NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26918, 2 November 1948, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Presentation Rugs The three rugs which will be presented to the members of the Royal Family during their visit to Dunedin in March of next year are now being specially made by the Mosgiel Woollen Company. The- Mayor, Sir Donald Cameron, told the Daily Times yesterday that the gift of the rugs had been accepted by the City Council, and that they would be most acceptable to the King, Queen, and Princess Margaret. Tipping of Rubbish An appeal to citizens not to tip rubbish or hedge clippings on property belonging to other people was made by Cr Ireland at a meeting of the City Council last night. He said that the council had received complaints about this nuisance from owners of property at North-East Valley. State Houses ** Otago has had 500 State housing tenancies allotted to it, under the scheme by which ex-servicemen get approximately half the available tenancies. Southland’s total is 199 and the grand total for New Zealand is 9158. The September allocations totalled 169 of which Otago province received 14 and Southland 6. Invitations Accepted , The City Council accepted an invitation last night to be present at the Remembrance Day service to be conducted by the Dunedin R.S.A. at the Cenotaph at 10.50 a.m. on Sunday next. The council also accepted an invitation to be present at the opening of the new, nurses’ home at the Central Mission Eventide Homes settlement at Company Bay on Saturday, December 4. Council Acquires Land The City Council decided last night to accept the offer ofthe Boy Scouts’ Association to transfer an area of 184 acres at Whare Flat to the council. The land adjoins the council’s plantations for the whole length of the property, and was acquired to afford protection to the plantations. The council has agreed to pay £450 on possession, and the association has to grant access over its lands to the area. Building Permits Eighty-five building permits covering \york to the value of £38,395, were issued in Dunedin during October. In October, 1947 126 permits, covering £46,381, were issued. The permits issued last month comprised eight for new dwellings valued at £15,309, 66 for alterations and additions to dwellings (£9044), eight for alterations and additions to other* buildings (£5208), and six for new Government dwellings (£8834). Health Stamp Sales Sales of health stamps for the week ended October 23 amounted to £4629, bringing the New Zealand total for the three weeks of the campaign to £86,672, announced the Postmastergeneral, Mr Hackett, yesterday. This, says a Press Association telegram, was £IO,OOO in advance of sales for the whole first month last year. The response was gratifying and reflected the good work being done by the health camp committees throughout the country. More Farm Courses There is every chance that further refresher farm courses for soldier settlers will be held in Southland, according to a letter from the Director of Rehabilitation received at Friday’s meeting of the District Council of the Invercargill R.S.A. The letter stated that a definite decision would not be made until the results of tfie two courses already held had been examined, but the information to hand suggested that the results had been very satisfactory. Scholarship in Agriculture In recognition of the advantages derived by his son from a course at Lincoln College an annual scholarship of £6O tenable alternately at the Lincoln and Massey Agricultural Colleges, has been provided under the will of Mr H. W. Hudson, of Auckland. This scholarship is available to students who have completed their agricultural diploma course or their first professional year of the Bachelor of Agricultural Science course, to enable them to undertake a further year’s practical farm work or farm organisation work with the college staff. Condition of View Street The city engineer, Mr S. G. Scoular, will be asked by the chairman of the Works Committee of the City Council, Cr Ireland, to investigate the possibility of improving the surface of View street. Cr Jolly asked Cr Ireland last night if this could be done, as residents of the street complained of its condition in wet weather, especially after cars had been parked on the grass margins for the whole length of the street. Cr Ireland said that the General Committee might take steps to prohibit parking in View street. If the area were paved, it would become a “death trap.’’ The surface had to be kept rough. . e Mr Semple Remembers The Minister of Works, Mr Semple, ’ who worked on the construction of the Otira tunnel for two years, was one of the speakers on Sunday when the twenty-fifth anniversary of the opening of the tunnel was celebrated at Otira. Mr Semple said the tunnelling was hard work. -Enough sweat had been lost to fill a paddling pool for the children of Otira, and he had swallowed enough gelignite to kill a bullock. Mr Semple recalled that five men had been killed on the tunnel construction and praised the pioneering efforts which made the link possible. Checking of Petrol Traffic inspectors have not been insliucted to stop motorists at random and ask them where they got their petrol, nor have they been doing this, said the Oil Fuel Controller, Mr G. L. Laurenson, in Wellington a few days ago. He was replying •to allegations made by the Auckland Automobile Association. A recent notice in the Gazette authorised inspectors of the Transport Department to obtain certain information which might be essential in detecting abuses of the rationing system. It has been the practice during the present rationing period to issue individual warrants to inspectors, and the gazetting of the notice is merely to avoid this and to inform the public.