LOCAL AND GENERAL

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 13, 16 January 1925, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

The births registered in the urban areas of the Dominion during December totalled 1170, as compared with 977 m November—an increase of 193. The deaths in" December were 488/ an increase of 18 as compared with the previous month. Of the total deaths males contributed 251 and females, 237. Sixtyeight of the. deaths were' of children under five years of age, being 13.93 per C< t i! • whole number. Forty-five of these were under one year of age. ■three persons over 90 years died. In his report to the Hutt River Board the foreman (Mr. F. Kershawf drew attention to the careless use of fire by parties of bathers in the Hutt River. . Two lires had taken place in the last week in the boards protective works: It was decided to advertise prohibiting the lighting of fires within the stopbanks, and to place warning notices on the «Ti? ♦ MVer> The f6reman stat" ed that there was great danger in the summer, when the grass and debris were

The question'of allowing the display of German goods at the exhibition to be opened at Dunedin in November next, was discussed by the directors of the inhibition Company in committee, last «l ' 5« tes a Pr6ss Association mesinto thoroughly, the following motion was camed : —"That jn view of popular sentiment in the Dominion this board decides . to • refuse any applications for space from nationals of ex-enemy countries. , i - "Reference after reference has been made in the "Evening Post" to the necessity of a city plan,", writes "Island Bay," and indeed, there are. many evidences of the need of planning about the city.. Jiven trifling jobs have 'patchwork' written all over them. The Island Bay foreshore Jias a sloping seawall; it is, or will be some day, in the long, long-run, one wall, but that is not to say that it has one design. This is only one instance. Patchwork, in city works, as in bedspreads, is out of date."

Speaking generally, the prospect appears to be that unless anything we dont know o£ has occurred, the price of flour in Australia to-day -will justify tne millers .in giving us 7s a bushel for our wheat/ said the chairman of the North Canterbury Farmers' Union (Mr. J. v. Hall) on Wednesday, when the' question of'negotiating with poultrynien tor the sale of wheat was discussed. It was decided that the Agriculture Committee should ,be authorised to circularise the branches and begin negotiations with the poultrymen/ A correspondent, "Bitten," writes suggesting that, when the Eastern Harbour authorities have a few minutes to spare irom the ferry service, they should consider, what may be done to check the mosquitoes and sandflies which are ro annoying to both residents and visitors. The sandfly," the correspondent states, "is apparently difficult to'control; but there are well-known -methods of preventing the mosquito from" breedmS\_ Ibelleve that the Eastbourne Borough Council in the past--has, applied these methods, and has kept Ihe pest within limits; but just lately the nuisance seems to have revived: f Both the Borough Council and the-Hutt County Council should take action."

The engineers, officers, and staff of the Hutt Valley Electric Power Board received special congratulation from the board yesterday on. the:work they had accomplished since the current was made .available. "It was," said Mr, Mather, in moving, the motion, "a' "great feat 'fir have the Valley lighted- on. Christmas Eve, considering that the current was not available till 4.40 p.m." Mr. Hobbs seconded, the motion, and the chaiunan, . Mr. M'Ewan, .said he -endorsed all that had been said;' Mr. Barber said the staff had: done wonders. Be regretted, 'however, that Upper Hntt, which was the" first area'to he reticulated, did not receive the current till the next day. Mr. Toogood, engineer, replied that the staff had really worked wonders. They were all thoroughly loyal and enthusiastic, and had' forgotten there were holidays in their eagerness to get the light ■ on. If the current Had been made availabletwo hours earlier the whole Valley would have been lighted. , -

An important statement; with reference to the completion of the Main Trunk railway and the 'institution of the trans-strait ferry service was made by the Hon. R. F. Bollard when hear, ing a deputation from the Marlboiough Trotting Club and the Wairau "Valley Racing Club yesterday,' says a . Press Association ' message ' from Blenheim. "You talk a lot about your isolation " remarked the Minister. "Well, that will end. some day. Rome-was not built in a day, but you have\read the report of the Railway Commission, and there is a prospect of the completion of -the railway._ It means two and a half millions to give a ferry service and link up the railheads." It would mean a great advantage in the transport of goods, because produce could be loaded at Auckland and unloaded at the Bluff j without extra handling. This state of affairs would arrive probaftty sooner than his hearers thought. He was a strong advocate of/the proposal, and personally was in favour of starting right away. He would favour going on to the market and raising a loan right away. It was, however, a matter for the Minister of Finance. ; •

