LYTTELTON NEWS

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16426, 21 January 1919, Page 5

LYTTELTON NEWS

, MAGISTRATE'S COURT, / Messrs W. T. Lester and P. G. Norton-, J.P.'s, presided at the Lyttelton Magistrate s Court yesterday morning, when a first offender for drunkenness r was convicted and discharged, and a prohibition order "was issued against him. BOROUGH COUNCIL. The Lyttelton Borough Council met last evening. Present—The Mayor (Mr AY. T. Lester), Crs. G» Morris," M. J. Miller, 1. Hempstalk, J. R. Webb, J. Gower, J. 1. Norton, J. H, Collins, J. T. Brice, and F. G. Norton. The Estates Committee reported that a requisition had been received from the Government Inspector of Noxious Weeds, under tho Noxious Weeds Act, and amendments, requiring tho destruction of gorse, broom, and briars on land occupied by the Council. The committee recommended that instructions bo given to have the work carried out. —Adopted. The Finance Committee reported that in the matter of an application from the Navy League for a contribution fund for the dependants of men of the ftoyal Navy and mercantile marine who have been lost or incapacitated in the war, it had no recotnmento make.—Adopted. ■ A letter was received from General Pau I thanking the Mayor for the kind greeting and attention' that had been accorded the French Mission upon its arrival on the soil of the South Island. Ho would Tetain -a pleasant recollection of the port, and wa® desirous of conveying to the population of Lyttelton the Mission's best wishes*

A deputation from the Lyttelton Pictures, Ltd., waited on the Council, and requested a ] rebate of the charge for electric current used at the theatre during the opidemio period, when the theatre was closed. The company was payiflg for its current on the maximum demand rate, and the account for electric current during the epidemic period was consequently about the same as when the theatre was open. The matter was referred to the Lighting Committee. ___ __ A letter was received from Mr E. H. Hiley, stating that, with regard to the restoration of Sunday trains on the Christchurch-Lyttelton line, ho regretted that no reinstatement of the service was at present contemplated, for the reason that, while the shortage of train running staff continued, and the available men had -to be kept fully, occupied during week-days and up to midnight on Saturday, it was not proposed to reopen the lines on Sundays, as in many cases the same staff would have "to b© colled upon to undertake the Sunday running. ■ In reply to a further letter from the Council asking for information regarding the proximate date when Sunday trains would be restipied, and asking that the port lino be given first consideration when a larger staff is available, the Railway stated no indication could be given at present of the date of resumption of the- service. The representation made by the Council that Lyttelton, because of its peculiar isolation, should have first consideration as soon as men are available, would be kept in v *®w when fit men commenced to return from the front. , Cr. Hempstalk moved that the co-operation should be sought of other local bodies. He , considered that the reinstatement of the .service should be demanded. Cr. Gower, in seconding the motion, said the matter should be further pressed. He mentioned the Railway . Department's inconsistency in running race trains, while at the same time they were contemplating a further curtailment in the suburban services. Cr. Morriß mentioned that it was very strange that a ferry train was being run on Sundays on the Lyttelton line, necessitating a Sunday staff, yet it was asserted that a Sunday train service was at the present time out of the question. . , ~ Tho Mavor said it was about time that the Railway Department dropped excuses in connexion with its refusal to consider tho reinstatement of a Sunday tram service to Ly'telton. For several years the war served as an excellent excuse. The Department now pleaded that it was waiting for soldiers to return. The next excuse would be a coal shortage. Ho suggested that members of ; Parliament be requested to bring pressure upon the Government, with a view to having tho Sunday trains restored. . This suggestion was incorporated in or. Hempstalk's motion, which was carried. A letter from tho District Railway Traffic. ' Manager in reference to the housing of members of the Railway staff at Lyttelton. was referred to the Estates Committee. Cr Brice drew attention to the present practice in Lyttelton of allowing horses to wander about the streets. Some horses had made their way into a cemetery and trampled upon the gTaves, causing much damage. The Mayor adversely commented upon the | postal authorities' action in cuitaking the hours during which the Lyttelton telephone bureau may be used.- Telephone communication, under the new arrangement, was of little ; use to business men in the £ort.

mTTV Re-oDeiiinir tho LYTTELTON RED CROSS WORKERS' GUILD has been POSTPONED until WEDNESDAY, February sth. 7642 MRS M. LESTER, President.