In Town And Out

Southland Times, Issue 23795, 18 April 1939, Page 8

In Town And Out

Road to Oreti Beach

Stating that good progress was being made on the other section of the road, Di Stanley Brown asked at a meeting of the general committee of the Automobile Association (Southland) last evening what was being done to improve the road from the bridge over the New river to Oreti Beach. It had been understood, he said, that this section of the road was also to be taken in hand and sealed. It was decided to write the Southland County Council asking when the re-forming and sealing of the road was to be undertaken. Sales Tax • Although showing a substantial drop from the peak figures of December and January, the amount of sales tax collected during February (£254,484) is a record for a February month, being £23,959, or 10 4 per cent., above the receipts for the corresponding month of last year, states The Abstract of Statistics. February always produces the lowest monthly figures in sales tax, as the yield in that month is almost wholly in sales made in January, and both wholesale and retail selling are at a comparatively low ebb in January, due largely to the reaction following the Christmas shopping season.

Footballers’ Pockets Rifled While a football match between Collegiate (Invercargill) and Wyndham was in progress at . Wyndham the pockets of three. Wyndham players were rifled and small sums of money taken. The total amount stolen was 17/6. On learning of the thefts the members of the visiting team took up a collection and the money collected was given to the victims of the thief.

Progressive City Visiting Invercargill recently after an absence of 18 years a business man professed himself amazed at the development of the city. He thought that it was the most progressive and most solid city in New Zealand. A striking feature of the city’s development, he said, was the way in which North Invercargill was expanding. Plenty of Water at Monowai Lake Monowai has been maintained at a high level throughout the autumn and the lake is now steady at normal capacity with the prospect of a sufficient rainfall during the winter to maintain the supply. The installation of more efficient floodgates to increase the storage capacity of the lake and the efficiency of control of the supply of water to the power-house has been under consideration and may be carried out, but the recent experience has shown that the supply is sufficient to carry the load during seasons with an abundant rainfall. It has not been necessary this season to make any calls on Waitaki for the general supply of the province and during hours when the Southland load has been light some power, has actually passed from Monowai into the northern circuit. “A Full Hand” “We’ve got a full hand and we will play it for another £l9OO Otago gate, I should say,” said the president of the Southland Rugby Union (Mr N. R. Brown) last evening during a discussion on a proposal to play a match in June against the Poverty Bay team. A member suggested that the match, if arranged, be a challenge for the Ranfurly Shield. He did not think Poverty Bay would have much chance of lifting the shield, he said. “Bigger accidents , have happened at sea,” replied Mr i Brown. Mr L. R. Lopdell reminded members of the showing put up by the Ashburton team last season and added: “We might hot be so lucky next time.” Beneficial Rain Steady rain that will undoubtedly encourage growth fell in Invercargill during the greater part of yesterday. The rain was not accompanied by any wind and the atmosphere was by no means cold. Some gardens have been feeling the effect of the dry spell and the rain will be welcome; but this will not be the case in the country districts where harvesting has not been completed. Poppy Day Fund t The general committee of the Automobile Association (Southland) decided at its meeting last evening to make a donation of £2 2/- to the Poppy Day fund, for which the executive of the Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association is conducting an appeal for subscriptions. Sign-Posting In Southland The efficiency of the sign-posting work done by the Automobile Association (Southland) was commended in a letter received at a meeting of the general committee of the association last evening from Mr H.'J. Butcher, a member of the council of the Automobile Association (Auckland). “Congratulations on the sign-posting work in your area,” the letter states. “It is far ahead of that of any other association in the South Island. On the road from Te Anau to the tunnel, the signs pointing out the places of interest, in addition to the direction signs, are very valuable and, I am sure, are much appreciated by the tourist.” Worse Conditions The opinion that working conditions in Australia were considerably worse than the present conditions ii. New Zealand was formed by an Invercargill man during an extensive tour of Australia. Jobs were difficult to secure and employees had to work exceptionally hard to retain their positions, he stated. He had heard it said that New Zealanders were welcome because of their capacity for work, but he was satisfied that they were no better than the Australians, who worked very energetically. Building Pennits The value of building permits issued in the larger centres during February was £788,597, a decrease of £112,193 when compared with January, but an increase of £141,786, or 21.9 per cent., above the total for February 1938, states the latest issue ,of The Abstract of Statistics. There were 547 permits issued for the erection of new dwellings, as compared with 674 in January and 435 in February 1938. Included in the dwelling figures for February 1939 were 261 houses the construction of which was begun by the Housing Construction Branch of the State Advances Corporation which during the month also began operations on 35 new dwellings in other districts.