LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Northern Advocate, 10 February 1925, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

A first offender for drunkenness yesterday was convicted and fined the amount of his bail,.£l, by Mr R. W. Tato, S.M., at the Whangarei Magistrate's Court this morning. A beacon authorised by the Whangarei Harbour Board some tiiwe ago to be erected on the sunken rock in PaTua Bay has been completed in solid concrete and should be"everlasting. Yesterday the Whangarei Hospital Board had occasion to discuss the risks of loss occasioned by people posting bank notes in unregistered letters to the secretary. In a particular instance it whs assumed that £3 posted in that manner had gone astray. One member stated that once he had received £200 in bank notes through the post in an unregistered letter. Variety of excuses tendered for non-payment of fees duo to the Wha"Ugarei Hospital Board is always interesting. Some state that they can pay nothing on account, and that section usually receives little by way of concession. There are many paying off their accounts in instalments from 10/ per month upwards. Tn one instance a man owing about £9 had notified the Board that he 'had left the district, yet regular monthly payments of either half a crown or five shillings are received from him. All Hose less 10% for One Week from Monday, 19th.—At Dobson's. 635

The accommodation for the public at the Whangarei Magistrate's Court was more than filled this morning when the alleged bookmaking case was under consideration. While barking a willow tree at Otaika last night Mr Walter Dwyer had his knee joint cut rather severely through the axe slipping, and today he was admitted to the Whangarei hospital for treatment. The Board of Governors of the Whangarei High School has authorised experts to carry out the thorough fumigation of the school and hostel buildings, as a safeguard pending reopening of the school. The work is at present being undertaken. The launch jetty at Manganese Point, has been completed at a cost of £02 11/4, with one or two small accounts to come in and exclusive of some timber used from the Parua Bay old wharf. The contribution by the Whangarei Cruising Club towards this work was £25. Matters in connection with the Whangarei District Court will come up for consideration at the annual general meeting of the members to be 'held tonight in the County Chambers at 7.30 o'clock. The question as to whether Whangarei will compete at the next Auckland Show will be deliberated upon. All persons interested are invited to attend 'the meeting. This morning the Whangarei Harbour Board decided to comply with an appeal from the Whangarei Municipal Silver Band for a contribution towards its contest fund, and at Mr Jas. D. McKenzie's suggestion five guineas was voted. Mr D. W. Jack expressed his opinion that it did not come within the functions of a Harbour Board to assist in such an object. The Railway Department has extended the week-end excursion policy to the Whangarei section. It is proposed to issue excursion tickets from Whangarei to Opua, beginning this week. The tickets will be issued on Friday and Saturday of each week, and will be available for return until the following Monday.

The Parliamentary Leader of the New Zealand Labour Party, Mr H. E. Holland, M.P. for Buller, arrived in Whangarei by car from Dargaville today. Tonight at 8 o'clock he will deliver an address upon political topics of the day in the Whangarei Town Hall, where the Mayor, Mr D. A. McLean, will preside. Mr Holland is an able and interesting speaker and his address should be well worth hearing. Mr H. E. Holland, M.P., who is to speak at the Whangarei Town Hall tonight, has had a remarkable career in the Labour movement in New Zealand As editor of the "Now Zealand Worker" he was conspicuous in the Labour ranks prior to his entry into Parliament. Shortly afterwards, on the death of Mr A. H. Hindmarsh, he was appointed Parliamentary Leader of the Labour Party, and still holds that position. Last Friday an accident -eecurred upon the Punaruku Road, off the Mokau Road in the Helena Bay district, which 'however was fortunately not attended with serious personal injury to any of the three persons concerned. Mrs Swann and her four-year-old daughter Joan were being driven home by a native. The Maori drove round a corner on the narrow road too sharply, with the result that the vehicle ran up a bank and , capsized its occupants down the bank on the opposite side, the trap following. Mrs Swann had one ear cut, but otherwise none of the party was- mucE the .worse, for the ■ unenviable experience. ■ Splendid weather prevailed last evening for the Whangarei Cruising Club's dance which marked the opening of Captain W. R. Patterson's'new hall-at Manganese Point. About' 50 couples were conveyed to the beautifully situated hall in the launches Eva, Sea Deil and Rosemary, and the dance was an unquestionable success. Commodore F. Reynolds congratulated the owner upon his enterprise and declared the building open. The arrangements were splendid. Both inside and in the bush outside the lighting was electric, the floor proved in fine order, and Mr Symthe played on a piano of sweet tone. Inside the building was tastefully decorated, and those present thoroughly enjoyed the novelty of having supper at tables out of doors, where a glorious moonlight view of the harbour was obtainable.

Reference was made at the meeting of the Whangarei Hospital Board yesterday to the restrictions upon use of the motor ambulance. It was heavy and unsuitable for use on bad roads, both in the interests of patients and for the good order of the van itself. Sometimes, said Dr. Hall, Medical Superintendent, it was sent for when ordinary ears could well be used. Ho had- on his own initiative declined to serfd the ambulance over bad roads off the 1 metal. Mr D. A. McLean suggested that people- be told that the ambulance would he sent out as far as the driver, who has been appointed recently, considered it safe to take it. and that patients should be convoyed to it there. Even if patients had to be carried on stretchers it would be in their interests rather than to attempt to take the ambulance over rough roads. It was resolved, on the motion of Mr J. A. S. MacKay, that the House Committee should investigate and report upon the use of {he ambulance to the next meeting.

Earthquakes have not been felt in Whangarei within the knowledge of European settlers. Since the town has reached the stage at which buildings are of more massive construction, however, mortgagees are insisting upon a clause being embodied in insurance policies covering risk of fire arising from earthquake. This has already been done in the case of some of the more modern buildings.