Nutty Talk
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.11 EXAGON is a pronoun that is almost invariably intro duced into the conversation of Mr. J. Mackie, general manager of Belfast Transport Department, when he is talking about nuts—just so that there shall be no confusion. The reason is that Mr. Mackie is not only responsible for the sort of nuts that screw on to bolts, but also for the variety that are consumed by monkeys. His department is divided into three sections, trolleybuses, motorbuses and what may be covered by the general description of "pleasure facilities" (among them the Zoological Gardens).
When the old Whitewell and Glengormley Steam Tramway was acquired by the transport department nearly 50 years ago, that undertaking brought with it the pleasure grounds which, in earlier days, yielded a useful income. Then, about 25 years back, Lord Shaftesbury made a present of Belfast Castle to the undertaking and here, during the 1939-45 war, was housed Naval Control for the North Western Approaches. Under the changed social and economic circumstances of present day the various enterprises are not such an asset to the department as they once were, and.! hear that the Corporation are seeking
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