In connection with the. competition proposed by the Government for the best design for laying out the Orakei block as a model suburb, the executive of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Institute of Surveyors has telegraphed to the Surveyor-General, Mr. W. T. N^ill, making suggestions .as to the conditions. The executive considers, states "The ..Post's" Auckland correspondent that the prizes rfffered should be £1000 for the first, £500 for the second, and £250 for the .third design^ in view of the importance of the scheme, and the enormous amount of work involved in preparing accurate designs. For the same reasons it is considered that the time for receiving designs should be extended by at least two months. The'block of land at Orakei, which it is proposed should be .used for the model suburb, contains--.500 acres. To survey and draw up plans for such an area, substantial prizes should be offered, and in the opinion of the surveyors the proposed prizes—£250, £125, and- £75 —are ridiculously inadequate. ,''..,-

The best part of a month has gone by since ;the big slip-came down upon the j Hutt road near Ngaliauranga, and the steam shovel is still Jiard at it digging out and feeding to a fleet of motor lorries the rotten rock and clay which came down from the hillside aboW. The actual slip is jjretty well cleared away, »mt there is'still almost an equal amount of work to be done, for it is probable that by the time the loose face of the hill is cleaned up and made safe another six to eight thousand cubic yards of spoil will be brought down. The engineers' first guess at the size of the job ahead in clearing the road was "at least -a month," a guess that is working out with a day or two to spare.. Had the steam navvy not been available the work would have been very much slower, unless, of course, k very big gang had been employed. Certainly it would have been very much more expensive. The greater part of the spoil is being carried a short distance up the new road to KhiindiilWh. and is being used to (ill in the tai 1, end of the valley up which" the vaWe car is

A general duty section of the New Zealand Permanent Forces is to be established, consisting of such number of non-commissioned officers and men as may f rom time -to time be authorised by the Minister of Defence. ■

Of 325 bridegrooms onder the ag« of 21 in New Zealand during last year one was between 16 and 17, and three were batween 17 and 18. There were 1653 brides ,under 21,' including two between 14 and 15 and eight between 15 and 16.

At the meeting of tfie New Zealand Association of- Nurserymen, yesterday a remit was moved by Mr. E. Hale of Masterton, that all restrictions regarding the killing of- opossums be removed in the interests of fruitgrowers. .After a brief discussion the remit wag 1 negatived. "Just about 95 per cent, of the people of Kaikoura are experts at roadmaking just now," was remarked at the last meeting of the Kaikoura County .Council. The " Kaikoura Star » add"s that the other 5 per cent, include those who have to find the money to pay for road-making. .

Amended regulations are published in regard to training colleges and teachers. In regard to training colleges, the new regulations provide for increased salaries for staffs. The principal salaries will be as follow:—Principal, £700; rising by annual increments of £25 to £750- viceprincipal, £550 to £625; assistant lecturers, £430 to £475, with married allowance of £50.per annum; tutor and librarian, £380. The head teacher of a normal,school shall receive £540, rising to £600. A new system is introduced in regard to the lower grades of the teaching staff in'public schools. The title of pupil teacher is abolished, and the following 'course instituted,' with a view to securing higher efficiency:—One year's, training as probationer; two years at training college; one year as student assistant." . -

The Director of the State Forest Service, Captain L. M'lntosh Ellis, attended the annual meeting of the New Zealand Association of Nurserymen last evening. The report of the executive of the association dealt at some length with the vexed question of State competition in forestry nursery supply to private persons, and the desire had been expressed that the Director of State Forests should be present when, that subject was under consideration by the association. The executive had' decided to ask the State Forest Service io leave the supply of small lots of young forest trees. to.. the private nurseries. The question was investigated last session by a Parliamentary; Committee, which reported that. there was a case for the consideration of the Government. In the course of a discussion on the question by the association last evening Mr. T.Waugh suggested that a friendly talk ,with the Director of State Forests would probably result in- a satisfactory working basis being arranged. It was resolved .that Messrs. V. C. Davies and T. •Waugh' confer with the officers of the Department on, the points at issue. Votes of thanks Were passed to the officers "of the Service. . /"

