GENERAL NEWS

Stratford Evening Post, Issue 97, 6 December 1928, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS

Not so Bad. It being mentioned at the Chamber of Commerce meeting last night that Mr. T, M. Ball had had the job of completing the Opunake railway, Mr. Ball said that, that despised line was not doing so badly. He had been informed, he said, that the line was now paying working expenses, and the next step would be the payment of something towards interest. If the railway had the carrying ot the produce from the land it traversed it would pay its way. He Got There. At yesterday’s farewell to Mr. T. M. Ball, Mr. S. Vickers (Taranaki County Council) said lie recalled the first time he had met Mr. Ball, wlio ivas! doing something at which he, was rot expert—driving a motor car. ‘He was in many diffiouties,” said dr. Vickers, “and had some nasty orners to negotiate, but lie got over ill the difficulties and got round the lorncrs and got there; and I think n all his life it will he the same le will got there.’’

Making it Hot. A party of Auckland Savage Club men who visited Taumaranui made it pretty hot about the Stratford-Main Trunk railway, said Mr. J- Keller, the new district Public Works Engineer, to the Chamber of Commerce last night. They' recited! a long list of dates of historical e.vents, starting with the landing of the Tomans in 55 P C. The turning of the first sod was placed in the year after the signing of the Magna Charta, t ie turning of the second sod some three ; hundred years later, andjhe rnnnmp, ( of. the first train was. placed in 1980.

Egniont Club Snooker, , Mr J. Hampson won the snooker tourpey held at the Egmont Club last 1 night, Mr C. Smith being runner‘up - , Not Enough .Justices. At last night’s annual meeting of the Taranaki Justices of the Peace Association several members expressed the opinion that in ce.rtain areas in Taranaki there were not sufficient Justices. The matter was discussed, but no motion was passed 1 . A Welcome Subsidy. The money expended by the Borough Council on forming a carparking area in Miranda Street near the Hospital is to he subsidised under the Government’s unemployment' relief scheme, and the Council will now he able to gravel the drive-way. { prosecution,to follow. Mr J. W. Pooley, Returning Officer for the Stratford electorate, was called upon to make an exhaustive investigation in twelve cases of what appeared to b© dual voting at the recent election. It is now reported that in one case there appears to hav e been dual voting, and that a prosecution will follow'. Protecting tho ( Tress,' At the Chamber of Commerce meeting last night members discussed with Mr. T. M. Ball the matter of protection of native trees,, Mr. Ball said that in the course of his Depart* ment’s work it was sometimes difficult to prevent destruction of trees. However, in some cases he had taken the trouble t© insert in specifications a provision that trees must not (be pouched. At some railway stations in North Auckland he had had trees planted} the surroundings were so desolate, and on the places later lie had found the trees doing well and a great improvement to the stations. Road Maintainor.” A composite machine of a very handy nature has been made by the local branch of the Union Foundries and, was given a try-out yesterday in ’Juliet Street, among the interested spectators being a number of local body representatives who were Tii Stratford .for the purpose of farewelling Mr T .M .Ball. Mr H. F. Vosseler describes it as a “road maintainer,” as it carries out the work of rolling, scarifying and grading. It is driven by a benzine motor,’ and the total weight is in the vicinity! of, seven tons. The two rear wheels weigh a hundredweight and a hajf each, and probably, constittite a record for a casting in Tara- ■ naki. The machine is sold- to the Wellington City Council, having been sold on description before it was completed H is the first turned but by the find, and Mr Vosseler says it has quite come up to expectations.