NEWS OF THE DAY

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 62, 15 March 1938, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

The Automobile Association (Manawatu) last evening elected 32 new members.

A first offender on a charge of drunkenness before the Palmerston North Magistrate’s Court yesterday was said to have had £B7 in his possession when arrested. He was 75 years of age. During February 45,891 passengers were carried on the Palmerston North municipal buses. The revenue, £563, showed an increase of £3B on that for the corresponding month of 1937. The Palmerston North City Council decided last night to approach the Kairanga County Council to see whether it was prepared to make a contribution to the cost of a pipe bridge over the Tiritea stream. With the object of helping to minimise road accidents at the intersection of Milson line and the BunnythorpeKairanga road, the Automobile Association (Manawatu) has erected signs indicating a major road ahead. The question of improvements to the Palmerston North Esplanade motor camp site was before the -executive of the Automobile Association. (Mana* watu) last evening, when the president (Mr. W. H. Brown) said an inspection of the grounds had been made and suggestions noted for placing before the City Council at an early date. When the House of Representatives met yesterday afternoon the Minister of Education, Hon. P. Fraser, gave notice to move that the Education Committee have leave to sit during the recess to consider the jiowers and provisions of the Education Bill, which is to be introduced this session.—Press Assn.

Iu regard to the proposed exchange of land between the Palmerston North. City Council and the St. Andrew's Church Trustees, the council decided last night, on the recommendation of its works committee, that the city solicitors be instructed to proceed with the exchange, and that they be instructed to prepare the necessary resolutions or the proclamation to be passed by the eouncil. The brilliant Maori player, G. Ncpia, who earned fame as the fullback of the New Zealand Rugby team which toured Great Britain in 1924-25, will play Rugby League football in Auckland during the coming season. Nepia, who will play for the Manukau senior team, which is composed mostly of Maoris, is expected to arrive in Auckland toward the end of this month.

While in Sydney at a radio and electrical exhibition Mr W. A. Waters, of Palmerston North, saw a new electric lamp that emitted what is called “black light,” that is, it emitted an ultra violet light which is invisible to the eye but a photo electric cell will respond to it. It has a sphere of application for many purposes such as for burglar alarms for when the invisible beam is interrupted, the alarm will go off.

A single-roomed bach at the rear of Amesbury House was extensively damaged by a fire to which the Palmerston North Brigade received a call at 5.20 last evening. Underneath hhe iron root were shingles, which compelled the brigade to remove the outer covering, thus hampering the speedy suppression of the outbreak, which was not of a major nature. The main building was not damaged.

At a meeting of railwaymen, held during the -week-end, the following resolution was carried: “That this meeting of members of the combined railway organisations of Palmerston North expresses its confidence in the candidates who are offering themselves, in the Labour interests, for the Mayoralty, City Council and the Wellington Harbour Board, and pledges itself to use every legitimate means to secure their election.”

Following a communication from the exhibition committee, Electric Power Boards and Bppply Authorities Association of N.Z., requesting the support of the Palmerston North City Council to a proposal to establish an electrical court at tho New Zealand Centennial Exhibition and advising that the council’s share of such cost war £6O per annum for a period of three years, the council decided last night that the proposal be agreed to and that contribution be made as requested.

A letter from the Commissioner of Transport to tho Palmerston North City Council stated that the matter of providing some regulation ;-.ign or symbol to indicate tho presence of an authorised pedestrian crossing had received consideration, and requested comment upon a proposal to erect a post at the kerb adjacent to each crossing, the post to be painted in alternate bands of black and white. The council decided last night to advise the Commissioner that, in its opinion, the posts were not considered suitable, and that it considered that electrically controlled signals at such crossings were the best means of regulating traffic.

In connection with the proposed new highway through Makerua plains, the Public Works Department advised the executive of the Automobile Association (Manawatu) last evening that, the site of a new bridge over the Manawatu river had been decided on and an engineering survey of that site for the preparation of bridge plans would be put in hand as soon as engineeiing staff could be detailed for the purpose. At present all survey staff was fully engaged on other urgent work actually in progress. It was the Highways Board’s intention to arrange as far as possible for the erection of the new bridge and reconstruction of the road at about the same time.

“I am com|ng to the conviction that compulsory stop signs, instead of ‘Major Road Ahead’ signs, will have to be erected on side roads which carry little traffic and where the visibility is bad,” said Mr. G. Laurenson, Commissioner of Transport, at a meeting of the executive of the South Island Motor Union. Mr. J. S. Hawkes contended that “Major Road Ahead” signs had no legal significance and would lull tourists from England into a false sense of security when, on the highway they approached an intersection; and Mr. Laurenson admitted that New Zealand had no major and minor roads, the righthand rule being operative at all intersections.