NEWS IN BRIEF

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 286, 29 August 1933, Page 3

NEWS IN BRIEF

Items of Interest FROM ALL QUARTERS A start will be made this morning with the demolition of Messrs. Halletistein Bros.’ premises on Lambton Quay, near to Kelburn Avenue. These wooden premises, now some CO years of age, were occupied by Messrs. Hallenstein Bros, as men’s and boys’ mercers for many years, but some four years ago they vacated the old shop for premises in Willis Street. Now they are to build a two-story commercial block on modern lines, part of which they will occupy as mercers. At the Christchurch Police Station are hundreds of unclaimed bicycles and bicycle parts, collected by constables on their beats, or taken to the station by persons who have found them deserted in various parts of the city and suburbs. They are shortly to be sold by auction.

Fully to appreciate and enjoy better meals, insist upon buying Rosegrove Products. They combine quality and economy at Hill Bros.’ shops... Those who are interested in the progress of the! works which are being carried out by the engineering staff of the Otago Harbour Board pn the Mole at the Heads will be pleased to learn that a very successful “shot” was fired on Saturday afternoon, some 40,000 tons being/brought down, including a large proportion of excellent stone, says the “Otago Daily Times.” The result is considered to be one of the best so far obtained at the quarry. Large blocks are especially Welcome for the topping of that portion of the wall where the stone has reached a stable slope.

Signs of spring or returning confidence —it is not known which —but the fact remains that the annual stocktaking sale of furniture and furnishings being held by S. S. t Williams and Co., Ltd., Lambton Quay, is attracting remarkable attention...

“I submit there is no jurisdiction for a conciliation council to he constituted for the hearing of an industrial dispute unless there is a dispute,” said counsel in the Auckland Arbitration Court a few days ago. “That is elementary,” remarked Mr. Justice Frazer. “You cannot make an application for divorce unless there is a marriage.”

Swarms of young eels about the size of darning needles have been making their way up the Waikato River from the estuary recently. They swim in shoals, chased by large eels and Kahawal, and have interfered with whitebait fishing by frightening the whitebait away from the banks of the river. Consequently, the supply qf whitebait from the river is less than is usual at this time of the year.

Discussing the exchange question in Dunedin a few days ago, the representative of a leading importing firm stated that the New Zealand agents of big proprietary firms were placing funds received from Dominion orders on fixed deposit in the banks here, sending the deposit slip to their principals at Home. The firms were able to obtain better returns for bank deposits here than in England. When he recently visited Australia he was Informed that the oil companies were spending huge sums on installations and. premises in the Commonwealth so that they would not lose on the money being sent Home and to America.

Some astonishment was expressed in Auckland recently by Dr. F. W. Kirsch, an American visitor to New Zealand, at the pronounced absence of beggars from the streets of the cities and towns he had visited. He said that, during a month’s stay in the Dominion, he had not once been troubled in such a way, and such a condition was particularly remarkable considering that New Zealand had experienced severe ‘economic difficulties. Another impression he had formed was the comparative absence of serious crime, and it was his belief, that a police force divorced from political connections provided the most efficient service possible. > i

Complaints have been made to the Automobile Association regarding children throwing stones at passing motorists, says the “Auckland Star. In many cases,; when this is observed, the offending children generally run. away before the motorist can remonstrate with them, but if motor drivers would immediately stop and report such occurrences to the nearest police station, the association suggests that this action would considerably assist the police in putting a stop to the practice. The co-operation of schoolmasters is also being sought by the A.A„ and it is hoped by this means to reach the children of school age, and thus warn them of the danger.

A surprising and unusual catch was made by a whitebaiter in the Henui Stream, New Plymouth, who landed not the minute fish he was seeking, but a 251 b eel, 4ft. 6in. long and 19Jin. in girth. Mr. A. Hunt saw what appeared from the distance, to be a submerged branch floating downstream under water. As it came closer he saw that it was a huge eel. He turned the net to face the eel, and it swam lazily into the trap. A mighty heave and it was landed on the bank, On land its tremendous proportions became more apparent. It was as thick as a man’s thigh. The torn state of its jaws shqjved that several unsuccessful attempts had been made to catch it before.

The fact that the Government had been offered an urban property in one centre in New Zealand for a penny, which was the value placed upon it by the owner, was mentioned by the Hon. E. A. Ransom to a Thnnru Borough Council deputation, to illustrate his contention that the provisions of section 45 of the Land Valuation Act were being abused by some landowners. The Minister said that the holder hoped to escape payment of rates on the land by offering it to the Government at a nominal figure. In another Instance, owners of a block of land behind Parliament Buildings had placed their own valuation on the property and offered it to the Government, thinking it would not be accepted. The offer was snapped up!