LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17293, 17 October 1919, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A large English mail, consisting of about 350 bags, was landed at Auckland from the Ajana yesterday. The Southern portion wan despatched by the Main Trunk express last evening, and that for Auckland will be delivered this morning. The vessel also brought a large parcel mail and a few bags of correspondence from Australia. Another Australian mail, by the Westralia, is due from Wellington this afternoon. This will be delivered tomorrow morning. The Moeraki, arriving at Wellington on Sunday, and the Riverma, due at the same port on Monday, are bringing mails from the Commonwealth. The fact that a kauri tree on the City Council's property at WaiUikere has been disfigured and scarred by axe-cuts was pointed out in a letter received bv that body last evening from the Waitemata County Council. The writers suggested that a reward should be offered on the conviction of the offender. Reporting on the matter the waterworks engineer "said he was having a good look-out kept for vandals, but thought that the offer of a reward of £5 for information as to persons interfering with the council's bush might have a good effect. The matter was referred to the Public Service* Committee. In connection with the report of the Land Committee of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers' Association, a communication was received by the Citv Council last evening'from the Prime Minister. Mr. Maeeey stated that he could not see his way to make any change in the present administration, such as by the establishment of repatriation land committees %s advocated, but that every effort would be made to ensure the most expeditious dealing with soldiers' applications and their settlement on the land. The Waikato River Board has been informed by the Marine Department that until certain groynes at the Aka. Aka channel are removed the sum of £273, due to the board, will be with-held. Some time ago the board was informed that the Department itself would remove certain groyne and charge the cost to the board. The chairman of the board, Mr. A. C. Glass stated that unless the money is forthcoming the board will have to cease operations. It was decided to telegraph to the Prime Minister pointing out the board's precarious financial position, and requesting that the sum of £750 placed on the Estimates in 1918 for the purpose of clearing the Maungatawhiri stream be forwarded to the board. Many boys are applying to the city traffic inspector, Mr. J. B. Lindsay, for licenses as tram conductors. In reporting the matter to the City Council last evening, that official stated that the ages of these applicants ranged from 10 to 16 years. He said he thought provision should be made whereby no person under the age of 16 should be allowed to act as a conductor of any vehicle. The Finance and Legal Committee went a step further, and recommended that no licenses be issued by the traffic inspector to lads under 18 years of age. This was agreed to by the council. The new service ribbon, recently issued to all men of the merchant service who passed over the submarine " danger "zona" during the war, is worn by several members of the crew of the Ajana, which reached port yesterday. The ribbon is in two colours, bright red and green, to, represent the port and starboard lights, ; divided by a narrow white band, signifying the white light on the masthead. ; The ribbon was issued immediately prior to the sailing of the Ajana from England, but the medal that is to accompany it had not then been sent out. j No trout have been seen in the Waikato River this season below Mercer. Reports from a little higher up the river, however, at about Rangiriri and Ngaruawahia. indicate that a splendid season is to he anticipated. In these districts some fine specimens of trout have already been caught. The impression abroad that the "antishouting" regulations are not to be enforced •was referred to by Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday. The magistrate said this impression was erroneous. He certainly would not treat as trivial any breaches of these regulations brought before hire. The necessity for a new infant school in the district was urged at the last meeting of the Point Chevalier Road Board. Messrs. Fairweather and Be van. and the chairman, Mr. M. J. Covle, were appointed to meet the Point 'Chevalier School Committee, with a view to joint action being taken to urge the Education Board to erect a school on the latter body's property at Te Ra Road. The matter of the license for Every body's Theatre was again before the City Council last evening. The Works Committee submitted a report from the building inspector, explaining his reasons for declining ,o sign the application for the license. F.e stated that the safety obtaining in the building was below normal, in spite of recent alterations. He still oh jected, therefore, to signing the application, anc said he felt that his contention would be justified should the council decide to visit the theatre. Nevertheless the committee recommended that the license be granted, and the. recommendation was adopted. The president of the. Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, Mr. G. Parr, hag received the following letter from the chief postmaster, Auckland, Mr. W. Gee :—" 1 have to acknowledge receipt of a petition from the residents of Hamilton asking for the opening of a branch post office at the northern end of the town. I recently visited Hamilton in reference to this mat ter, and am of the opinion at the present time that if the Department sees its way to make an arrangement in the direction de sired it can only be in tru> shape of the use of temporary premises, until it is seen to what extent a branch office would be used by the public. The postmaster at Hamilton has been requested to ascertain if suitable premises can be obtained, in the event of my head office acceding to the wishes of the petitioners. I would suggest that it would be to the advantage of the public, if the business men of Hamilton, who are interested m the question, would assist the Department in this direction." A considerable rise in the Waikato River was noticed after the recent heavy rains. A report from Mercer states that the river rose 6ft 6iin in the course of a few days. The fine, weather, however, has reduced the levels considerably, although on Wednesday the waters were still over five feet higher than usual. The recent protest by residents of the Point Chevalier district against certain inmates of the industrial school in that district attending the local public school was the subject of a communication received by the Road Board from the Assis-tant-director of Education, Mr. J. Caughley. The letter was to the effect that in "future more discrimination would be exercised as to the scholars sent to the public school. There were 20 !>ankruptcies in the Auckland bankruptcy district, which includes Taranaki and Gisborne, during the quarter ended September 30 last. Nine oi the failures were handled by the Auckland and Hamilton offices. j The' inadequate regulation of heavy I traffic was referred to at last evening's j meeting of the City Council by Mr. ri. | 1). Heather. He staled that "in Ansae Avenue, Symonds Street, and Manukau Road there was too great a tendency un the part of this type of traffic to travel in the centre of th e road instead of keeping to the sides. At his request the matter was referred to the Finance and Legal Committee. Under a new by-law confirmed by the City Council last evening drivers of mechanically-propelled vehicles will lie required not to leave their cabs or other vehicles mi a stand for more than t 's [ minutes at any one time. When thev do i so have them they must, see that a com- j petent person remains in charge of them. The by-law will come into fore© on Mon- I day, October 27. 1