CHRISTCHURCH NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20063, 21 March 1935, Page 3

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS

ITEMS FROM THE CITY CHRISTCHURCH, March 20. Personal: The Town Clerk. Mr J. S. Neville, and Mrs Neville, left Christchurch tonight for a trip abroad. Dr. J. Keith Davidson and Dr. C. F. Morkane have returned to Christchurch from Melbourne, where they attended the centenary congress of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. Reference to the death of the Rev. W. B. Scott was made at a meeting of the Kaiapoi Borough Council, and a motion of sympathy with his relatives was passed. Mr Scott was a former councillor and one of the founders of the Kaiapoi Beautifying Association. A motion of sympathy with Mr H. J. Otley in his illness was carried at a meeting of the Christchurch Drainage Board. It was stated that Mr Otley’s condition had shown a definite improvement. Mr Otley, it was reported to the board, had unanimously been re-elected chairman of the finance committee. Tramways Manager: Mr Frank Thompson, who tendered his resignation as general manager to the tramways on Monday, will resign on the highest scale of superannuation payable to board servants. He relinquished his 'duties yesterday, and left this evening for a holiday in the south. His future plans are indefinite. Although nominally a servant of the board until September I—when his six months’ period of notice terminates — Mr Thompson has been allowed to sever his active connection with the board. He will be paid his salary until the end of that period. Mr H. E. Jarman, accountant to the board, is acting as manager until a new appointment is made. It was stated this morning by the chairman of the board (the Rev. J. K. .Archer) that the question of appointing a new manager would receive early consideration. Disfranchised Voters: Protesting against the Government's announcement that legislation will be introduced shortly to permit of disfranchised country voters having a vote at the coming local body elections, Mr G. Maginness, clerk to the Paparua County Council, said to-day that the law should be kept as at present, because it prevented those who had not paid their rates from having a voice in the spending of the ratepayers’ money. Mr Maginness said that he had been authorised by the chairman of the council (Mr J. Leslie) to write to the Minister of Internal Affairs protesting against the proposal. He declared that the Government interfered on every occasion with local body law. No action has been taken yet by other country local bodies. Drunk In Charge: Pleading guilty to a charge of being in charge of a motor-car in Ivory Street, Rangiora, on March 19, while in a state of intoxication, Gordon Bell, a Christchurch car salesman, agreed to take out a prohibition order and was fined £7 and costs by Mr E. D. Mosley, 8.M., in the Magistrate's Court at Rangiora to-day. Fourteen days were allowed in which to pay and default was fixed at twenty-one days’ imprisonment with hard labour. Cars Stolen: Prompt action by a priest last evening hampered the movements of two youths who attempted to steal two motor-cars from the Presbytery adjoining the Roman Catholic Cathedral in Barbadoes Street. The Rev. Father J. Maguire chased the thieves on foot and later followed in one of the cars after it had stalled and been abandoned. The youths escaped, however, with the other car. Municipal Conference: Preliminary sessions of the Municipal Association conference, which will open in Christchurch to-morrow, were held to-day. A special committee of the executive set up to report to the conference on the subject of petrol tax allocations and other subjects connected with motor taxation, met, and this afternoon a meeting of the executive was held, The full conference will open to-morrow morning with the official reception to delegates by the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.). ’Planes for Aero Clubs: The Moth aeroplanes which have been imported by the Government for use on loan by aero clubs for pupil training have arrived at Lyttelton and will be transported for assembly to Wigram Aerodrome. The machines will be allocated by the Minister of Defence (the Hon. J. G. Cobbe) on the recommendation of the Director of Air Services (Wing Commander T. M. Wilkes) to the clubs considered to have the best claims, the main consideration being the number of pupils who will benefit. It is expected that the Canterbury Aero Club will receive one and that another will be given to the West Coast Aero Club. Six machines have been bought, and it is believed that there are applications in from 10 aero clubs. Cars Collide: . A collision between motor-cars driven bv Messrs Frederick Bassett, of Fernside. and W. Skurr, of Carlton, occurred early last evening at the intersection of Poynt’s Road and the Tram Road, near Horrelville. Mr Bassett’s car, which overturned, was considerably damaged, and a passenger, Mr Sofus Larsen, of Swannanoa. received injuries to his chest, which necessitated medical attention. The forepart of Mr Skurr’s car was also damaged. Death of Schoolboy: “I wish to call public attention to the necessity for motorists using extreme care at this particular intersection,” said the Coroner (Mr E. D. Mosley) at the inquest into the death of lan Robert Kennedy, 15, a schoolboy, who died as the result of a collision at the comer of Rolleston Avenue and Armagh Street on March 3. The finding was that Kennedy died in the Christchurch Public Hospital on March 3 from a fractured skull associated with haemorrhage of the brain, the injuries being received when deceased was cycling west along Armagh Street and was knocked down at the corner of Rolleston Avenue and Armagh Street by a car driven by Frederick Harold Al "Owing to the configuration of the streets, and the fact that so many cyclists— schoolboys, university students, and others—cross and recross this intersection, it is extremely dangerous.” continued the Coroner. “It is unpleasant for residents to hear motor horns going constantly, but that must not stand in the way of public safety. One thing is apparent—at the time of the accident, the car was slightly on its wrong side. That is accounted for in a measure by the fact that the driver pulled over to his right to avoid three cyclists who were ahead of Kennedy.”

Revaluation of City: The next revaluation of the city will probably take place in 1937, but whether the rates in that year will be levied on the new valuations or not cannot be forecast. It is anticipated that, as the result of the revaluation, the values placed on all classes of property will drop by twenty-five per cent, to thirty per cent. If done thoroughly, a revalution of the city would take twelve months to complete. Field books, giving information concerning every house and section of land, have to be prepared in advance and then the valuers have to check up this information with the properties mentioned and assess new values. Following the valuation, time must be allowed for the consid-

eration by the Assessment Court of objections to the new values. The last revaluation of the city took effect in 1929, but since then values have changed considerably and the present capital value of the city —£29,198,257—is likely to be considerably reduced when the new total is compiled. Mishap to Aeroplane: As the result of a tyre bursting, a Gloster Grebe plane piloted by Squad-ron-Leader W. L. Harrison overturned when landing at Wigram Aerodrome at 10 o’clock this morning, throwing the pilot out. He was shaken, but otherwise unhurt. Squadron-Leader Harrison, who is taking part in the No. 3 (Bomber)

Squadron refresher course, was landing after taking part in manoeuvres. The plane had almost come to a standstill when the accident occurred. The plane nosed over, coming to rest upside down. Little damage was done to the machine, except that its propeller was broken.

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