NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 41, 18 February 1929, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Shark at Northcote Wharf. A good haul of mullet waa caught in a net by an amateur lisherman off the eastern embankment of the jetty at Northcote this morning. Included in the catch was a shark, 12ft long, which, however, escaped. Bathers should exercise vigilance in this locality, as a shark had been noticed daily in the bay for the past week. Big Maori War Canoe. One of the original war craft of the ancient -Maoris will be seen at the Ngaruawahia Regatta. It will seat between 40 ami 50 braves, being longer than any canoe hitherto entered. This is one of two vessels which are being brought from Wangainu for the carnival, and it is stated that the canoe will be manned by natives in war paint and martial attire. The Governor-General and his party will probably be guests at the regatta. Summary Justice Needed. '"One went past my place just as I was getting to sleep." said Mr. E. D. Moslev. S.M." in the Magistrate's Court at Christchurch, when dealing with the case of a man who was prosecuted for having a noisy exhaust on his motor cycle. "If I could have" stink him up, I would have fined him £3 without taking him to Court:" -Yon have my sympathy, sir," said Chief Traffic Inspector Macintosh, with a smile. "I went out in my night attire to try to catch one once." Shark Goes Birding. Members of the Railway Officers' picnic, who travelled to Motuihi by the steamer Pitoitoi, caught an interesting glimpse of a natural tragedy. Of? Eangitoto a loud splash attracted attention, and a big shark was seen: to leap cleatout of the water. In its mouth it held a large seagull, apparently the prey for which it had made a lightning raid into the air. For a moment the whole body of the shark was visible, as it somersaulted in the air. and dived back into its native element. The lisherman of the party reckoned that it was between Sft and Oft long. Stew in Danger. Territorials who took part in the Battle of Woofit recently did not know how fortunate they were to have a meal at the end of the encounter. The night before the battle a transport party went down to Orevva by road, taking supplies for breakfast the following morning. , Winn half-way, one of the wagons was struck by a car. and had the collision been even a little more violent it is certain that the breakfast would have been scattered all over the roadway. As it was. the ingredients of a real army stewwere not tipped out, and the troops breakfasted witli relish. More Grass Fires. The dry summer has produced an unusually large number of bush tiros in Auckland suburban districts, but fortunately none has been attended with serious results. A patch of gorse, manuka and scrub, covering about 70 acres near Waikovvhai, caught tire on Saturday evening, and the blaze was visible from most "part* of the city. Thanks to the work of the Mount Roskill Fire Brigade, the flames were prevented from spreading to any neighbouring property. The Mount Albert Brigade was called out last evening to a gorse tire in St. Luke's Road. Morningside. The outbreak was subdued before much damage was done. Trampers' Hut. Regarding the bu-li hut of the Auckland Tramping Club, called "Xtraro te Kutare," a member informs us that the correct translation is "The Hidden Look-out," and that it docs not refer to the kingfisher, a* was suggested in this column last week. This hut is situated on the Henderson-West Coast Road, and from it the train purs have a magnificent look-out over the glorious West Coast and the Tasman Sea. Members use this hut during their week-end tramps. A< there is no accommodation on the Waitakeres between the ridge overlooking Auckland and the boardinghmises on the coast, tiie possession of th:s hut enables parties to tackle excursions that would otherwise be impossible. Remuera Bus Services. At a meeting of members of the Remuera Ratepayers' Association, held in the Library Hall, Remuera, on the 14th inst.. the following "resolution was passed: -That this meeting views with great, concern the action of the Transport Board in transferring the feeder bus service from Remuera Post Office to Benson and Upland Roads to a private person for live years. As we are apprehensive that the change" may not be satisfactory to the residents of that area, we ask that the board keep a careful watch on this service, so that, should it, become unsatisfactory, or be discontinued at any future period, we ' feel that we are within our rights in asking that the board guarantee the service to be continued by it as at present; also, in the event of a flat rate fare being introduced in the board's area, what protection will be given to services now bein<' transferred to private concerns";" Roading at National Park. "Some people have looked upon this country as a wild and woolly region, and one in which roads are not wanted," said Mr. R. L. Wigley, chairman of directors of the National Park Tourist Company on Saturday. "It is our idea that a road should be made right up to Scoria Flats, on the snowline. You must get the tourist as close as possible to his pleasures. If the National Park Board will help, then it will be possible to place visitors into cars at the chateau and take them right up to the winter sport 3 grounds, and thus bring them an hour and a-half nearer ski-ing, etc. The Prisons Department have already accomplished great work in constructing roads in this country. The four miles from the turn-off to the chateau cost £0100, and seeing what an advantage it would bo to continue the road to Scoria Flats, surely the work should be undertaken." After Many Years. • One of the conditions of the gift of National Park to the nation was that a statue should be erected to the memory of the donor. Te Heuheu Tukino. Speaking at the laying of the foundation stone of Chateau Tongariro on Saturday. Mr. James Cullen. lion, warden of the park, said previous Governments had not carried out this important undertaking. Subsequently it was announced that the National Park Tourist Company, the proprietors of the chateau, and the Fletcher Construction Company, the builders, would contribute £~>o each towards the object. The Hon. A. J. Stallworthy said he would undertake to see that the Government did it* share in supporting the propo-al. The chairman of the National Park Board, Mr. J. B. Thompson, said it was the intention of the board to erect a tablet in the chateau in memory of Te Heuheu Tukino. Old Shipmates Meet. An interesting ami unexpected meeting took nlaee at the Auckland Hospital yesterday, when two elderly men met in one of the wards. One was a patient through an accident caused by a motor .car, and the other was a member of the Hospital Boanl. It appears that just on 40 years ago the patient was fourth mate of the first mail steamer, Tongariro, a clipper-rigged steamer of three masts, which relied almost as much on sail as on steam, and that the member of the board was a deckhand on her, working his way Home to the Old Country. During the interval the young mate had risen through successive stages till he had become master of the third Tongariro, which is still trading to New Zealand ports, the second Tongariro having been wrecked on the East Coast of the North Island some years ago. Retiring from active service recently, he liad taken up his residence in Christchurch, and was on a visit to this city when the accident which was the cause of his being in hospital happened. During the interval the board member had passed through many phases of life, and the two. when they met, remarked on the parsing of time and the changes it had wrought.