NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume VI, Issue 1786, 4 November 1919, Page 4

NEWS IN BRIEF.

The Engineer to the Waimairi County Council (Mr J. H. Sharpe) is shortly to take a month's leave, which he intends spending in Auckland. While there Mr Sharpe intends combining business with pleasure, and will make an inspection of the concrete-road system in that city. Several applications were received by the Waimairi County Council last night, asking for subscriptions to proposed War Memorial funds, and for donations to various institutions. It< was decided in each case to reply, stating that the individual movements had the sympathy of the council, but that at present it was not in a position to make any grants, but that, if a further application were made at a later date, perhaps something might be done in the matter of donations.

The chairman of the Pound Committee of the Waimairi County Council had recently striking evidence of the efficiency of his staff. He had tethered, with a length of rope, a calf to a small apple .tree in his garden. Some time later he had occasion to look for the calf, and found that it was not grazing where he had left it. Subsequent search proved that the calf had been seized by an attack of "wanderlust," and strolled on to the highway, with the rope and portion of the tree attached, only to bo seized by the chairman's poundkeeper. On payment of poundage fees, amounting to 7/6, the chairman was able to lead his erring calf back to the peaceful apple-orchard. Some little time ago three young boys were fined at the Juvenile Court for tampering with an electric vehicle, owned by the Waimairi County Council. At last night's meeting of the council, Mr W. W. Spencer asked how it was that the boys had been prosecuted, seeing that the council had decided at a previous meeting not to proceed against them. He remarked that it was a shame that the boys should have been brought up to Court for what was, after all, a boyish prank. The chairman (Mr S. A. Staples) replied that when the local constable had been approached, with a view to having proceedings stopped, he had stated that it was teo late to step in, as the matter had been put in the hands of th<* Police Headquarters in Christchurch. Several members of the council expressed their dissatisfaction with the explanation offered, and stated -that the case could have been withdrawn if application had been made to Police Headquarters.

"Is there any chance of the big sprinklers being taken off their job?" asked Mr S. A. Staples at yesterday's meeting of the Christchurch Tramway Board. He stated that he was fully convinced that 25 per cent, of the cost of maintenance was due to these weighty vehicles. Men would be employed raising a track, and their work was immediately nullified by the sprinklers reducing the level of the rails again. The chairman (Hon. John Barr) intimated that the Works auH Traffic Committee was preparing a report on the question. To a request from the president of the North Canterbury Threshing Machine Owners'-Union, that a portion of the Koromiko's cargo of Australian coal should be set aside for essential industries and trade, the following reply has been received from the Prime Minister's office: —"In reply to your telegram, addressed to the Prime Minister, 1600 tons allotted essential industries and trade next trip by Koromiko, due Lyttelton end this week. Please make application to secretary Christchurch Coal Trade Committee for your j individual requirements.'' I It was decided at yesterday's meeting of the Christchurch Tramway I Board to book, passengers to the hills jon Sundays and holidays from the city to Barrington Street only. Another fare collection will be made from there. This is in consequence of a recent decision to limit the standing loajfl on the hills to 50 per cent, of the seating capacity, tft is considered impossible to limit the sale of tickets at the city end, and at present, when passengers who have paid to the terminus are told that the car is overloaded to go up the hill, and that they must leave, they naturally feel aggrieved. In instancing the manner in which inconvenience is caused to regular tram passengers by large number of children being brought on the cars without notice, it was stated by the Christchurch Tramway Board recently that on one particular trip the children came from the Beckenham and Cashmere Schools. It was stated in a report.submitted at yesterday's meeting of the board that the headmaster of the Cashmere School had not travelled on the trip concerned. ■lt was decided that in future any squads of school children or military squads brought to the cars without previous and reasonable notice would be refused admission.

I In asking for the assistance of the |p\iblic in several matters in connection j with the tram services, the Christchurch Tramway Board has issued the following:—"lnconvenience to the greater number of passengers is often caused by the want of thought of a few. It does not make for the efficiency of the service if cars are expected to wait unduly for passengers arriving late or who are slow in boarding or leaving the cars. On the other hand the board's staff is required to act reasonably, but in some cases the consideration extended to passengers has created a certain amount of laxity. The happy mean can only be secured by the active co-operation of passengers and traffic staff."

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With reference to the recent ■warning issued by the chairman. of the Christchurch Tramway Board to the type of passenger who endeavours to evade payment of fares, the following report was submitted at yesterday's meeting of the board: —."Several cases have been reported, and the Police Superintendent has been asked to prosecute. The committee wishes the staff to know that this does not relieve them from the obligation to endeavour to collect all fares, but in cases where the public do not co-operate reasonably in this work prosecutions will follow in all cases."

For some time past there has been a movement on foot amongst the residents of Redcliffs to procure a Town Hall for that suburb. Last night a deputation of residents of Redcliffs, headed by Messrs A. W. Beaven and W. D. Kirkpatrick, waited on the Sumner Borough Council with a request that it should declare a special rating area, and take a poll on the proposal to erect a hall. said that in the interests of the social life of Redcliffs a hall was necessary. All the deputation asked the council to do was to take a poll to test the opinion of the residents on the matter. The hall which it was proposed to erect would include a library and a billiards room. Estimates for the cost of the hall had been received, varying from £2300 to £2700. Mr Kirk-, patrick said the hall would cost the ratepayers of Redcliffs 4/2 per annum on each £SO of unimproved- value, to provide interest and sinking fund. There would be some revenue from the library, whilst, the billiards room would more than pay for itself. The letting of the hall would also be a source of income. After the deputation had withdrawn, it was decided that the matter should be held over until the next meeting of the council.

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