LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LI, Issue 15593, 27 April 1914, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Mails from England, America, and Australia were brought to Auckland yesterday by 'train and steamer. The Auckland portion of the San Francisco mail, comprising 227 bags, carried by the steamer Aorangi to Wellington, was transhipped and brought on by special train, which arrived shortly after eight o'clock last evening. An Australian mail, comprising 231 bags, was brought from Sydney direct by the steamer Riverina, which arrived yesterday afternoon at one o'clock. The Southern portion of tho Australian mail was sent on by last evening's Main Trunk express.

One good result of the appointment of the Gum Commission was referred to by the Prime Minister at Warkworth on Saturday. He said that the commission had discovered the existence of a block of 12,000 acres, which had been set apart as a gum reserve, but upon which there was practically no gum. This land wa.s particularly suitable for fruit-growing, and tho benefits that would accrue from throwing it open for settlement would more than compensate for the cost of the commission. It, however, was probable that several more such blocks would bo discovered, and he anticipated that the work of the commission would result in considerable impetus being given to settlement ''n the North.

The effect of the Saturday half-holiday upon the busings of tradespeople in Karangahape Road is now regarded as satisfactory. When the change from Wednesday was first brought about many of tho storekeepers feared the result, and a strong, but fruitless, agitation sprang up with the object of effecting a change back to the old conditions. Now Friday night has taken the place of Saturday night, the former popular shopping period, and a big trade is also done on Saturday morning. The matter has adjusted itself, in short, and the shoppers, having become accustomed to the altered hours, have acquired tho habit of visiting the shops for their purchases during the periods named, as well as on other days of tho week.

The question of direct road communication between Hawke's Bay and Taihapo in order to afford speedier access to Auckland has been engaging the attention of local bodies concerned for some time past (telegraphs our Taihape correspondent). A couple of months ago the Taihape Chamber of Commerce raised tho question of the construction of a bridge across the Rangitikei River to complete the last link in the Napier-Taihape Road, and it was arranged that a deputation should meet the Minister for Public Works in Wellington to-day. The Napier Borough Council, Hawke's Bay County Council, Napier Chamber of Commerce, Hastings Chamber of Commerce, and Hastings Borough Council are to be represented personally. By motor-car the journey over the new route would take about half the time occupied at present on the journey from Napier to Taihape by rail.

Tho ma'nner in which tho motto of the new public school at New Lynn— God and Honour the King"—came to bo finally chosen is interesting. At the opening ceremony on Saturday afternoon the schoolmaster (Mr. H. J. S. Ellis) stated that it was originally suggested by one of the children, and the committee decided that no more apt words could be found. It happened, however, that this was also the motto of warship New Zealand, so that before it could be used by the school it was necessary to obtain the consent of the commander, Captain Halsey. Accordingly ho was communicated with, and in his reply, written on board the battleship at sea between Jamaica- and the Bermudas, Captain Halsey says: "I am sure that I am voicing the opinion of the officers and men of this ship when I say that they will be very pleased to think that the motto, ' Fear God and Honour the King,' has been chosen. Personally, I can think" of no better motto, and that is the reason I had it put on the quarterdeck of this ship, which was given in a true Imperialistic way by the loyal people of New Zealand. ... If the children carry out that as a motto. for their lives, they will always be true citizens of the Empire." As a valuable souvenir, the letter is to bo framed and hung in the school building.

Requests for an improvement of the Kaipara train sen-ice between Helensville and Kaiwaka were made to the Prime Minister on Saturday by deputations, both at Kaiwaka and Warkworth. The principal cause of complaint is the fact that the express which leaves Kaiwaka early in the afternoon arrives at Helensville'about twenty minutes too late 10 connect with the express which leaves the latter station for Auckland a& 35 p.m. It was asked that the timetable should be readjusted so as to ensure a connection between the two trains. Mr. Massey said that he would bring the matter before the Minister for Railways.

