LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15822, 20 January 1915, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Over 80 men are now being employed on the levelling work in progress at the Domain, close to the site of the Auckland Exhibition. The work was Intended to assist the unemployed, and for this reason the men work half-time, in order that as many as possible- may be found employment. The wages earned, 9s a day, for three days in the week, are not sufficient for a married man and his family, with the result that even,' few days a new man appears on the work, the workman whose place he fills hiving been able to secure full-tune work. Most of the. work is being done with pick and shovel, very few horse-scoops and ploughs being used. Nearly two acres have been levelled in the past five months, but there is still much work ahead before the grounds are completed.

The steamer Manuka, which arrived at Wellington yesterday morning from Sydney, brought a small Australian mail. The Auckland portion consists of 19 bags, and it will come North by the first express to-day.

The annual tournament of the Dominion Bowling Association was brought to a successful conclusion yesterday after eight days' play. The tournament, which commenced on Monday of last week, attracted entries from nearly 490 bowlers, who gathered in Auckland from all parts of the Dominion. A full programme of games, full rink, pairs, and singles championships, wag prepared, and so carefully were the arrangement* made and carried out that not the slightest hitch occurred to mar the gathering. The full rink championship was won by the Pahnerston North team skipped by J. A. Nash, the pairs by the Green Island (Dunedin) team skipped by Smellie, and the singles by M. Walker, of Ponsonby. For the full rink match 90 teams entered, for the pairs 136 teams, and for the singles 156 players. During the tournament 415 games were played in the full rink match, and about 220 each in the pairs and singles.

11l the list of winners of junior university scholarships telegraphed from Christchurch and published yesterday, the name of Marcus George Pezaro, of the Auckland Grammar School, who obtained sixth place, was omitted. He obtained 3754 marks.

" If people only knew what the Bay of Islands has to offer as a holiday resort," said Bishop Averill last night, " I am sure there would be hundreds of visitors to North Auckland. It seems to me that you cannot come to the end of its attractions. One could spend a. year there, and visit a different attraction every day."

The sworn statement of Jack Galvin, labourer, of Rotorua, a bankrupt, shows that the total debts amount to £148 4s 8d and that there are no assets. Bankrupt says that for several years past he has )ived in Rotorua doing labouring work as often is he could obtain it. During the Maori epidemic he was employed by the Health Department in travelling among the Maoris, hut the moneys earned in this work were not sufficient for the needs of himself and family. He had been imprisoned in respect of his debts and a relative advanced the fee to enable him to file his petition and secure his release.

A special attraction to visitors to the Domain gardens will be opened on Sunday. This is the begonia-house, which probably contains the first collection of these beautiful plants in Auckland. There are over 400 flowering plants, comprising three —fimbriated, double, and single begonias The plants were grown from seeds secured five years ago by Mr. J. Nicholson, caretaker of the gardens, and he is of the opinion that the display is well up,to the high standard attained last year, when the hothouse was thronged with visitors, who were loud in their praises of the beauties of this attractive pot-plant.

A case of thiekenpox has been discovered in the babies' ward at the Auckland Hospital, according to a report placed before the board last night by the medical superintendent. Dr. C. E. Maguire. The report stated that the superintendent was at a loss to say how the child had contracted the disease, unless the infection had been carried by a visitor from outside. The child affected had been isolated, and in the meantime the ward had been closed both to admissions and visitors.

The arrangements for the Auckland Anniversary Regatta, which will be held on January 29, are now well forward, and the gathering promises to be as successful as its predecessors. The Union Company has notified the committee that permission lias been given for the use of the steamer Monowai as flagship for the regatta. The .Monowai is a very suitable vessel for the purpose, and the action of the company is much appreciated by the committee.

Another splendid number of the Auckland Weekly News is issued this morning. Many of its v>ages are devcted to war pictures, illustrating interesting incidents on land and f,ea~ A striking fullpage drawing depicts the repulse of the famous Prussian Guard -when attempting to " walk over"' the British near Ypres. This illustration gives a vivid conception of what a desperate hand-to-hand fight really means. Numerous photographs of the snow-covered battlefields appear, showing one of the principal disadvantages under which the war is now being rallied on. Another interesting illustration depicts a futile attempt by an enemy submarine to torpedo a British destroyer. Amongst the most noteworthy of the many other war pictures are views of ruins in Senlis, Ypres, Lierre. and other towns, young Parisians celebrating thenacceptance for the front in a thoroughly happy manner, an East Prussian farm where the Russians gave the Germans some of their own " kultur," Cossacks occupying a village in the same district, officers and men of the German Army being decorated with the Kaiser's iron crosses, Servian artillery shelling the Austrians from a concealed position on the opposite side of the Danube, British sailors interned in Holland making the best of their captivity, Germany's Crown Prince on French soil, and wounded British officers in the streets of London. Several New Zealand photographs illustrate the extensive damage to the cement works at Limestone Island, a river carnival at Gisborne, volunteers leaving Dunedin, a regatta in Pelorus Sound, the Prime Minis ter's visit to the Trentham military camp, a Belgium fete held near Napier, and the raising of the scow Combine, which was sunk in the Auckland Harbour last Saturday. The issue contains many other illustrations and several portraits, every picture being of general interest.

