Fire Alarm System.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 71, 21 February 1939, Page 8

Fire Alarm System.

Remodelling of the automatic fire alarm system in the city is now in progress, two members of the City Council’s lines staff being engaged on the work with the Fire Board’s staff, it was reported by the electrical engineer (Mr J. W. Muir) to the meeting of the Palmerston North City Council, last evening. Balancing Hospital Accounts. “Our accounts are likely to come out square at the end of the financial year, the first time for many years,” reported the managing-secretary (Mr A. J. Phillipps) to the monthly meeting of the Palmerston North Hospital Board, yesterday. He stated that the increased receipts, principally from patients’ fees, had practically been offset by the increased expenditure. Compass Swinging Base. “A compass swinging base has been laid in front of the Union Airways hangar at Milson,” reported the engineer (Mr J. R. Hughes) •to the meeting of the Palmerston North City Council last evening. “This,” he added, “consists of an inner circular concrete slab Sin. deep and 7ft. in diameter aud another circular strip 12ft. 6in. wide, 21ft from the centre. This work was done at the request of the Public Works Department, which finds the full cost.” Work at Showgrounds.

Good progress is being made with the task of levelling the No. 2 football ground at the rear of the main grandstand at tile Showgrounds, and the indications are that the area, when the work is completed, will provide an even better playing surface than the oval. The ground will, of course, not be available for use during the coming winter, as it has yet to be sown down and every opportunity must be given to secure a good take of grass—an important factor in a football field.

Distinguished" Refugees. A move to sound the possibility of employing distinguished scholars and scientists among European political refugees in New Zealand was made at a meeting of the Auckland University College Council. Subsequently it was reported by the president (Mr W. H. Cocker) that the council had decided to ask the Government to provide £SOO a year for five years in order that the council might invite a distinguished scholar or scientist who was now a political refugee to become a temporary member of the college staff.— Press Association.

Dairy Classes at Show. Very much larger entries are assured in the dairy section at the next Manawatu Winter Show, according to the secretary of the Manawatu and West Coast A. and P. Association (Mr H. E. Kissling), who has just returned from a tour of the Wairarapa and Horowhenua districts, where he called on all the leading butter and cheese factories. Mr Kissling told a “Standard” representative to-day that the revised schedule had found much favour with factory managers, and entries had been promised from as far afield as North Auckland. A particularly pleasing feature was that local factories were taking more interest than liitherto, he added.

Mail-Box Pilfered. The mail-box of Mr E. Barling at Himatangi, was pilfered some time during Friday night or early on Saturday morning. Mail addressed to Mr Barling was found scattered along the road on Saturday morning.—Foxton correspondent. Park Road Improvements. Sealing of that section of Park Hoad from Linton Street to Cook Street was recently completed, and reconstruction is now proceeding on the eastern end between Fitzlierbert Avenue and Marne Street in readiness for similar work to he undertaken there, greatly alleviating the dust nuisance along the route. Visit to Australia.

In response to an invitation from the Australian Imperial Forces "Wives’ and Children’s Holiday Association for a contingent of fifty of the sons of New Zealand ex-servicemen to visit New South Wales, five applications have been lodged by the sons of returned soldiers resident in Palmerston North.

Better Driving. “A very great improvement was noticeable on the, part of drivers, especially regarding keeping to the loft; I did not notice one case of really bad driving,” stated Mr H. R. D. Browne, Manawatu Automobile Association service officer, in the course of a review of holiday traffic presented at hist evening’s meeting of the association’s committee.

Revision of Policy. An intimation that the Palmerston North City Council might find it necessary to revise its policy regarding permission for street stalls, because of the large number of applications being received, was given by the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford) at the meeting of the council last evening, when consideration of a request was deferred. Consignments of Stock. Commenting that Sunday traffic was now becoming increasingly more like that of a week-day, Mr D. Finlay, acting-stationmaster at Palmerston North during the absence of Mr A. Id. Northover, to-day informed a reporter that on Sunday last 60 trains, mainly carrying large consignments of stock, passed through Palmerston North. The six trains run for the trades anion picnic were included in the total.

