RICHMOND BRANCH

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 16 December 1937, Page 10

RICHMOND BRANCH

W.D.F.U. i SOCIAL AFTERNOON i The December meeting was crowded when the Richmond branch of the W.D.F.U. held a social afternoon at the | Rest Room. Mrs Hockey welcomed ; the visitors in a cheery speech. Mrs Ilildyard, provincial president, responded and wished all a peaceful Christmasi tide. 1 Mesdames Cunningham, Kceble, K. | Wood and Toomer then entertained with a programme of music consisting of solos, duets and trios. A party of school children trained by Miss Wells gave a very enjoyable half-hour entertainment, fairy plays by the infants and part songs and solos by the older girls. The play-reading circle read ‘‘Five in a ''cage,” those taking part being Mes-J | dames Giblin, Brown, Croucher, Mason I [and Sister Kidd. i Afternoon tea was partaken and a | social chat enjoyed by all. The prize, for the best bloom in the garden went j to Mrs Palmer, with Mrs Poole 2nd, and j Mrs Cook 3rd. j The next afternoon the children of the Division were given a Christmas party, Ivs Woods kindly allowing use of her garden for the occasion. Games were enjoyed by the children and many mothers enjoyed the shade of the trees. Santa Claus arrived by the six o’clock plane loaded with gifts for all. An old- j time tea-party was then partaken of by ; all. Sweets were distributed to all. j

DRIVERLESS TRAINS | For 22 hours a day driver I ess and I passenger!ess trains run over the 61 miles of track linking the larger London P.O. sorting offices and Paddington and Liverpool Street main line stations. Last year 6.500.000 bags of letters and 4,000.000 bags of parcels were carried on the railway. Car-miles totalled 1,791,300. representing a saviiTg in traffic congestion on the streets , equivalent to 750,000 motor-van miles. The railway, which was completed in j 1927, was constructed at a .cost of i £1,750,000. It consists of a steel-lined tunnel nine feel in diameter, fitted with two running tracks and a number I of sidings. Automatic conveyor machinI cry carries mail bags from the surface to the train 70 feet below. A staff of | 334 men is constantly employed in the l operation of the railway.