; Dpon the occasion of hia retirement, from the Police For,ce after nearly thirty years' service, Senior-Sergeant Cox, in charge of the South district, was farewelled at the Central Police Station yesterday by vhis fellow-officers, Superintendent W. B. M'llveney said that Senior-Sergeant Cox was one of the test-known non-commissioned officers 'of the Police Force. It ryvas, with regret lhat he learnt that Senior-Sergeant Cox had to retire, for he still had several years to serveU.but unfortunately his health had been.affected'by his arduous hours in the detective-, branch, as well as in the epidemic of 1918. -Ail Wished him prosperity and happiness in his retirement. No man had-earned a. rest as he had. On behalf of thejwhole force, Superintendent M'llveney presented Sergeant Cox with a leather suitcase for himself and a similar case and a gold bracelet for Mrfe. Cox. . Sub-Inspectors Kemp and Hollis, Senior-Sergeants Ladder and O'Hara, and Sergeant Butler also spoke. Senior-Sergeant Cox expressed deep gratitude for the gifts, and for the commendations of his fellowofficers. He had served for 23 years before he joined the uniform force, with which he commenced duties on Ist January, 1920. Since th*n he had 'been .offered every help by .his fellow-work-*ers, and owed a debt of gratitude to the senior-sergeants,, sergeants, and men of the Wellington stations. ' .'

I . A peculiar accident occurred in the Auckland Harbour on Tuesday evening when the four occupants of the speedlaunch Miss Auckland were. thrown out and the launch continued circling around with no one on board. ' The accident took place off Devonport a little after 6 o'clock. The launch had cruised down the 'harbour, and. it turned between Devonport Wharf and Victoria Wharf to follow the . ferry steamer Peregrine,: which had Just left the i Devonport, Wharf for y Auckland. .When approaching the Peregrine's stern the speed-launch was caught by the ferry steamer's wash, which caused the small vessel to heel over suddenly and tip its occupant* into the harbour (states the "New Zealand Herald"). With no one to control her,' Miss Auckland started jrway on a cruise by herself, kne made at least, three circles at full speed and then the engines gave out and the launch stopped close to where «f tf^rt T ere swi»raing. Two ? L £ plilnbed back on bo=A .and the other two were picked ra>. by a passing launch. The' captain of'th* Peregrine stopped and prepared to ™ the cruise up the harbour UZZed In an article in the " Eltham a™« » Xc heML hr °f^ be I2SSi, A-0., M.L.G., the writer, "W CF f 1 >! says: ' There was another side to OW tertained no prejudice- against foreieners merely because they were foreigners" ,tnem. He had been more than once in Japan, and Used to speak very highly of some of the customs'of the Japanese and the invariable politeness and cou^ tesy extended to h im ia that oou ™" His most recent tour was to California ana he had .much to say of interest con! cermng that country. To all his colthe Legislative Council he Was kmdly, , considerate,* and helpful willangly giving them any assistance he could in any matters they chdse to queS.^ tion him upon He has gone the way that all .mortals must go; the Dominion has lost a faithful and vaiuabl* <w , vant; tJie Legislative Councillors have lost a brilliant coUeague, whose place will not be ea El ly filled, and ;the writer ofthese lines has lost a daar and-valued friend, who passed away in .full and confident belief . that man's earthly sojourn is not the beginning and the end of Ml things." . . ■

„£*>• two-year-old daughter of Mr. J. MDennott, of Ruawai, Dargaville, was caught in the belt of an engine driving the milking plant last * week. Mr. M'Dermott heard a peculiar ; noise, and found the child being whirled round. Her clothing fortunately gave way and released her. She was unconscious, but on being taken to hospital, made good progress.

Vandals have been at work on the tree plantations of the Hutt River Board. Recently the caretaker discovered that fifty lawßoniana and twenty-five Califomian redwood trees had been stolen. The matter has been placed in the hands of the police, and a reward offered for the apprehension of the offenders. The redwood ty-ees which are being experimented with by the board were doing very well at the time of their removal. .

