NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 151, 22 March 1939, Page 13

NEWS IN BRIEF

Work On Road Corners

Work which will be readily appreciated by all motorists is now being done ou tlie Evans Buy Road. This consists of tlie super-elevation of about four corners, between the Fatent. Slip and Balena Bay. The extent of the elevation is governed by the acuteness of tire road curvature. In one instance the outer third of tlie road hud to be built up au extra foot ou the outer edge, and in another ease the road bad to be super-elevated a full 18 inches. This is being done by packing in spoil and then asphalting over it.

Meeting of German People. A report that a meeting of German people resident in Wellington had been called by the Consul-General for Germany, Herr Ernst Ramm, was current in the city yesterday. “I had a few countrymen in my office, That is all,” said lierr Ramm when inquiries were made at. tlie Consulate.

Limited Express Delayed. The loss of a pin in the driving rod of the locomotive hauling the Limited Express from Wellington caused a delay of nearly two hours to tlie train on Monday morning. The mishap occurred at about 4.30 o’clock at Te Koura, eight miles north of Taumarunui, from where a relief engine was obtained. The express arrived at Auckland at 11.26 a.m. Trani Breakdown.

Only a brief holdup of traffic was caused by a trainear which broke down in the Molesworth Street bottle-neck, near the Aitken Street intersection, at 1.20 p.m. yesterday. A broken axle was the cause of the trouble. The motorman lost no time in borrowing a penny from the conductor’s takings and using a nearby telephone box, and tlie tram was shortly taken on to the Aitken Street tracks, allowing the traffic to proceed. Another Mariposa.

The name Mariposa, carried by the Matson liner in the transpacific trade, is now used by three vessels. The first of the existing ships to bea.r the name is the old United States steamer Mariposa. built in 1892 and the last, renamed Mariposa recently, is another strange contrast to tlie big white American liner. A British steamer launched in 1914, she has had no fewer than nine names, that preceding Mariposa being Greek Mariner. Effect of Import Cuts. A Wellington commercial traveller, who has just returned to Wellington from Auckland, said that whereas it was usually difficult to obtain one of the 40 rooms let to “commercials” by the New Zealand Express Company iff the northern city, he had no difficulty whatever on this occasion. Actually there were only two travellers showing samples in tlie whole of the building, and they had very little to offer in variety or quantity. Probably no section of tlie community had suffered so bitterly by the import restrictions as the commercial travellers and those for whom they worked.

Changes in Building Material. It is conceivable that what serves as building material for one generation mav be frowned upon by the next. When Baker’s Building—the six-story block of offices now in the last stages of demolition in Featherston Street, Wellington —was constructed, coke breeze concrete reinforced with steel netting was considered one of the latest methods of combining strength with lightness. Some years ago, however, it was discovered that the steel netting added little or no laterat strength to a floor, and that coke breeze had a deleterious effect (chemically) upon steel, with the result that neither is now being used in building construction.

Neglected Memorial. The spot in Akaroa on which effective sovereignty of the South Island was first established has been allowed to fall into an unkempt state. The memorial erected 41 years ago. to mark the historic raising of the British flag is weather-worn, and parts of the concrete base are disintegrating. The neglected condition of the memorial surprised the Minister of Internal Affairs, Mr. Parry, when he visited Akaroa to discuss arrangements for the centennial celebrations with the Akaroa committee. “I think you will agree that the memorial should 'be looked after,” said Mr. Parry at a subsequent conference with the borough council. The necessary steps would be taken to vest the area in the council. Motor Park For Exhibition. The powerful bulldozer which has been at work for the past month at the new Wellington motor camp , was transferred yesterday to the Kilbirnie Recreation Ground extension, Wellington’s latest reclamation, which is to bo used as a motor park during the term of the Centennial Exhibition. For some years this lias been a ragged dumping ground for spoil and rubbish from miles around. That is all done with. The area has been filled in and all that now requires to be done is to level out the dumps and fill in the. two holes that still remain in the vicinity of the causeway. This work should be completed toward the end of the week, after which the ground will be allowed to settle before it is further dealt with. Money in Blackberries. As a noxious weed the blackberry is one of New Zealand’s greatest curses. Recent advice from Melbourne said that the pest is assuming devastating proportions in that State, and that, if not eradicated, will take command of large tracts of good country. All the same, there is money in the blackberry at tins time of the year. One line of clean berries realized 6d. a pound at the Allen Street markets yesterday. Another product of the autumn that is in short supply this year is the water melon. Great crates of these melons used to come from Sydney every autumn, but the supply now comes from Auckland and Hawke's Bay. Yesterday water melons were sold at the markets for from 3/3 to 4/6 each. Tomatoes are holding their own. Good round sorts realized as high as 7/6 a ease yesterday and quarter-eases of No. J’s sold for from 2/- to 3/3.

Municipal Motor GarttgesProgress is being made with the clearing away of the tree reserve on the lower bank in Sydney Street west, Wellington, in preparation for the great change that is pending. It is apparent from tlie present aspect of the cleared anil excavated ground that, the lower road will be considerably narrowed by the alterations, and the building of 26 motor-garages against the bank, under the lee of the new highway. This lower road, which leads to Glenbervie Terrace, is at present a one-way street: but, though its breadth is being lessened by the garages and the footpath on that side of the street, it will, in tlie future, be a two-way street. This anomaly is unavoidable, as those who rent the garages must be given two-way privileges, and others cannot be denied them. The manoeuvring of a ear out of the new municipal intraces will call for treat care.