Parking Problem. “Parking in Rangitikei Street is becoming an increasingly serious problcm,” declared Mr E. R. B. Holben at last evening’s meeting of the general committee of the Manawatu Automobile Association. “Some of us feel we are paying a fair amount for the upkeep of Palmerston North, and it docs seem hard not to be able to find a place to park,” added Mr Holben, who suggested that the difficulty might have to be overcome by utilising space behind business premises for parking. Drivers’ Licenses.

A large increase in the number of motor drivers’ licenses issued by the Palmerston North City Council, this year, compared with last year, was recorded by the traffic manager (Mr H. J. Smith) in his report to the council last evening. The number of licenses issued from June 1 to December 31 was 5541, an increase of 556 over the corresponding period of 1937. The total number of licenses issued for the whole period of 1937-38 was 5212, the eight months of the present year exceeding that number by 229. ’Plane Tyre Punctured. A punctured tyre and tube, an unusual happening for an airliner, delayed Union Airways’ Lockheed Elcctra monoplane which was to have left Kongotai Aerodrome, Wellington, at noon yesterday for Auckland. With a lull load of passengers, the machine had just left the tarmac and was moving toward the runway when the tyre on the port side of the undercarriage burst with a loud report. No spare tyres and tubes were available at Kongotai, and this equipment had to be obtained from Palmerston North. Hospital Employers’ Union. The Palmerston North Hospital Board yesterday decided to join the Hospital Board Employers’ Industrial Union. “It will not be long before board members will have to form a union,” jocularly commented Mr A. E. Mansford. It was reported that the Trained Nurses’ Association had decided to form an industrial union which would include all nursing staff, including trainees. Steps aro to be taken by the Hospital Board Employers’ Union to secure special awards covering the staff in the three main groups, nursing, clerical and domestic. Brick Area Limitations.

Though passed by the Palmerston North City Council, years ago, making that section of Itangitikei Street between Featherston Street and Boundary Hoad a brick area, a by-law has not been strictly enforced in the past in this zone, and applications have been dealt with on their merits. However, last evening, when permission was sought to build a house other than in brick on the Bangitikei Street frontage between Miro Street and Guy Avenue, the matter was held over by the council for consideration by the works committee. Itinerant Traders.

A suggestion from the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce that the by-laws should be amended to provide for the payment by itinerant traders of a license fee of £25 per annum did not find favour with the Palmerston North City Council when the matter came before it last evening, and a recommendation from the works committee opposing the increase was adopted. It was also decided to inform the Palmerston North Drapers’, Clothiers’ and Boot Retailers’ Association that the council is enforcing the by-law regarding the operations of itinerant traders and is taking action where evidence of a breach is submitted. Catering For Caravans. Overtures having been made that an organisation be provided for the particular welfare of owners of caravans, previous efforts to form an association having failed, the Manawatu Automobile Association has decided to investigate the possibility of forming a caravan section. “Caravans showed a great increase over those evident last year and arc on the whole of very fine construction. From the talks 1 have had with campers the popularity of caravans is growing fast, and 1 would suggest that the matter of a caravan section of the association be considered,” stated Mr H. R. D. Browne (service officer! in the course of his report received last night. Information is to lie sought from Auckland and Canterbury wliero the scheme is operating successfully. Limiting Cycle Stands.

Comment was made by the Mayor (Mr A. E. Mansford), at the meeting of the Palmerston North City Council last evening, when an application for the provision of another cycle stand on the northern side of Broadway was being considered, that care must be exercised not to restrict any further the space available for motor-car parking. Cr. W. B. Tennent said lie understood that some limit had been placed on the number of cycle stands permitted in the inner area of the city. The town clerk (Mr J. R. Hardie) informed the council that the matter was entirely at its discretion and the subject was held over in the meantime.