GENERAL NEWS

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 November 1948, Page 4

GENERAL NEWS

Calls to Fires. Two calls to fires were responded to bv the Wanganui Fire Brigade yesterday. The first at 11-28 aim. was to a residence in Marshall Avenue, Wanganui East, where an oven had caught alight. The second was to a grass lire near the overhead tramway bridge. Crowds In City. With perfect weather prevailing, there were large crowds of shoppers in the streets of Wanganui yesterday. Victoria Avenue was thronged between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. and again from 7 .m. until closing time. With Christmas but a month away many took the opportunity of making early seasonal purchases. It was noticed that many of the shoppers were visitors from country areas. Pension for Farmers “I say that the inefficient farmer should be replaced by the efficient man but before we do that I would like to see the farmer given a reasonable reward for his labours," said Mr. R. O. Montgomerie during cross-ex-amination by the Royal Commission on the Sheep Industry yesterday. Mr. Montgomerie claimed that a farmer had to have a capital of £14,500 to enable him to retire and be ahead of old age pension. Summer Weather

For the second day in succession, Wanganui and district yesterday experienced weather more in keeping with that expected for early summer. The day was fine and warm with continuous bright sunshine and a light westerly breeze. Temperatures exceedded 70 degrees Fahrenheit in some parts of the city. At Castlecliff the sea was smooth. The warmer weather is greatly appreciated after the wet. unsettled conditions which prevailed during the middle of November. Bluff Cargo Arrives

Bringing general cargo from Bluff, via Wellington, the Canterbury Company’s coastal motor-ship Storm arrived at Wanganui yesterday morning. The vessel discharged at Castlecliff and was to have sailed last night for Lyttelton, where she will be docked for overhaul and survey. Other vessels with cargo from South Island ports are due in the near future. They are the m.v. Holmdale, expected on Tuesday with general merchandise from Dunedin and Oamaru, via Lyttelton, and the m.v. Gale, due on December 7 from Timaru, via Wellington Faulty Brakes.

Of the 56 motor vehicles stopped and examined by Traffic Inspectors D. Breed (Ohakune) and W C. Shaw (Marton) at Taihape on Thursday, eight were found to have brakes so defective that traffic offence notices were issued. The main fault was due to inefficent hand brakes. The Transport Department, which is conducting the test of brakes, has stated that during Christmas and New Year holiday periods in New Zealand, many road accidents, some of them fatal, are due to faulty brakes. It is emphasised that in checking up on motorists, traffic inspectors are doing their utmost to reduce road hazards during the coming holiday period. The object of the tests is not to bring about prosecutions, but to ensure that vehicles using the highways are not potential sources of danger.

New Railway Route The Commissioner of Works had assured him that early next month recommendations regarding a site for the new Wanganui railway station, and the proposed route which the main line will take north of Wanganui would be released to the Wanganui Regional Planning Council said the secretary, Mr. G. A. Ammuridsen, yesterday. ‘‘These are not final plans, but are recommendations and local opinion on them is sought as a help to the departmental officers in Wellington," Mr Ammundsen added. "The Regional Committee, therefore intends calling a general meeting of interested bodies soon after the information is available, so that out of the varying opinions something may emerge that can be said to be generally acceptable."