Things that go bump and aren’t right

Sir,— Noticing in the report of the meeting of the City Council that, Cr Scott said "that the breaking of an axle on the Roslyn extension service was being inquired into by the engineer." I wondered if this referred to the break some six weeks ago, when there was a series of accidents. If so, surely there, is need to stir the engineer up. The cause, of the axle breaking was running a flat wheel for some three weeks, and the bumping won the day. One might well ask where was the engineer all that time. I do not know the engineer, but I do know there has been, and is, a depression of quite three inches on the line opposite the playground of the Christian Brothers' School. I know also that the cross-over above Highgate is knocking the cars about, and that every rail can be counted on the tracks by the bump as the car goes over the end of it. Then, again, No. 6 this morning was like a fire siren as it rounded the curves. I was on one car recently that left the rails twice in one journey. Surely the above shows that someone should look after these matters. —I am. etc., R. S. Black.

High praise for wharfies

A high official in the New Zealand transport service during the war paid a tribute in the course of a chat yesterday with a Times reporter to the waterside workers of Port Chalmers. In order to despatch a certain transport from Port Chalmers on a specified date it was necessary that the waterside workers should work all day on New Year’s Day at coaling the vessel. "Not a hope of their doing that" was the opinion expressed by an official of mercantile shipping experience. That was far from encouraging, but the official of the wider responsibility decided to speak to the men personally. He adopted that course, and the man to man policy proved successful. He went on board the ship where the coaling was going on and pointed out to the men that national safety was a factor in the situation. No coercion of any kind’ was introduced. On New Year’s morning every man turned up, and the work went on throughout the day without let or hindrance. "I have had a warm feeling for Port Chalmers ever since," said the big war time official.

Dr King’s good work

Excellent testimony to the value of the work of the Plunket Society was laid before the annual conference in Dunedin yesterday by Dr Truby King, who, in his opening remarks, said he wished to congratulate Dunedin in its absolutely unique record in regard to the stamping out of the one serious scourge of early infancy, infantile diarrhoea. For the last two years, not a single child under two years had died in Dunedin. In 1907 this fell disease carried off 25 infants per 1000 births in their first year, besides gravely damaging for life at least six times that number. 

Mosgiel hose ban

The spell of dry weather is telling on the Mosgiel water supply in common with neighbouring towns; but the position is quite good all the same. The borough inspector (Mr Butcher) has the position under observation. He reported having visited the intakes at Powder Creek and Leishman's yesterday. The City Council’s pumping plant at Powder Creek was in full swing, and the stream was consequently low. At Leishman’s the water was also level with the sill of the weir, and the borough was getting a full pipe. Though there is no cause for alarm, but on the other hand satisfaction that Mosgiel is being well served in a dry season, residents are requested to conserve the borough water supply. The use of hoses for garden or other purposes is strictly prohibited until further notice. 

Christian healing mission

Yesterday the third and last of Mr J. M. Hickson’s healing mission services was conducted in St Paul’s Cathedral. The number of patients treated has averaged about 550 on each of the three days. The Rev V. G. Bryan King briefly addressed the mentally afflicted in the crypt and afterwards they were prayed with and individually ministered to by Mr Hickson and Bishop Richards. There were a large number of frail old ladies and one of them partially collapsed in the morning. — ODT, 7.12.1923