NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 199, 20 May 1944, Page 8

NEWS IN BRIEF

Objected To Mince Because the waterside workers engaged at Bavensbourne, Dunedin, objected to mince for their evening meal, no work was done on the wharf there on Thursday night. After negotiations, the men resumed work yesterday morning, on condition that they were brought to Dunedin to enable them to procure their dinners at home. About 70 men were involved in the dispute.—P.A. A Chinese Sculptor. ' The only pieces of sculpture exhibited nt the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts autumn show are two plaster casts, head of a girl, “Yvonne,” and bust of W. A. Gee. Both are by the young Chin- • est student Guy Ngaii, Wellington, a promising pupil of Mr. Alexander Fraser. April’s Fires. . During April the Wellington Fire Brigade attended 87 calls. These included 40 actual fires, and 47 false alarms. Of the actual fires, 10 were property, 20 were gorse, grass, and rubbish fires, and four were lighted chimneys. Of the false alarms, 32 were classified as justifiable, and 15 as malicious. Fire Brigade Strength. The superintendent of the Wellington Fire Brigade, Mi. C. A. Woolley, stated at yesterday’s meeting of the fire board that the brigade was now five men below its normal strength. The chairman, Mr. S. S. Dean, said that it was hoped that this strength would be made up from men who were returning soon from the Pacific. Airgraphs for Naval Personnel. The Postmaster-General. Mr. Webb, stated yesterday that arrangements had been made for the acceptance of airgraph messages addressed to naval personnel ttached to the Trinidad (West Indies) naval, station. These airgraphs should be addressed according to the normal manner of addressing correspondence for such personnel. Fire Brigade Turn-out. There is to be a turn-out of members of the Wellington Fire Brigade in Kent Terrace at 10.30 a.m. on Tuesday next.

The purpose is an exercise in hose-laying operations, which will demonstrate how a full head of water can be secured by long lengths of 32in. hose, boosted, at defined points, with high-powered pumps. Some 2000 ft. of hose will be laid. A Little Encouragement. < “It’s wonderful what a little bit of encouragement will do,” said Mr.-Stilwell, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday to a Maori, Edward Manukonga, who pleaded guilty to a charge of having delivered a firearm without a permit. When asked for an explanation accused said he doubted if he could express himself sufficiently well in English. When urged by the magistrate, however, he made ,a statement. Boys’ Institute Outing. ' Arranged by the Wellington Boys’ Institute, approximately 100 boys were treated to an afternoon’s outing yesterday at the R.N.Z.A.F. station, Rongotai. Arriving at 10 o’clock, they listened to a short concert by the R.N.Z.A.F. Band, and were then shown over the station. After lunch in the airmen’s mess, they inspected aircraft at the aerodrome, and later watched a display of formation flying. The visit ended with afternoon tea in the Y.M.C.A. Probation For Theft. Having stolen from the place of his employment an electric drilling machine, valued at £3O. a labourer, Daniel James Haggerty, aged 28, took the machine to a second-hand dealer’s shop and sold it for £6, it was stated in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, when Haggerty appeared and pleaded guilty to a charge of theft. He was to probation for twelve months and restitution of the £6 was ordered. The machine had been recovered. Council Doubled. Another signpost along the road of Lower Hutt’s progress is the doubling this election of the number of councillors—from six to 12. The council would require to be increased to 12 when the population reached 30,000. As this is expected to occur during the incoming council's term, it was decided to make the increase now. Lower Hutt’s representation on the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board is also being doubled—from . two to four. Duties Relinquished. At the monthly meeting of the Wellington Fire Board yesterday, Mr. Malcolm Fraser intimated that as he had many other duties and his own private affairs to look after, he was relinquishing his association with the fire board, the harbour board and the board of management of the National Art Gallery and Dominion Museum. The chairman, Mr. S. S. Dean, expressed regret at Mr. Fraser’s decision, and thanked him for the excellent services he had rendered the board for the last few years. Constable Street Fire Station. Ever since it was erected the Constable Street Fire Station has been subject to leakages in heavy weather. Several attempts have been made to remedy the defects in this flat-roofed concrete building, but instead of improving the conditions grqjv worse. Last year it was decided once more to tackle the trouble, and yesterday, to the relief of members of the board, it was announced that the contractors had started and from what, had already been done, it looked as though they were making a thorough job of it. Bad Manners in Court. “Take off your hat,” was a peremptory order given by the registrar of the Supreme Court, Mr. G. S. Clark, yesterday morning. A little later a second man entered the courtroom with his hat on, and was promptly called before the Bench by the Chief Justice (Sir Michael Myers). ■ "You know why I have called you for- 1 ward?” asked his Honour. “Yes,” re- ■ sponded the offender, "because I did not remove my hat.” “I want to point out ■ to you,” said the Chief Justice, “that 1 you ought to know better. Lately men • seem to be developing the habit of com- ’ ing into Court with their hats on. instead 1 of taking them off outside, and when they ’ go out of putting their hats on in the 1 courtroom. I want to tell you that it is very bad manners, apart from anything else.” “I am very sorry.” replied the ! culprit, as he hurriedly left the courtroom. _________ 1