LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 107, 7 May 1924, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Supplies of eggs on the. local market are heavy, due to the hold-up of lines .through,the railway strike. . Prices are slightly, easier, but aro expected to film "P, and remain .firm- during the next few v.-eeks. until early in June. . The local price of first-grade standard brands of butter in the Wellington market has. been advanced Id per pound. Ihis brings the,price into, line'with all .centres . but Auckland,- and is in con-' , formity with the recent, advance: in the price °f New; Zealand butter in London tales are reported. as having been mnde on the basis of Is 4±d in-bulk for export during May, and June./' -_ - ". ..-' .The volume of building going, on 'in Invercargill at the- present time is indicated by the returns compiled, by the corporation's engineer's office : from permits issued forv.the Jjast twelve months j During the year ended 31st.March,' 1924. ra. total of 364 pennils./were issued for bunduig. in Invercargill,= involving a sum amounting to £233,414,. as. compared with 204 permits and £123.091 in the" previous year. .. The biggest building in respect of which a permit was issued is the new .Southland Boys'' Hieh' School,' the' sum involved being £35,0C0, and an-' .other public institution,' the new; South School; the permit showing that £7939 hasVbeen allotted, for this work: Interviewed ,by a the secretary, of the Invercargill Builders' -Association said that never during his ten. years', residence here had he. seen so inucu building going on, and the same was applicable to the country as to the towns. . A noticeable feature was that a better class_ of dwelling-".. was. being 'erected. Architects state they are kept busy preparing plans, for new buildings;, une of which is estimated to cost. £70,'JC!0. •'■ "Will you please send,me four'fornis to be filled in for the purpose of reinstating League : players to the Rugby code 1 Wlil you/: please /deal with this matter urgently?"—A letter received by the Wellington .Eugby, Union, at last .evening's/meeting from .the/ secretary of a suburban club; . ■ ■/'.-' .: "What are 'you doing, /living' in a house at ...that •rent? / Letting rooms?" That was the pertinent /query by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Juvenile Offenders' Court at Auckland, when the father, of 'two. little boys who had / been • committed to /the Auckland Probation Home was being ..examined as/to his .ability to.pay maintenance, for them. The father, a shabbily-dressed man, said he paid ,£2; 5s per.;. week rent. for a .house in Eemuera road, St.. Hclier's. . He did not let rooms,, and had to find the rent put of, his wages, which amounted to £4 per week.' ' 'But I" can't" find a cheaper place, so '„what .can I do?" he asked. ■ The Magistrate said that much of- the trouble which/brought people into {he Courts' was caused by. the. high rents which they had .to pay / (reports the* "Auckland Star"). The. amount of one day's; pay per -wesk should .be the standard for rent. . ; , ... -. . , A middy-aged man, Walter Vincent, was charged at the Auckland Police Court on Tuesday, before Mr. J. W. Poyntori, S.M., with: having obtained £3 from Henry Mellor, falsely representing ahat the money : was to be invested with a bookmaker on the racehorse. Sheffield at the Auckland: Racing Club's Meeting at Ellerslie on 28th December,. 1923. A plea of,not guilty was entered. .'■. Evidence, states'. "'The Post's" ' correspondent-, was: giving by 'Mellor "that he met accused in a traincar, arid the latter persuaded him. to invest £3 on Sheffield, which, he declared, could not lose. Later accused produced/two tickets, which he gave to witness, with the' remark that he had obtained 12 to 1 instead of'B to 1, which were better odds than he had ■anticipated. / Accused .told witness to meet him, that evening in an hotel at Newmarket,"'but.accused did not .appear. Witness subseqeuntly ; ascertained that Sheffield had not been accepted for in the race in'question. Detective Meiklejohn, who ■■• arrested', Vincent, said he found, in accused's luggage scores" of bookmakers' cards similar to the two given to /Mellor./ Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for trial. ■ . : . 