-presidents. “These people, he said, “are usually elected in anticipation. that they will contribute a guinea or so to the funds. There is very little honour attached to such appointments nowadays, as the wholebusiness has developed into ‘scrounging.’ I think that we should content ourselves ' with a committee ol workers.” His opinion was shared by the meeting, and the offices of patron and vice-president were deleted from the branch's list of officers to bo elected. Fortnight's Gaol A sentence of 14 days' imprisonment was imposed on Te Rangi Hirini Waho, alias Sydney Waho and Hirini Wahurangi, aged 22, a labourer, when he pleaded guilty before Mr. E. L. Walton, S.M., in the Police Court today to a charge of a breach of the terms of his probation fixed in Wairoa on January 25. He also pleaded guilty to a charge of stealing three dry-cell batteries and a notebook, to the total value of 2s 1 id, the property of Woolworths. Limited, on October 4, and was sentenced to seven days’ imprisonment, this sentence to run concurrently with the other. Senior-Sergeant J. F. H. Macnamara said that on October 4 the accused was seen by the manager of Woolworths’ Gisborne shop to take the goods mentioned in the theft charge, and when apprehended by the police admitted the offence. The accused had not reported to the probation officer in Wairoa since June 15. New Railway Coaches Modern 56ft. cars of the type used on the Main Trunk line for longdistance trains are now standard equipment on the expresses running between Wellington and New Plymouth. They are of semi-steel construction and have replaced the older 47ft. coaches which were operated on this service for a number of years. The improved accommodation was introduced a few weeks ago, following the completion of additional passenger rolling stock. During the year ended March 30 last, 56 new cars were placed in service, and a similar number of new cars was on order or under construction. In the same year 1546 carriages passed through the department’s workshops, 1163 of which received heavy repairs. By the end of the last financial year, 1530 cars f4l more than on the corresponding date 12 months previously) were in service, and of these 883 were on North Island main lines and branches.