LOCAL AND GENERAL

Chronicle (Levin), 21 February 1947, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Nearly A "Has Beeh" "This man was a taxi driver and had he hit you there might not have been a passehger," said Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., when commenting on a dangerous driving charge . preferred by Traffic Inspector M. Kehoe, in the Magistrate's Court, Levin, today. "-There might not. have been a trafiic inspector either," was the rueful reply of Mr. Kehoe. • Large Sunspots The large sunspot which was reported to have passed across the sun's meridiah a few days ago is now on the Sim's western limb and will have diSappeared round the limb in three days. A major disturbance begah to cross the central meridian on Tuesday, and may cause magnetie disturbances. The whole eastern half of the sun's disc is now cleaf • of spot and the sunspot curve now appears to be on the decline. Wanganella , Inquiry - Captain J. Rankine (Napier) and Captain A. T. Norton (Wellington) will be the nautical accessors associated with Mr. A. M. Goulding, S.M., in the Magisterial inquiry into the stranding of the Wanganella oii Barrett's Reef. The inquiry opens m Wellington at 10 a.m. on Tuesday and may last two or three dayis. Dr. N. A. Foden will represent the Marine Department and ivtf. C. A. L. Treadwell appears on behalf of Captain R. Darroch, master of the Wahganella. Gaol For Pillaging "So long as cargo pillaging remains as prevalent as it is, all pcrsonal consideration for persons to be sencenced must give way to the prime duty of the " Court which is to stamp out .cargo . pillaging," said the Hon. Mr. -Justi.ee Callan in the Auckland Supreftie Court when Lawrence William Noone, aged 35, motor driver, appeared for sentence on. a th®ft charge involving a case of carga. Imposing 12 months' reformative detentioh, His Honour said thoSe driving vehicles on wharves had unusuai opportunilies of assisting in this dishonesty and were In a position of trust. .

Sea Sc.outs Get Launch Greater training facilities will shortly be available to New Zealand SOouts with the acquisition of Ihe " former Auckland harbour defence motor launch which was used by the Navy dtifing the war. The Dominion Commissioner for Sea Scouts, Mr. A. J. Black, is now in Auckland to take over the launch and on the trip south calls will be made at Tauranga, Gisborne, Napier, Wellington and Akaroa, where he will contact Sea Scouts. The launch can aecommodate more than a dozen boys on- a training cruise. Previously, Mr. Black used hi$ own fishing craft, Sea Rover, to travel round the Dominion oii Sea Scout trainihg activities. Lost Lifebuoys No lifebuoys had been placed Or the moles at the entrance to Castlecliff harbour since 1930, because those maintained there in the past had invariably met one of twc fates : they had either been throwri into the sea 'by vandals or had been washed away in heavy weather. This informatioh was given to the Wanganui HafbOur Board this week by the Harbour Master (Captain R. D. Stewart) when the board was considering a letter from Dr. a. R. Mackay, of Wellington. Dr. Mackay wrote that, as a wltness tq the drowning of a fisherman near the. harbour mou+h oh Boxing Day, he was convinod that the man's life could havo been saved haa life-saving apptratus been available at the end of th6 mole, and he efensured the board for their failiife to provide the equipment.