In the News

Southland Times, Issue 25545, 13 December 1944, Page 4

In the News

Mail from Bluff The postmaster at Bluff, Mr A. M. Wilson, has received advice that from today the 12.40 p.m. outgoing mail will be reinstated, closing at the post office at midday. This mail will connect with the Invercargill-Dunedin airmail service. Use of Copper Tubing At the suggestion of plumbers and hardware merchants, the City Council has decided to approach the appropriate authority for permission to allow the use of copper tubes in hot water services in the city. It was stated at the meeting of the council last night that Invercargill had not been included in the districts where copper tubing could be used for this purpose. On Active Service It was estimated that about 950 old boys of the school were still on active service, said the rector (Dr G. H. Uttley) at the break-up ceremony of the Southland Boys’ High School yesterday. One hundred and one old boys had lost their lives in their country’s service, and 40 were still prisoners of war or missing. Honours had been won as follows: D.S.O. (4), D.F.C. (8), D.F.M. (2), M.M. (2), D.C.M. (1,) D.S.C (1), mentioned in dispatches (10), 0.8. E. (2), and M.B.E. (2). Credit to City “Since my return to Inveroargill 1 have been greatly impressed with ths splendid appearance of the city’s reserves. It is obvious that in spite of shortages of labour and machinery e great deal of work has been done. The reserves are a credit to Invercargill, said Cr E. J. McLauchlan at the meeting of the City Council last night. Ci McLauchlan added that he had seer public gardens in other parts of the world, but he had not seen any equal ir. beauty to the gardens at Queen’s Park. Stock on Roads A warning to property owners to see that their gates and fences were in good repair and that their gates were not left open was given in the Gore Magistrate’s Court yesterday by the Magistrate (Mr R. C. Abernethy). The warning was issued after the hearing of three charges against farmers oi allowing stock to wander on a public road. Convictions were entered in twe cases and the other charge, which wa: defended, was dismissed. The Magistrate said the offence was not so serious at present, when there was not a big volume of traffic on the roads, but whet more motor-vehicles appeared he intended to increase the fines. Councillors Entertained In accordance with the custom which he has followed during the past few years the deputy Mayor, Cr W. Aitchison, entertained the Mayor, Mr A. Wachner and the councillors to tea before the meeting of the City Council last night, the final meeting of the year. As usual the principal dish at the meal was haggis. The season’s greetings were extended to the councillors, to the town clerk, Mr W. F. Sturman, and to members of the council’s staff by the Mayor, who also thanked the councillors for the support they had given to him during the term of the present council. The greetings were reciprocated by each of the councillors and by the town clerk. At the conclusion of the council meeting members of the council gathered round the council table and sang Auld Lang Syne. Effect of Radio The effect of radio serials on the boys’ reading during the year was referred to by the rector of the Southland Boys’ High School (Dr G. H Uttley) in his annual report presentee at the break-up ceremony of the school yesterday. At the beginning of the year a complete set of Jane Austen’s novels had been placed on the library shelves, Dr Uttley said. During the year there had been a steady demand for these books, although Jane Austen was not a writer one would expect to interest boys. Inquiry showed that the radio serial from one of her novels, “Pride and Prejudice,” had aroused keen interest in this writer’s other novels, and there had been a good demand for them. The demand for novels by Charles Dickens had alsc greatly increased when a serial from one of these books was broadcast.