The urgent need for extended playing areas in the city schools is again emphasised in the annual report of the City Schools Committee to be submitted to householders next Monday night. Immediate action in this connection is urged as a necessity. " Year by year it becomes increasingly difficult to secure the requisite areas owing- to the rapid increase of land values," says the report, "and we desire to express the hope that the Government may be induced to consider the urgency of this matter and to provide the necessary funds." The report also states that tho question of improving the environment of the city schools controlled by the committee has been receiving attention at tho hands of a sub-committee, which is now collecting data. The outcome anticipated is not only improved playgrounds, but the creation of higher ideals amongst the scholars.

A request for railway connection with Waipu via Pukekaroro, was made to the Prime Minister by a Kaiwaka deputation on Saturday. Mr. Massey said lie would bear the matter in mind, but he pointed out that the Waipu people wore asking tor a connection with Whangarei, and that a route for this connection had already been surveyed. A member of the deputation raised a laugh by suggesting that both lines might be constructed.

While the battle-cruiser New Zealand was riding at anchor at Berehaven, in the west of Ireland, in the middle of March, a gale of unusual severity swept the British Isles, and Captain Halsey had an anxious time with his charge. The topmast of the New Zealand, with wireless gear and gaffs, was carried away, and the vessel is said to have dragged her anchor about two miles, but she was never in any real danger.

A statement regarding his position in relation to the political parties was made by Mr. J. 0. Coates, M.P. for Kaipara, in the course of a short speech at the Prime Minister's meeting at Maungaturoto on Friday night, Mr. Coates denied that lie had pledged himself to support the Opposition Party for 12 months, as had been stated. He was pledged to support certain principles, including Civil Service and native land reform and the freehold He had kept his pledge to support the Opposition for the first, session, but he was not pledged to support the Mackenzie government, and he was accordingly free to vote against it. ° J .i

With regard to the complaint that mutton hg, fe« with in army rations, » li&1N?wBw of the Indian Army ■" - explaining that the British (Ml not care for mutton. He LT*' **' beef. " This was proved 3 **»' sively 40 years ago, i n Burma *% missanat officer thought he wiinM ■ • - c ° l "-''' men a Christmas treat. At r g ' V6tlle he got the best sheep cull, (sheep do not thrive i! l flnCal -' happened that Christmas Dav t? 4 '' Il was a ' beef day,' not a mutton id year ; ' the orderly officer came rou J \ J m* '* dinners to ask if there were [ * X plaints, the men of every mess y Corn '" against having been given Z^ H -3 beef day.' h m on » •

At their annual conference W,,;'', Druidic Grand Lodge of Newfe l-' H) » decided to abolish the W t; > beards. These beards havl I separable from the ancient „,, a ' {J. Order. The Druidic members against the £ 5 t beards were mainly that thev . ** healthy, especially, a was oSS* When they were used « 0i R5 , .» cnminately. Instances wereg J* transmission of disease and X IVS of the appendages found gener !, ?° llbtt Already they have been *££,*** Victoria and Tasmania* lodges XJfe use is optional in Queensland ' A n " T. | the time is not far distant in AuE 7 iodges when the beard will be «£j** In an interesting address on the . lof marriage before the Col ! Union in Sydney last wek-T 0 ? ißoseby dealt with the e no ni Dr ' linage." he said? *%»£# [economic question. So sure i v f y a, | and economic conditions impo " 'X? 1 J -d unwholesome I'ng to its undue delay or even Si d ' it, except under conditions of Ji"! nnsery, so surely shall we find £$££. ■m* of our social evil and a » .moral degradation. Let it be that? mee shall be reasonably possible fori early manhood of our counter # sUtistics that record the moral condiC o a country are as insistent as the vol of nature and as the testimony of « Book. 'It « not good (morally good) man should be alone,' " g ' tDal

The total quantity of rain that had ' fallen m the city from April 1 up to g £ a.m. on Saturday was 3in, which is within; only .05in of the general average forth, month of April. The heavy shower which fell on Saturday morning, however after the records wer fi taken, should brini ' the fall to date considerably over the average. Rain has fallen in 'the city on 16 r days of this month, the heaviest fall registered for any period of 24 hours being .SSh 4 Compared with the corresponding period' for last year, the weather in Auckland since the beginning of the year has been-' unusually wet, a total of 8.20 in having ' fallen, as against 6.94 in for 1913. '. •

The advantages of the present system of reducation were pointed out by Mr. John,: Bollard, M.P., at the opening of the new';. public school at New Lynn on Saturday.; " It behoves parents, as a national duty," he said, "to strain every nerve to send their children to school. Without at least • a sixth standard education a boy has very , little chance of obtaining a position of - any consequence in commercial life." \ : •"'.'