Nominations for the election to fill the two vacancies on the Eden Terrace Road Board close to-day. The vacancies were caused by the death of Mr. D. S. Taylor and by the resignation of Mr. W. H. Butler, who has joined the Samoan relief force. Should more than two nominations be received, an election will be held on January 27.

An interesting comparison of the 'work carried out at the Auckland General Hospital during the last two yearSj was laid before the board last night. This return showed that the admissions during 1914 totalled 3653, as compared with 3246 during 1913. Deaths in 1914 totalled 338. compared with 347 the previous year, while the figures for operations were 2756 and 1983 respectively. " From this return," the medical superintendent, Dr. C. E. Maguire, stated, " it will be seen how much the work at this hospital. has increased. The operation work has increased enormously, while the mortality lias decreased. The admissions were about four hundred more last year than in the previous year."

A " refresher" course for the senior officers of the Auckland military district began yesterday, and will be concluded on the afternoon of January 22. The greater part of the time will be taken up by instruction in the system of training territorials, while the remainder will be occupied by tactical exercises as for a mixed body of troops. Most of the work, which is done without the presence of the troops the officers are supposed to be commanding, will be carried out at Kohimarama.

Communications received by the Auckland Hospital Board last night from the City Council and the Mount Albert Borough Council, stated that no agreement had been come to in regard to the filling of the vacancy on the board, caused by the resignation of Mr. J. M. Mennie. The secretary of the board, Mr. H. N. Garland, stated that the time allowed the two bodies to make their choice would expire on January 26, Instructions were issued to the secretary to communicate with the Health Department in regard to the matter.

The annual ratable valu.. of the Borough of Newmarket is £38,200, as compared with £'37,400 last year. There has been little increase in the new valuations, and tho larger figure this year, is accounted for mainly in new houses being erected. The valuation list for the borough for the year 1915-16 is now open for inspection at the council's offices. All objections must be lodged at fie Assessment Court on or before February 16. and a copy of such objections must be deposited at the town clerk's office not less than ten davs before the sitting of the Court.

A youth, 19 years of age, named Leslie McKenzie, employed in the postal service, was arrested by Detective-Sergeant J. Hollis yesterday, on a charge of stealing, on or about October 29, three postal notes, one being of the value of 10s, and the other two of the value of 2s each.

Tho latest instance of contracts being lost to British firms through their failure to agree to deliver promptly, is provided in the -case of the Dominion Portland Cement Company, which is spending £200,000 on the erection of plant at Tikorangi, near Whangarei. Mr. S. Irwin Crookes, engineer to the company, states that the company required its electrical equipment to arrive at a certain date. The English companies said they would do their best to deliver within the time mentioned, whereas the important engineering firms of America named a definite time and fulfilled the order within a day or two of that date. Mr. Crookes states that ho found himself unable to give preference to British firms owing to the difficulty regarding delivery and therefore a contract worth about £14,000 had to go elsewhere. There was no material difference in the cost as quoted by the different firms.

The Northern Company's steamer Waimarie, which lost a propeller on a trip to Paeroa on Saturday, was repaired on Monday and took up her usual running yesterday.

Forty Australian boy known as the Young Australia League., will visit Wellington on February 3. en route to the Panama Exposition. The party includes a brass band. The boys will probably be accorded a civic reception on their arrival in Wellington. During their stay in the uipitai. they wili vioit places of interest.

When the Auckland Exhibition closed, an effort was made ■to retain the experi mental plots which were placed in the Domain by the Agricultural Department for the instruction of farmers and the public in general. The Agricultural and Pastoral Association, the. Education Board, the Horticultural Society, and the City Council all discussed the question of retaining the plots, which were offered to the latter body by the Department. All were agreed as to the high value. of the plots for educational purposes, but apparently the cost of upkeep was a barrier to their retention. Yesterday some of the plants were sent back to the Government farms. The reserve has been dismantled, and the grasses, clovers, and forage plants have been packed away for consignment.