Next Saturday will be the time for that: the New Zealand Cross-country Championship will be decided at Wellington. Otago has sent a strong team, and everybody expects them to win the championship. Tapp and Brown will probably lead the field home, although Nalder, who won last year, must he reckoned with. However, all Otago harriers will expect to find Otago’s name on top when the result comes through on Saturday. — by ‘Amateur’
Houses proposed for Leith bank
The City Council had before it last night a promising scheme for providing seven new five-roomed houses on the bank of the Leith opposite the Kelsey Yaralla Kindergarten. The City Council land, known as the Shingle Reserve, situated on the blocks bounded by the Water of Leith, Clyde street, Union street and Forth street.
As a site for workers’ dwellings, the area appeared to be eminently suitable for the purpose. Five-roomed houses in wood and iron, on concrete foundations, with all modern conveniences, including bath, hot water, and electric light, should be erected for £675 per house, and should be let to tenants at an economic rental which would cover all charges for interest, sinking fund and maintenance.
The committee was of the opinion that the opportunity was presented of making an early start, if in a modest way, with the housing scheme, and therefore recommend that authority be granted to invite tenders at the earliest possible date. The money required would need to be raised by way of loan.
Life at the junction
While a tram conductor’s life is not altogether one of bliss, particularly on the Roslyn-Maori Hill service, where existence is punctuated by a continual series of bumps and an occasional departmental inquiry, there is nevertheless a wide scope for the development of the sense of humour — a quality which can ease the jolts along life’s highway to a remarkable degree. The other day a lady alighted from a cable car at the Maori Hill junction, and the conductor on the electric car noticed that she was holding a purse in that surprised and excited manner which some people assume when they have made a “find.’’ She bustled up to two ladies who were seated and imparted to them the news of her discovery, adding that she thought it must be theirs, as she had found it just under where they were sitting. It was not theirs, so she called the conductor, who was at the other end of the car. “Conductor! Conductor! I have found a purse! I think you had better take charge of it.’’ The conductor was willing, and the purse changed hands. A few minutes later the lady fumbled in her bag as if looking for something, and then called out again, almost frantically: “Conductor! Conductor! The purse is mine. I must have dropped it in the cable car.” The conductor handed over the delinquent purse without a word, but with eloquent eyes, and there was a slight sound of muffled coughing by the other passengers.
Grand designs approved
The members of the Dunedin Licensing Committee, after an inspection of the Grand Hotel yesterday, approved of the plans for the proposed alterations. It is estimated that £12,000 will be spent on the hotel.
Lunar eclipse over city
Mr J.C. Begg, honorary secretary of the astronomical branch of the Otago Institute, reports that the full moon will be totally eclipsed by the shadow of the earth tomorrow morning. The penumbra, or partial shadow, will make contact at 5.03am, but the full shadow does not touch until 6.01am. The latter will gradually invade the disc, completely covering it at 7.01am. — ODT, 14.8.1924
Compiled by Peter Dowden
