NEWS OF THE DAY

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20023, 23 August 1939, Page 4

NEWS OF THE DAY

Street Sale of Flowers The Gisborne Beautifying Association, was granted! authority by the Borough CouneiL last night to hold a street sale of flowers on September 8.

Gisborne Beer Prices No decision has been reached as yet by the Gisborne Licensed Victuallers’ Association in regard to measures, called for toy the recent increase in the bulk cost of beer. There has been no .change in bar practice in district hotels, pending a decision toy the association.

No. 13 Scheme Work There are now 113 men on No. 13 Scheme work under the Gisborne Borough Council. Reporting to the council last night, the borough engineer, Mr. E R. Thomas, stated that up to yesterday 101 men were engaged, as follows:—Anzac Park, 24; Kaiti Hill, 7; Botanical Gardens, 24; Waikanae Park, 9; Kaiti Beach, 12; Kaiti H.ill iroad, 10; floating gang, 9; footpath formation, G: total, 101. An additional 12 men were to report for work this morning, bringing the total to 113.

Petrol Tax Repercussion As a result of the increase of the petrol tax by 4d' per gallon, the Gisborne Borough Council is asked to pay Is per cord more for the supply of firewood. Reporting to the Borough Council last night, the town clerk, Mr. W. M. Jenkins, stated that he and the borough engineer, Mr. E. R. Thomas, .interviewed the contractor, who desired 1 a variation in his tender as a result of the increase in the tax. The contractor advised that he was not prepared to undertake the contract unless his request for an additional Is per cord was agreed to. It was decided 1 to accede to the request for the additional Charge. Territorials’ Keenness "It speaks Well for the young men of ilhis district for the manner in which they have come forward and filled! Gisborne’s quota of territorials-,” stated Captain B. Barrington, central military district recruiting officer, in referring to the success of the recruiting campaign at a meeting held last evening to form a Gisborne Territorial Association. “On behalf of the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones, I wish to express appreciation of the co-operation: of those organisations who made the campaign such a success.” Later in the evening Captain Barrington paid a tribute to the keenness of .the Gisborne territorials, staling that at training camps held at Treniham the Gisborne representation had been greater, proportionately, than that of any other centre.

Need for good “Mounts” “The mounted men have just as much right tb good mounts as the pilot has to modern aeroplanes,” declared Mr. F. Valentine, in addressing last evening’s defence meeting on the question of the suitability of the horses that were being provided for the mounted rifles recruits. Mr. Valentine claimed that the value of the mounted force in New Zealand had been widely recognised, but insufficint attention had been given to the provision of the right stamp of horse. Captain B. Barrington, a visiting officer, assured the gathering that the horses were looked after 10-day better than ever before. The expansion of the mounted forces bore testimony to the value of the horse, and the speaker said he had seen something of the fine horses that were being used .for training. Bren Gun Film Those who attended a meeting in the Y.M.C.A. lounge last evening in connection with the formation of a Territorial Association in Gisborne had an opportunity to see a film of the recent Bren gun carrier trials, staged at Trentham before 10,000 people. The demonstration was impressive, the carriers being shown in various manoeuvres, including the climbing of hillsides, the surmounting of hanks up to sft in height, and the striding of ditches. The function of the carrier, which moves at 30 miles an hour across country under normal conditions, was explained briefly by Captain B. Barrington, central military command recruiting officer, who stated that the machine was not a light lank, as was thought by many, but simply a high-speed transportation vehicle .for cross-coun-try work with the Bren gun. Selected territorials from all parts of New Zealand were being given opportunities of .familiarising themselves with the new equipment, Captain Barrington added.