A■: riderless motor-cycle and sidecar careered up Oxford street, Eyttelfcon, yesterday, with the owner in hot pursuit, but. he could not catch his machine before it dived into a plate glass window. The owner was riding along Norwich quay as she turned a corner, and collided with a telegraph pole, and fell off. The machine went on up Oxford street, swerved .across the street, and dashed into a window. The glass panels on cither side of the door -were aJso smashed. The cyclist arrived in t;me to see the damage done. '

The arrangement under which Dunedin is to have no opportunity of seeing at least part of the American fleet during its coming visit to New Zealand is not going to be accepted without determined protest, states the "Otago Daily Times." The following telegram has been dispatched to the Prime Minister (Mr. Massey) by Mr. D. Lamach, chairman of the Otago Harbour Board: "It has been announced in the Press that no unit of the American fleet is to visit our port. There is apparently some misunderstanding somewhere, as I cannot conceive of a' port of the importance of this one being overlooked. Will you be so good as, to give the matter your kind and early consideration, as I. assume that the draught of the whole of the fleet will not be such as to prevent at least one representative vessel berthing at our port, tnus giving the citizens the opportunity of showing hespitality to the representatives of the American navy?"

Speculative mining was the subject of comment by the Hon. G.-.J:Anderson (Minister of Mines) at the Thames, whin addressing representatives of all .the local bodies in the Thames harbour district. '.The Minister said that since .he had taken charge of the Mines Department he never had had more inquiries than at present, but. what were ■wanted were more prospectors of the old «chool, men who went mining for the love of it. The younger generation npparently- had not. that feeling (reports the_ "Auckland Star"). —The Department was prepared to assist prospecting, and welcomed the prospecting associations, which could select the most _ suitable men for prospecting, . "The best prospecting is prospecting for legitimate mining," he declared. "I have every respect for Queen street, Auckland," he added, "but if we hava speculative gold mining we will not ha*e efficient mining. To be successful mining must be on business lines. There 'have been inquiries for coal: prospecting areas, and to-day oil is being exploited in Taranaki with expert assistance, and if oi^ is there it will be found. There have been inquiries for the development of shale deposits", and to • assist iron exploit.-^!- 1 v m Nelson. To overcom* competition by black labour in the production of iron ;froiri India; -the Government had agreed to increase the subsidy from 12s 6d to 30s per ton'produced. That, was subject to Tatificatibu by Parliament' ■by amendment 'of - the Iron Industry Act."* '■■'■■ '

Some indication of the relative demand r for 'electric current throughout the Hutt Valley is shown in the report of; Inspector _ Taylor. .to the Power Board. He states that the 1056 permits for house installations wKich have been issued were distributed as follows: York Bay 2, Lowry Bay 12, "Day's Bay 61, Eastbourne 118, Upper Hutt 126, Trentham 43, Heretaunga 25, Melling 4, Belraoht 10, Stokes Valley 5, Taita 23, Petone 203, and Lower Hutt 404. Mr. Hobba asked if,-'in view of the large number of applications from Lower Hutt and the fact that no one in the district had yet Teceived the current, the work in this area could be expedited. Mr. Cotton remarked that many people had dismantled their gas fittings to make room for the eleciric light fittings, and- w#re now urgently needing the current, Mr? Barber remarked that several Lower Hutt residents had complained to him that though they were.all in readiness they could not get the current. A« the staff wag working at high pressure, could not Borne temporary assistance he obtame,d? The engineer'explained that the demand for current in Lower Hutt was Farpns.ng, and had not been anticipat«r. The policy of the board had been to concentrate on the districts outside the gas area. Every; effort-was now. being made to meet the demand in Lower Hutt, but temporary expert assistance was not obtainable /

Two first offenders for drunkenness one a woman, were before Mr. J W M' Ewan and D. M. Armstrong, J.P.s a t PetonethLs morning. The male accused was convicted tad ordered to piy & motor-car hire on condition that he ■conoSft^e biiionordwbein Btaken8 taken