In Town And Out

Southland Times, Issue 23773, 22 March 1939, Page 6

In Town And Out

Arrived Almost Too Late

Lingering ashore too long almost caused two persons who were joining the Maunganui to be left behind when the ship sailed from Bluff early yesterday morning for Melbourne. Many of the passengers and a number of the crew were attending a dance in the Town Hall during the evening, which finished less than an hour before the liner sailed. Two persons who arrived at the wharf about 2 o’clock found that the vessel had cast off and was already steaming down the harbour. The Bluff Harbour Board’s tug Awarua, which had turned the liner and was returning to its berth, went to the aid of the stranded couple and took them out to the vessel.

Shellfish in Water Supply The discolouration of the city water supply was not the only inconvenience suffered by Invercargill housewives in past years. In 1923 what must have been a shoal of diminutive freshwater shellfish was pumped from underground with the water and distributed through the mains. The fish choked the sieve of a califont in one home and put it out of operation and when workmen cleaned the pipes enough shellfish were collected to fill a medicine bottle. A phial containing samples of the fish was- brought into The Southland Times office yesterday. Additional Street Lights Five new street lamps are to be erected in Gladstone, one in Herbert street, two in Lewis street and two in Duke street, according to the decision of the City Council last evening The Trading Committee of the council has under consideration the matter of providing improved street lighting in Tay street east, Dee street northwards from the old hospital corner, and Elies road, between Gala and Herbert streets.

Mayoress’s First Speech The Mayoress of Invercargill (Mrs J. R. Hanan) made her first speech in Invercargill at a meeting of the employees of the Invercargill City Council yesterday when a silver entree dish was presented to Mr and Mrs Hanan as an expression of goodwill from the employees. Mrs Hanan thanked the staffs most sincerely for the gift.

Collection of County Rates More than £lOOO in rates posted on Monday was received at the office of the Southland County Council yesterday and was accepted without the imposition of the penalty of 10 per cent. The collection is regarded as very satisfactory and an improvement on last year’s returns. It is expected that the amount paid within the required time will amount to 92 per cent, of the total levy.

Air Force Buildings A proposal by the Government to establish a flight of the Dunedin Territorial Squadron of the Royal New Zealand Air Force at Invercargill was announced by the secretary of the Air Department, Wellington, in a letter to the works committee of the City Council, read at last night’s meeting of the council. Permission was sought to erect a hangar and other buildings and it was also requested that a site should be reserved for possible future extensions of the air force buildings. The committee’s recommendation that permission be granted, and that a site be set aside was adopted. Emergency Mail Services

“All available forms of transport are used by the Post Office for the carriage of mails in times of emergency,” said the Chief Postmaster (Mr H. Miller) in an address to the Invercargill Rotary Club yesterday. At the time of the Murchison earthquake, he said, the regular services were interrupted and the Post Office used motor-lorries, private cars, pack horses and aeroplanes to carry mails to and from the area until normal communications had been restored. Warships, oil tankers and even the floating crane of the Wellington Harbour Board had been used for tire carriage of mails. Revenue From Motor Licences For the eleven-monthly period, April 1938 to February 1939, the revenue received by the City Council in motor licence fees totalled £5559 18/10. Last year for the same period the revenue amounted to £4949 0/4. The revenue includes drivers’ licence fees, stand rentals and vehicles for hire. Reception to Lodge Delegates Delegates to the Grand Lodge of New Zealand, 1.0.0. F., which is now in session at Invercargill, were tendered a civic reception by the Mayor (Mr J. R. Hanan) at the Council Chambers yesterday morning. The delegates were headed by the Grand Master, Bro. H. J. Clark, and officers of the Grand Lodge and there were also present delegates from all parts of New Zealand. The Mayor extended a welcome to the delegates to the city and his remarks were endorsed by the DeputyMayor (Cr J. R. Martin). The welcome was acknowledged by Bro. Clark.