LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17110, 15 March 1919, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The shooting season for fallow deer in the Auckland Acclimatisation Society'* district opened yesterday. The season extends for two and a-half months.

The gatherings for the social entertainment of soldiers' mothers and wives, which f roved so successful last wiuter, are to be resumed shortly under the auspices of the Auckland Women's Patriotic League. A special invitation has-been issued by the Mayoress, Mrs. J. H. Gunsou, as president of the league, to the wives of fcoldiere married abroad to take part in these gatherings. In order that they may not be overlooked, they are asked to forward their names and addresses to Mrs. Qunson. A schnapper weighing 181b was caught from a boat in the Pammiro Basin last week by Mr. Harvey Goodwin-Archer. An ordinary line was employed, and it was not until the giant was raised to the surface that those in the boat could believe it was not a kingfish or shark. The Masonic Lodges in tho Auckland district, in common with those in other parts of the Dominion, have elected their representatives for tho coining annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Now Zealand. The communication will be held in Christchurch on May 28A public meeting was held at Takapuna last evening to arrange for tendering a farewell to Mr. Brown, headmaster of the district school, who is shortly leaving for Hamilton. The M yor, Mr. W- Blomfleld. presided over a good attendance. Several speakers eulogised the departing teacher, and subsequently a committee comprising all those present was formed to toward the object of the meeting. Mr. H. tracer was appointed secretary. Instructive and interesting articles are contained in the supplement issued with to-day's Herald. "Matanga" discusses the labour problem under the heading of "The Soul of the Workman," and " Austria's Strategy " is .the title of an article by Lieutonant Colonel A. A. Grace, N Z.F.A. Res., who tells of fcs ultimate fall. A. B. Chappoll tells of the great storm at Apia, 30 years ago, when tho •international fleet was in the harbour, and of the escape of the Calliope, the British man-of-war " S.G.M." writes on the future, and speaks of " Apres la guerre." The scourge of influenza, and the methods of combating it, are dealt with by " H.J.C." in an article dealing with the medical side of the subject. Nature Notes are contributed by J. Drummond, F.L.S, F Z.S., and current cartoons and photographs are contained in the issue.

Four candidates for seats on the Mount Albetr Borough Council are to be nomin:.tod by the Edendale Ratepayers' Association. At the last meeting of the association Messrs. (J. Clark, J. Vickerstaff, R» Avery, and H. A. Miles were selected as candidates for A and C Wards.

The matter of placing perch in Lake Tafcapuna wbb discussed by the council of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society last evening. The chairman, Mr. C. A. Whitney, said he was strongly in favour of the proposal. It was evident that trout would not do well in the lake, for 15,000 had been placed there the season before last, and he had not heard of any being caught. Mr. J. E. Elliott, of Papakura, said it was quite reasonable that trout should not thrive in the lake, as their natural haunt was a fast-flowing steam. He said he could supply a quantity of perch for Lake Taka.ouna, and the offer was accepted with thanks.

Red Cross, activities in the Manurewa district were dealt with in the report presented at the annual meeting of the Manurewa brp-notf of the Victoria League recently. The membership of the branch, was stated to be over 60. During three years 780 garments and 268 pairs of socks had boon sent to Auckland for Red Cross purposes. Other activities had been well maintained. Regret was expressed at the decision of Mrs. Muir to retire from the pres'dency. Mrs. Brown was elected president for the ensuing year.

The state of the roads in the Auckland Province was the subject of complaint yesterday by Mr. W. Souter/of Auckland, who recently made a motor tour over the North and South Islands. Mr. Souter stated that the roads in the South Island, and in the southern part of the North Island were excellent, and that the contrast with the Auckland Provincial roads was most marked. Mr. Souter motored as far as tho Hermitage on Mount Cook.

Probably tho oldest competitor at the New Zealand rifle meeting at Trontham is Rifleman George Howe, of the Wellington Old Navals* Club, who made his debut at a championship meeting at Brightwater, Nelson, in 1879. Rifleman Howe is a well-known figure at rifle meetings, and he has attended the championship gatherings ever since their inception.

Th« large cargo steamer Calonne, which arrived in the stream at Wellington this week from Newcastle, was in port at Halifax when the disastrous explosion occurred on a munitions ship. Tho Calonne's funnel and deck fittings were blown away, six of her men were killed, and about a dozen others on board suffered injuries. __

Some curiosity has been occasioned on the Wellington waterfront by the flying of a red flag by some of the vessels in port. This flag is hoisted in accordance with the Ordeir-in-Council concerning the carriage and unloading of petrol. A clause in the document reads :—" On arrival at a port, in New Zealand of any vessel carrying more than 2000 gallons of petroleum, the following rules shall bo observed : (1) On such vessel entering the port, and so long as the vessel remains in port with more than 2000 gallons of petroleum aboard, the master shall, between sunrise and sunset, display at the masthead a red flag not less than 30 inches square, and shall, between sunBet and sunrise, display at the masthead a red light; and, while the vessel is berthed at any wharf, also display a red light in some other conspicuous part of the vessel'so as to be easily visible from the wharf."

The seriouß stage to which pillaging of overseas cargo has developed, was illustrated in the goods shed at New Plymouth a day or two ago. Four cases consigned to a Stratford drapery firm wore opened for Customs examination, and it was found that the contents of three cases had been tampered with and that articles to tho retail value of between £60 and £70 wero missing. Tho cases bore fairly plain marks that showed they had been opened. It, is stated that a number of similar cases of stealing have been discovered in consignments of goods arriving at New Plymouth within the last month or two. The drapers appear to be the main losers.

The output of apples in Nelson when the present acreage come into bearing, at a low average, will be 1,365,000 cases, declared a witness before the Industries Committee at Nelson. There was only three months and a-half in which they could ship from there to catch the London markets, which would mean handling 100,000 cases a week. This would take 14 steamers besides the Nikau and Kaitoa to carry the fruit to Wellington. If harbour facilities at Nelson were provided there would be a great saving in cost of handling and freights. If those were carried out Nelson would bo able to compete on equal terms with Hobart. Nelson, ho added, produced apples equal to Tasmanian grown.

Interviewed in Christchurch while he was on his way from Dimedin to Wellington, Sir James Allen stated that no site for a training camp in the South Island, under the proposed new territorial system, has been decided upon yet. Burnham had not been found to be satisfactory, the principal reason for this being? that it has no place suitable for a firing range.