NEWS AND NOTES

Manawatu Herald, Volume L, Issue 40023, 14 November 1929, Page 4

NEWS AND NOTES

A saving of over 1,000,000 gallons a week in the Devonport water supply has resulted from the metering of the borough. The latest development of the moving picture is a natural vision camera, Iby means of which pictures as large as the proscenium such of any theatre and giving perfect illusion of depth can he projected. Under the will of the late Miss Hannah Hoye, of Northeote, the residue of the estate (about £1400) is 'bequeathed to the Manurewa Baptist Children’s Home for the general purposes of that institution.

A nian belonging to Edmonton, southern plain of Corsica situated between Figari, Bonifacio and North London, who was missing for three weeks, was found on 'Southend esplanade suffering from loss of memory.

■Speaking in the Legislative Council last week regarding the Nelson-West Coast railway on the South Island, the Hon. T. S. Weston said it was recently stated that there was a likelihood of the Westport Harbour failing, and that this line would lie required to carry the coal from Westport to Nelson, from which port it would be shipped to markets elsewhere. In his opinion, he said, if they had transport of coal in that way it would be good-bye to the industry. One might just as well say that they could transport coal from Greymouth to Lyttelton and then ship it to Wellington and Auckland. A pathetic commentary on the self-centred habits which have become engendered by bus travel in Auckland was supplied in an incident at Newmarket the other morning, when an old lady collapsed .on stepping out of a ‘bus from Mangore. While receiving attention in a nearby shop she mentioned that she was 83 years of age, and that her exhaustion was due to the fact that she had to stand in a crowded Inis throughout the run from Mangere. In response to the comment that surely there was some man in the bus with sufficient ordinary consideration for old age, irrespective of sex, to give her a seal, she stated that, no doubt owing to the fact that this was “halfprice day” in a number of city emporiums, the bus was really crowded with women. Apparently she accepted quite philosophically that ancient adage of natural history that “the female of the species is more savage than the male.” An ingenious piece of mechanism, which has been on exhibition in Dunedin, lias for some time been attracting' the attention of passei’sby. It is a ileatly-eonstrueted model of an old railway locomotive. Stated to be the work of a French clockworker, the engine has as one of its most conspicuous features a clock which keeps good time, the “innards” being tucked away in the ;bqdy of Ihe locomotive. However, this is far from being all the appurtenances included in the model, for, in addition lo an aneroid barometer, fitted near the clock, there is also a thermometer and a compass. The thermometer runs up and down the long funnel, and the compass lies right on top of it. The driving wheels, of the engine can be sot in motion, and the .hours arc struck on a bell. To trace the history of the model is a difficult matter, 'init judging from the venerable “puffing Billy” pattern of locomotive represented it must have been .■made many decades ago. 'The heavy wear on the roads through holiday traffije has come, under the notice of the Highways Board, and a circular on this subject was received from the Board at the meeting o'f the Horowhenua iCoimty Council on Saturday. The circular drew attention particularly to maintenance of Main Highways during the Christmas period. In some eases, the Board’s chair.nian (Mr. F. W. Furkert) pointed out, it was the practice for local ■authorities to grant surfacemen leave of absence during the Christmas period, but where heavy holiday traffic was likely to take place, the Board suggested that this arrangement be varied and that surfacemen and grad oil's be kept at work. In some cases, to keep the road satisfactorily maintained during the Christmas .period, extra labour and graders would uo doubt jibe required and should be utilised. The County chairman (Mir. G. A. Monk) stated that last year, in /connection with the corresponding holiday traffic, steps were taken by file County Engineer to keep thegravel roads in fair order. He moved that the circular be a-eferred to the Engineer, to act upon as he thought fit. The motion was carried.