NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 263, 5 August 1942, Page 6

NEWS IN BRIEF

Bookings Cancelled

Because of the necessity of making a thorough inspection of the Wellington Town Hall, the bookings for the next .month of the main hall and the concert chamber have been cancelled.

Hutt Hospital Expenditure. Up to last month, £164,668 had been expended on the new Hutt Valley Hosnital and nurses’ home, £72,16J of this sum on the home and £92,499 on the main hospital block.

Tiie Queen’s Birthday. His Excellency the Governor-General has dispatched the following message to the Queen: —“The Government and people of this Dominion, join with me in tendering to Your Majesty respectful congratulations and good wishes on the occasion of Your Majesty s birthday. (Signed) C. L. N. Newall. ’

Wellington Basilica Closed. In general, church buildings in the Wellington district seem to have escaped serious damage in Sunday s earthquake, but one exception is the Basilica, Hill Street. Both of the ornamental towers near the entrance to this building were cracked, one of them badly, lilt full examination can be made and necessary repairs effected, the building has been closed. In the meantime St. Ilrancis Hall, nearby, will be used as a church. Cheaper Eggs. . The Wellington Egg Marketing Committee and the Internal Marketing Division, working in conjunction with the Price Tribunal, have arranged for a decrease in the wholesale price of eggs. The new prices, which are now effective, are (previous prices in parentheses) :— Heavy. 2/6 (2/9); standard, 2/4 2/1), medium, 2/2 (2/u); pullet, 1/11 large duck, 2/4 (2/7) ; small duck, 2/2 (2/5). Authorized receiving depots wnl pay 2/2-J a dozen for ungraded eggs.

Disorderly Conduct in Tram. A young blacksmith who placed his comfort before the convenience of other passengers in a tram travelling along Lambton Quay late on Monday night and, when remonstrated with by the conductor, used insulting language, was fined £1 for disorderly conduct when he appeared before Mr. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrates* Court, Wellington, yesteiday. He was Ronald Clive Leo Bougen, aged 20. Evidence was given that he had placed his feet on a seat, thus blocking the gangway in the tram.

Believing Main Hospital. The effect on the average number of patients in Wellington Public Hospital of the opening of the Otaki Beach Hospital is shown by the latest monthly figures available, compared with the totals at the same period last year. Wellington hospital had a daily average of SOS, and Otaki 174. Last year the Wellington hospital average was usually close to the 1000 mark. The. Trentham racecourse emergency hospital for service patients has also taken a big burden, frpm the main hospital. The latest available monthly figures for it show a daily average of 139.

Women Conductors’ Attire. A question whether the wearing of trousers or slacks by women employed on the Auckland trams as conductors had been considered was asked by Mrs. M. M. Dreaver at a meeting of the Auckland Transport Board. Mrs. Dreaver maintained that trousers would provide greater warmth than skirts. In the absence‘of the -engineer-manager, Mr. ,A. E. Ford, Mr. 11. H. Morgan, traffic superintendent, stated that Mr. Ford had given consideration to this matter, and. had decided in favour of the skirt as being more appropriate. Mrs. Dreaver asked that a report be furnished on this subject. Safe-Breakers Active. Safe-breakers, who have been active in and around Auckland recently, continued their operations in country districts on Monday night. The door store of Frank Dye and Sons at Kaukapakapa was forced by burglars,. who. blew the strong-room door from its hinges and then blew open the safe in it and stole a considerable amount in money, as well as clothing from the store. Mcllraith’s store, in Main Street, Papakura, was.entered by forcing a door, and a safe was removed on a trolley and taken 200 yards away. The safe was found to be unlocked. It contained no money, but papers were stolen. The thieves stole a quantity of tobacco and a small amount of petty cash from the store.—P.A. Necessity’s Large Family. “It is extraordinary what a large family necessity has got,” remarked Mr. M. F. Luckie, chairman of the No. 1 Armed Forces Appeal Board yesterday, when a Presbyterian minister, supporting an appeal against Home GuarjJ service on behalf of a Sunday school teacher and Bible Class leader, told the board that the reservist was the only male teacher he had left, and all efforts to find someone, male or female, to take his place had been unavailing. The Crown representative, Mr. C. O. Bell, remarked that many people were free on Saturdays and Sundays, and yet would say that they could not help in such a case as that before the board. The minister said he felt that the prospect in regard to Sunday school teaching of children was serious, but he admitted that if the reservist left the district some other arrangement would have to be mnde. The appeal was dismissed.