In Town And Out

Southland Times, Issue 23768, 16 March 1939, Page 6

In Town And Out

Car Stolen In City A motor-car parked outside the Central Methodist Church at 7.30 o’clock last night was missing when the owner, the Rev. G. Densem, of’Otautau, went to drive away at 10.30 o’clock. It is a 10 horse-power car, painted dark blue, the registered number being 137-249. Machine For Cleaning Mains A device for cleaning water mains which are being lifted and replaced by larger ones has been made by the city engineer (Mr F. M. Corkill), in collaboration with the corporation blacksmith (Mr Luzmoor), for use in Invercargill. To comply with the regulations governing fire-fighting appliances the three-inch water mains are being replaced by four-inch ones, and it has been found that many of these pipes are thickly encrusted inside with a layer of iron deposit from the water. The machine consists of a long iron rod with blades on one end, and is rotated by an electric motor. When cleaned the pipes are dipped in tar, and although they will not be used for water mains again, they will be used as occasion demands for gas mains. This is expected to save the City Corporation a great deal of money. The iron deposit obtained from the mains will be used at the gas works for gas purification. Shortage of Eggs There is a pronounced shortage of eggs in Invercargill just now, and retail prices are 1/8 and 1/9 a dozen. Wholesale dealers are offering 1/6 a dozen. City’s Mayoress “When Mr Hanan was elected Mayor of the city he promised that he would soon provide the city with a Mayoress. He has now fulfilled that promise,” said the president of the Invercargill Chamber of Commerce (Mr W. Grieve) at the annual luncheon yesterday in proposing a toast to the health of the Mayor (Mr J. R. Hanan) and the Mayoress. The toast was enthusiastically honoured and in his reply Mr Hanan said he hoped the chamber would not be criticized for devoting its attention to a matter of purely parochial interest. Oats Trial at Winton The rough weather during January has had little effect on a trial of Huskless oats at the Winton Experimental and Demonstration Farm. Huskless and Gartons were sown row for row in the trial and the Huskless oats are standing straight, while the Gartons have been battered down by the rain and the wind. Flock Ram Fair A total of 1118 entries has been received for the Southland Agricultural and Pastoral Association’s Romney Marsh Flock Ram Fair which is to be held on the show grounds, Invercargill, on Friday, March 24. Excursion to Stewart Island A party of more than 100 young Southland farmers left Bluff in the Tamatea yesterday morning on an excursion to Stewart Island arranged by the Southland provincial executive of the Farmers’ Union. The crossing was made in fine weather. The party, which is under the charge of Mr J. H. Beck, of Otautau; will return next Wednesday, when a second party will leave for the island. Combined Theatres’ Picnic The combined theatres of Dunedin and Invercargill will hold their annual picnic at Riverton on Sunday. The excursionists from Dunedin will travel by the excursion trains which are being run from Dunedin to Invercargill next Sunday and a special train, which will be available to the public, will convey, them to Riverton. This train leaves Invercargill at 11.30 a.m. and returns, leaving Riverton at 5.30 p.m. in time to connect with the usual Sunday night express which leaves Invercargill at 6.40 p.m. Those who attend the theatres’ picnic from Dunedin will be able to return north by the express. Special Train for Ballet Members of the Covent Garden Russian Ballet, who will arrive in Invercargill by a special train at 11.40 a.m. on Monday from Dunedin, will leave by a special train at 9.45 p.m. the same night to connect with the Maunganui for Australia. This train will be available for Bluff passengers who have attended the performance, which will begin at 6.30 p.m. Contracts Questioned

Exception was taken by members of the Taranaki Education Board yesterday to a letter from the Director of Education (Mr N. T. Lambourne) asking why carriers’ tenders had been accepted for the removal of teachers’ furniture instead of the tenders of the Railways Department without the Education Department’s approval. The secretary (Mr H. W. Insull) reported that he had replied to the director that in two of the cases mentioned, the carriers’ tenders were considerably less than those of the Railways Department, and in the third case the districts concerned were not connected by railway. “If we cannot use our common sense it is no use sitting here,” said Mr W. H. Jones. The board decided to forward the secretary’s reply to the Minisfer of Education.—Press Association.