Fire Brigade Calls

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23946, 23 October 1939, Page 6

Fire Brigade Calls

A motor truck owned by J. >Mulhblland, carrier, caught fire in Ward street on Saturday morning, the' City Fire Brigade being called at; 8.17. The outbreak was caused by a j short circuit and the electric wiring c(£ the truck was damaged. At 0.37 yesterday morning the brigade was called qlut by a malicious false alarm front the corner of Arthur and Russell streets, and at 8.41 it responded to an. automatic false alarm from Messrs Irvine and Stevenson’s factory in Filleul street. A chimney fire in Carroll, street engaged the brigade’s attention at 11.47 a.m. j City Police Court | In the City Police Court on ( Saturday a first offender who appeared before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, SiM., on a charge of drunkenness, was lined 12s 6d, in default 24 hours’ imprisonment. Congested Industries | A move towards decentralisation of industry in the Dominion has begun in the past few months, but the number of firms setting up in provincial towns is not yet large enough to afford much relief in the most congested area, that around Wellington. There is) a serious problem in regard to the availability of land and buildings j suitable for manufacturing purposes in Wellington, and the labour problem is extremely acute. If the lack of{ machinists is to be overcome by decentralisation, it is stated, young workers will have to be trained in the.’ country districts. The Price of Beer Whether or not beer drinkers will be called upon to pay an increased price for their favourite beverage will be decided at a special meeting qf licensed victuallers to-morrow. The brewery companies have increased their price by 3d per gallon following the increased taxation in the Government’s War Budget. With the addition of’sales tax this means an increase of about 14s per hogshead. No decision has yet been reached by hotel fproprietors whether or not the increaise will be handed on by them to consumers, but it appears likely that bottled beer will bo increased by 6d per dozen bottles. I Wanaka or Pembroke? j A proposal to change the name of the township of Pembrokej to Wanaka is at present being put forward by the Lake County Council. The suggestion was originally made by the Wanaka Islands Domain Board and the council approached the Department of Internal Affairs on the matter. It has now been advised that, if a certified resolution to this effect is forwarded to the Governor-General,; the proposal will be further considered. The council has decided to give (public notice of the intention to change the name. Three Blasts—Trouble Three short blasts from the horn of the car driver behind means trouble, according to a decision) of the North Island Motor Union confirmed at the last meeting of the Automobile Association (Auckland). It 'was explained that the motoring authorities had decided to lay down a.standard form for attracting the attention jof a driver in the case of an emergency when anything was noticed to be amiss. New Zealanders in America “ My husband, who served four years with the Anzacs in the World War, has offered his services through the British Consul, among ( thousands of others,” writes a former Auckland woman from Long Beach, California, to a friend in Auckland. “The general sentiment in America is keep out of war, yet there seams little doubt of the issue in the near future. We rejoice in the news that again New Zealand has come to the aid of Great Britain and France iiti the cause of democracy.” The writer remits £5 as a contribution to the N»ew Zealand Red Cross Fund. !

Machinery on the Farms Owing to the demand by farmers for labour-saving machinery, due to the acute shortage of farm labour, implement manufacturers in the Auckland district have received numerous inquiries in recent months for equipment of the latest types, but the demand for ordinary implements has been disappointing. Sales of giant discs and other implements for breaking in virgin land are reported to have shown an increase, and the number of tractors in use is stdadily increasing. “ it's a Small World ” Sixteen years ago Mr Fred Roffe, superintendent of the Wellington District Free Ambulance, was in charge of the Ambulance Brigade at Maryborough, Queensland, and on one occasion he was called to an accident in al power-house. The patient was attended to in the usual manner, and possibly little was thought of the incident, which was just one of many m the day’s work. Last week, however (says the Evening Post), the Free Ambulance was called to an accident tase in the Hutt Valley, and much to the surprise of Mr Roffe the victim was his patient of 16 years ago. Organ Recital Two notable works of the national composer of Finland, Sibelius, were featured at last night’s organ recital in the Town Hall by Dr V. E. Galway. There was a large attendance, a number of visitors to the city being among ‘those present. The two numbers by I Sibelius were his Symphonic Poem, Finlandia,” a composition full of majesty and grandeur which was excellently played, and “ Romance ” in D flat, another attractive number. A popular item was Dvorak’s “ Largo ” from the “New Yorld Symphony.” In “Fanfare” (Waters) the organist revealed the trumpet stops to full effect and Bach’s brilliant “ Sinfonia ” in D major was artistically played. Dr Galway was assisted by Mr John T. Leech, who sang “Eleanore” (Col-eridge-Taylor) and “ Songs My Mother Taught Me” (Dvorak), and by Miss Irene Adamson, whose piano solos, “ Barcarole ” (Liadow) and “ Ragamuffin ” (John Ireland) were very well received.

Toll by Pukeko Representations for an open season for pukeko were made to the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. E. Parry) by a deputation which met him during his visit to Taupo (states the New Zealand Herald). It was stated that the birds were increasing rapidly and were depleting wild ducks by eating their eggs, as well as doing other damage. The Minister said that it appeared to be the old story of the pukeko being forced out of the swamps by settlement and finding new feeding grounds. He pointed out that any landowner who, considered he was suffering damage through the operations of pukeko could apply for a permit to destroy them. The deputation also impressed upon the Minister the necessity for improving ranging in the district, a fine 81b trout, which had been pierced by a spear or gaff, being produced by one speaker as evidence of the operations of poachers.' American Judge on the War A comment on the American attitude to war and to the Neutrality Law is given in a letter received from a judge in the United States by Mr E. J. Bell, librarian at the Canterbury Public Library. The writer, Judge William Harper, of Louisiana, has been corresponding with Mr Bell for, some time. He says: “So you are at war! May God Save the King be a true reality. Because, if the monster downs your King, civilisation will be destroyed. For that reason, I have argued all along, the democracies cannot let Hitler win. He and all his like must be forever banished, or all the effort is for naught. It is for this reason that I am strongly in favour of immediate revision of our Neutrality Law. I hope it will be changed soon, so that America’s resources may be thrown into the breach on the side of democracy. Many of our narrow-minded citizens, however, can’t see the matter as I do, and will do everything in their power to hold the present law. I think, however, that public sentiment is too strong against Hitler in the country to sustain the present law—and you know laws usually follow public sentiment in free countries.”

Another carnival dance will be held to-night in the Early Settlers’ Hall. Carnival novelties will be distributed, and the attractions include an oldtime waltz contest. Music will be provided by the Sports Orchestra and Hogg’s sound system. Ex “Taranaki.” A full supply of our new season’s Blue Mountain Jamaica—the world’s finest coffee! Only obtainable from A. Durie and Co., coffee specialists. 32 Octagon. Dunedin.—Advt. For rings, watches and jewellery, try Peter Dick, jewellers. 39 Princes street Dunedin.—Advt.