NEWS OF THE DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 20 November 1934, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY

Nine water meters have been installed in various public schools in the New Plymouth borough, the engineer, Mr. C. Clarke, reported to the council last night.

The bus service to the borough boundary via Devon Street west and Veale’s Estate is to be continued until the council" directs otherwise, according to the decision of the New Plymouth Borough Council last night.

A sign of the early summer weather that has been experienced is a pohutukawa tree at present in bloom in the garden of Mrs. A. Milne, Hobson Street, New Plymouth. There are several crimson flowers and they have been open for several days. A small pohutukawa at the Taranaki ‘ Club also bears a few flowers.

Warm rains and only a light wind have come to Taranaki at a critical time, as the farmlands were becoming very dry at an awkward period. Up till 7.30 a.m. yesterday 1.26 inches of rain had fallen, and the high temperatures and the absence of a drying wind will probably promote growth remarkably. The story of a secretary who could neither read nor write was told by Mrs. Chambers at a meeting of the Opunake branch of the Farmers’ Union. He was the first secretary to a road board in a coastal district some time ago, she said, and he kept the rate money in one pocket and the expenses in the other. Hearing the song of a bird which he believed to be a tui in the vicinity of his house at Fitzroy, Constable King, New Plymouth, looked about in vain for the bird. He then realised that a little dark green bird, about the size of a starling, which was sitting on the electric power wires beside the house, was the source of the song. It was a bell bird, or mako make. The bird was heard first on Sunday morning and appeared again yesterday.

Up to date about 1000 bicycle mudguards have been painted white free of cost 'to the owners by two Blenheim firms, which were appointed, by the {Marlborough Automobile Association, and are to be reimbursed to the extent of threepence apiece by that body, states the Marlborough Express. A new by-law in Blenheim requires cyclists to have th® rear guards or rear forks of their machines painted white, and the association is assisting cyclists to observe it in the interests of motorists as well as themselves.

Without supporting the application of any particular firm for the right to run such a service, the New Plymouth Borough Council last night affirmed the principle of a through motor service from New Plymouth to Auckland, and Cr. Stainton was appointed to place the views of the council before the Transport Board. It was stated that a firm conducting a New Plymouth-Hamilton service had acquired a Hamilton-Auck-land service and was now desirous of taking passengers direct from New Plymouth to Auckland without the necessity of a change of cars at Hamilton. The large number of dogs that prowl about the East End reserve was the subject of a letter to the New Plymouth Borough Council from the East End Committee last night. It was stated that at least six dogs wandered at large on the reserve and were a menace to children and picnickers. Councillors reported similar occurrences at Ngamotu. It was agreed to draw the attention of the committee to the by-law whereby stray dogs, whether registered or not, could be disposed of if adequate public notices were erected about the reserve. Interesting measures for combatting the drift of fine sj»d against the piles of the Newton King wharf at New Plymouth are being taken by the harbour board engineer, Mr. J. Hawes. It has been found that the sand is too fine to be economically cleared by suction dredge, and the buckets cannot be taken closer than within 15 feet of the piles, so that a grab crane has been considered necessary. A jfrab crane has been constructed by the extension of the gantry of the steam shovel, and by making minor alterations to the machinery, and if experiments with this improvised grab prove satisfactory it will be used to dump the sand ready for the dredge when it returns to duty.

The erection of the new Dunedin post office building is proceeding steadily, the fifth storey now being in course of construction. The final shipment of structural steel from England is due at the end of this month, and the contractors expect that the fabrication of it at Port Chalmers will be completed about the middle of January. The only work remaining to be done on the steel after January will be the riveting. The preparation of granite- for the lower storeys is proceeding to schedule. A. considerable quantity of finished granite is now being transported to the site, and a start is to be made at. the end of December with placing it in position.

An Auckland pilot, Mr. R. G. Tappenden, was liberally besprinkled with dust when he accompanied SquadronLeader M. C. McGregor on an aerobatics flight from Mangere aerodrome on Friday afternoon in the Miles Hawk flown by 'the Manawatu pilots in the centenary air race. During a slow roll, a cloud of dust was seen to Ay from the front cockpit and envelop the passenger as the machine turned upsidedown. On landing the pilot informed Mr. Tappenden that he had had the dust of 14 countries showered upon him, the machine not having been inverted since it left Mildenhall to fly to Melbourne.

A record drapery shipment for a New Plymouth firm was landed at the port of New Plymouth recently ex the Waiwera on account of Messrs. C. C. Ward Ltd. Had the shipment, consisting of 57 packages, been landed at either Wellington or Auckland, as is often the case with smaller consignments, the freight charges from either port to New Plymouth would have greatly increased the landing cost into the store at New Plymouth. It is in this way that the business firms of Taranaki derive considerable benefits by direct shipping. The benefits to the province are reflected in many quarters.

Every day thousands of used stamps are thrown into waste paper baskets and ultimately are consigned to the garbage heap. Few people give heed to the fact that they are worth money, which, in several cases where stamps have been saved, has been used for philanthropic purposes. A letter from the Manurewa Children’s Home at Auckland to the Otago Employers’ Association makes it clear that that institution realises that its funds may be benefited by the sale of used stamps. The letter states: “We have to acknowledge with best thanks a parcel of used stamps in furtherance of our work in behalf of the children. There is still much room for growth in this particular branch of our activities, and we would be most grateful if you will assist us to expand it. You can do so by informing all your friends that used stamps, which may appear so useless to them, hold quite a value to us, and the proceeds from their sale help towards the maintenance of our large family of boys and girls. Thank you very much for all your help hitherto, and in anticipation of your further efforts.” It ,is understood that the home last year raised a very substantial sum by the sale of used stamps,