The story has often been told about tho ■ racbg enthusiast, who, in anticipation of; a aide in a steeplechase, waited .for years at a certain hurdle for a horse and rider to part company. His chance came at last, and it is on record that he won the race, after several other horses had; ; fallen. On Saturday a patron of the- Avon- . dale Jockey Club had a similar opportunity. It was during the progress of the '• Mount Eden Steeplechase, when Dogger ; Bank parted company with his rider at the : double in front of the stand. The bystander promptly mounted the horse, and, to the accompaniment of cheers, set' off - after the leaders. There was loud applause when he negotiated the next oh-. stacle in good style, but that one jump!' apparently had satisfied the amateur rider, as he promptly pulled his steed up before the next obstacle was reached. **A $

Writing from Aitutaki, in the Cook Islands, on January 31, the Herald's cor-' respondent says that on January 24 a; V strange vessel was sighted approaching the island. The Resident Agent at.once; went off in the Government boat, but? • before the boat could get alongside the vessel was hard and fast on tae coral reef. ' With a fresh breeze off the land it wis V incomprehensible how the ship could hare i< come ashore. She proved to be the Ameri- • can four-masted schooner Minnie A. Caine, :; . deeply laden with timber from San Fran-' cisco and bound for Port Adelaide, Aus- | tralia, Captain Neilson in command. As- , sistance from the shore was requested, but ju steam was got up in the donkey engine on board, and the kedge anchor laid out, ; and the schooner got safeiy to sea again | after being four hours on the reef. The wife of the captain, it was discovered, was , seriously ill, and she was carried ashore in | the Government boat whilst the vessel was, - on the reef. It was extremely lucky that '_. i the sea was comparatively smooth on the *'~ reef, otherwise it would have been a case >j. of a total wreck. , The invalid lady: was /■ conveyed to the residency and was at-. tended to by the Roman Catholic Sisters of ' ! St. Joseph and the Rev. Mr. Sterling and M Mrs. Sterling, of the Seventh Day Advcatists Mission, and drugs were administered y by the Rev. Eastman, of the London Mis- . sionary Society. Under the advice of Mr.. Eastman, Captain Neilson decided to pro-;|> ceed to Rarotonga, 140 miles distant, for medicine and advice. On the 30th the schooner returned wit! the report that they could not reach Raiotonga on account of adverse winds and currents, Happily* , under the unceasing care of the sisters, the invalid had recovered, and is now strong enough to resume the voyage. The schooner left for Adelaide, via Rarotonga, on Jaw- : ; ary 31. % . ,-

A leading Dunedin merchant made some • important remarks last week as to t&?,--'. , trend of the merchandise market. Instated that since the Retail Grocers ; Association had been disbanded competition had become very keen, and he doubted whether some * of the retailers -= : - would be able to stand the strain for •?;■:_.'. long. Ho also said that the co-operative , ; buying of the Civil Servants' combina- " _ tion was likely to have a disastrous effect on trade, and he asked how any trades-;/ man could afford to give a rebate to tli«° .•: co-operative buyers of just' about douM .. the amount of the percentage he '«« • a getting on bis turnover. He maintained , that somebody was going to suffer B) tills si vie of trading. He thought it *?-.*; a wrong thing for a body of public ser- ;. vants to combine to buy at an entirely 1 prohibitive discount, seeing that there > * was every probability that an extra COS ;. was going to be passed on to the general < public—the non-co-operative buyers. v n ° | 1 immediate result of the present state 0 '.,„ j j affairs, he continued, was that the vim „ sale dealers were finding that the *W i j dard of the quality of groceries hitherto,.J prevailing in Otago was being reduce* .<.;> This applied to tinned fish especially-- . . | presumption being that the cost of «'' ' I tain articles was already being increasea ; to what might be called the " outsider, • , in favour of the co-operative buyer, »° i thus forcing the former to go iu » or cheaper quality of gcods. '. -' j