NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 260, 2 November 1937, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

A donation of £2 2s as a dinner cooking prize was made by the Palmerston North City Council last night to the Technical School.

Customs returns for the port of Napier during October totalled £49,729, as against £33,960 for the corresponding month of last year. Last month's total Was made up as follows: —Net Customs, £35,496; sales tax, £4525; petrol, £8668; miscellaneous, £IO6O. The Court of Review will commence a sitting at New Plymouth on Friday, November 19, lasting for about five or six days. The Court will then proceed to Palmerston North, where it is expected to commence on November 26 a sitting anticipated to last for ten days.

The death occurred at the Palmerston North Hospital yestorday afternoon of Rangi Te Ahu, a three-month-old Maori child, whose parents reside at Shannon, in circumstances that necessitate a pathological inquiry to be followed at a, later date by an inquest.

October births in the Palmerston North registration district show a decided drop this year when compared with October, 1936. Deaths were also fewer, as also were marriages. The figures are as follow:—Births, 48 (57); deaths, 23 (27); marriage notices, 23 (30). Fat which caught on fire while it was being rendered down at 549 Church street, Palmerston North, at 2.15 yesterday afternoon proved a little difficult to extinguish and the services of the Fire Brigade had to be called upon. The brigadesmen by the use of chemicals prevented any damage occurring. Anniversary Day in Hawke's Bay and Marlborough occurred yesterday. Of the two, Hawke's Bay is the senior province, being founded on November 1, 1858. Hawke’s Bay can point to no actual date of its birth as a settlement. Lc therefore marks its foundation by observing the anniversary of its establishment as a soparate province.

While oiling a motor mower at Nelson Park, Napier, on Saturday afternoon, Mr. lan Blaikie, an employee of the Napier City Council reserves department, had the top of one fingei* severed at the first joint. Mr. Blaikie, who is a resident of "Wairangi," near Taradale, was oiling the machine while the engine was running and his hand was caught in a chain In the engine. The Wellington Provincial Funeral Directors' Association advised the Palmerston North City Council last night that, as from November 1, they would not be responsible for the purchase money for plots or other interment fees in either of the local cemeteries. It was decided that the person ordering the purchase and digging of a grave should bo held responsible for payment of the purchase money and all other interment fees, etc.

In a letter which came before the Palmerston North City Council last night the Taknro Progressive Association offered to present two seats to be placed in the children's area at Takaro Park, the presentation to take place on Tuesday, November 9, at 7 p.m. at the park. It was decided that the communication be received and the offer be accepted with thanks, and that the club be advised that the date suggested was acceptable to tho council. The Palmerston North Fire Brigade was summoned on 22 occasions during October, as compared with eight for the corresponding period of 1936. The number of calls received constitute a record which is not exceeded in the memory of the superintendent (Mr. P. Milverton). The calls were made up as follow, the figures for October, 1936. being shown in parentheses 9 (4); chimney fires, 5 (1); grass, 5 (0); rubbish, 2 (0); justified false alarm, 1 (1).

A collision of more serious consequences was narrowly averted at the corner of Fitzherbcrt and Ferguson streets yesterday afternoon at 5.30 when a Gray car driven by Mr. Walter Millar and a motor truck driven by Mr. Norman Bruce came into unwelcome contact. Fortunately no one was in jured but tho Gray lost one of its front wheels completely and had to be towed away later by the salvage truck, and the truck's front and rear mudguards were badly dented. Considerable regret is felt by executive officers of the A. and P. Association that a party of several hundreds of Australian tourists who have been in tho North Island for the past few days, will not, owing to the nature of the programme arranged for them, be able to see such an outstanding fixture as the Royal Show. Landing at Auckland last Friday, they passed overland to Wellington, arriving there yesterday to embark after a short stay. Had their tour been arranged for a day or two later, they would have been afforded a unique insight into the rural wealth and industry of the Dominion.

Certain amendments to the stands recently allocated for use by taxis were made by the Palmerston North City Council last night. The Minister of Transport wrote advising that a deputation representing Amalgamated Taxi Cabs, Ltd., had waited upon him and had discussed the taxi position in the city, and pointing out that, if two companies were granted stands on the same rights, a period of intense competition would be likely to develop. The council decided to advise the Minister that it had not been its intention to arrange for the occupation of the same stands by the two companies and, further, that the council’s by-laws were sufficient to prevent the development of a taxi war.