LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

City milk vendors and producers met I yesterday to consider the question of raising the retail price of milk, in view of the conditions resulting from the exceptionally dry weather. The retailers' costs are stated to have risen since they have bad to go further afield and to pay enhanced prices for supplies to supplement the reduced quantities available from their regular contractors. Production costs have also increased" through the necessity for providing supplementary feed for the cows. No definite decision was reached at yesterday's meeting, but a joint committee was set up to consider the matter further. An announcement is expected before the end of the week.

Bookmaking methods were discussed by Mr. Justice Blair duirng the hearing of a betting charge in the Supreme Court yesterday. "Perhaps most of you know what a 'double' means," he said to the jury. "It means taking the responsibility of trying to pick two winners, and if either does not win you lose your money." At another stage the Judge said most of the jurymen were probably aware that a bookmaker, to be successful, must have a fair-sized "book"—he must have enough "mugs" to balance the pay-out to successful' bettors.

A large number of bowlers gathered at the railway station last evening to farewell the Auckland members of the Dominion bowling team to tour England, who left by the limited express to join the remainder of the team in Wellington. Mr. J. W. Hardley was in charge of ths party, the other members being Mr. W. E. Arey, Mr. A. J. Carson, Mr. A. Coutts, Mr. W. F. Hardley, Mr. J. M. Thomson, Mr. G. F. Campbell, Mr. S. Needham, Mr. A. J. Parker, Mr. F. J. Sands, Mr. A. W. Wilson, Mr. W. Kirk, Mr. R. Eagleton, and Mr. H. S. Hill. Cheers and a Maori war cry were given in honour of the tourists.

After considering nearly 150 applications the Auckland Automobile Association selected two patrolmen last evening for motor-cycle duty on the highways. One has had 19 years' experience with motor vehicles, and he was appointed head patrol officer. Arrangements for the purchase of motor-cycle outfits will be made immediately. Both officials will wear uniform.

The Devonport Borough Council decided last evening to apply to the Local Government Loans Board for sanction to raise a loan of £12,000 for permanent improvements to Queen's Parade. If this loan is authorised and carried, the money will be spent in forming concrete approaches to the new pedestrian wharf, stone facing the retaining wall, building new footpaths, and generally improving the approaches to the new wharf.

Dogs on the beaches of the marine suburbs are becoming an increasing source of annoyance. Stray animals are constantly despoiling towels, beach-wraps and picnic baskets. On a recent evening a young woman, upon coming out of the water to gather her wrap, was amazed to see it taking an erratic course along the beach, the plaything of several dogs. The garment, in a bedraggled condition, was recovered after a long chase.

Auckland tobacconists are preparing for a campaign against fancy goods dealers who are cutting the price of tobacco and cigarettes. "The effect of the cutting is being felt and som6 tobacconists are going out of business," said the delegate of the Auckland Tobacconists' Association, Mr. T. Sampson, yesterday. Mr. Sampson said the complaint was not that smoking material was being sold more cheaply outside the legitimate trade, but that it was handled at cost, "merely as a decoy." Local tobacconists had experienced monthly decreases in their sales for nearly 18 months. Several efforts to stabilise prices had been made, and a conference of tobacconists would be held in Wellington next month.

A new x-oad along the coast, between Raglan and Kawhia is now open for traffic, and is , being metalled. The scenery along the routa is excellent and the road will enable a pleasant round trip to be made from Hamilton. A new road is also being opened through the Hauraki Plains from the new bridge at the Kopu Ferry, which will be open for traffic in April, and will furnish a beautiful drive to Thames. It will reduce the time of the journey from Hamilton to Thames by half an hour.

Members of the Devonport Borough Council are called upon to fill many roles. At their fortnightly meetings they sit first as the council, then as the Devonport Domain Board and later as the Rangitoto Domain Board. Then the meeting becomes the No. 2 Motor Omnibus District Licensing Authority and deals with traffic problems covering the whole of the North Shore.

The lise of motion picture films in a safety-first campaign was advocated by several members of the council of the Auckland Automobile Association last evening. It was stated that demonstrations of traffic signalling could be incorporated in a five-minutes' film to be exhibited in Auckland picture theatres. The council authorised the secretary to report on the cost of the project. The enrolment numbers of the Hamilton Technical High School, which opened on Tuesday, show a large increase over those for tha opening day last year. The roll gives a total, of 360, including 200 new pupils, while on the opening day last year 116 new pupils entered the schooL

• 'lnvariably the books one receives to read in a public hospital are worse than the disease one has," said Mr. «T. J, Clarke, president of the New Zealand Librarians' Conference, at Christchurch, during the discussion of a remit yesterday. "Whenever a call is made for books for hospital patients to read," ho continued, "there is generally a ready response. People send in hundreds of books —books they are glad to get rid of. Invariably rubbish like Hansard reports find their way to the public hospital for the unfortunate patients, instead of to the city destructor, which is their proper place."

A household in Nelson was considerably perturbed a few nights ago when an attempt was made to set fire to the dwelling. About 1.30 a.m. a daughter of the house was aroused by the striking of matches, and on investigating a man was seen outside the window setting fire to a curtain. On being alarmed the man made off, but not before the curtain was ablaze. Hastilv tearing down the curtain and putting the flames out, the young woman called her father, who rushed outside in an endeavour to catch the intruder. While doing so he saw a light in a detached shed, and found that a sack of straw, near which were several tins of benzine, was on fire. The woodwork of the shed was also on fire. A few buckets of water quenched the flames. The grounds were thoroughly searched for the unwelcome visitor; but without effect.