Anzac Day.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 121, 22 April 1938, Page 6

Anzac Day.

The “Manawatu Standard will not be published on Anzac Day, Monday next. Mysterious Attack. Further inquiries in tlie Mhakntane district concerning the mysterious midnight attack on Mr Iv. D. Grant, an accountant of tlie Rangitaiki Plains Dairy Company, by two men at Fdgecumbe on April 9. are being made by Detective J. McWllirter, who has arrived from Gisborne. Mr Grant, it is understood, lias informed the police that he is sure that his assailants were Maoris. Capacity Of Destructor. The fact that the city’s destructor has been in operation for 14 years,, having been designed to deal with ten tons of refuse a day, was brought to the notice of the City Council last evening by Mr J. It. Hughes (city engineer) in his triennial report. “The daily collections of refuse average 11 to 12 tons, with the prospect of further increases, emphasising still further the necessity of early action ill duplicating tlie plant to deal with the city’s waste matter,” added Mr Hughes.

New Aerodrome? The belief that the Government has plans for a military aerodrome at Wlienuapai considerably bigger than that at Hobsonville, but in no way intended to replace the existing base is held by land owners in the district as the result of the operations of surveyors over an area of some hundreds of acres of farmlands. Reports in the district, unconfirmed but persistent, are to the effect that the site is the most favourable of several surveyed in the vicinity of Auckland, and that it will ultimately become a service aerodrome to house further defence machines.

Saved from Drowning. Two girls and one boy were rescued from drowning at Wailii beach by members of the Wailii Surf Club. They were Miss Rose Smith, of Waiorongamai, Miss H. Wyatt, of To Aroha, and B. Smith, of Waiorongamai. About mid-day on Monday several members of the club were swimming when they saw two girls and a boy in difficulties. The girls, who were unable to swim, were using rubber surfboards, and were carried out by the falling tide. The brother of Miss Smith went to their help, but he also got into difficulties. Messrs R. Pipe and P. McLeay went to their assistance. Meanwhile the siren was sounded and other members of the club took part in the rescue. The girls were rescued by Messrs Pipe and McLeay, while Mr D. Hunter in the belt brought in the boy. All three had been under the tvater several times. Bituminised Streets.

The excellence of the majority of the street surfaces within the city frequently occasions the favourable comment of visitors, but not all residents will realise the extent to which the streets have become bituminised or tarred. Mr J. JR. Hughes (city engineer), in presenting his triennial report to the City Council, last evening, stated that since 1935 ten miles of sealed roads had been added, so that 41j miles of a total of 681 miles of streets within the city were so treated. The 1 top-dressing of surfaced roadways carried out during the three years represented about 53,000 square yards. Of a total length of 118 J miles of footways 16.2 miles had been resurfaced in the same period; 501 chains of new footways had been constructed.

Bishopric of Waiapu. The task of choosing a successor to the late Bishop H. AV. Williams as Bishop of Waiapu will be undertaken in a fortnight by the Diocesan Synod, which is to meet in special session at Napier on Wednesday, May 4. School Holidays Near. Though primary and secondary school pupils, returned to school on Tuesday after the Easter vacation, they have only 9 moro days of school work before the beginning of the first term holiday’s. There were three days’ school this week, there will be four next week (as Anzac Day falls on Monday), and five the following week. Street Sealing. Bequests for the tar-sealing of a number of thoroughfares were considered by the City Council last evening. Petitions requesting the' sealing of the Marne Street extension, Palm Avenue, Aroha and Beresford Streets, and the corner of Fitzroy and Manson Streets were referred to the estimates. Similar action was taken with regard to overtures concerning Moore, Douglas, Thomson and Nikau Streets. Licensing of Sideshows. A uniform system of licensing sideshow proprietors and their assistants by the Royal Agricultural Society, subject to recommendation or cancellation by the police, was supported by delegates attending the annual conference of South Auckland show organisations; An explanation of the difficulties confronting the police was given by Detective A. J. White, of Hamilton, w r ho was present, by invitation. Beyond Control. >

“I regret that such a serious power shortage exists in Southland at present, but the conditions are unprecedented, and quite beyond the control of the Public AVorks Department,” said the Minister of Public Works (Hon. R. Semple) in referring in an interview to the rationing of power which has been necessary in Southland. “I trust that the present drought will be broken at an early date,” he said.

