TAIHAPE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 76, Issue 301, 21 December 1933, Page 3

TAIHAPE

TENNIS NOTES. TAIHAPE v. MARTON. An inter-club match between Taihape and Marton was played at Luinapc during the week-end and resulted in a win fur thc home team by 27 sets lu 19. The principal match of the day was that between Henrichs and Wheeler, victor} going to the Marton player. 7 —5, alter a terrific struggle. Detailed results are as lollows, Taihape players being mentioned first in each instance; — Men’s Singles.—Henrichs lost to Wheeler 5 —7; N. Lelievre beat Saywell 7—5; J. Lelievre lust to McCarthy 5 —7; Casey lost to Glasgow 4—7; Evans beat Williams 7 —o; Smith beat McPhee 7 —3; de Lautour beat Johnstone 7 —6; Dick beat Bridge 7 5; Box beat Gattrell 7 —3. Ladies’ Singles.—Miss Casey beat Miss Gould 7 —6; Miss Cleaver beat Miss Morris 7 —3; Miss Whisker beat Mrs. Glasgow 7 —3; Miss Couper beat Miss Holgerson 7—l; Miss Welch beat Miss Staples 7 —6; Mrs. Glennie beat Mrs. Miller 7 —4; Mrs. Caithness lost to Miss McDonald I—7; Mrs. Price beat Miss Wilkie 7—4; Mrs. Schofield beat Miss Barton 7 —2. Men’s Doubles. —Henrichs and J. Lelievre beat Wheeler and SaywcJl 8 — 6; N. Lelievre and Casey beat Johnstone and Bridge 7—l; Evans and Smith beat McCarthy and McPhee 7—6; de Lautour and Thompson lost to Glasgow and Williams 5 —7; Box and Henrichs lost to Gattrell and Wheeler 6 7. Ladies’ Doubles. —Misses Casey and Cleaver beat Misses Gould and Morris, 7 4; Misses Whisker and Couper beat Mrs. Glasgow and Miss Holgerson, 7 —2; Mrs. Glennie and Miss Welch beat Misses Staples and Millar, 7 —5; Mcsdames Caithness and Price beat Misses McDonald and Wilkie, 7--5; Mrs. Schofield and Miss Casey beat Misses Barton and Gould, 7—5. Combined Doubles. —Henrichs and Miss Couper lost to Wheeler and Miss Gould, 4—7; N. Lelievre and Miss Casey beat Say well and Miss Morris, 7—3; J. Lelievre and Miss Cleaver beat McCarthy and Mrs. Glasgow, 7—3; Casey and Miss Whisker beat Glasgow and Miss Holgerson, 7 —5; Evans and Miss Welch lost to Williams and Miss Staples, 4 —7; Smith and Mrs. Glennie lost to McPhee and Mrs. Muller, 5—7; de Lautour and Mrs. Caithness beat Johnstone and Miss McDonald, 7—6; Box and Mrs. Schofield lost to Gattrell and Miss Barton, 5—7. COUNCIL SHED EXPLOSION THE CAUSE UNKNOWN Shortly after 8 o’clock on the morning of November 2 an explosion occurred in the Borough Council tool shed and resulted in two boruugh employees, Messrs. F. Sainty and W. Gardner being severely burnt. Ever since the explosion occurred various theories have been advanced as to the cause. One theory was that the explosion was caused by sparks from an emery wheel igniting benzine fumes. The Taihape Borough Council held an inquiry into the matter on Monday evening and alter hearing a lot of conflicting evidence, was unable to determine the cause of the explosion, which remains a mystery. The two principal witnesses, Messrs. Sainty and Gardner, were both convinced that it was not a benzine explosion. Mr. Sainty said that he had previously been involved in a benzine explosion and the burns he received on that occasion were totally different from those suffered in the explosion on November 2. He was inclined to believe that the explosion was caused by blasting powder, but this theory was exploded by Mr. W. Gardner, who remarked that ho had previously beea involved in a blasting powder explosion and was satisfied that the accident on November 2 was not caused by blasting powder. Mr. H. G. Knight, in dealing with the theory that sparks from an emery wheel had caused benzine fumes to ignite said that this was most unlikely, as there was no heat in the sparks. He had tried to ignite a piece of asbestos saturated with benzine by means of sparks from an emery wheel, but nothing had happened. The borough engineer and Cr. Wilsher supported the theory that it was a benzine explosion, though other councillors and the Mayor, in addition to several witnesses, considered that this theory had been exploded-. There was gelignite in the shed at the time of the accident, but it was evident that it had not exploded. The enquiry lasted 3$ hours and the conflict of evidence was truly remarkable. Although the council was unable to determine the cause of the explosion from the evidence produced, the enquiry showed clearly that the method of the control and storage of explosives in the past has been very lax and strict supervision is to be exercised in the future. The Mayor and Cr. Wilsher reprimanded the borough engineer for his laxity in this connection. The Mayor presided at the enquiry and also present were Crs. Butler, Loader, Darvill, Wilsher, Sinelair and Mac Diarmid. The town clerk, borough engineer, electrical engineer, and Mr. J. Mortland (superintendent of the Fire Brigade), were also in attendance. BOROUGH COUNCIL. THE ENGINEER’S REPORT. The engineer’s report, submitted to thc meeting of the Taihape Borough Council, was as follows: Main Highways.— A request was made by thc board’s engineer that plans and sections of proposed bitumen scaling works on thc Bull-Taumarunui ami Taihape Mataroa Highways were to be furnished. These have been prepared and forwarded. Authority to proceed with the work should come to hand at an early date. Roads and Streets.—General: Metal repairs in thc nature of patching potholes and topdressing curves have been carried out on the following roads and streets:—Ruru-Ellis Road Corners Kokako Street. Eagle Street, and Kaka Road. Kuku Street footpath has been

