LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Hutt News, Volume XXII, Issue 2, 23 June 1948, Page 9

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Praise for Unit News ... Nice things were said about the Hutt News during a discussion at the last meeting of the council of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “It’s a line production. 1 always look forward to the Hutt News,”' said Mr. K. K. Watts. Earthquakes * Two sharp earthquakes were felt in Lower Hutt just after eight o’clock yesterday morning.

Opening of Parliament

The second session of the 2 Bllr Parliament of New Zealand was opened yesterday by the GovernorGeneral, Sir Bernard Freyberg.

Membership Doubled The membership of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce and Industry has doubled as a result of a drive. It is now 350.

Increase in Auckland Kates

An increase of 3d in the £ has been made in the Auckland city rate, making it 5/- in the £. The combined municipal and water rates are 6/1,2.

Ambulance Men’s Busy I>ay Members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade had a, busy- day on the.sports fields in Wellington and the Hutt Valley on 'Saturday, attending 191 cases.

Burglary in Hutt The premises’of New Zealand Wallboards, Ltd., Hutt, Park Road, Lower Hutt, were broken into on Saturday night and £SO stolen from a drawer in the ■ offices -■ »-

Royal Visit Fireworks Display

It lias'been decided-tintt the fireworks display in Wellington during the Royal visit shall be held in Oriental Paradqi, northeast of Te Aro Baths.

Production of Gqs

The engineer’s report to the Petone and Lower Hutt-Gas Board for May disclosed that while over 2,000,000 more ctibic feet had been produced during May compared with the same month last year the stocks of coal were very low. and were a constant source of anxiety. Aero Club’s Loss The Otago Aero* Club made a loss of £1351 on the year’s working. The retiring president sgid that if that rate of loss continued over the next two or three years and if the club received no special assistancet it would inevitably go. out of existence.

Bring-arid-Buy Tomorrow The monster bring-and-buy to be held at Wesley Hall tomorrow, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., should draw crowds of patrons. It is under the patronage of the Mayoress, Mrs. E. P. Hay, and the proceeds will go towards the relief of the children of Europe and Asia.

29,872 Bowlers in New Zealand The membership of the clubs affiliated to the New Zealand Bowling Association is steadily increasing. The increase during the year in the North Island,.yas:?,l723 and the South Island 6 82;_o'f~a total of 2405. There are.n0w’2.9,872 members, and it is expected*, that the 30,000 mark will be exceeded next season. Thero are over 450 clubs.

Electrically-heated Water At the suggestion of Mr. H. S. Dudding the general' managerengineer of the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board, Mr. I. R. Robinson, is to investigate whether the use of higher-powered elements in water heaters would not‘be to the advantage of both Board and consumers, also whether the breakdowns which were occurring in elements were being caused by their being started up in dead cold water.

Footballers Injured ~ •• Several Lower Hutt players were injured while- playing football on Saturday. Roy Mason, of Toomatli Street, fractured his left collarbone; Colin Gasson, aged 19, of Cambridge Terrace, head injuries; Leslie. Havlor, aged 1.7, of-Hutt Road, head injuries and possible- injuries to nose; Ivan Matoe, aged 20, of Waiwhetu Road, head injuries; Robert Reihana, aged 24, injury to leg; Lawrence Ryan, aged 17; of Jackson- Street, Petone, head injuries.

Use of Circuit-breakers The Hutt Valley Electric Power Board, at the suggestion of Mr. R. G. Stephen, decided at its last meeting that circuit-breakers be fitted in certain cases to domestic switchboards, in order to limit the consumption of electric power. The general manager-engineer, Mr. I. R. Robinson, recommended .that no circuit-breaker be fitted where a kitchen point, a refrigerator point, a washing machine point, and up to thret? other points, were installed.

Shortage of Posting Boxes At the monthly meeting of the Hutt Valley Women’s Citizen Guild, presided over by the. president, Mrs. C. Moran, the shortage of posting boxes was discussed, one member reporting that there was no posting box in the whole length of Laing’s Road and residents in that district were obliged to go toUthe Post Office to post a letter. Members were asked to note the position of posting boxes in their area and to report at the next meeting, when the matter will again be discussed.

