Local & General

Chronicle (Levin), 16 February 1948, Page 4

Local & General

JRed Cross Meets ^ ,, , . The Levin branch. of the Kea Cross Society held its first meeting of the year recently. It was unanimously decided t-o continue activities as usual as much work remained to be done, particularly sin the despatch of parcels overseas. -The sewing circle will cpmmence its work on the first Thursday in March. ' Pareel Appreciated "We here in Whitehaven are very touched to think that even i'n New Zealand we have not been forgotten at a tinie so grave as this, and we feel proud 5to think that our menfolk have had the sympathy of your people-"' • This.is an extract from a letter receiyed by the aecretary of the Levihbiahch'Of 'the Re'd' Cross Society, Mrs.. A. W, Barton, _ from the mother of a family in Whitehaven, Cumberlafidv ackpowledging a pareel sent by the branch. Auckland Trains Delayed The two Auckland-Wellington trains were behind schedule today. The Express,' which is due at Levin at 7.15 a.m., did not arrive until 8.30, while the Limited was running 40 minutes late. Thes.e delays upset the running oi the mornmg Palmerston North - Wellington Fields' train, which reached Levin at 9.15 a.m., one hour late. No other trains were affected. The reason for the delays was not known in Levin this morning. Police Radio , ' . , "We are all the time lOQking out for improvements in police radio communication,". - said the Commissioner of Polio.e (Mr. J. Cummings) today, "and testing is being conducted in New Zealand so that. the most efflcient means of radio. ' ■communication ' may he 'developed." He was referring to a report that inquiries on- behalf of New Zealand had been made at the, Home Office in Whitehall -regarding t-he use of ..the latest develcpments in very high feequency— pohed radrh^com^ munication. The New Zealand police, as well -as Sootland Yard, were always seeking improvements, he said. "Maoris Frem Australia" American nationai broadcasts by Bing CrQSby of 4Noy/" is the Hour" have apparently . not resulted in any publioity for New Zealand/ A letter received by Auckland's Mayor (Mr. J. A. C- Aiium) from Mr, J- N. Rouda, former Auckland public relations officer, and' no.w of Portland, Oregon, says th.e famous singer des.cribed ihe song as "a Mao'ri love song from Au;stralia." Mr. Rouda .wrbte to Mr. .Crosby stating that he had made an international mistake, and drew attention to the fact that Maoris were natives of New Zealand. He also told Mr. Crosby that crediting- the song to Australia was like crediting "God Save the . King" to France. . • Deyiation Hcvldup Aithough, the Haterston North raiiway deviation is Qffieiahy r'egarded as having fi¥5ty priority among raiiway impr'Ovepients,. it is, likely to be delayed for some timo. The ' Public Wote ©epartment'S offloers stated that sho.rta.go of materiais, partiouiariy of steeh is hoiding m- worh, /ipprosimgt^ ly 80 per "cent. o£ the earthwQrks and formation ara- eompleted^ hui ihe work yet to be done includes &ix concrete •oYerbridgeS), ihe laymg of the trach on- ihe main hnes in gb.ods and station yards' (this work alone re.qufring. some. 8Q' miles of rails) , and the construction of sta-^ tion. buildings,- gpQ^s. -sheds^ piatforms* engine §he.d§, co.al stofage faeiiities and - many ■otli.er struotures asociated with a large. raiiway centre such as Palmerston. North.