INVERCARGILL, July 30: Seven wagons of a mixed train from Tuatapere to Invercargill were derailed near Orepuki this morning. No serious damage was done. The line was completely blocked, and a train was sent to clear the track. [Missing Credit]No Caption Provided . . . as northern smash tidied AUCKLAND, July 30: A breakdown train with workmen and repair gear was despatched from Newmarket immediately on the receipt of the news of the rail smash that occurred last evening at Pokeno, and reached the scene of the accident during the early hours of the morning. Work was commenced at once in making a deviation round the damage, so as to enable the traffic between Frankton and Auckland to be resumed. This was accomplished in a few hours without much serious inconvenience to the Main Trunk passenger traffic. When the Limited reached Mercer, some 50 workmen had been assembled, and they were taken to the scene of the mishap to assist in clearing the main line of the wreckage. The Limited negotiated the deviation at a very slow pace without difficulty, although the clearance between the carriages and the wrecked wagons was only about an inch. The deviated track had to be placed in such close proximity to the wreckage so as to avoid making a cutting. There were pianos mixed up with agricultural implements, drapery with dog biscuits, and two trucks of commercial samples scattered about. Retailers in hours breaches Peebles and Halligan, butchers, were proceeded against before Mr H.W. Bundle SM for keeping their premises open after 12 o’clock on Saturday. The defendants were fined 10 shillings and costs. For a similar offence W. Wintrup, another butcher, was fined 20s and costs. T. Shirley was also charged with keeping his business open after hours, and was fined 20s and costs. Place of disputed spelling A reader asks: “Dear ‘Civis’, There has been some controversy regarding the name ‘Balmacewan’ in the Maori Hill district. Stone’s Directory, the Telephone Directory and other publications of the same nature give it as ‘Balmacewen’, while several people of the district use the other form ‘Balmacewan’. Could you shed any light?’’ — The question being whether the last syllable should be spelt with an “e” or with an “a.” A trifle this; but people wrangle over trifles; and the question of an “e” or an “a” is an irritating trifle when you are dating a letter. Stone’s Directory spells the word with an “e”; but the Telephone Directory — my copy at least — spells it with an “a” — “Bamacewan.” And there you are! Who am I that I should decide between them? The prefix “Bal-” in place names, common on the Scottish map, is by the authorities explained thus: “Celtic, a place (?)” — so there is doubt even about the prefix. If “bal” means a place, the Maori Hill suburb will be the “place” of either the MacEwens with an “e” or the MacEwans with an “a.” Both names are in the Dunedin Directory, and you are left to your choice. — by ‘Civis’ Support for women to be JPs WELLINGTON, July 30: Interest was added to the second reading of the Justices of the Peace Amendment Bill in the Legislative Council today from the fact that in former years a majority of the council has voted strenuously against the proposal that women should have the right to act as justices of the peace. The Leader of the Council (Sir R. Heaton Rhodes) said he thought the Council should give its consent to the proposal. The Hon Mr Cohen said that women were now seized with the necessity for equality with men. Too long had they had no voice whatever. It was an economic fact that they were advancing rapidly. It was the duty of the Council to listen respectfully to the desires of people and it was idle to say that the elected members of the House of Representatives did not know what that desire was. The Bill was read a second time on the voices. — ODT, d.m.1926