Coupon Saving

Coupons surrendered at Lower Hutt for the week ended June 19 totalled 548 meat and 1 butter.

Power Board Accounts

Accounts amounting to £16,987 were passed for payment at the last meeting of the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board.

Student Nurses' Conference The fifth annual conference of the New Zealand Student Nurses’ Association will be held at the Christchurch Public Hospital on June 30 and July 1. Petone Bowling Club The annual report of the PetQne Bowling Club reports a successful year. Sixteen new members joined during the year and three members resigned, leaving a total membership of 112.

£IOOO from Community “Sings” At last week’s community “sing” in Dunedin £325 was raised for the starving children of Europe and Asia, making a total of over £IOOO raised for the fund by recent “sings.”

Street Appeal in Petone : ; j The United Nations' appeal fund for the children of Europe and Asia will be increased by £144/11/- as a result of a street appeal made in Petone on Friday. Street boxes brought in £lO2/15/9, competitions £ll/12/-, stall £5/13/4, and was an anonymous donation of £25.

Motorist’s Licence Cancelled in the Magistrate’s Court at Lower Hutt lan Henry Ferguson, aged 22W years, * motor salesman, pleaded guilty to a charge of having been ~, intoxicated -while in charge of a motor-car at Lower Hutt on June 3. He was fined £ls and his driving licence was cancelled for twelve months.

Ambulance Church Parade Next Sunday, June 27, being the nearest Sunday to June 24, St. John the Baptist Day", the Hutt Valley members of St. John Ambulance Brigade will hold their annual church parade. There will be a retiring collection for the work of the Eye Hospital of St. John at-Jerusalem.

Inadequate Gas Supply The question of the gas supply in Lower Hutt on Saturdays is to be investigated by officers of the Petone and Lower Hutt Gas Board, and a report made to the next meeting of the Board. Mr. H. Saunders, Mr. H. Burrell, and other members of the Board stated that they had received complaints that the supply of gas on Saturdays was inadequate.

Salvation Army Bands The Lower Hutt, Petone and Upper Hutt Salvation Army Bands combined recently for a music evening at Petone, the gathering being presided over by Brigadier A. Hildreth. An enjoyable time was spent. The three bands, besides playing individual selections, gave a mass performance of the inarch “Sw;ord and Shield,” under the baton of Bandmaster A. Francis, of Upper Hutt. :

Clothes Drive for CORSO

On Saturday morning a clothes drive will take place in Lower Hutt, Petone and Upper Hutt on behalf of CORSO. The local organisation is in the hands of Messrs. E. S. Carey and E. F. Rothwell. , The endeavour is to Collect all the clothes that can be rushed away by the first possible boat to China, Greece, Crete, and if there is enough, to other countries in Europe. !

Street Lights in Maori Pa In asking the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board to put three street lamps in the Maori pa at Porii-ua Mr. R. W. Bothamley said that some places in the pa were a positive death-trap at night owing to the absence of lights. The pa had a population of 300, and something should be done to meet their needs. The Native Department would pay the maintenance costs of the lights. The general manager-engineer of the Board, Mr. I. R. Robinson, was instructed to investigate the matter.

Booking of Railway Seats There is to be an extension of the period for advanced bookings for the reservation of railway and railway road services. From the beginning of July applications for reserved seats and sleeping berths will be accepted at allotting centres up to four weeks in advance of travel date. On and after Tuesday, June 29, applications may be tnade at offices outside allocation centres up to four weeks and two dayi ahead nf travel date.

Thrilled by National Anthem

In expressing thanks fdit* th» warmth of the reception glveh her and her husband (Webster Booth) at their concert In Wanganui Anne Zeigler, the English singer, said: “Though it is so very cold tonight I was warmed and thrilled by the singing of the National Anthem he A fore the concert began. It was the first time I have heard lt % sling in this eouhtry. Thank you very much ” Miss Zeigler said she and her husband were presented to the King and Queen before leaving England, and were thrilled by their charm, as New Zealanders would be when their Majesties come to the Dominion next year.