GERALDINE DAMAGE TO TOWN

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21819, 23 November 1940, Page 3

GERALDINE DAMAGE TO TOWN

Several Complaints Police Investigating Irresponsible persons have again been making a general nuisance of themselves in Geraldine, and a number of complaints have been made to the police concerning damage which has occurred. What might have proved both costly to the owner and to the Geraldine County Council was interference with a traction engine owned by Mr S. Lister, a contractor engaged In pulling willows from the Waihi river in Geraldine recently. Mr Lister told a representative of “The Herald” yesterday that he had left his engine in readiness for work in the morning, and during the night some persons had started it up and put it in gear. The doors had been left open and the water and oil drained out. Fortunately before starting in the morning, Mr Lister said, he had checked the engine over or some serious damage would have been done. If the engine had been put out of action the work would have been delayed, and in the event of a flood the willows lying in the riverbed might have damaged the bridges below. A number of tools had also been removed. A further attempt by a local motorist to negotiate the steep incline on the Macdonald Street footpath* was made in the early hours of yesterday morning and resulted in damage to one resident's fence and bruises to a passenger in the car. The footpath was slightly scoured with the skidding of the machine. Damage to a mirror attached to one Geraldine business house was reported to have occurred last week. The mirror was pulled off and smashed on the footpath. RED CROSS EXECUTIVE BOOKS FOR SOLDIERS Following a request from the secretary of the Canterbury Joint Council of the Red Cross and St. John (Mr E. H. S. Hamilton) 30 books will be forwarded by the Geraldine Red Cross executive committee for soldier patients in military hospitals. The meeting agreed that Miss J. Hislop be asked to select 15 books from each of the book shops in Geraldine and forward them on to the Red Cross Headquarters in Christchurch without delay. The chairman (Mrs J. M. H. Tripp) reported that Mr A. W. Willoughby had kindly offered a room for V.A.D. purposes free of rent for the duration of the war, and the offer had been gratefully accepted. A vote of thanks was passed to Mr Willoughby for his generous offer. Relief For Refugees An extract from a monthly bulletin, read by Mrs Tripp stated that before the Lady Galway Guild assumed control of refugee relief work, some 400 cases of miscellaneous clothing had been sent forward to the British Red Cross for distribution among sufferers in England. Recent communications received fro mthe British Red Cross, acknowledging these gifts had been received, and had emphasised the timely arrival of the goods. Opportunity was taken to thank all who had contributed to the effort, and since handing over of this work large quantities of clothing had been forwarded to the Lady Galway Guild, for handling and dispatch. On the request of Dr. F. A. Scannell, Temuka Red Cross, for money to purchase capes for the Temuka detachment, it was agreed that the sum of £l5 be passed for payment for the equipment. A further letter from the Canterbury secretary stated that occasional requests for assistance were being received from men discharged from the army as unfit, and in this connection advice had been received from Headquarters that the Provincial Patriotic Council were responsible for the relief, assistance and temporary support of such men and the Sick, Wounded and Distressed Fund was not to be used for this purpose. “ WINGS OF THE NAVY ” Produced with the unstinted co-oper-ation of the United States Navy, “Wings of tile Navy” will be screened at the Geraldine Municipal Theatre to-night at 8 o’clock, with a cast headed by George Brent. Olivia De Havilland, John Payne and Frank McHugh. The picture is marked by a human and moving story of brotherly affection and a charming romantic motif which for a time threatens to shatter the bonds between the two brothers played by Brent and Payne. I On Monday at 8 o’clock a double 1 feature programme will be screened. “Mysterious Mr Moto" and “While New York Sleeps.” A combined farming community patriotic ball will be held in aid of the Million Pound appeal in the Pleasant Valley Hall on Monday, November 25. During the evening a presentation to Gunner D. Blissett will be made by Pleasant Valley residents. The Geraldine District presentation to men of the Fourth Reinforcements will be held in the Geraldine Town Hall, before the Social Club’s dance, on Tuesday, November 26 at .30 p.m. A series of addresses will be given by the Area Commander for the Home Guard, Mr D Barnes, the dates and places of which will be found on the front page. After the civic presentation to men of the Fourth Reinforcements a dance will be held in the Geraldine Town Hall on Tuesday, November 26 I The Rangitata Tennis Club will hold a dance in aid of the Million Pound appeal on Wednesday. November 27, in the Soldiers’ Memorial Hall. Under the auspices of the Peel Forest-Arundel Patriotic Committee a dance in iad of the Million Pound appeal will be held in the Howard Hall, Arundel, on Thursday, November