NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 144, 14 March 1939, Page 11

NEWS IN BRIEF

Wellington’s Harbour

Sir Harry Batterbee, High Commissioner for Great Britain in New Zealand, speaking at a civic reception in his honour yesterday, said he was particularly happy to be in the Dominion and particularly glad to be in Wellington, which was to be his home for the next five years. “I have noticed many improvements which have taken place here during the last 10 years,” he said, -but nothing can improve the natural beauty of your harbour.” Record Water Consumption.

Lower Hutt borough hud a record water consumption, for both months, in January and February with 48,830,000 gallons and 50.955,000 gallons respectively. The engineer, Mr. H. R. Bach, attributes the record to the dry weather and the increased population.

Infectious Diseases. For the week ended yesterday. 14 cases of infectious disease and three deaths —two from tuberculosis and one from septic abortion —were reported to the Wellington office of the Health Department from the central Wellington area. There were six cases of diphtheria, four of tuberculosis, two of erysipelasfimd one case each of puerperal fever and septic abortion. Laiubtou Quay Bottle-neck.

One side of the Lambton Quay bottleneck in Wellington will be closed to traffic throughout, the week, and possibly next week, because of the renewal of the tram track on the eastern side of the Quay between Willis Street and the junction with Featherston Street. With its normal narrow Width reduced by half it becomes a lane for one-way traffic.

Sound Films for Schools. The value of sound films as an aid to education was impressed on members of the Wellington School Committees’ and Educational Federation at its meeting last night, when a number of films were shown to members. These were designed to illustrate the various types of film available and the ways in which they might be employed in bringing the world into the classroom.

Primary Schools’ Swimming. Primary schools in the city area of Wellington and in the northern suburbs will have ’a half-holiday tomorrow afternoon on the occasion of the annual swimming sports of the Wellington Primary Schools’ Amateur Swimming and Life-Saving Association, at Te Aro baths.- Thirty-nine schools have entered, and it is expected that 1000 children will be swimming during the afternoon. Artesian Water Good.

Now that there has been a substantial rainfall in rhe Wellington catchment areas and the ordinary surface water supply is likely to be resumed, there are housewives who will not be very pleased to revert to normal conditions. During the past week the singular clarity of the artesian water has been noticeable and, if purity be something visible, the artesian water lias an advantage over the Wainui supply.

Rise in Price of Honey. An increase iu the retail price of honey has occurred in Wellington. .Bulk" honey is now being sold at 9d, to lOd. (Kb., and cartons of first grade honey are being retailed at 1/2, the price of 21b. cartons being 2/2. It was stated yesterday that ‘the rise in prices was caused by the season being unfavourable for honey producers. Between September and December last year there was too much rain and not enough sunshine. “First grade honey is going to be much dearer,” said a retailer. “Taken on an average, it is now 2d. lb. dearer, but second and <third grades will remain the same.” Diphtheria Immunization. The immunization of Wellington primary school children against diphtheria by means of three small doses of anatoxin is continuing at the rate of from 100 to 150 injections a day. Dr. F. S. Maclean, medical officer of health, Wellington, said yesterday that the response from parents for their consent to the treatment continued to be very gratifying. In addition, numbers of requests 'for immunizing material had been received from general practitioners who had been approached by their patients. The department welcomed that a s It meant that a greater number of children would be immunized. i Forty-Foot Roadway.

’All motorists who use the Evans Bay Road know the bottle-neck between the Union Steam Ship Company’s laundry and Kio Point, a section which gives a bare 20-foot road, without any provision whatsoever for a footpath on either side. On one side rises a steep bank, which could not be cut back, and on the other side is a sharp fall of eight or 10 feet to the sea. This length of the road is now to be made safe for traffic during the exhibition period and even beyond that time, and the city engineer is preparing plans for a stout sea-wall, to be erected parallel with the road, so as to provide for a 40-£oot road.