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Manawatu Standard, Volume LIX, Issue 94, 21 March 1939, Page 6

North Island Motor Union.

The annual meeting of the North Island Motor Union is to bo held in Palmerston North next August. Old Timber Mill Goes. For the past four months a party of 10 men has been at work in Port Craig. Southland, dismantling a timber mill which in its day was the largest operating in the South Island. There are lielieved to lie at least 1000 tons of valuable mill machinery and another 1000 tons of rails to be removed.

Obscured by Signs. It was reported to the committee of the Manawatu Automobile Association, last evening, that a letter had been received from the Terrace End Progressive Association drawing attention to the danger to motorists in view of the fact that railway signs near the Fitzroy Street crossing obscured the view of approaching trains. It was decided to take the matter up with the authorities concerned after the secretary and service officer had inspected the signs Kindergarten at Exhibition. Plans for the erection of a model kindergarten as a separate pavilion at the Centennial Exhibition, which is afterwards to be re-erected as an actual children’s schoolhouse in Wellington South, have been arranged by the Wellington Free Kindergarten Association, in conjunction with the exhibition authorities. —Press Association. Barriers Outside Schools. The Manawatu Automobile Association, last evening, decided to offer, provided they comply with the bylaws, safety barriers where requited outside of schools. The secretary (Mr S. 1. McKenzie) reported that lie had not written to the School Committees’ Association advising that barriers would be erected where required as there was some doubt as to whether they would comply with the bylaws, Further, in some cases, a barrier could not be erected opposite an entrance owing to the fact that such entrance was used for vehicles, whilst in other cases pedestrian crossings had been located directly opposite an entrance.

Thefts of Sheep Alleged. Tlie Masterton police are investigating allegations of sheep stealing in the Wairarapa. It is understood that two complaints have been received and that 200 ewes have been missed from one farm north of Masterton. Himatangi Road Junction. Notification was received by the Manawatu Automobile Association, last evening, from the Public Works Department that, as requested, arrangements were being made to seal a further eighteen inches in width of the roadway at the Himatangi highway junction. It was decided to thank the department for the action taken. Traffic Lanes Proposed. Advice from the Palmerston North City Council that it could not institute traffic lanes at The corner of the Square and Kangitikei Street has been considered by the administration committee of the Manawatu Automobile Association, which last evening decided to write to the council pointing out that the system had been very successful in Auckland, and suggesting that a demonstration should be arranged with the traffic department. Cost of Country Telephones. Unless relief was forthcoming they would be forced to cut out their telephones, said some speakers at a meeting of the Wairarapa provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union, when the action of the I’, and T. Department in removing concessions granted in 1931 to country telephone users and making further rental increases was criticised. Mr J. Andrew said that in his district the annual cost of a telephone had risen from £lO 18s to £lB 13s 4d. Last year he had paid £ls 17s 6d, and this year he was expected to pay £27 10s. A motion of protest was carried. Automobile Association Membership. Bringing the membership to the record figure of 3116, another 119 new members were elected at the meeting of the Manawatu Automobile Association. last evening. Over the past six years the membership has more than doubled, the figures, ending with the month of February, being 1933-34, 1227 ; 1934-35, 1325 ; 1935-36, 1509 ; 1936-37, 1789; 1937-38, 2228; 193839, 3051. Comment was made by the president (Air W. H. Brown) that it was a very satisfactory position. He considered the membership represented over 60 |>er cent of the motor-vehicles registered at Palmerston North. War Graves In Palestine. An assurance that the New Zealand war graves in Palestine were beautifully kept and devotedly maintained was given by Major A. K. Vickery, of Jerusalem, area superintendent for the Imperial War Graves Commission in Egypt, Palestine and Syria, who lias arrived at Auckland on a short visit to his brother, Rev. H. K. Vickery, port chaplain. Major Vickery said his area also embraced Turkey and Greece. No matter where there were British .soldiers’ graves, however, they were immaculately kept. Dangerous Road Curves. The Alain Highways Board has adopted a proposal to put down a double white line on curves, where it is considered undesirable for one motor vehicle to overtake another, and arrangements have been made for the automobile association concerned to be consulted before this is done. In order to secure uniformity of action. the suggestion was advanced, at a meeting of the Manawatu Automobile Association last evening, that county councils be asked to co-operate similarly with the automobile associations aiid Public Works Department where the same principle was applied to subsidiary roads.