'Three or four weeks will sea the opening of the winter whaling season, and in preparation for .this the. whaling steamer Harianui 11./ which .keeps the old-time industry' alive in the North, arrived at Auckland on ■ Saturday'to undergo annual overhaul and survey. Overhaul work and refitting will occupy about a "week, and the Hananui will then proceed to ■ Whangamumu, the babe of whaling operations. At the end of May or the beginning of June, the whales go northward .to the warm tropical waters for breeding purposes, and, as- the season, of their excursion' covers' about two months, the winter whaling season should last until almost the middle of August,, -states:-,'the. "Auckland Star." Whether the- Hananui will ■then come down, to, Auckland is doubtful.' She may replenish her supplies,, and "refit in. the- North/and waif for' the spring whaling season, when the whales. return to the Antarctic, regions, with their young in October and November. Some excellent sport.among, the.pheasants in the Northern Wairba district is reported. . Two Aucklanders, Messrs. W. 'Kae and S. Bradley, who returned during the Week-end, brought : back a bag of 32 brace, and state that, they had hot previously seen the game so plentiful. They shot on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday' Until the dogs were, done up. With the permission of. Mr. Jim M'Gowan, of B,uawi,.they tramped the Litter's farm, and the flat nature of the country considerably reduced the difficulties .of tramping: On the first morning of the shoot 23 birds were obtained, the pheasants being particularly plentiful about the maize crops. . A covey of 19 was put up on one occasion, while it -was quite usual for the dogs to .flush several birds at a time. Other sportsmen are stated to have had/ good states the "Auckland Star," two: Australians on the opposite side of the river claiming 19 brace,' but the bag of the two Auckianders is the best bag of pheasants reported to date. A party of Te Aroha sportsmen, who were out -on Thursday to Friday night, were successful in securing- nearly one hundred brace of ducks. Several other parties were out. but report that game is hot vory plentiful;- '.■.:. ■ , .

• The Defence; Department proceeded against several' youths yesterday hi the. Magistrate's Court for breaches of the .Defence Act. Geoffrey Clementson was fined £2.10r failing to attend drill, and Charles J... Edwards and Roy C. Petiie, who each had three previous convictions for a similar offence, were each,fined-So,' and were deprived, of their civil rights for two years. John Butler and Frederick Hill were ordered to pay costs on the charge of failing to deliver their uniforms on .demand, and on a similar charge Harold Pobar was ordered to pay the value of the uniform, £3 11s 6d. The consignment: of 154 cases of bananas which arrived at Auckland from Niue Island, by the steamer Rama on Saturday, is- the first shipment that has reached New' "Zealand . from that places, states. '-'The' Post's" Auckland correspondent. A fruit expert stated •that the bananas 'were about the finest type, that, has every 'reached; Auckland. They were described as large, sweet fruit of exceedingly good quality. The shipment was landed in good order, only a few being over-i;ipe, and the'success of the. trial consignment has . resulted in arrangements being made for the Rama to load a much large quantity, when she next visits Niue. v . The.Wellington Rugby Union has been advised by the. Lower Hutt. Borough Council that the rental fixed'for the use of the ground is-£4O for the current, season, the council reserving ..the right after reasonable notice is.given to. hold the ground for its own use on any par r ticular occasion. , The union was authorised to charge for admission, to the grounds on six days, subject to 25' per cent, of all gate receipts being, paid over to the council. When the matter was brought before the union's Management Committee last evening,' it was decided to write to the Borough Council pointing out that the terms were very heavy, and in excess of the terms imposed by the .Wellington City Council,, that most of the gate in the past had gone to the Hutt Rugby Club, and that the council's new -system would ; penalise ' the Hutt Club.;; -/..-,.- .'.- '; s;:'.;- - ■ . - ' . Though the districts north -, of Auckland are steadily recovering from the effect of the floods of the last month,' it:will be some time before the damage caused.'