LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 16 September 1946, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Model Township The formation of a new township at Mangakino, on the western bank of the Waikato River, between the sites of the proposed Maraetai and Whakamaru hydro-electric projects, is developing. A model town has been designed, and a contract is being let for the building of 100 permanent dwellings. Timber for Auckland There was a movement afoot to supply Auckland with 900,000 feet of timber more per month at the expense of the rural areas, said Mr. W. Sullivan (Nat., Bay of Plenty) in the House of Representatives. The reason, he said, was that there were more voters in Auckland. There was not enough timber to keep men employed in some rural areas and the drift to the cities was being aggravated. Swallowed Caustic Soda A twelve-months-old child, Thomas George Skuse, died in Cook Hospital from toxaemia and burns to the throat caused -by caustic soda. According to evidence given at the inquest, a caustic soda tin had been knocked off a high shelf and had lain behlnd boards in the washhouse until the child found it and consumed some of the contents. The child was treated in the hospital for burns of the throat and shock, but without avail. Gathering of Magistrates Magistrates from all parts of New Zealand attended a conference in Wellington on Saturday, to discuss the proposed Magistrate's Court Bill. The meeting. was purely of a domegtic nature and not open to the Press. The main business was a discussion of the conditions and appointments and the status of magistrates. For three or four years the new legislation has been under consideration, but it has been held up because of the war. Variety of Trees Of the 22,300 trees planted by the Wanganui County Council on the Makirikiri and Upokongaro metal pit reserves, and also on the road sides at Matarawa and Union Line, 19,300 were pinus insignis and the rest eucalyptus, made up of the followihg species: Botryoides, Saligna, Obligna, Muelleriana, Fastigata, Magulata and Eugenoides. This information was contained in the monthly report of the county engineer, Mr. R. R. Dawson to the monthly meeting of the council. Gisborne Short of Timber Timber mer chants and building contractors in Gisborne are facing earlier than expected a critical shortage of timber for building,. wnich, unless refieved within a fortnight, will compel the cessation of almost all constrUction in the district. Gisborne builders and the union have advised the Minister of Works and the Commissioner of State Forests that, 'unless the position is relieved at once by the provision of additional timber for the district, no more than 10 days will elapse before tradesmen must be laid off. Band Concert Cancelled Those "citizens who were looking forward. to hearing the -Levin Municipal Band p'lay in the Public Gardens yesterday afternoon were doomed to disapppintment. Rain set in . during the early hours of Sunday morning, and though it appeared as if the weather might clear just before 'noon, about 1 p.m. there Swas a heavy thunderstorm and torrential rain set in almost immediately after. There wa's no alternative to the cancelLation of the band's. programme for the second time in succession. Later in the afternoon it again cleared, though conditions outdoors were not pleasant.