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Auckland Star, Volume LVI, Issue 199, 24 August 1925, Page 6

Much interest was evinced at the hospital yesterday when some of our American visitors were told of the provision made if any serious accident should happen during their visit to Auckland through the crowds getting out of hand. "You nre the best regulated city we have seen," was the remark made by one of the visitors; "and you didn't need to make much provision for accidents. You don't lose your heads readily and you have all the steadiness of the British peoples." That the emergency beds had remained empty during the fleet's stay was the source of much pleasure to them all. A reference in Saturday's "Star" Supplement to living links with people who remembered the celebrations for Waterloo has elicited the information that we have living at Takapuna two who not only have spoken with a person who remembers Waterloo, but who actually took part in that famous fight. These arc Mr. Alfred Cafler, formerly of WJiangaroi, and his sister, Mrs. S. W. Bedlingtou. They well remember their father, the late Mr. E. G. Cafler, of Whangarei. Mr. Cafler was born in 1797 andulied in 1893. At the age of about 18 years he served in the ambulance corps of the French army, and was present at the battle of Waterloo. "The Land of the Rising Sun" -was the title of an address given by Mr. G. A. Kowson in the Town Hall Concert Chamber last evening. There was a large attendance. The lecturer illustrated his address with- numerous lantern slides, which included views of the beauty spots of Japan, the shrines, temples, and the native flora. He handled his subject well, and it was thoroughly enjoyed.

Rifle shooting in Auckland is not so nourishing as it was some years ago, when the decision of the Dominion championship had. a keen interest for the north, which was the home of many good and keen shots. There is nothing like a few good matches to bring the standard up and the match against the team from the United States Navy on Satiirday, will do much to stimulate interest. Among the spectators of the match was Major John P. Oakes, president of the Canterbury Rifle Association, who was the guest of the Auckland Association. During the afternoon, Major Oakes had an interview with Mr. George Hughes, secretary of the Auckland Association, ami suggested that the two associations should arrange a home match. This was agreed to and should give a fillip to the movement in Auckland. In a home match each team fires on its own range and the scores are transmitted by telegraph. Major Oakes. who formerly lived in Auckland, will be remembered i by old volunteer hands as an officer in the Navals. When he. went to live in Christehurch he formed the first Defence Kifle Club there, and the movement went on progressing, until to-day, Canterbury is one of the strongest rifle shooting districts in the Dominion. People have been known to feel dizzy when looking over the parapet of Grafton Bridge, but to walk along the narrow ledge requires no small amount of skill and nerve. A sailor from one of the visiting battleships demonstrated last night that he possessed any amount of both. To the many people crossing the. bridge shortly after six o'clock last night the sight of a sailor walking the i parapet caused a distinct stir. He was as steady as a rock, and moved with perfect ease, but when he reached the centre of the bridsre and stocd and looked' into the depths, many a heart I etood still. The venturesome one then i continued his promenade, and, upon, arriving at the Grafton end of the bridge, jumped to the ground and walked off, while th , ? people who had watched him with bated breath sighed with relief. The delightful weather prevailing on Saturday drew a crowd of somewhere near 20,000 to the Auckland Trotting Club's complimentary fleet meeting. Admiral Robison, Rear-Admirals Wiley, Bostwick, and McDougall, were present, also many officers and some hundreds of j men of the fleet. The principal event of the day, the Admiral's Handicap, was won by the Auckland-owned Goldman with two other locally trained horses in j Hypo and Dean Dillon in the places. Evidently those present were well prepared with money, and on the seven events the amount handled at the totalisators was £50,337. The telephone at Forbury Park broke down early on the afternoon of the j trotting races for the fleet; the daylight • failed very suddenly before the last I race, so that only the sharp-eyed of the crowd could distinguish the horses; the electric 'ight gave out, and candles had to be ufed in the offices for the last of the clerical work; and all day the club knew that the trotting meeting would result in a finaneal loss. In ordinary circumstances, say 3 the Dunedin "Star." the vexations would have made people cross. But the circumstances were not ordinary. The Forbury Club promoted the fixture as an addition to the city's hospitality to the fleet, and it was carried out with that idea; so "that as the Americans thoroughly enjoyed themselves, and our people "took to" the visitors kindly, the meeting became distinctively sociable instead of purely a spotting affair, and little occurrences had no power to vex. nor did the certainty of a money deficit occasion concern. Visitors to the agricultural and industrial exhibition at nights, and to other places where crowds congregate, would be well advised to watch their pockets, for light-fingered gentry are operating in the city. Every now and again at the show in the Prince's wharf sheds, when ther" is a large crowd pressing in the evening, there is a crush in one of! the intersections, and at the turning- ! places at the ends of the buildinzs, j which makes ideal conditions for pickpockets. At least one of the male visitors to the show on Saturday night had a banknote neatly niched from his hip pocket under cover of one of these crushes, and no doubt there are others who suffered similarly. The wharf at Island Bay, Birkdale, has been extended another 105 feet,' making a total length of 215 feet. Considerable delay was caused by the ship-! ping strike in Australia, the" turpentine piles specially ordered for this work not coming to hand for several months. Mr. M. VV. Forsyth. of Bayswater, was the contractor, and the price for the extenI sion was over £000, the whole of which I has been contributed by the settlers in the immediate vicinity. Immigrants who arrived by the Ilororni\ in Wellington last week numbered ! 500, and of that number 105 were booked through to Auckland, and arrived here by train this morning. The immigrants are a fine lot of people. Noticeable about the present contingent is the large number of children. The Auckland party comprised fi-4 men. 50 women, and no less than 75 children. The Tainui, which is due at Wellington to-day, is bringing 268 immigrants, of whom 108 aro coming to Auckland, the party comprising .30 men, 35 women and 25 children. Mr. A. IT. Curtis, of Wliangarei. on Saturday received a demand from his bankers to pay the sum of ISI7 0/4, being an amount guaranteed by him and fifteen others on account of, the Otamatea District Settlers' Association, a medical association established for the purpose of retaining the services of a doctor in that part of the Otainatea county. The scheme was not successful, partly on account of the loss of the doctor's residence by fire, and partly through too small membership. Briefly this means that Mr. Curtis will, in his turn, call a meeting of guarantors to discuss ways and means of meeting the bank's demands. A report issued by the Geological Survey Branch of the Mines Department 'states that the coaly partings so common in tiie Waitomata series led to the belief that payable areas exist in Rodney and Waitemata Counties. The present survey claims to have shown that this belief is groundless. The country so far north as Maungaturoto may now be definitely regarded as not coal-bearing. Dealing with metals in the same locality the report states most occur as traces of no economic value, Kawau Island being the only place that might repay the miner. A paragraph in the "Mercantile Guardian" states that New Zealand is the first Dominion or colony to benefit by the extended postal facilities in Britain, under which, from June Ist, parcels up to 221b in weight can be sent by mail. I