NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 157, 29 March 1939, Page 11

NEWS IN BRIEF

Traffic Signal Lights

The automatic traffic signal lights ordered some months ago by the traffic department of the Wellington City Corporation for the Taranaki StreetJervois Quay-Wakefield Street junction are expected to arrive next month. This point is now probably the busiest in the city at peak traffic hours, and officers are posted regularly to control the traffic there.

Feed Shortage. With pastures parched and withered by the prolonged dry spell, many farmers in the Waikato face serious losses. Rain has fallen on only one day since February 12, half an inch being recorded on March 12. It is reported that there is a grave shortage of feed.

Cricket Fixtures. The Wellington Cricket Association decided at its meeting this week that there would be no early start ou Saturday in the fixtures scheduled to commence last Saturday, which were postponed because of rain. The games will, therefore, start at rhe usual time, 1.30 p.m. Centennial Exhibition.

The part to be played by the Wellington Technical College in the general display of educational work at the Centennial Exhibition was referred to in the report of the director, Mr. R. G. Ridling, at Monday’s meeting of the college board of governors. Students had been working ou possible exhibits for some time past, said Mr. Ridling, and all exhibits were to be complete and ready for the final choice by the end of the second term. Arrangements had been made for the closest co-oper-ation between the Education Department and the college and every assistance would be given to see that the laying-out of the educational court was creditable.

College Barracks. Pupils of St. Patrick’s College, Silverstream, 220 strong, are in annual barracks at the college under Lieutenant Horwood, N.Z.S.C., and .SergeantMajor Taylor. Major F. Hunt inspected ihe barracks yesterday. The programme for the barracks, which con-cludes-on Friday, is the ordinary infantry course with special emphasis ou physical drill, concluding with a day’s shooting on Trentham range on Friday. There is a special band section in the barracks.

The Exhibition and Billeting. At the Dunedin Exhibition, more than 8000 children from a distance were catered for, and it is estimated that more than 15,000 will have to be provided for in Wellington, mainly from January to April. At its meeting yesterday, the Wellington Colleges Board appointed its chairman, Mr. L. McKenzie, and Mrs. Knox Gilmer to represent the board on a sub-commitee which has been set up to deal, with the visits and billeting of parties of pupils from schools well beyond Wellington.

Turnbull Scholarships. On the recommendation of Mr. W. A. Armour, headmaster of Wellington College, the Wellington Colleges Board at its meeting yesterday approved of the award of Turnbull university scholarships to I. L. Holmes and Alan Miles. The scholarships are tenable for two years at Victoria University College and are available for students who have spent four years at Wellington College. Tribute to Former Chairman.

Reference to the death of Mr. G. Mitchell, a former chairman of the Wellington Colleges Board was made at yesterday’s meeting of the board by the chairman, Mr. L. McKenzie. Mr. Mitchell had been a very valuable member of the board in every way and the board should place on record its sorrow at his death, said Mr. McKenzie, who added that, with Mr. Field, he had attended the funeral. Cost of Blood Transfusion. In two years the cost of blood transfusions at the hospital had advanced from £l3O to £320, and on the face of it something seemed to be wrong, said Mr. A. J. Moody at a meeting of the Auckland Hospital Board this week. He asked for a report oit the nse of blood transfusions at the hospital. Other members suggested that the increase was probably due to the extended practice of using blood transfusions, which had proved their usefulness over and over again.

Old Landmark to Go. A 60-year-old building, now occupied as the office of a taxi company in Dixon Street, Wellington, is about to be demolished. It was erected by a sect known as the Particular Baptists, and for a quarter of a century served as a place of worship. It stands on the corner of Dixon and Eva Streets, a modest little wooden building, with a quaint side entrance. Half a century ago. the corner opposite was occupied bv another place of worship, the Church of Christ, and the old storeroom, halfway up Herbert Street (off Manners Street), was known as the Bethel for some 30 years.

Holiday for Ex-Soldiers' Sons.

On their way to Furlough House, near Sydney, for a holiday as the guests of the returned soldiers’ organization there, 64 young sons of New Zealand ex-soldiers will leave Wellington by the Awatea on Monday. They are aged from 10 to 14 years, and come from various parts of the Dominion. About IS. most of whom will arrive by the Limited express on Sunday morning. will require billets for the night, and the secretary of the Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association. Mr. J. Spence, is now seeking hosts. The boys will be away about three weeks.

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