Labour’s Policy. No announcement on policy measures was made by the annual conference of the New Zealand Labour Party yesterday. The policy committee’s report was presented by the Minister of Finance (Hon. AA 7 . Nash). The recommendations in the report were endorsed by the conference. It was decided that they should be submitted to the national executive of the party and a Parliamentary caucus of the party for final consideration. Electric Train Trials. Preliminary tests were carried out yesterday with the first power coach of the multiple-unit four-motor electric trains which will operate on the AVel-lington-Johnsonville suburban service. Travelling under its ojvn power, the car made several trips to and from the first tunnel on the grade to John-' sonville, the object being to test the overhead gear and make any adjustments necessary to the contact wire. The tests were said to be highly satisfactory. Pitcairn Islanders’ Visit. The Pitcairn Islanders who arrived at AA’ellington some months ago had their numbers reinforced -when the Arawa arrived from England yesterday. The dozen or so families of Cliris--tians on the island, descendants of Fletcher Christian of Bounty fame, were represented this time by Mr and Mrs Raymond Christian and their son AVelme. Mrs Christian is to undergo an operation at Auckland. The three were accompanied by two members of another numerous Pitcairn family, the Youngs. City’s Water Supply. Interesting figures illustrating the increasing demands of the growing city on the water supply were presented to the Palmerston North City Council, last evening bv the city engineer (Air J. R. Hughes), who stated that for the year ended Alarcli 31 last the total consumption was 936,290,000 gallons (735,060 000 from Tiritea and 201.230.000 artesian) as compared with 717,928,000 gallons 1659,980,000 from Tiritea and 57,948,000 artesian) in 1931. In tlie year ended Alarcli 31, 1937, the artesian system made its greatest contribution, supplving 204.040,000 of a total of 900,469,000 gallons.

Overloaded Syllabus. The new syllabus for students taking the bachelor of laws course as prescribed by the University of New Zealand was criticised by Mr \V. D. Campbell when speaking at the annual conference of the .New Zealand Law Society in Christchurch. Too many subjects were included in the new course, lie said, and he suggested that some of the compulsory cultural subjects should be made optional. He considered that the new requirements embraced an undue number of subjects, 18 in all, and this asked too much of the student who, at the same time, had to do his practical training in a legal office. Spelling Variants.

The fact that there are variations in the spelling of certain street names in Palmerston North was brought before the notice of the City Council, last evening, by Cr G. Tremaine, who cited the instance of Annandale Avenue. The signpost at one end of the street spelled the name with the third “n,” but .the second signpost omitted the letter. It was difficult to ascertain the correct spelling. a.s there were opposing contentions that each was correct, said Cr Tremaine. Cr "VV. 13. Tennent quoted the case of Featlierston Street, the name of which was spelled with and without a final “e” in different sections. The Mayor (Mr A. K. Mansford) closed the discussion with the remark that the correct versions should be ascertained. Delays On Wharves.

A report on wharf delays in handling meat and fruit, prepared in January by the general manager of the Wellington Harbour Board, Mr A. G. Barnett, was “received” by the board on Wednesday night. The chairman (Mr D. J. McGowan), said lie did not think a revival after so many months of the discussion held in January would serve any good purpose. Mi- T. R. Barrel- said he thought the discussion on the shipment of fruit on the Rangatira could fittingly be taken that night at the last meeting of the board before the elections, as there were no technical questions involved. He moved an amendment to this effect, which was seconded by Mr M. A. Elliott (Palmerston North). The amendment was lost and the motion carried.

Help from Mayor’s Fund. A statement of the judicious application of assistance from the Mayor’s Fund during the year ended March 31 on behalf of ratepayers and • residents in need of help was made by s the town clerk (Mr J. It. llardie), in the course of his annual financial review presented to the City Council last evening.'The total expenditure was '£2646 18s 2d, made up as follows:—Rates, £722 11s lid; gas and electricity, £1125 Is lOd; cash. £lOl 0s 4d; R.S.A., £584 16s; levy, £7l 12s 6d; cycle allowance, £7 7s 3d; sundries (material), £34 8s 4d. Mr Hardie explain vl that from the total there had to be deducted transfers and refunds from the R.S.A; totalling £313 6s 4d, making the net expenditure £2333 11s lOd, compared with a relief expenditure of £3016 the previous year.