GENERAL NEWS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXIII, 31 March 1926, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS

Fifty years ago this week the first gas jets in Tiniaru were, lighted. There were about half a dozen lights.

A .start was made yesterday with the work of shilftiug the South African AYar Memorial from opposite the Drill Shed to the triangle in Charles Street.

Messrs C. AY. Bell (llangiora), S. T. Fitch (W’aimate) and Charles A\\ Loelo (Akaroa) have been l-eappointed as representatives ol the Canterbury College Board of Governors on their respective schools’ boards.

A Press Association message says that most of the sawmil's in the Ohakimo district are closing for a fortnight at Plaster instead of tiro customary four days, in view of the present unsettled conditions of the sawmilling industry.

Mr AVaters. electrical engineer to the Manawatu Power Board, who has just returned from a visit to America, says that while in the States and Canada he travelled on some fivers in the way of expresses, but for thrills round corners the Auckland-AA'cllingtoh limited has them all well beaten.

The Otago Acclimatisation Society had a full discussion at their meeting this week, as to the number of decoys nor gun which should he allowed during the coming duck-shooting season, it was first proposed that the number should be limited to twelve, but eventually it was decided that 2o decoys should be the limit.

Inquiries made concerning tlie proposal to import only 48in. sacks in future indicate that this is generally considered the best all-round sack for general use ; but if it is agreed to import only sacks of this size it is considered probable that a light-weight, as well as a heavy-weight 'lßin. sack, will he bought, the light-weight being for chaff and potatoes.

“Did they fly?” asked the AVaimato County chairman (Mr H‘. B. S. Johnstone) yesterday, when the Council received TOs 6d from the Ashburton Borough Council as AYaimato’s share of heavy traffic licenses collected by them, while the Ashburton County Council reported that no traction engines had passed through the county.

Following advice received from the secretary of the Canterbury Education Board, the Tiniaru and District School Committees' Association .Committee resolved to observe the Ulster holidays by closing the schools from ’llmrsdny. lit April, and re-opening on AVeduesday, 7th April. The term holidays wiil he from Friday, lltli May, re-opening on Tuesday, Ist June.

A .local miller, in conversation with a “Herald” reporter yesterday, said that Australian . flour is now coining into New Zealand'at a greater rate than earlier in the season —about-lot) tons per month. The'miller.added that lie luid received word that day iroin Christchurch ‘that North Canterbury farmers were now selling their wheat freely at the rates fixed by the millers, namely Gs Bd. Gs l()d, and .s f.o.b. : but in South Canterbury very few farmers were selling. Ho anticipated more settled business here after the Easter holidays.

At a meeting of the South Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Public Schools’ Assistant Masters’ Association, it was decided to, .support the protest of the AA'aitaki' 'Sub-branch of the Teachers’ Institute. against the remark of the Minister of Education, “that he would hardly recognise the pupils' of a Junior High School as the old fifth nnd’sixtli standards of a primary school, as being regarded as extravagant- and uncalled for, as weU as casting a slur on the primary system.”

“Does one driver’s license entitle the holder to drive a car. motor-cycle, and a motor-lorry; . .or have separate licenses to he obtained in respect of each vehicle f” This very interesting question arose at ■ yesterday’s, meeting of the AA’aimate County Council.' when the clerk (Air L. J. Collins) said he had heard, of bodies issuing a license for each vehicle. The regulations, he stated, were not, very clear on this point. As the AVaimatc Council has been issuing only one license irrespective of how many vehicles the holder intended to drive, tire members await with interest the ruling of the Counties’ Association’s solicitor on the matter.

The Afayor of Timaru (ATr 0. J. Wallace) was again in communication with the Railway Department yesterday, with a view to ascertaining whether the Department will rim a special train from Timaru to Dunedin in connection with the Exhibition. The Department expresses its willingness to run a special one-day train at excursion rates, provided the necessary carriages are available, and a sufficient number of passengers are willing to go by it. His AA'orship said lie telt confident that tile train would he well patronised, judging by the number o! people who had expressed a desire for such a train, and he suggested that Ihe number eould be definitely useer(ained if the Department would advertise the date on which the train would rim, and invite" ii'itending passengers to book for it. Two dates are suggested —the first and the second Saturday a tier Easter. Tt is probable that two trains will be rim if a snHickiiit number of people desire to travel by Ibeni.

Alore than a year ago. the Alinisfer of Public Works (Hon. .1. (.- Coates) pro mist'd a large deputation ol liinaru citizens that a conference be held, within a few weeks'of that ..ale. to discuss, the matter ol a supply ol eieetric current for South Caiuerhiirv. but nothing more lias been heard ot the matter. AVhen reminded Ol Ins promise, some little time ago. the Almister replied that his odicers hail not completed their investigations of the several sources of supplv a vai able for South C'B'terburv Dicv lane investigated lakes 'lekapo tukaki. and Oban, ami tin- Waitaki rum. a fow mi Jos hlxivd .Kurow. . seuroos of -supply, and though notilung lias been given out nfheially, it believed, o-, what appears to be the b-st authority, that <>l those four possible sources of supplv. lekapo i, most, favoured.