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Auckland Star, Volume LI, Issue 7, 8 January 1920, Page 4

r| The Weather Bureau rorecast lor 2j [hours from 9 a.m. this day is as fol j! lows:—The indications are for variablt .(and. etrong "breezes, westerly -winds mod "; eratc to etrong prevailing, with i ■- southerly tendency. AVeather cloudy t( [ overcast, with scattered raih. probable v Barometer unsteady. Sea and tide moderate. ) The vitality of the shipping trade, s< ' ,'much lowered during the war period, ii ■ /instanced by the returns for the port o! : Auckland for the year 1919, which cam< ,'to hand yesterday. This return is com /piled by the Harbourmaster, Captait ' 'H. H. Sergeant, and chows a general in • ;creasc, in comparison with the figure* iof the previous year. The arrivals show . jan increase of 247 vessels, this repre feenting a gross tonnage of 596,577 tons ' and a net tonnage of 307,973 tons, .whilsi '~'the departures showed an increase oi : 173 vessels, with a gross tonnage e>l , ,"486,529 tons, and a net tonnage totalling . 297,127 tons. , I "They want to have Australia white,' said Dr. Truby King, who has recentlj ' returned to New Zealand, "but if thej ■ find the Eastern nations more moral i more noble willing to make more eacri , fices for the continuity of the race, the . result must Tie the same ac has been tht caso with the great civilisations oi ■the past. Greece and Jiomn went down not through any failure in the valouj i and courage of thefr young men, bul because of the increase of luxury, the repugnance of rearing families, followed by decadence and sterility, and eventually extinction, if the population oi ; Australia do not do their duty to th« race then there cannot be any resistance to other races coining in and populating that fair land. , * i Commenting upon the work of th« Northcote Council since assuming office in May last, the Mayor of Northcote (Mr. A. E. Greenslade) last night congratulated the members upon the large amount of useful work accomplished, in epite of the handicaps encountered toy the unsatisfactory financial position, and other aspects .which had militated considerably against that measure of progress which the council would like to I have achieved. Matters had 'been straightened out in such a manner that he felt sure the members of the council deserved the beet thanks of the ratepayers. Mearie had to be found to finance and urgent works for which no innancial provision .whatever had been made, and loans for which had been rejected just prior to the present council coming -into- office, ; She reconstruction of the western seawall near the wharf was in hand, and on completion the levelling of the embankment in the cutting would be proceeded witlf, the footpath finished, and the eidewalk beauti- ; fied, which would considerably add to the attractiveness of the entrance to the district. Another seawall would have to be constructed in King Street West, and this would shortly receive attention Tarring and sanding the footpaths for a considerable distance haft been accomplished, including the wholo length of the eastern eide of Queen Street, from the entrance near the wharf to Stafford Road. The council had considerably ad'v"JJt <:J he 1 f °r » Greater -\orth Shore, and had Becured'legislation which now permitted the union of any . two, or the whole of the boroughs on the north shore by means of a poll of the electors. ' Appreciation of tiho services of Mr. L.. *U E. Hamann, in his capacity of dhief clerk in the head office of ihe Auckland branch of the railways, was shown last night, when his fellow workers made him a. valuable presentation on the eve of fcis departure for Christclrareh, where he has been appointed assistant district manager. The function was a very pleasant one, and was participated in *y the older members of the office and station staffs. Mr A. Duncan, district traffic manager made the presentation, at the same time eulogising Mr. Hamann's services durinj? tho last twenty years. Several other omciala also «pok« feelingly, and expressed wishes for .Mr. Hamann's future prosperity. Mr. Hamann suitably replied. j A very satisfactory scheme to relievo the pressure on the counter at the Central Post Office, where the registered letter business is transacted and stamps etc sold, has been tried during" the holidays and is still in operation. This provides for all business pertaining to stamps, letter and post cards to be transacted at tlie office in the centre of the space where the public gather. Ttiis very creditable change permits of the registered 'letter business being undertaken as a distinct branch, at the old stamp counter. The innovation proved jof great assistance to.tile public during ■ the 'holidays, and nothing but appreciation lha-s been 'heard of toe progressive i move, which people are hoping will . remain as a permanency. The United Commercial Travellers' Association of Australasia has decided to recommend to the annual conference, which is to sit at Adelaide during Easter ; week, that no candidate for membership be admitted who, being eligible, did not offer his services in connection with the war. It 'has been resolved to approach the Prime Minister for .a. definite reply to the inquiry made some months ago as to what would be the policy of the Commonwealth Government regarding the admission of commercial travellers from former enemy countries. j An exciting time with a shark Wa* experienced by two Wellington residents last week while boating in Porirua Harbour. The "sea lawyer" was finally landed aftep , a severe struggle. The monster's jaws when distended after death measured 18 inches from side to side and 10 inches from the upper to the bottom jaw. The shark was nearly 12 feet long. ' A number Of shops in Karangahape Road were tempbrarily inconvenienced yesterday afternodn by tho electric light and power bec6inirig dim and weak. Inquiries at the power station elicited the information that the low power was due to engine trouble. The matter ..was 606n put right and the full current restored again. 1 The s.s. Tofua, which recently arrived at Wellington from San FranciscOj 'brought amongst her cargo 52 tons oi alarm clocks. The American idea would appear to be that New Zealaoe*»> need .•waking up.