NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26783, 28 May 1948, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Sealing of Highway A contract for the sealing of three sections, totalling eight miles, of the highway between Island Block and Coal Creek has been let. An official of the Public Works Department said yesterday that the work was expected to be completed by March 31 of next year. The road was partly sealed before the war and further work was done last summer. When the remainder is sealed, there will be 21 miles of continuous sealed road.

Food Parcels Arrive The ship Pipiriki, from Dunedin, arrived in the United Kingdom on May 20 with 2376 food parcels weighing 22,3001 b. The parcels were posted in the South Island, except Nelson, between April 3 and 14. Smoking An Offence The first charge in Southland and possibly in New Zealand, under the new transport regulations which prohibit smoking by drivers of taxi-cabs or omnibuses while carrying fare-pay-ing passengers, was brought before the notice of the Magistrate’s Court in Invercargill on Wednesday. Mervyn William Greer, a taxi-driver, pleaded guilty to the offence and was convicted and ordered to pay costs 10s. “The regulation is there and it must be observed,” said the magistrate, Mr R. C. Abernethy. Training of Nurses The Otago Hospital Board last night approved a report from the Maternity Services Committee to the effect that Hilljack and El Nido Maternity Hospitals should be recognised as part of the board’s training school for maternity nurses, and that a panel of doctors, approved by the professor of obstetrics, be appointed for lectures. The report stated that all patients were to be given freedom of choice of their doctor, but any cases could be used for practical obstetrics. It was expected that a larger number of nurses would be trained as a result. It was further decided that emergency cases should be admitted to both these hospitals up to their allotted capacity.

The Great Commoner William Pitt, “ the great Commoner,” was born 189 years ago to-day, on May 28, 1759. He became Prime Minister of England at 24 years of age and, after a career as notable as that of Gladstone in the succeeding century, died at the early age of 47. An autographed letter and portrait of Pitt are to be seen at the Public Library, and also a letter of his celebrated, eccentric niece, Lady Hester Lucy Stanhope, who became almost a legendary figure in the Near East in the early nineteenth century. Credence Strained He could not' understand complaints about bottled milk not remaining fresh for 24 hours, Mr J. G. Barnes said at a meeting of the Dunedin Metropolitan Milk Board last night. Recently, he had gone to the milk treatment station, chosen a bottle at random and taken it home. It was branded Thursday, and his family was still using the milk from it on the following Sunday. He had always found the milk to be fresh and had difficulty in giving credence to complaints to a contrary effect. Rover Scouts Voyage A party of Dunedin Rover Scouts, who will help in the formation of a Rovers crew in Oamaru, will travel to North Otago this week-end in Mr A. J. Black’s sea-going launch Alert. They will leave to-morrow, spend the night in camp at the Oamaru racecourse, dnd will return on Sunday afternoon. TJie Alert, lying in front of the Harbour Board’s office, took on board, provisions yesterday and was made shipshape for her voyage. Mr Black, who is Dominion Commissioner of Sea, Scouts, will confer with the Oamaru Sea Scouts while he is there. A Rover is a Scout over the age of 17. Ship to be Fumigated The steamer Narbada, now at the Victoria wharf unloading tea and jute goods from Colombo and Calcutta, will go to Port Chalmers for fumigation after completing her discharge. This operation,! which will be carried out under the supervision of the Health Department, has as its primary object the killing of vermin. After the holds have been' sealed tightly, cyanide will be pumped in and all that will remain to be done afterwards will be to clear away the corpses. Although the Narbada’s movements have not yet been announced, it is expected that the vessel will sail for Auckland when this work 4s completed. Equipping of'Talboys Home ■ A requisition for £7OB 2s 6d from the manager of Talboys Home for extra comforts at the institution was approved by the Otago Hospital Board last night. It was pointed out that the comforts, which included settees, chairs, bedside and hearth rugs, combination lockers, tallboys and lowboys, had all been suggested by the Minister of Health, Miss Howard. Dr D. G. McMillan said that the requisition did not cover all the things the Minister had recommended, but if more were required the question of obtaining them would be considered. Tramsheds Sparrow For some months past a common sparrow has indulged in the habit of coming and going as it pleases about the room at the City Tramsheds in which drivers and conductors have cups of tea and a bite to eat. The bird preserves its individuality. It is tame, but not to the point of condescending to fraternise with the men who use the room. It will drop to the floor for a morsel of food, or it will wing gaily over their heads. Its presence has been accepted by the men as part of the daily routine, and they appear to derive pleasure and amusement from it. The sparrow carried out its flights as usual during the past two days, in spite of the fact tha matters of some moment were being considered at four shift meetings and that the room was at times full of men. Indeed, it showed no signs of being perturbed by the weighty nature of the discussions.