cleaned and footpath leading to tihe Kiwi Road overhead bridge has also been cleared and metalled. A start has been made to divert road drain on Mataroa Road, and the work of opening up the new drain at the rear of the railway houses on this road is well advanced. and should bo completed at an early date. As soon as this portion of the work has been completed the old drain will be filled in and the ground fronting these houses will be levelled and trimmed up. Men have been cleaning up Beban’s pit in readiness for quarrying work. Waterworks-Pipeline. The pipeline has been working satisfactorily during the month, no trouble having been experienced. Waterworks-Local. —The outlet drain from pressure reducing valve in Mataroa Road has been located and cleaned. Arrangements for carrying out gunite worn at the new reservoir are well in hand, and I have been in conversation with Mr. P. Keller, district engineer, re same. Drains and Sewers.—Two blockages occurred in main sewers during the month. Both blockages took some time to locate and clear. They were located as follows: —Main sewer laid on private property between Huia Street and Hautapu Street, and main sewer in Goldfinch Street. The former blockage flooded a considerable area of the Presbyterian Church property with raw sewage and same was laying under the buildings to a great extent. It was necessary to disinfect whole of same with chloride of lime. An open drain flowing between Goldfinch Street and the Main Street had to be cleaned as a strong smell of sewer gas developed in same. There is a possibility that the block which occurred in the maiH sewer in this locality may have contributed to the condition of this drain, but as yet nothing of that nature has been definitely proved. However, the drain and sewers in this locality are under observation and any further trouble will bo investigated. Noxious Weeds.—Noxious weeds on borough property have been cut, and notices have been served on owners and occupiers in the boroughs, to have same eradicated. Unemployment Relief.—As the local Unemployment Committee has now disbanded the matter of the allocation of the men between the Rangitikei County and the borough is left in the hands of the certifying officer, the county overseer and myself. The county overseer is asking for an allocation of five men for every one 'man the borough has, which in my opinion is quite unreasonable, especially in view of the fact that out of a total of 78 men on the unemployed list 38 are resident in the borough at the present time. I would direction in this matter. I may state that there is work available in the borough for at least one-third of the men on the list, which proportion has obtained for at least some 12 months now. RELIEF RATES OF PAY. The following letter has been received from the Unemployment Board in regard to the protest of the Taihape branch of the New Zealand Labour Party against tho relief rates of pay in Taihape compared with those in Wellington:— “I am in receipt of your letter of the 16th inst., relative to the comparative of Taihape and Wellington, and requesting a n increase in the amount allocated for the relief of unemployment at Taihape. “In reply, I would point out that the rates quoted in your letter as being applicable to Wellington are incorrect as in every case they are lower than those stated. It is true that the city scale of relief is somewhat higher than that operating in country districts, but. this is because of the difference in the living conditions in the country as compared with those of the city. * It should be remembered, however, that there are some 500 men in Wellington nt the present time whe are not receiving more than 50 per cent, of the full scale of relief, these being men for whom work cannot bo found. “The matter of increasing the Taihapo aillocation has received full consideration, but it is regretted it is not possible to increase thfe grant above the existing level.” GENERAL NEW 9. Mr. I. R. (“Pidgy”) Healey .saved a Mangaweka boy from drowning in lhe Moawhango River on Sunday. The boy was one of a number who attended the Catholic picnic and was bathing in the river with a friend from Mangaweka when he got into difficulties. Noticing his plight Mr. Healey rushed to his assistance as ho was sinking for the third time, and after great difficulty managed to rescue thc boy, who was brought to the shore in n semi-conscious condition. It was some considerable time before ho responded to the resuscitative methods that wore immediately applied. There is no doubt that hut for Mr. Healey’s prompt and pluckv action the boy would have been drowned. Mr. Healey was exhausted j ft er effecting tho roscua.