LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17297, 22 October 1919, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The potato blight has appeared among crops in various suburban districts this season, but is stated to be not as severe as in former years. Plantations at Onehunga have suffered most, and some at Avondale and Epsom have also been touched. The extensive potato fields at Pukekohe, however, have been practically free so far, and are reported to be looking very well. Any plants there that had the blight have been dug. ' Last season there was almost a complete absence of the disease, for the first time for 14 years, and the recrudescence has led to extensive spraying being done.

" I have walked the soles off my boots in looking for a house, but cannot find one," said the defendant in an action for £12, alleged arrears of rent, and for possession of a tenement, heard before Mr. E. C. Cutten, S-M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. The man admitted the arrears of rent, and said he was willing to move if he could find another house. The magistrate, however, decided for the plaintiff, and told the defendant he would have to give up his temporary home within three weeks.

The erection of a shelter-shed on the western side of the Bayswater Wharf, in proximity to the stopping-place of the warns, was recently urged on the Harbour Board by the Takapuna Borough Council. The board decided yesterday that it considered the provision of «i shelter-shed was the duty of the Ferry Company, and that if the ..company would provide a shed, in accordance with plans to be approved by the boara, a site would be granted at a peppercorn rental from year to year.

The sum of approximately £300 has been raised by Presbyterians in Hamilton for the purpose of assisting social service work in Auckland.

The peace-time use of the Trentham •camp for the benefit of returned invalided New Zealand soldiers is interestingly depicted on a double page of to-day's issue of the Auckland Weekly News, and the s raany and varied glimpses of the hospital treatment and vocational training in the camp buildings should be viewed with general attention throughout the Dominion. A fine bold frontispiece splendidly portrays the grandeur of the mountain scenery in Otago, and another page contains picturesque views of the Cold Lakes district in the South Island. The New Zealand-owned horse Gloaming winning the Craven Plate at the recent Randwick Spring, Meeting, at- Sydney, is photographically reproduced, and the view will no doubt appeal to all lovers of ,ho sport of horse-racing. The settling of a recent great striice in Canada, and New York under a. heat wave, make two interesting pictures. A view of the cenotaph erected in Whitehall, London, to the memory of fallen soldiers, is an impressive subject. Several other excellent views and cartoons are also published.

Notices from the Defence Department, authorising the payment of gratuities to soldiers residing in this district, have been received by the Auckland Post Office Savings Bank in respect to approximately 50 applications up to the present, about 20 having come to hand yesterday. Notification of the receipt of the authority for payment is issued from the local post office to the intended recipients immediately the names and amounts are received from the Defence Department. Personal inquiry at the post office by those who ar e awaiting information re-., specting their giants cannot expedite matters.

The protest by the Cliristchurch Council of Churches in regard to the alleged bad language used in the training camps, and the effect upon the morals of the youths as the result of their stay in camp, was characterised by Brigadier-General'G. S. Richardson, in an interview yesterday, as "all nonsense."

A suggestion that there should be telephonic communication between Rangitoto Island and Auckland was made at the inquest on the victim of the recent accident at the Harbour Board s quarry on the island. The Harbour Board yesterday de cided to instruct its engineer to furnish a report on • the matter.

Two witnesses who gave evidence at the Arbitration Court yesterday in support of the claim of the Butchers' Union for higher wages, said that a very considerable increase had taken place in laundry charges. .* They said they used from six to eight white coats and a dozen aprons a week, the laundry charges amounting to from 10s to 15s a week. It was ascertained that both men were unmarried. "I cannot understand a bachelor being fool enough to pay so much for washing coats and aprons each week," remarked Mr. Justice Stringer. " I would do the washing myself." He added that it was ridiculous to suggest that many men would pay such amounts.

A suggestion that the Government should purchase a sea-going dredge for hiring out to small harbour boards was made recently to the Minister for Marine.. The Minister informed the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday that the matter had received the full consideration of the Gov ernment, and it had been decided, owing to the high prices, that action at present was impracticable.

An appeal is to be made by the Marine Department against the decision of Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., in the case in which the master of the Harbour Board's firefloat was charged with carrying passengers in excess of the number allowed by the Marine Department's certificate. Intimation to this effect has been received by the Harbour Board from the Minister for Marine, the Hon. W. H. Herries. The facts, which were admitted at the hearing, were that the firenoat was towing a scow up the harbour from the board's quarry at Rangitoto, and the men Employed at the quarry were carried o n the firenoat. The question in dispute was whether the workmen were passengers within the meaning of the 'Shipping and Seamen's Act, The magistrate gave his decision in favour of the board.

The lauianga branch of the St. John Ambulance Association has raised over £220, which, with the Government subsidy, will enable the Tauranga Hospital board to obtain an .X-rav plant of high power as soon as the board has received the approval of the Minister for Public Health.

It is not often that a man wins a footrace with his eon securing second place out of a large number of competitors This however happened in the old boys' race at the Christ's College sports, held recently at Cbristchurch. Starting from the limit mark (55yds), J. C. N. Grigg, running strongly, won by a few yards from his son, J. H Grigg, who was on the ™x , mark - the distance,of the race was 20.0 yds. I

"It is very seldom that a professional soldier makes a good politician," declared Brigadier-General Richardson in an interview yesterday, when answering in the negative a question as to whether he had any intention of entering politics^