LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19050, 22 June 1925, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Yesterday was what is popularly known as the shortest day of the year, tlie sun rising at 7.3 a.m. and setting at 4.42 p.m. As a matter of fact, there is very littlo difference observable for several' days, a slight variation occurring 011 June 25, when sunrise is at 7.4 a.m. and sunset at 4.43 p.m. Tho City Council's gang laying down the concrete pavement / 011 the Great North Road at Avondale has been. troubled lately by acts of larrikinism. Apart from the actions of unthinking people in walking across the wet concrete, an unknown person or persons 0110 recent evening removed a large wheelbarrow from the township, ran it a milo down the road, and tipped it over the bank into tho Whau Creek. Work was held up until a man had gone dov.'tu to the ' spot and retrieved it. "You should hear the women speak in America! They can talk as well, if not better, than most men." Such was the declaration of Mr. Henri Verbrugghen, director of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra, who arrived by the Aorangi yesterday on a visit to his old homo in Sydney. Especially in matters musical were American women self-expressive, said the visitor. Women's, musical clubs dotted the whoLe of America and exercised a very powerful influence on music and musicians. Thus it was not extraordinary for a musical artist to book a complete tour of from 60 to 100 musical clubs throughout the country. It could easily be understood what a boon this was both to tho artists and the clubs. " While in England I had occasion to come into closo contact with tho New Zealand Immigration Department, and I am certain tho right type of people is being sent to tho Dominion," said Mr. Percy Hunter, director of Australian immigration, who was a passenger by tho Aora'ngi from Vancouver yesterday. "Tho department is conducted on most efficient lines with a high ideal" Mr. Sandford, who was in charge, was very popular with all tho British officials, and had a fine expert grip on his work. Complaint is inado by Auckland motorists of insufficient indication by tho City Council of tho positions of fireplugs in some of tho main streets. Under tho city by-laws it is an offence to park a car over a' fireplug. Tho usual mode of distinguishing tho situation of a plug is the painting of a semi-circle of white paint on tho edge of the kerbing opposite it. In many places, however, tho paintwork has been practically obliterated by foot traffic. Hence, say the motorists, a driver who may be meticulously careful to observe the by-law is liable to find himself brought to Court for an innocent infraction of the by-law, which would not take place were the footpath signs kept in proper order. Applications for. employment at the Auckland office of the Labour Department last week totalled 199, an increase of .10 on the previous week. Of the total 175 were classed as fit for heavy work. A total of 60 labourers sought employment, while the number of motor-drivers . was 15. There were 11 cooks and hotelworkers and 7 storemen and packers. During the week 14 men were placed in private employment, while three obtained work with the Public Works Department. An examination of applicants for certificates under the Shorthand Reporters Act was held in Auckland on Saturday. Mr. B.H. Cameron, chief reporter of tho Hansard staff, who is official examiner under the Act, conducted the proceedings. Five candidates presented themselves. " Having regard to the temperature this morning, I would be very sorry to interfere with the supply of coal," remarked Mr. Justice Alpers at the Supreme Court at Nelson, the other morning, when excusing a common juryman employed in a wood and coal yard from attendance. In support of the application, it was stated that several of tho staff from the same firm were serving on either the common or the grand jury. A dairyman was also excused, A New Plymouth fruiterer has beqn fined for displaying fruit for sale in a manner likely to mislead intending purchasers as to its quality. The magistrate remarked that it was quite a common experience for people to be attracted by fine displays of goods, but when they got their purchase home and examined it they found that tho quality was far inferior to the standard arranged for sale. Tho breakwater mole at Opunake is said to have well withstood some recent severe gales. For this the Opunake settlers may well be thankful, says the Eltham Argus, for the destruction, or even the semi-destruction, of the mole might spell financial disaster for tho district. A cow which was being driven through the streets of North Clyde, Hawke's Bay, recently was so irritated by a number of street dogs that it became excited, and, entering the bar of the Ferry Hotel, was only ejected by force. Nothing daunted, the aninial next entered a new brick building on the opposite side of the street and assailed a partition walL It then paid a visit to a fancy goods shop and came off , best in a contest with a sewing machine.' It was subdued after a great deal of trouble. One corner of the Dunedin Public Library is a veritablo treasure house. The most valuable contents of the room are volumes from the Selwyn Library. They are books of the fifteenth century, and were given to tho late Bishop Ncvill by an old English lady. One of the volumes bears tho autograph of Francis Palgrave, tho historian. It was printed in Strasburgin, in 1492. Inside the front cover of the book is a note to tho effect that it was damaged in the Great Fire of London in 1666. There is a number of first editions. Among tho autographs which the library possesses are those of Field-Marshal Sir William Birdwood, Harriet Beecher Stowe (December 15, 1852), Frank T. Bullen, J. R. Stenhouse (of the Trans-Antarctic Expedition), C. D. Spurgeon and Ernest 11. Shackleton. In the Whangamomona district considesable damage was caused by tho storms of a few weeks ago. Mr. Callaghan, in reporting upon the matter at a meeting of tho Whangamomona County Council last Monday, said that several fillings had been washed away and some of the largest slips he had ever seen in the country had come down. In one place stumps and logs had been piled up to a height of about 20ft, and a number of men had been engaged on various parts to cut a track through in order to give access. Much of the new metal that had recently been put on the Whangamomona Road had been washed, in to.: the -river^ *