LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20894, 25 November 1937, Page 6

LOCAL & GENERAL NEWS

Civil Cases Judgment for the plaintiff was entered by Mr H. Morgan, S.M., in the Timaru Magistrate’s Court yesterday in the following civil cases: R. Hannah and Co., Ltd., v. L. Pettit, claim 18/9, costs 8/-; J. McDonald v. J. T. Plever, claim 10/-, costs 8/-. Increased Receipts The weather was fine yesterday for People’s Day at the Otago A. and P. Society’s show, and the attendance was the largest for years. The gate receipts totalled £504/17/6, compared, with £274/7/6 last year. The total receipts for the two days were £652/10/-, against £297/11/- in 1936. Gifts of Bulbs During the last three years the Timaru Borough Council has received nearly 70,000 bulbs, which have been planted in the grass in the main Park and in some of the reserves. For a time the public were picking the flowers, but now the offence is not so prevalent, and the beds of flowers are making a fine showing. There must be a great number of bulbs thrown away in a year, and the Council would be pleased to receive these, for good use can be made of them. Singing Appreciated During their stay in Timaru for the annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce the wives of the delegates visited the Timaru Boys’ and Girls’ High Schools where they were afforded an opportunity of hearing the pupils sing. So impressed were they that before 1 returning to their homes they collected a sum of money among themselves and forwarded it to both schools as a donation with which to purchase music. Many visitors have enjoyed the singing of the pupils, but very few have given such tangible expression of their appreciation. Concession to Farmers “A concession is being given to farmers in the remission of the license fees and heavy traffic fees on farm tractors and traction engines and their trailers,” said the Minister of Transport, the Hon R. Semple, in an interview yesterday. “Formerly if two or more fanners shared a tractor they had to pay full fees in respect of its use,” said Mr Semple. “A license fee of £5 was also payable in respect of all traction engines. Under regulations recently gazetted by my Department farmers can now use tractors co-operatively without paying these fees. The license fee on traction engines is also remitted.” The Minister added that consideration was being given to amending legislation exempting these vehicles from registration fees. Safety on the Road The Dunedin United Temperance Reform Council adopted the following resolution to be forwarded to the Minister of Transport (the Hon. R. Semple): “That the most effective way of protecting sober motorists and other users of the highways would be to enact a law to the effect that the driving licence of every motorist convicted of being intoxicated in charge of a car should thereby automatically be cancelled for three years (minimum) for a first offence, and six years (minimum) for a second conviction. The Dunedin Temperance Council believes that the Government holds in this the most powerful weapon in dealing with drinking motorists, but it must be made automatic upon conviction and imposed upon everyone alike.” Crossing Census Interesting facts regarding traffic across the Strathallan Street railway crossing are provided by the census which is being conducted this week with a view to gathering Information which will be useful in considering a proposal to erect an overhead bridge joining the town with the waterfront. It was reported to a meeting of the Council of the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce last night that on Monday the crossing was used by 438 heavy vehicles, 486 light vehicles, 1817 pedestrians and cyclists, 42 horse drawn vehicles, nine through trains and 14 engines shunting trucks. During the day traffic delays totalled 39 minutes, affecting 71 vehicles and 125 persons. Of the vehicles coming from the waterfront, 549 went up Station Street and 231 up Caln’s Terrace. A public meeting is to be called at an early date to discuss the project. Church and Peace

The pronouncement of the Public Questions Committee on the subject of peace was placed before the annual Synod of the Otago and Southland district of the Methodist Church yesterday by the Rev. L. B. Neale. In an endeavour to clarify the resolution passed by the 1936 conference, 16 questions were submitted, only the first of these concerning the implications of the resolution that “war is contrary to the spirit and purpose of Jesus Christ” being dealt with, and it was considered that the Synod’s finding on this point cancelled the necessity for the remaining questions. Mr Neale's motion, which was carried, was that the clause be altered to read as follows: “Military aggression which has for its chief objective the annexation or dominance of territories or peoples for economic or national policy is contrary to the spirit and purpose of Jesus Christ.”