General News

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 90, Issue 166, 19 July 1946, Page 4

General News

Third Fireman at Castled! fl*. A third fireman is to be stationed al (ho CastleclifL’ sub lire station, and so cut out (he necessity of sending relief firm the central station, it was decided at yesterday’s quarterly meeting of the Wanganui Fire Board. Temporary Road Closure.

The Automobile Association (Wanganui) advises that the main road between Mangaweka and Utiku will be closed from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, July 21. Drivers will have to detour and patrols will be posted at Mangaweka and Utiku to direct motorists.

Fire Brigade Conference. The annual conference and demon-

strations of N.Z. fire brigades in 1948 may be held in Wanganui, and an application has gone fo ward Io the Fire Brigades’ Union for this. A fund has already been established to meet the costs of this conference and demonstration should they be held here. Taupo Fire Expenses. Wanganui firemen who participated in (whting the Taupo bushfires at the beginning of the year are to be paid a total of L 296. The Wanganui Fire Board is to pay this amount, and will receive a refund from the Internal Affairs Department. The pay was at the rate of £4 13s for 24 hours’ service for firemen and £6 for officers.

Twenty-nine Fire Calls. Twenty-nine calls were received by the Wanganui Fire Brigach) during the quarter ended June 30, the superintendent, Mr. N. M. Ross, reported to yesterday’s quarterly meeting of the Wanganui Fire Board. Details Actual fires 10, grass fires 7, chimney fires 3, rubbish fires 4, justified false alarms 4, malicious false alarms 1. Bequest to Salvation Army.

The estate of the late Mr. James Woodhouse, who died at Taihape on June 3, 1946. has been sworn at under £5OOO. Under the will the Public Trustee is appointed executor and trustee. After provision for payment of ce tain legacies, the residue of the estate is’bequeathed to the Salvation Army in New Zealand. Fire Boards’ Association.

The membership of the N.Z. Fire Boards’ Association is now 100 per cent, of all lire boards in the Dominion, stated the chairman, Mr. G. P. Hawkins, at yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui Fire Board. The growing work of the association has meant that the Wanganui board’s grant of £lO 10s to the association has had to be increased to £l3 13s, which the board agreed 10. New Fire Engine and Truck. Estimated to cost £5O less than a vehiclt over 10 years old which has been offered to the board, a new vehicle is to be obtained by the Wanganui Fire Board The vehicle should be ready for delivery towards the end of the year. Al yesterday’s meeting the board decided to go ahead with arrangements to raise a loan of £3OOO with which to purchase a new fire engine and truck.

Hunt Master’s Condition. Mr. Francis McLean, Master of the Rangltikei Hunt. Club, who was njured when Master Peter (eh at a gorse fence in the midweek hunt near Marton on Wednesday, is reported to be in a satisfactory condition in the Palmerston North Hospital, though he was reported last night to be still on the seriously ill list. Mr. McLean suffered slight concussion, a fracture of the right shoulder, and internal injuries.

Looking Ahead Thoughts of the future should be entertained when decisions were being made to-day, said Mrs A. K. Mac Lean, when the appointment of a psychiatrist was being discussed at the monthly meeting of the Wanganui Hospital Board yesterday. “I am very much in favour of this because mental sickness is a far greater tragedy than phvsical sickness, though the two are allied,’’ said Mrs. Mac Lean. “If. when planning in Ihe past, a little more thought had been given to the future, we may have had such important medical services as this today." Claim by Taihape Taihape’s claim for recognition when a site is being chosen for the new tuberculosis sanatorium came before the Wanganui Hospital Board at its monthly meeting yesterday. A letter, from the Taihane Borough Council staled that suitable sites for such an institution were available there, hut. the chairman of the board, Mi'. D. D. Simpson, said that this was a question for the Western Districts Joint Sanatorium Committee. “We should thank Taihane for its interest,” the chairman added, moving that the letter be referred to the Joint Comrr’ttee. His motion was carried. Hospital Statistics The average number of occupied beds a clav in the Wanganui Hospital last month was 168.6, reported the medical superintendent. Dr. H. L. Widdowson, nt Pe monthly meeting yesferdav of the Wmganui Hospital Board. At th? beginning of June 176 "atients were in the institution. 238 v.ere subsequently admitted. 232 were discharged, and at the end of the month Ih?'.'e '- ere IC I patients in the institution. Dr. also reported that there were 699 oases for X-rav diagnosis of wh ; rh 593 were out-nationts and the rest in-mtients. Of the 79 treatments given, 77 were for OUt-P' ,, mnf; i