News From Hawke’s Bay

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 32, 8 February 1937, Page 2

News From Hawke’s Bay

ABOUT PEOPLE AND EVENTS A Hastings motorist just returned from a tour of the Auckland province is full of enthusiasm regarding the sodium-gas lighting system recently installed at Dcvonport, Auckland. He informed a reporter that it was quite the best lighting arrangement he had come across. “It is really extraordiaary,” he Baid. "The car lights can be put out altogether, and there is uo glare. Certainly the effect of the coloured light on peoples faces is pretty ghastly, but there is no doubt that it is wonderful for driving." A very fme record was achieved by the candidates of the Hastings High School who sat for tho matriculation examination at the end of last year, the percentage of passes beiag 75 per cent. Altogether 34 pupils were successful in securing passes. "This is quite the best performance that has been achieved by the school," said the principal, Mr. W. A. G. Penlington, when reporting on the results of the examination. "The percentage of 75 compares very favourably indeed with that for other schools, for tho average is usually about 50 per cent." Arrangements for the tournament at Napier between Pirate football clubs from Napier, Wellington, Wanganui and Palmersrton North have now been completed. The tournament will commence at McLean Park on Easter Saturday. Some handsome trophies have been presented for the tournament, which is expected to become an annual event, run along the lines of the 6pillane Cup tournament for Marist team.*. The Wanganui club has already :e----lected its team and has begun training in earnest for the event. Finals will be played on Easter Monday. Visits to Hastings and Napier were made on Friday by the Staffs Regrading Commission of the New Zealand Railways Department, the commission comprising Messrs. A. Urquhart, staff superintendent at Wellington, J. Altken, assistant district traffic manager at Wellington, and J. J. McAloon. re* presentative of tho Railway Officer®* Institute, of Christcdurch. The *cora* misison is undertaking a tour of the wihole of the stations in New Zealand and preparing a report which will, be placed before the Government. It i* some 10 years or so since a similar commission functioned. A nice tribute to the Tom Parker fountain at Napier was paid at the weekly meeting of the Hastings Rotary Club by Mr. J. 8. Butler in the oonrse of a talk on his impressions of his trip abroad. Mr. Butler was mentioning fihe beauty of the fountain at Genoa, which he said was the most beautiful he had seen. "I have seen a more beautiful one since then," he said with a smile, "and no doubt most of you Rotarians have too, for it is only about 13 miles away." No hint as to the findings of a special committee of inquiry set up by tho j Hawke’s Bay Hospital Board to take 1 evidence as to certain conduct at tbe Napier Hospital has been given as yet. The report came before meeting of the board on Thursday obening last, and was discussed in committee, but it is not known whether any important decisions were made. When approached for a statement concerning developments, Mr. Lassen (chairman of the board) said that the discussion was strictly in committee and he had no authority to make any statement. "Tho inquiry has been completed and the board has considered tho whole matter, and as far as the board is concerned tbe matter is closed," ho said. 1 ’Should the circumstances warrant a public statement, no doubt it will be forthcoming." The inquiry was commenced at the end of last year, the committee hearing a substantial amount of evidence. and it was the results of this investigation that were the subject of Thursday evening’s meeting of tho board.