GENERAL ITEMS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 17 April 1939, Page 6

GENERAL ITEMS

Social Security Registration "All persons, male and female, sixteen years of age and over are reminded that, unless they are already regis- , tered under the Employment Promotion Act. it is necessary for them to register under the Social Security Act during the current month. In order to avoid congestion which is likely to occur at the end of the month, all persons affected are advised to register as early as possible. At the Chief Post Office. Nelson, registration may be effected at any time between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. daily.” School Libraries Application was made to the Nelson Education Board to-day by the Nelson Institute and Library for a grant of £SO towards the children's section of the library and pointed out the advantages which would result in the service given for school children in the city. The matter was held over by the board until the next meeting pending the receipt of further information regarding the library systems in Dunedin and Christchurch. “Bull-dozing” In Commerce Protesting against the principle of vesting the final right of appeal in the handf of Cabinet Ministers in certain matters. Mr H. S. E. Turner, at a meeting of the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, said that the essence of totalitarianism was that the Government should be the “be all and end all.” reports the Christchurch "Star-Sun.” Britishers were not accustomed to that. "Bull-dozing” was not being used only in a physical sense, but also in commerce, and th.ve should not rest until that type of "bull-dozing” was done away with. Mr Turner was speaking on the action taken by the Associated Chambers of Commerce in putting forward constructive proposals for the amending of the Industrial Efficiency Act. The council decided to congratulate the Associated Chambers on the action taken Thirty Thousand Motorists Bringing the roll number up to 31.>64 members, a list of 811 new members were elected at the monthly meeting last week of the Automobile Association executive (reports the “Star”) The secretary reported that during March 202 motorists, including a number of overseas visitors, had taken advantage of the “get you home” service, which had given its benefactions to 1109 motorists in the past seven months. Reporting on the Easter traffic, the chief patrol expressed the view that the increase in the accident roll was the result of the average motorist trying to cover too much country in the time at his disposal. The meeting decided to send a patrol this year to Fiji, where the membership is approaching 500. With a view to educating pedestrains and motorists on the proper use of pedestrian crossings, it was decided to endeavour to get the Transport Department to prepare, and arrange for the regular screening, of a series of picture films on the subject. The Cheque Marked “X” Travellers who do not like to carry large sums of money about with them, but prefer to depend on cheques or letters of credit, have probably never considered the difficulty they would be in if. through some injury, they were unable to sign their names, states the Christchurch “Star-Sun.” A tourist recently in Christchurch suffered a broken wrist, and l ad to go through much formality before even a small sum could be obtained. The tourist had to find another depositor in the same bank, who would act as guarantor. Various endorsements were made on the cheque, on which the tourist made a cross, which the guarantor witnessed. This was the first case of its kind in the history of the bank It is easy to see what an awkward situation a tourist in a foreign country would be in. particularly if he could find no one to identify him. Stock on the West Coast “The past six weeks have saved the situation, so far as the wintering of stock eo the West Coast is concerned." said Mr W. E. Norton. President of the West Coast Farmers’ Union, last week, in reply to a question as to the feed prospects in the district (reports the Greymouth “Star”). “Towards the end of February.” continued Mr Norton. "West Coast farmers were facing -t serious situation With the prolonged spell of wet, cold weather, the grass had not come away and the stock were in such poor condition that it was certain that many of them would not survive the winter, even with imported feed. However, there has been a good growth of grass in the past six weeks, and pastures generally are in good condition and should carry through the winter months without difficulty. Most farmers have been able to provide winter feed, but those who have not will be faced with heavy expense, as feed will be very dear, due to the drought conditions in Nelson. Marlborough and parts of Canterbury.” New Method of Mixing Concrete A novel method ot making concrete has been adopted in connection with the work on the foundations of the new Auckland Chief Post Office block (states the “Star”). By the use of a huge tank many tons of material are mechanically mixed after being accurately measured according to a Public Works prescription. and the water content is also carefully controlled. From the tank the liquid concrete is delivered into tanks fitted on motor trucks and is thus transported to the job To keep it in the required condition for laying the mixture is agitated by means of an internal combustion engine as the truck moves through the streets. The result is that when the truck arrives the liquid mix is ready to be turned immediately into the troughs which convey it to the foundaions of the building.

The Bee Was To Blame Charged with reckless driving while in a state of intoxication, a lorry driver appearing in a North Auckland Magistrate's Court successfully maintained that the charge should have been "reck- ; less driving when stung by a bee.’’ He claimed that he had 'felt an agonising i sting in the back of his neck, and had . put his head down and unconsciously (pressed on the accelerator. When he; I looked up he saw a car approaching head on. and swung to the wrong side of the road, pulling up just after he had j glanced off the car’s mudguard. As j the other motorist involved was in Court to give evidence that he had ! taken the sting out of th elorry driver's ■ neck, the charge was dismissed by the magistrate. Condition of Rolling Stock Contending that the rolling stock of the Railway Department was not in as efficient a state as it should be. Mr A. E. Bartrum suggested at a meeting of the council of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce last week that the Minister for Railways (the Hon. D G. Sullivan) might be asked for an assurance that the rolling stock was kept up to standard (reports “The Press”>. Mr Bartrum said that there had recently i been a number of minor railway accidents. but whether this was the result of inefficient equipment or not he did not know. However, it was evident to those who had any close connection with the railways that the rolling stock, including locomotives, was not in a highly efficient state. He understood that economies introduced by the last Government had not been removed. This question and one raised by Mr T. N. Gibbs—the bumps which passengers on the boat-trains to and from Lyttelton experienced during shunting at the port—were referred to the transport commitee of the council. Reckless Holiday Driving Reference to reckless motor drivers during the Easter holiday period was made at last week’s meeting of the Automobile Association (Otago) by Mr A E. Ansell (chairman of the Safety First Committee), who said that driving over the holidays had not been a erdeit to motorists generally (reports the "Otago Daily Times”) Most drivers realised their responsibilities, but tlierc were some who still, in spite of repeated warnings, regarded the road as I their own particular playground, to be used as they thought fit A member j who had been driving for 31) years had summed the matter up when he said he had not seen more concentrated recklessness in three or four days than i he had encountered during Easter, j What they were going to do about it he did not know-. Penalties would ; have to be increased for the benefit of 1 the minority. There were only two wavs of dealing with the problem—edu- 1 cation or enforcement—and he was in- ! dined to favour enforcement But no j matter how discouraging the mortality or accident figures might be. those 1 working in the interests of road safety could not afford to relax their efforts in any way.—The chariman (Mr P. W Breen) said that 95 per cent, of acci- j dents were avoidable, and he considered that the only effective check was by increasing the number of traffic in- j spectors and exercising a more rigid; control of speed. Delivery of Orders At the annual meeting of the Otago j Masters Grocers, it was stated that I there appeared to be a growing tendency on the part of the public to place I orders on Saturdays. The Shops and I Offices Act does not allow shop assistants to be employed after noon on the ! day of the half-holiday, and as grocers’ I drivers arc shop assistants there is ; every possibility of the delivery of late ! orders being held over till the follow- j ing Monday.