GENERAL NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, 10 June 1948, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS

City Area Blackout. Because low temperatures caused a sudden excessive draw-off just after 9 a.m. the Wanganui city area experienced a 50-minute electric power blackout yesterday morning. The tramway system was not affected, but', every other electrical service in the business area was out of action. Purchase of Trucks. A decision to purchase three new motor trucks at a total cost of approximately £3600 was made at yesterday's meeting of the Wanganui County Council. Two of the trucks will be financed through the Main Highways Board and the third will be paid for from the proceeds of the sale of three old trucks which the new vehicles will replace. Polson’s Bridge Construction“The trusses of Polson’s Bridge have been completed and there remains only the side bracing and the laying of the decking to effect completion, which should be early next week,’’ reported the engineer (Mr. R. R. Dawson) at yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui County Council. “The filling on the right bank approach will be made in two or three days, by the use of a bulldozer." County Conferences. The annual conferences of the New Zealand Counties’ Association, the County Clerks’ Association, and the County Engineers’ Association will be held at Rotorua next week. The clerks and engineers will confer on June 14 and 15, and the New Zealand Counties’ Association will confer on June 16 and 17. The Wanganui County Council at its meeting yesterday authorised its chairman (Mr. A. H. Collins), and the county clerk (Mr. S- L. Orr), and the engineer (Mr. R. R. Dawson) to attend the conferences. Collection Of Rates That since March 31, 1948, £llO 12s 8d had been collected in Maori rates bring the percentage of rates collected from Maoris to 87 2 per cent- of the amount levied, reported the county clerk (Mr. S. L. Orr) at yesterday’s meeting of the Wanganui County Council. In the Morikau riding £29 19s 5d had been paid, bringing the collections to 94.2 per cent., an increase of live per cent. In the Mangawhero riding £46 3s 8d had been paid, increasing the collections by 16 per cent, to 78 per cent., and in the Kaitoke riding, £B4 9s 7d had been paid, increasing the collections by 13.8 per cent, to 89 per cent. New Minister.

Last night was an important one in the history of St. James’ Presbyterian Church, Wanganui East, for it marked the induction of the Rev A. S. Archioald, M.A, of Aberdeen, into the charge after it had been vacant since early in 1937, when the Rev. J. S. King left the district. It v.. ated during the set, ice last nigh I. several vacancies existed in ti:. _..urch in New Zealand, and, when it was ascertained that five new ministers were coming out from Scotland, application was made for one to be sent to Wanganui East. Mr Archibald is one of the five who arrived in the Dominion last week.