-to pastures, to fences,, and to roads is retrieved,' states "The Post's" Auckland correspondent. The:. following extracts from :a : private" letter received from a farmer at Hoteo maybe taken as typical of the experience of many other, settlers : "From the appearance' of the countryside the- effect' is more like; that of: an earthquake than .! anything; else.. The worst damage is to ,the fences, which . are nearly..; ail levelled out. A landslip came down into my shearingpens and filled them, lip to a.depth of 'three fest, smashing everything. You cannot picture what the roads are like.; It is going to cost thousands of pounds to: put them, in order again:; .Though we have suffered a big' loss, it might have been worse, and in two or three years ,we shall have forgotten all about it." Another story of a soldier whose war disabilities' are. apparently, responsible •for-" his, plight has ..just', come'■'. to: light.' About, two -weeks ago 'school children playing;;in Western Park-ob-served a man-lying on the grass af various times for three successive days, and finally the attention of., the. park keeper was directed to the;fact. When this, official investigated he found the unfortunate fellow practically exhausted through illness, exposure, ..and ; lack- of-.food_(states..thev"-;Aucklnnd.Star").: He: was in a shocking condition. The police,' ;who were summoned, had the patient removed; in,rthe ambulance to.r.the city ...hospital, where^he has-since been cared ' for,', v and ,he;,;is; reported,-to be Jnaking a good, recovery. Inquiries show that the man was a. returned soldier from: Dunedin. A doctor,', who 'saw' him in the park, said there was no suggestion that the man was suffering other than from his ailment and; exposure;' It was ..stated that ho. had been living iii: a boarding-house in Hobson street,' but that his unfortunate malady;was made the subject of complaint, with the re-' suit that he was asked to leave 'the place. This apparently was the last straw, and the sick man spent the next three days in -the: park until - the authorities discovered him. '■•-.'', : :':".'•''']■ Very satisfactory progress is being made in the -triple reticulation works "of Karori—water, drainage, and gas. The machine trenches,is living up to its American reputation to the full, .cutting a perfectly, clean line of trench ■ three feet sis inches in depth at the rate of ahout a chain and a half ;an hour, which-.rate of progress is. a great deal faster in trench digging in ■ fact: than' it appears on paper, and the gangs of pipe jointers find it _ impossible to ■ keep up with the lumbering machine,; the" result being that ! the trenches .must spell off occasionally while the remainder of the wort catches up. Later the machine'will be utilised for the digging of a wider trench to carry the earthenware pipes which will;lead from Karori to the new septic tank for the district. Work has already been commenced on the tank, the locality being .'a small flat'above the South Karori Stream, about three mile 3 from the heach. .-At present one chamber is being installed, but later a second will be built,.and ample land is avail-1 .able on the flat\for a. third- chamber, 1 when Karori has grown to a more thick-ly-populated suburb. As the trencher is one of the smaller types and cuts a' comparatively narrow, trench, it will probably be found necessary to widen the cut by hand 'to enable the twelveinch earthenware! drainage pipes to be laid. The Corporation already has upon order a larger trencher for the'laying of the 21-mch, Orongorongo-Karbri main. Gas .mains, are daily stretching further' from the.tunnel towards the suburb, and within a year Karori residents may at last, have the benefit of the three" city i services., ,- '■.-;;.•• " .■'■'■. '.:"...: A minor case of shipwreck occurred near Auckland on Saturday night; when the steam'launch Matarere, owned by Mr. G. H. Reston, ran ashore on the I Rangitoto Reef,land was stranded there'i all night with, a number of people on: board. The launch (reports "The Post's correspondent)" left Auckland late on Saturday afternoon for a cruise iii the gulf, Mr.. Reston being accompanied by a: number of friends, including women and. children.'■ While endeavouring to;pass between Rangitotq Beacon and the island the launch-grounded on Rocky Reef, and remained fast. Itwas then about 9.30 p.m., arid very dark. Repeated distress signals given out on the launch's steam whistle attracted the I attention of Mr. C. G. M'lndoe, who was passing in his launch, Lady Una. He at once proceeded to the assistance of the shipwrecked party, arid for about, an hour and a, half tried to tow the stranded launch off the reef. In doing so he carried away his after cleats. The" Matarei-e could not be moved, and as the tide; was rapidly; falling salvage work was'postponed until the morning. The stranded launch was in rib immediate danger when the tide was'low, as she was resting with her nose on a pinnacle, and her stern on a flat shelf, the rough sea caused by the strong southerly Wind not . affecting her. At daylight on Sunday another launch made an attempt to.tow the stranded vessel off,\but without nvnil. Mi\ .M'lndoe1: then re-, sumed operations with the Lady "Una. and, after a number of attempts was successful.: The Matarere . fortunately was not damaged. Though the niglit was very 'cold Mr. Reston and his friends did not suffer much discomfort as a good liic was kept burning in tha furnace^

