GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 20097, 2 May 1935, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS

Vital Statistics The vital statistics for Timaru for April are as follow (figures for the corresponding period last year being in parentheses):—Births 28 (30), deaths 18 (17), marriage notices 28 (12), marriages in office 6 (2).

Customs Figures The revenue collected by the Customs Department at Timaru for April are as follow, the figures for the corresponding period last year being given in parentheses:—Sales tax, £964/12/3 (£1343/19/8); tyre tax, nil (£4/10/-); petrol tax, £1745/13/6 (£1440/15/6); Customs, £5409/9/- (£sOll/12/1).

Police Inquiry Opened. A departmental inquiry into the administration, efficiency, discipline and conduct of the Timaru police station opened in Timaru yesterday. The inquiry, which is being presided over by Superintendent D. J. Cummings (Christchurch) and Superintendent D. C. Fraser (Dunedin), will probably last some time.

Judgment Summonses. In a judgment summons case in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr C. R. ..Orr-Walker, S.M., John A. Taylor was ordered to pay John Chambers and Son Ltd., £l2/3/3 and costs £l/1/- on or before May 31, in default 12 days imprisonment. Michael Joseph Hanley was ordered to pay the Para Rubber Co. Ltd., £B/9/2, on or before May 31, in default seven days imprisonment. Interest in Sport. Surprise that so many ducks should be seen on Washdyke lagoon on the opening day of the shooting season was expressed by Lord Galway as he chatted with the Mayor (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite) at the railway station yesterday morning. When the Mayor informed him that the lagoon was a sanctuary, his Excellency said he had wondered why so many ducks had collected there. Large Family Tree. The surviving members of the family of the late Mr Moanaroa Pere, of Gisborne, a well-known Maori farmer and a son of the late Hon. Wi Pere, M.L.C., comprise no fewer than 83 sons, daughters, grandchildren and greatgrandchildren, states the “Poverty Bay Herald.” Of the immediate issue of the late Mr Pere there survive 11 sons and daughters, 58 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren. Suspicious Satisfaction! At the presentation to Mr W. L. Wyber, manager of the National Bank, Invercargill on Tuesday, speaker after speaker testified to Mr Wyber’s ability and popularity and the cordial relations existing between the manager and themselves. When Dr R. H. Hogg rose to his feet all present expected an endorsement of the previous remarks. ‘Everyone seems so satisfied that I hate to think of the mess his successor will have to clean up,” was his comment. The joke was thoroughly appreciated—and not least by Mr Wyber.

Sparrows at the Hospitals. A regular visitation by friendly sparrows is pne of the events of the day for patients in the verandah wards at the Auckland hospital. It is against the official rules but the cheeky little birds know nothing r f that. Regularly at 8 o’clock in the morning and 5 o’clock in the evening the sparrows perch perkily at the foot of the bed, and as soon as a few crumbs are forthcoming hop confidently along the counterpane to within a couple of feet of the generous humans. Sometimes as many as half a dozen p,re perched on the one bed, and patients find it difficult to deny the little birds’ insistent demands. Civil Court. In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before Mr C. R. Orr-Walker S.M., judgment was entered for plaintiffs by default in the following cases: South Canterbury Hospital Board v. Hugh Gillum £6/12/-, costs £l/12/6; A. C. Fahey v. Angella Millar £2/1/6, costs 8/-; same v. R. Creagh, £2/8/-, costs 8/-; Smith’s Open Warehouse v. L. Franklin £4/13/11, costs 8/-; Vangelo Lurajud v. F. J. McDougall 11/4, costs 8/-; Public Trustee, as executor of the will of the late William Evans v. William O’Driscoll £153/14/8, costs £7/11/6. In a claim for rent, judgment was entered for the Public Trustee, as executor of the will of the late William Evans, against Arnold Cross for 8/7, costs 11/-.

Improving Stafford Street The work of resurfacing two portions of Stafford Street, from North Street to Woollcombe Street, and from Beswick Street to the Church Street intersection, was commenced yesterday, a start being made slightly south of the junction of North and Stafford Streets. The process, which is new to the South Island, but which has been used wi lll success in America and in various parts of the North Island, has much better running qualities than a road reconditioned under the old system, although its appearance is not so good as the sealed surface. Formerly, it was customary in the resurfacing of a corrugated asphalt roadway, to reconstruct it entirely by scarifying, relaying and resealing. Theft Charge. In the Magistrate’s Court yesterday, before the Magistrate, Mr C. R. Orr Walker, Frederick William Burberry was charged that on April 16 he stole an electric generator valueu at 15/-, the property of William Gaisford. Detective E. Thomas said that both accused and complainant were relief workers. Accused stole the generator from complainant’s bicycle and then bought the headlight from the complainant for 5/-. Later he sold both to a second-hand dealer for 7/6. When approached he was quite frank and had made a voluntary appearance. He had not been in any trouble previously. An application for the suppression of the name was refused and accused was placed on probation for six months. Efficiency Club. The tenth annual meeting of the Timaru Efficiency Club was held last evening. Mr T. J. O’Leary presiding over a good attendance of members. The annual report was presented and adopted. The election of officers resulted: President, Mr W. Davies; vice-presidents, Messrs J. H. Healey and W. Davies; secretary, Mr T. J. O’Leary; treasurer, Mr G. R. Smith; committee, Messrs W. M.. Sexton, C. H. Coxhead, R. J. Runciinan and D. Moyes. It was moved by Mr C. Don and carried that an appreciation of Mr O’Leary’s services as chairman for 1934 be placed on record. Mr H. D. Oddie was appointed speaker for the opening night. A general discussion then followed on the activities for the ensuing year.