NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 188, 6 May 1940, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Lighting Of Hutt Road

A start is being made to light the Hutt Road adequately as the financial means and material become available. Hitherto this road has been but faintly lighted at certain points, though the illumination at Kaiwarra and Ngahauranga has been fairly satisfctory. But with the improvement of the road and the increase in traffic, plus the number of accidents which have occurred there, it has long been considered that a better system of lighting was necessary. Suburban highways are not a» a rule brilliantly lighted. It is considered necessary that when the traffic tally exceeds 2500 vehicles daily steps should be taken to light the thoroughfare. This applies in New Zealand to only two suburban highways, the Hutt Road between Wellington. and Petone and the Great South Road leading out of Auckland. As there is objection from the harbour board to the use of sodium or mercury-vapour lamps, incandescent lights in 300-watt units are to be used for the illumination of the road between Thorndon Quay and Petone railway crossing. Assembly of Third Echelon. \ The Third Echelon of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force will assemble in the various district mobilization camps between May 14 and May 17.

Tasman Air Service. The work of ■ preparing emergency alighting areas in the Kaipara and Manukau Harbours for flying-boats in the Tasman service will shortly be undertaken by the Public Works Department. Though Admiralty charts give soundings, it. will be necessary to make special investigations. When defined, the areas will be indicated by buoys.

Old Soldiers Never Die. While the years have taken 'their toll of veterans of the South African War, the association in Wellington has had the remarkable experience lately of men coming forward for the first time and. joining up. At the Anzac Day parades there were reunions of individual veterans who hod not seen each other for 38 years. The veterans are proud in these days of their haring been the first New Zealand volunteers to serve the Empire overseas, and some of them have had direct family representation in the South African War, the Great War, and the present war. Exhibition Panels.

It has been decided that the fine panelling in the Canterbury Court of the Centennial Exhibition buildings will be transferred to Christchurch and placed round the walls of the committee room in the Christchurch City Council chambers in which the Canterbury Court executive always met. These panels, built of New Zealand native woods, interspersed with enlarged photographs of scenes in Canterbury, have been one of the major attractions of the exhibition, thousands of people from all over the Dominion having shown their appreciation of the unusual display. It is also intended to endeavour to preserve for the city the fine Hanmer marble blocks used in the Canterbury Court.