NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 37, 13 February 1929, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Permanent State Forests.

In the "Gazette" iss-ued on January ;>1 ji|>|>e;trs notices of the sett in?: apart of the following iii-cas for permanent State forests: —101(0 acres, Thames Survey District; 44 acres. OruatewehiKaingaroa Survey District; 0003 acres, Paerou. Survey District; and 57.3 acres, Waitoa Survev District.

Post Office Revenue. The return of revenue collected at the several postal districts of New Zealand for the quarter ended December 31, 192.5, totalled £900,020, as compared with £883,817 for the last quarter of the previous year. Auckland heads the list with £220,30(1, Wellington is second with £lS(i.(i,s(). Christehurch conies third with £131,128. Hamilton is fourth with £71,2+9, Dunediii being iifth with £4.5,016. Waikato Electoral District. The Morrinsville town clerk has received intimation from the returning officer for the Waikato electorate (Cambridge) that the Morrinsville Borough Council lias been appointed the controlling authority for the Waikato electoral district. According to the Act. the council is required "to make all appointments to do things required for the conduct of licensing elections." 0 Ostend-Onetangi Wharf. An Order-iii-Couneil dated February 7 has been gazetted licensing Ostend-Onetangi. Ltd., to occupy and use a portion of the foreshore below low-water mark at Putiki Bay, Waiheke Island, as a site for a wharf. The Ordei-in-Council fixes the charges for use of the wharf, goods being at the rate of 2/0 per ton, cattle and horses 2/0 per head, calves 1/ per bend, and sheep Oil. For every passenger who shall land or be shipped from such wharf the charge is 1/. Council and Cinema. Motion picture shows arc: not usually associated with meetings of municipal bodies, but the Cisborne Borough Council was entertained in this manner for over half an hour at its meeting the other evening. The demonstration was staged by a representative of an English firm which manufactures water meters of all types, and a iilm depicting every stage of the manufacture of the meters was shown to the councillors. The council apparently enjoyed tin- novelty of the oeca>:on, and the film was followed with clo&e attention, says the "Poverty Bay Herald." Importunate Applicants. "Early birds" were unfavourably mentioned at the -Mount Albert Borough Council last night, when the question of replacing the building inspector, the late Mr. L. Dodds. was discussed. .Mr. .F. H. Langley asked that, if the position was advertised, a condition forbidding the canvassing of councillors should be inserted. He stated that before the late inspector had been buried he had already been approached by -three applicants. Mr. L'tting, the clerk, also complained that hU stair was being pefltcrcd by intending applicants.

Mount Albert Tram Extensions. Various views were taken at the Mount Albert Borough Council la>t evening of .the Auckland Transport Board's action in deleting from the list of works under the new loan the Mount Albert and Kdendale tram extensions. When the Mayor, Mr. L. K. Ithode*, reported on the matter as the boivugh's representative on the board, several members ol llic council suggested that, in these circumstances, the loan would be strongly opposed in the Mount Albert district." Mr. A. A. Buckley disagreed; and said the ratepayers would be' better advised to support the loan proposals. Otherwise the Mount Albert and Kdendale extension,* would be further off than ever. Ferry Berthage Charges. A higher scale of charges for herthage of vehicular ferries using the new landing at Mechanics' Bay and the improved facilities at Devonport will come into force on April 1. The necessary amendment to the Harbour Board's bylaws was made at a special meeting yesterday. In accordance with an arrangement made between the Harbour Board and the Devonport Steam Ferry Company, the annual increase will be £132!1 CM per cent on the present charge*i. which are: — Ferry boat, over 1000 passengers. £1 12/ li a day: 7r>() "to 1000 passengers. £1 (;/; r>oo to JM\. 1!)/V. ; vehicular ferry. 10/. The new charges will be enforced from March 31. Proposed New Whau Bridge. The proposed new bridge over the Whim (reek and the requirement of the Murine Department that a lifting span be provided was discussed by the members of the New Lynn Town Board last evening. The board considered (ho Marine Department's request as costly and impracticable in view of the heavy road traffic, totalling nearly .100 vehicles per hour, the presence of the city water mains, and the close proximity of the North Auckland Marti Trunk railway. The board decided to forward its views to the District. Highways Council, the Marine Department, and to the member for the district, Mr. H. <J. It. Mason. Western Suburban Transport. Last evening the New Lynn Town Board received correspondence from the Auckland Transport Board defining its position in reaped to added representation on the boar<l of included areas, also notifying the cessation of services in (he western districts utter March ol next. The board was invited to be represented when i 1 1 ,.; applications by private enterprises to serve the districts concerned were being considered. The board unanimously decided to ask the Tramport Board t.liat until its application to be included in the Auckland transport area had been considered by the Minister of Public Works, n<j alternative services should be provided for.

Drury Roading Schemes. Two proposals have been put forward for a deviation of the Great South Road at Drury. The present route makes an awkward turn near the site of the old railway station, and the proposal of the engineers is to avoid this by forming a new route through a gully, parallel with the railway lino, linking up with the present road at the overbridge. A petition, signed by 210 ratepayers and residents of Drury, favours a more direct route, which would leave the Great South Road between Pa pa k lira and Drury. and would save about half a mile. One effect of the lastmentioned route would be to do away with a bend that looks like a knuckle on the map. Tt would follow a dedicated road known as Creek Street. His Record Leap. On the roof of one of the buildings in Lima Park the 13-month-old "lighting kangaroo" (Starlight) was found on Sunday morning after a strange experience. Hi' had been let out by his keeper at six o'clock for exercise in the park, find took the liberty to climb the scenic railway. The difficult ascent was made without mishap, and the kangaroo had evidently reached the highest point when he stopped, to take his bearings. Ignorance -of the old saying about the man who hesitates might be pleaded by Starlight as an excuse for his stopping awhile to look around, and in a moment he was hurtling through the 00ft that separated him from a corrugated iron roof below. In a dent in the roof sufficient to hold about 20 gallons of water he rested in great pain until rescued by his trainer, Mr. Jack Clarke. at eight o'clock. Starlight's chief symptom for two days was a complete loss of appetite, but last evening lie showed sufficient interest in delicacies offered him to drink a pint of milk, and this morning he ate four pears. It is expected lie will be fully recovered in a fortnight.