Paraparaumu Overbridge.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 229, 26 August 1938, Page 6

Paraparaumu Overbridge.

Tlie ramp and overhead bridge constructed to eliminate the level railway crossing opposite the Paraparaumn Domain is nearing completio be open for traffic at an early date, flic concrete bridge has been finished. Hospitals and Security Bill. The Wellington Hospital Board has recommended to the Hospital Boards Association executive that a specia conference of hospital boards to discuss the Social Security Bill should not be held, but that the biennial coherence should be brought forward from the first week in March to the end of January, 1939. At the meeting of the board last night, the chairman said that the association had agreed with the proposal. Membership Nearly Doubled. llomarkable growth has been made by the North Island Motor Union since 1934, the membership of its affiliated asociations having increased by 98 per cent, from 28,330 to 56,253. During the same period the number of motor-cars on the road has increased by 4(5 per cent, showing that a much greater proportion of car owners are now Automobile Association members. The membership of the Manawatu Automobile Association has grown from 1,275 in 1934 to 2374 at Juno 30 of this year.

Effect of Recent Floods. Damage to the Waikohu (Gisborne) county caused by storms and floods this winter is estimated by the county engineer (Mr A. G.; Lucas) at oyer £lo,oo>, which is heavier than anticipated. This estimate does not take into account the damage to two back- roads, which has not yet been calculated. Stormy Voyage. An easterly gale in mid-Tasman has been experienced by the Maunganui on her voyage from Sydney to Auckland and a wireless message sent by her commander (Captain Morgan) stated that ,sho would not arrive belore Sun-, day. The Maunganui, which cleared Sydney on Tuesday evening, was due at Auckland on Saturday morning. Claims for Terminal.

Stressing the advantage of Wellington as a distributing centre for air mails, and its favourable situation for service to the people, Mr T. C. A. Hislop (Mayor) said yesterday of New Zealand generally that, subject to the views which might be held bv experts in aeronautical matters, Wellington s claims for the terminal of the transTasman air service could not be questioned. New Ratana Building.

The Prime Minister and Minister of Native Affairs (Rt. Hon. M. J. Savage) has been invited to open a large new building which lias been built at Patana Pa. The building, which has been built by the Eatana people, will accommodate Mr T. W. Ratana’s private office, in which the business of the settlement will be carried on, the office where the Eatana journal is published and a post office. Veteran Actor-Manager. Memories of Bland Holt, who was a regular visitor to New Zealand many years ago, were recalled at the Otago Boys’ High School anniversary when a letter of apology l'or non-attendance was read from the veteran actor. He was a pupil of the school in 1864. It was stated that although Mr Holt, now living in retirement in Melbourne, is not very- well at present, lie still shows a keen interest in the affairs of the school. Tomatoes from Islands. ( Compared with past years when it has been customary’ at this period of the season for New Zealand to receive from 8000 to 15,000 cases of tomatoes from the Pacific Islands every month, an unusually light shipment of 1200 cases -was brought to Auckland by tlie Matua. Representing only a shadow of the market requirements the small consignment was said to bo largely ' due to the unfavourable season experienced by the growers. Alder Tree Planting. The chairman (Mr E. G.: Matthews) reported to the Palmerston North subcommittee of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society, last night, regarding an application for 500 alder trees from the Wellington council, that Mr T. Andrews (the ranger) had .procured between 500 and 600 trees and these bad been handed to the engineer of the Palmerston North River Board for planting on the river banks. Marathon Minute-Reading.

“How many more?” inquired the chairman (Mr H. G. Mills), patiently, at the annual meeting of the Manawatu Bowling, Croquet and Tennis Club, last evening, when two sets of minutes had been read. “Only three,” replied the secretary (Mr D. F. Srnillie), who ultimately finished a marathon task with a gesture of relief, as there were the minutes of five special meetings, as well as those of the last annual meeting, to be confirmed. The procedure occupied some time before the real business of the meeting commenced. . . -.

Heavier Penalties Sought. “After many years of representation, Parliament agreed, in 1935, to increase the penalty for the conversion of motor vehicles,” stated Dr E. E. Porritt (president), in his report submitted to the annual conference of the North Island Motor Union to-day. “Unfortunately,” he added, “the commission of these offences continues to be as frequent ns ever, and consideration of the penalties being imposed leads to the conclusion that Magistrates are not exercising sufficiently their power to inflict penalties having the effect of reducing the offences. Statistics are now Being collected concerning the number of cases of stolen vehicles, and full publicity will be given -when the information is obtained.”

Cyclists on Footpaths. Comments were made at a meeting of the West End Progressive Association. last evening, that inconvenience which, became dangerous at night, was caused by cyclists using footpaths instead of roads. One speaker said the footpath in College Street West (where the roadway is not sealed) was dangerous to old people alter dark. A second speaker said he had been in the habit of taking his dog .for an evening stroll in College Street West, but bad been forced to change his route. “They not only ride on the footpath, but do not have fights,” said a third member. “And then they have the cheek to ring the bell to make you get out of the way!” Ar. Unsatisfactory Feature.

“It is apparent to all users of the read what a vast expenditure is nowbeing applied to road purposes. Throughout tlic length and breadth of New Zealand roads are being reconstructed and sealed, while large numbers of level crossings are being eliminated, either by road deviations, bv construction of over-bridges or of subways,” states the annual report of the North Island Motor Union. “An unsatisfactory feature of the financing of these operations is that large sums ol money on which interest is payable continue to be borrowed, thus reducing the amount available each year from current revenue of the Main Highways Board.” English Atmosphere. “My first impression of New Zealand is that this is a delightful country and I have been struck by the manner in which the English atmosphere is reproduced here.” said Sir John Pratt, one of the delegates to the British Commonwealth Relations Conference to be held in Australia, when interviewed in “Wellington. “We had dinner in a Hamilton hotel,” he said, “and looking round the dining-room I could not hoTp being struck by the similarity of the types there to the types met in East Anglia, where I have lived for a number of years. I felt completely at home.” >

Dipping of Headlights. “How to eliminate the danger from headlights is a problem which has exercised the minds of Automobile Association executives, technical experts and officials for a considerable period, stated the annual report of the North Island Motor Union at its conference, held in Hawera to-day. “It is still receiving world-wide attention. There lias been an overwhelming feeling that the adjustment of headlights as provided for in .the regulations for tlie control of road traffic does not give sufficient range of vision, and that the obligation to dip headlights when meeting another vehicle should be made compulsory. Following upori a .recent conference convened by .the , Commissioner of Transport, it is "expected that sngested amendments to the regulations will shortly be circulated for consideration.”