The Postal'':authorities' have received cable advice- from 'Melbourne that the Kaitangata;left at 4 p.m; on the Jail instant for Dunediii. 'She carries 22 bp"« of mail from -Australia, 27 from beyond and 18 parcel receptacles for Wellington. The small auxiliary yacht Vision, was sighted- on. 23tli April;- 800 miles north of Auckland, by the .steamer Rama, which arrived at' Auckland from Niue : Island last . Saturday:, morning: ... -ThfiV Vision is owned by Miv James Reid, of Auckland, who is taking his family for an extended cruise- among the South I acific ■ Islands, and sailed from Auckland on 15th April, for Tonga. The Rama .passed, about 100 -yards', off'the yacht, which was heading: to the north-' north-east, with a light southerly wind, states the "New Zealand Herald.'' Those on the Vision were apparently all well and happy, as they waved and smiled at the people on the Rama.' '■: . ■ The want of a good rain in March and "April will /probably be responsible - for: a curtailment of the area sown in. wheat^ this,year, states the "Oamaru Mail." :' ;-.The groaid has been too hard for ploughing, .-and -some, farmers who . contemplated ploughing and fallowing, lea : land with.a ; view to sowing wheat have abandonedf- the intention.; Merchants report'; some orders; for seed wheat for winter sowing, but the area will be comparatively, small, arid it may be premonitory of the general result so far as N"6rth Otago is concerned; ; It is tolerably certain that the total area, will fall a long ■■ way.,short, of the. average' of' even the last few years. - Farmers very generally are going to put their trust in meat and WOOI..- : . .; ■/..'. , . .. :: A Kaikoura medical man, Dr G I Miler, : had a thrilling, experience -last week, states thir-'Kaikoura Star " He was called to the Clarence to attend a case of. sickness,-and'was transferred across-the^ river-early in the morning. The river rose rapidly, iand the' punt was put out of; action, arid the problem was how was he to get' to the Kaikoura side of the river. It was decided to give him a "fly" by the aid of a wire rope used for hauling the mails to the broken bridge—a, distance of about tlr-ee chains. The doctor was Vhooked on," and wiUmg hands assisted to haul him over. About midway across there : was the usual sagging • of;:.the v wire—men pulled the doctor.; dangled in k mid-air, ■ and the swirling waters'rushed onwards The medico was-having a thrilling experience. However; there- was more hardl" pulling, and he was safely landed on the bridge. \ His countenance bore a- smile of , satisfaction when > his ' ordeal "was ended. ■ ;'. ■ ..■:.:•'■;..;■,.....:/■:;;.. ';.;Mr. G. W.;:Xeadley,-pf iAMmrtbnV ventilated a -■; little personal grievance against the Land; and: Income Tax-De-partment" in his evidence before the Tax-, ation Commission? on 'Monday afternoon. He had been subjected; to a grossly, excessive; arbitrary, assessment -.of- income-' tax—£looo, iio.less: : .,"I prepared a complete return and-sent.it in,'?' he' said. '.'The Department took :ino notice of it,, and weeks lateivl received a demand,for £1000 tax. . I got, an accountant :to make out.a statement for me, and whenhe Had finished' it.* the result was -thesame as.mine..* After, making all the-de- ■ ductioris Iwas entitledito, he found that the. tax.,payable was.just :£20." The Commission looked towards the Commissioner of Taxes (Mr; D. G. Clark), but Mr.: Clark did .not feel called upon to defend-., himself-.without ..more facts at hand, Bta'tes the Christchurch "Sun." ''That sort of thing1 may easily happen." ha said mildly, and Mr. Leadley let it go at that. ' ■<■: :\':: vV ' .';.'■. ■'.".■ ' The road-from Christchurch to Lyttelton Tia Sumner and Evans Pass, which was used so largely for vehicular traffic during the' railway strike,' has been approved,by"the : Main Highways Board as one" of the"; main highways in the Central Canterbury district; "When the original .list' of rbada for approval as main highways was under "consideration, thistoad ■ was deleted, aa_ only a small portion: of it is iii a county, the remain-der-being: included viri the Sumner' and Lyttelton Boroughs'. During the- strike special attention was directed to it as being the only means of access by road to Lyttelton from Christchurch, and representations were made- to the Main Highways; Board to have it included as otic of the main highways, states the "Lyttelton Times." During the- week of the1 strike a total of-4035 vehicles passed between the Heathcote Bridge and the Trariiway Board's ; quarries in M'Cormick's. Bay, according to a tally taken by the Heathcote County Council.