NEWS OF THE DAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 290, 7 December 1932, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Naval Whalers' Race. To encourage boat-pulling among the men of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, a cup, to be known as the DevonpOrt Cup, ha<3 been presented to the naval authorities by the North Shore Rowing Club. The first race for the trophy will be held on Saturday afternoon, the one-mile course decided upon being from the eastern tide deflector to a point off the rowing club's clubhouse on the Devonport waterfront. The contest, which will be open to all ships of the squadron, and also to the Auckland division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, will be deckled in 27ft whalers, each boat carrying a crew dt' six, including the coxswain. Considerable interest ir> being taken in the event, and a keen race is anticipated. Better Access to West Coast. The improvements that have been made to the West Coast road will ensure much motor traffic to the popular bays on the coast this summer. A metal road has been constructed to Piha, while improvements have been made on the Karekare Hill. Nearer the city another improvement ie in hand on the main West Coast highway, in the reconstruction of Kearon's Bridge, about half a mile from the Glen Eden railway station. The old wooden bridge is being replaced with a, modern concrete and steel structure. Situated at the bottom of a long steep grade, and at a eharp angle, the old bridge, erected about 40 years ago, was a danger to traffic. The carriageway of the new bridge will be 20ft wide with sft footpaths on either side, and its alignment will eliminate the former danger to traffic. The new bridge is expected to be open for traffic about the middle of January. Exhausted Racing Pigeons. Two unusual prisoners at the Central Police Station in Wellington on Monday were a pair of red checker racing pigeons. Both of them bore registrations dated 1931 and were wearing rubber babuls giving their race numbers. When the wharf police station was opened on Sunday afternoon, one of the pigeone was found inside, apparently having made its entrance through the open window. Its registration number was N.Z. 5839, 1931, and on the rubber band was the number 0863. Shortly afterward a man found the second pio-eon exhausted on the .wharf. It was registered ae XZ. 5774, 1931, and on the band around one leg was its racing identification, D 43. The birde were apparently South Island-owned, and had been participating in a race, but were too weary to attempt the long flight across the strait. As soon »a the pigeons eufficiently recovered it was intended that they should be forwarded to the South lejand and allowed to fly home. Efficient Nurses. The high standard of work maintained by the nursing staff of the Auckland Hospital was referred to yesterday by Mr. W. Wallace, chairman of the board, when medals were presented to the nurses who headed the list in the June examinations. "Members of the board and the public generally are intensely proud of the work done by the nurses of the Auckland Hospital, said Mr. Wallace. "An outstanding feature is the splendid work done on the practical eide, which has drawn favourable comment in all recent examinations." Mr. Wallace said he- wished to record the appreciation of the board of the assistance given to the nursing staff by the matron in charge of the Karitanc Home. Instruction and advice in infant -welfare has been given to nurses and should prove moet valuable. The lady superintendent, Miss Xutscy, reported that a nurses' fund had been inaugurated during the year, and over £.">0 had been collected. With this the nurses had bought a special lantern for use in the lecture room, library furniture and a, number of reference books. Motorists and Passengers. An -unusual case, illustrating again that _ a motorist is liable, if negligence can be proved, in the event of injury to a passenger or friend carried was decided iii the Auckland Magistrate s Court before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M. The claim for epecial and general damages by Mrs. Ellen Corbrido-c (Mr. Cyril Sneddon) against George Fiudlay (Mr. R. R. Scott, of Wellington) was the sequel to a collision between defendant's car and a lorry driven by a Hindu at the Reservoir corner, Newton. Plaintiff, in the back seat with defendant and his wife —defendant's eon being the driver —was the only member of the party to suffer injury, which consisted of a fractured nose. Supporting the contention that the car was driven at an excessive speed, having regard to the circumstances and a proper lookout was not kept, plaintiff and several witnesses gave evidence, that of the owner of the car having been taken on commission at Wellington. In giving judgment for £18 13/0 epecial damages and £15 general damages, with costs, the magistrate said the intersection where the accident occurred was a busy one, and for that reason, and also the fact that the driver was a etranger in the city, more care should have been exercised. It was aiso revealed during the hearing that compulsory third-party insurance did not extend to gratuitous passengers, the owner being personally liable when negligence could be shown contributing to a passenger's injury.

School and War. The Netherlands Consul in Auckland, Captaia P. Bauer, forwards a clipping from a Rotterdam newspaper of October 25, which reprints a letter from students of the Technical High School of Sydney to tlie Dutch ConsulGeneral, and forwarded by him to the Minister of Education at The Hague, Holland. The letter reads:—"To-day we celebrate in New South Wales the anniversary of the League of Nations and part of our programme is the sending of letters of friendship to the male and female students of each of the 25 countries which are, with u.?, members of the League. We, the students of N.S.W., find it difficult to understand why in this anxious time there can even be a possibility of war—a terrible —uncivilised —and costly war and we are determined to talk and work for peace. We, the students of N.S.W., do not doubt that your students in Holland will unito with us in our endeavour to help to promote the great purpose of the League. Our school is a member of the League of Nations Union and we support with pride the ideals of the League and the Ideals and its purpose to promote international co-operation and safety. We send you the hearty greetings from the boys and girls of this school and from 360,000 pupils of the schools of our sunny State of N.S.W. and trust that happy relations will for ever exist between your country and ours." Former Generation Recalled. The death by accident of Mr. W. J. McGrath, of the P. and T. Department, Auckland, when travelling by train to Wellington last week, brings to mind the excellent work done by his father, Sergeant McGrath, who wae in charge of the police force in Southern Taranaki as long ago as 1880. He was then the youngest sergeant in tho force. The railway line was being made at the time he had his headquarters at Patca, then the most important town between New Plymouth and Wanganui. There were many wild characters among the navvies, who caused a good deal of trouble on pay days anJ often tried to paint the town red. The sergeant ' and his men often had "a rough and tumble' with the men, and found it hard to subdue them to respect law and order. Soon, however, the ringleader, nicknamed "Larrikin Dick," was arrested for several offences and brought before the Court, when he got three months' imprisonment, and his gang, without their leader, soon mended their ways. When "Larrikin Dick" came out of gaol lie came straight back to the town, turned over a new leaf by joining a temperance lodge, get married, and did all he could to reform his comrades. He saved money, and after the railway went through, went to Wellington, where he invested in property and be* came a wealthy man, respected by all who knew him.