IN TOWN AND OUT

Southland Times, Issue 22473, 8 November 1934, Page 6

IN TOWN AND OUT

NEWS OF THE DAY Eggs Dearer. A shortage of eggs during the past week is responsible for the increase in the price of eggs by one penny a dozen. It is possible that a further increase will be reported next week. » * • • Hot Weather. The splendid weather of the last fev> weeks was capped by a hot, calm day for the Kelso Show yesterday, and not a few male visitors defied convention to the extent of doffing their coats for the sake of comfort. Oddly enough, despite the fine weather, influenza is prevalent in this district at present. ♦ ♦ • * Unusual Fatality. Injuries received when he was butted by a calf while at work proved fatal when William Nicol, aged 17, of Springhills, died in the Southland Hospital in the early hours of yesterday morning. The accident occurred on Thursday of last week when the boy was feeding the calf while working on Mr Thomas Keen’s farm. It is understood that the boy was butted so strongly that he received severe internal injuries. An inquest will be held this morning. ' * ♦ * • Dusty or Dustless Roads. In view of the interest that is being taken in the merits of dustless roads, the following excerpt from a report submitted by Mr J. S. Dick, secretary of the Southland Motor Association to his committee, bears reproducing: “Anyone who has motored in the north is immediately struck on his return to Southland with the lack of bitumen surfaced roads in the district. I feel that our association should agitate more strongly for grants from the Main Highways Board for this work to be taken up by the local authorities here. As an illustration of what they are doing in the north, I give the following extract taken from one of the local newspapers dated September 26: ‘On a proposal to raise a loan of £30,000 for the permanent surfacing of the main highway between Ngaruawahia and Te Awamutu, the Waipa County ratepayers voted solidly in favour of the proposal. Two hundred and five votes were cast for the proposal and 147 against. The work will be subsidized by the Main Highways Board to the extent of £115,000. The total estimated cost is £145,000.’ A further example is the road from Wellington to Napier, 216 miles, and I would say that there must be at least 200 miles of this road bitumnized. The distance from Wellington to New Plymouth is 232 miles and about the same applies for this road, as far as the permanent surface is concerned. According to figures recently published the Main Highways Board is being provided with an increase from £674,000 to £950,000 for its main fund and an increase from £203.000 to £510,000 for its construction fund for the present _ year. We understand that the section of road from Mataura to Brydone is to be bitumnized this summer, but in view of what is being done in other districts and the amount of money motorists of Southland are paying in taxation, there is no doubt preparations should be put in hand for some extensive works.”