Fire Brigade Call

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23332, 26 October 1937, Page 8

Fire Brigade Call

The outhouses of a dwelling occupied by Mrs Hagan, of 243 Crawford street, were badly damaged by fl.re yesterday morning, and her house, in addition to another adjoining, which was occupied by Mrs Greenall. was slightly damaged. Machines from the Central Station responded to the alarm, which was received at 7.14 a.m. The cause of the outbreak is unknown.

Sent to Institution Consequent on investigation by the police into complaints regarding a man who has recently been molesting women in Rattray street and in several of the hill suburbs, a youth was arrested on Saturday and sent to an institution. Labour Day Traffic The Labour Day traffic from. Dunedin by rail yesterday was fairly heavy, approximately 2500 people leaving the city in the morning. Two special trains to Oamaru carried 400 persons to the Oamaru Trotting Club’s meeting, and about 150 went south to the Gore races. Another train to Oamaru and two to Palmerston later in the morning took a total of 750, and the 8.45 express for Christchurch carried a complement of 250. Th 6 7.2 Central Otago train had 140 people on board, and the 8.33 south express was also well filled. A picnic at Mosgiel attracted about 220 persons by rail, and the excursion train to Owaka and the McLennan sports meeting carried 140. Wilhin the city itself there was comparative quiet, and the tram traffic was not unusually heavy. Few people were abroad in the morning, the cold wind keeping them from .pending a day at the beach but the traffic was be.ter in the afternoon, when ail ’the picture theatr s offered their screenings. Bus traffic was only fair.

Uniform Crossings The need for uniformity of pedestrian crossings throughout New Zealand was stressed by the president of the Au omobile Association (Auckland). Mr F. G. Farrell, at a meeting of the council, when a report on crossings in Auckland was considered. Mr Farrell said he had noticed there was little uniformity in the pedestrian crossings in use throughout New Zealand. Visitors travelling from south to north found different types of crossings in use in practically every town they visited. Strong representations should be made to the Transport Department through the North Island Motor Union to have them made uniform. Guidance in Art The opinion that- the large sums sunk in public art galleries and moneys spent on their upkeep were largely wasted unless trained experts were provided to give instruction and assistance to visitors, was expressed by the president of the Auckland Society of Arts (Mr R. O. Gross) in an address at the opening of the society’s spring exhibition. It was said that the public did not understand art. he remarked, and undoubtedly the public showed little interest in it. This had been due in the past to (J lack of facilities for intelligent study. Recently, by loan collections and other means, the facilities had been greatly improved, but without the personal service he had mentioned public galleries would still represent a waste of money and opportunity.

Replies in Housing SurveySome of the more amusing replies given by householders during the recent housing survey in Christchurch were recounted by the chief city inspector (Mr J. W. Huggins) in an address recently to the Canterbury branch of the Royal Sanitary Institute of New Zealand. “One of the questions sought the reason of the householder for living in the locality,” said Mr Huggins. “ The replies, it was hoped, would give some idea of the possibilities of housing, in more suitable areas, families in congested districts. One reason was that the house was near three hotels; another was that the householder suffered from 1 sustenancitis.’ The reply on one form to a question about the sex of the residents was that of a man who gave his sex as Catholic and that of his' wife as English.” Cost of Handling Cargo “Freight rates between New Zealand and Britain were arranged in the past by the Dairy Board and the Meat Board. Now they are arranged by the Marketing Department or Minister, and they Have gone up 2J per cent., while Australian rates have gone down,” said Mr A. J. Murdoch, chairman of the Dairy Board, at Stratford, recently. “We can only assume it is due directly to handling at our ports, for that handling is not what it should be. Charges were being increased through stoppages.” Mr Murdoch said that a ship was loaded with fruit in Australia recently in 13 hours, yet it took 32 hours to unload it in New Zealand. “It gives vis great concern,” he added, “ for we see these charges mounting in every direction. I had it said to me by a member of Parliament that what was wanted was a Arm stand. I agreed, and asked him if he would do it. I think we know how to put produce on the boats at a more rapid rate, but unfortunately we are not allowed to do it.” Australian Steel Industry

“ The agricultural and pastoral industry in Australia is going well, and the business men there have a great idea of the future of the country in manufacturing,” remarked Sir William Hunt, in an address at the annual meeting of the Canterbury Employers’ Association. “ Iron and steel are being made there at a lower cost than in any other country, I was told. I put that down a little to Australian ‘ blowing,’ but when I reached England I found that this claim was true. I was told in England that the Broken Hill works were the largest steel-manufacturing plant in the world, and that they were the best-equipped and most up to dale.” Hories for the Army Whether more reliance should be placed on the horse than on mechanised modes of transport, for defence purposes, formed the subject of a short discussion at a meeting of the Wellington Central Executive of the Faimers’ Union at Marton, when there was a proposal that the Government should subsidise the breeding of troop horses, with the object of having sufficient on hand in the event of a national emergency, such as the cutting off of petrol supplies. It was claimed that mounted units were more mobile than mechanised units, which had to rely on roads. The horse could go across country which would be difficult for tractors and cars. Other members of the executive were equally as concerned with the shortage of horses for farm work, and it was agreed to support the proposal. Politics in Ceylon An amusing sidelight on political methods adopted by the 1 natives of Ceylon was given the other day by Mr W. J. Roche, a Ceylon rubber planter, who is visiting Christchurch. He said that all the natives, even those who are illiterate, are allowed to vote in the elections for the Legislative Assembly. and colours are assigned to each candidate for the benefit of voters who cannot read. The right before one election the “white” native candidate spread the report that the colour of the “ red ” candidate had been changed to white. He was elected, but an appeal was made, and he was unseated and disqualified. His next move, however, was to have his wife stand in his place. Mr Roche said that" the Europeans were becoming concerned at the native influence in the Government. There were only seven European representatives in a House of about 240, which was subject only to the Governor’s power of veto, and even this restriction was opposed by the home rule party. Another danger feared was the spread of Communistic propaganda.