NEWS OF THE DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27346, 23 March 1950, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Race Traffic Hazard A heavy volume of traffic, both before and after racemeetings at Wingatui, used the deviation to and from Dunedin, known as “ Puddle alley, Mr L. de la Perrelle, secretary of the Dunedin Jockey Club, told the Minister of Works, Mr Goosman, yesterday, when the Taieri County Council was making represontations to him. Mr Perrelle produced a recent press photograph of the bridge, and stated that the structure was a menace to motorists. It was { completely out of alignment with the road, he said, The deputation was assured that a new bridge, properly aligned with the road, would be built by the department within the next year or two.

City Water Supply The storage in the city reservoirs continues to fall at the rate of about 1,500,000 gallons a day. The total stood at 119,000,000 gallons yesterday morning. “ The Army Hall ”

A change of name for army premises has been ordered by army headquarters, and as a result, the use of the term “ Drill Hall ” will be discontinued and the term “Army Hall substituted. The Kensington Drill Hall in Dunedin will now be known as the Kensington Army Hall.

Aninversary Day Today is the anniversary of the founding of the province of Otago in 1848, and the occasion will be observed as a general holiday. The Otago Early Settlers’ Association will hold its usual anniversary gathering in the Mam Town Hall at 2 p.m. The Rt. Rev. R. S. Watson, moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, will be the principal speaker. Wakari Centre

Assistance from the Government in levelling work to make a playing field for children at the Wakari Community Centre was sought by the centre’s executive when it waited on the Minister of Works, Mr Goosman, yesterday. The Minister indicated that he would look into the matter, of which at the moment he knew very little. Density Of Traffic

There was more traffic oven the Wel-lington-Auckland railway line in a year than there was over the whole service in the South Island, the Minister of Railways, Mr Goosman, told a deputation yesterday morning, when discussing the question of electrification of the suburban Port ChalmersMosgiel line. Substantial Bequests

The estate of Mrs Ethel Maud Popplewell, of Dunedin, has been sworn for the purposes of probate at under £20,000. The will contains substantial bequests to Roman Catholic organisations, a number of provisions Of a personal nature, and provision for tbe balance of the estate to be divided between the. New Zealand Crippled Children Society and the Otago and Southland Division of the New Zealand branch of the British Empire Cancer Campaign Society. State Sovereignty

“ I do not want to disparage the United Nations, but a world organisation formed by united sovereign States seems to me an impossibility,” said Dr Richard Weiss, of Vienna, in reply to a question at a public meeting in Christchurch. A sovereign State remained the ultimate judge of war or peace, and there could be no true world organisation until the nations allowed their sovereignty to “fade into the background.” Topdressing from Air

The largest aerial top-dressing contract to be undertaken in the South Island, of 170 tons of superphpsphate on the “Stanton" property of Hope Bros., at Kimbell, in South Canterbury, has been completed. The contract was carried out by Airwork (NZ), Ltd. An overall coverage of 2cwt an acre required the use of two aircratt and two loading teams for about eight working days. The loading operation was cut down to one minute between landing and taking off. Road To Glenorchy

Representing the local Progress League, Mr E. F. Tilbury, Glenorchy, approached the Minister of Works. Mr Goosman, yesterday concerning the possibility of building a road from Queenstown to Glenorchy, at the head of Lake Wakatipu. The Minister was sympathetic to the representations made, and asked the chief engineer of the Ministry of Works, Mr A. G. Park, to investigate the whole project. Obviously, he added the Government could not run the lake steamer and build a road as well. Money For Rags

The Auckland branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children, Society is turning rags into hundreds of pounds. An Auckland firm suggested to the society that if householders would contribute rags they would be collected and the society would be paid the controlled price. The society agreed, and has sent collecting bags to thousands of homes. Since the branch started the scheme in January, it has raised nearly £6OO. The secretary said the money would help towards the Auckland branch’s projects—a day school, a residential school, and a vocational training centre. Daylight Class

Approval of a contract for £778 for alterations to the plumbing shop had been given, but the contractors had not yet begun the work, the principal of the King Edward Technical College, Mr J. V. Burton, reported at the monthly meeting of the board last night. As a result, daylight apprenticeship classes were unable to begin immediately, but arrangements had been made to carry on the work in the evening school. Under a recent order issued by the Arbitration Court, all apprentices in Dunedin will be required to attend the classes when accommodation becomes available. A Labour Split ?

It is thought likely m militant union circles that there will be a split in the Federation of Labour because of the expulsion of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union. “If it does not come at this year’s conference, it will come next year,” said one prominent trade unionist of the militant group in Wellington. “It must come eventually.” Some circles believe that the watersiders’ delegates will not be allowed to remain at the conference for more than a very brief period, but that, when expelled, •a number of other militant union representatives will leave the conference with them. Long Lane

The complexities of the highway system of the United States at first baffled Mr M. Davis, a young Christchurch surveyor, who has just returned after 15 months’ stay in the United States and Canada. Failing to allow for the time difference between States while travelling south, Mr Davis inadvertently arrived at Chicago during the peak hour. He joined the wrong traffic lane—the highway was divided into numerous lanes — and had to go 30 miles before he was able to turn or stop. Mr Davis was told later that the Chicago people went to the outside lanes if they wished to alter their course. Ratepayers Protest

A protest against the granting of the increases in transport fares sought by the City Corporation was lodged at a special meeting of tfie executive of the Mornington District Ratepayers and Householders’ Association. The meeting was held to consider the question of the City Council’s application to the Transport Charges Committee for an increase in fares. The corporation, it was reported, is seeking permission to increase apprentices’ tickets from Is 3d to 2s, University students’ tickets from 2s to 2s 6d, and school children’s tickets from 2s Pd to 3s and 4s to 4s 6d.