LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17459, 1 May 1920, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A draft of returning soldiers, comprising 21 New Zealand tror.-ps and 13 Imperial detail*, will arrive at Auckland this morning by tho Remuera, which is due at eight o'clock, and will berth at the King's Wharf after medical inspection. The details for Whanpr.rei will leave by the Kanieri at six o'clock to-morrow evening.

The Renown was open to the public yesterday afternoon by invitation only, and a large number of people took the on pc/rtunity of inspecting tho ship. Pupils from St. Cuthbert's also visited the battlecruiser. Officers of the Royal Naval Vol anteer Reserve were entertained by ofli cers of the Renown. A reception, to which a large number of guests have been invited, will be held on the warship this afternoon

The question of the constitution of & fire board for the Ellerslie district was discussed at the last meeting of Ihe Town board. It was derided that Mr Wilson, superintendent of the City Fire Brigade, be asked to supply information on l:io subject.

Complaints regarding the charges f<;r boot repairing at Thames have been received by the Board ot Trado Anti-Pro-fiteering Tiihumil. The Thames Bootmakers' Association has been notified that, as complaints had been nw'e which brought the association under the charge of profiteering, a list of detail-! must ho supplied to show how each price was fixed. A sitting will be held at Thames to investigate this and other complaints. The tribunal will sit at Hamilton on May 11, and at fiisborne on May 19.

Eggs are phenomenally scarce in Auckland at present. The price ruling at yesterday's sales, 4s per dozen, was the highest for many years.

There was a general lowering of prices at ye;terday's fruit and produce sales as a result of the strike. A large quantity of goods which had been taken to the railway was ro-sold, and the general uncertainty as to when traffic would be resumed had a noticeable effect on prices. The principal glut wiis in passion fruit, which i sold at prices very much lower than those obtained last week. Vegetables were also hard to sell, the exception being potatoes, for which there was keen demand, prices showing a sharp rise on last week's.

The game shooting season opens today, and reports indicate a plentiful supply of wild birds. A close season has been proclaimed for duck throughout the Auckland acclimatisation district, and the society has offered a reward ol £10 to any person securing i conviction for illegally shooting game.

Painful injuries were received by Mr. John Little, aged 21, residing at Rose Road, off Williamson Avenue, Grey Lynn, who was knocked down by a motor-car in Victoria Street shortly before one o'clock this morning. Mr. Lit'le, who is a taxi driver employed by Pullan, Armitage, Ltd., had just left work when the accident occurred. He was taken to the Auckland Hospital, where it was found he had re ceived a deep cut on (ho head and bruises.

Permission has been granted by the district health officer for all technical and continuation classes to continue working at technicals schools. Classes at the various technical schools will be resumed on Monday.

Tho running of an additional suburban train, to leave Auckland for Penrose at 4.15 p.m., has been decided upon by the Railway Department. Intimation to this effect was received by the Ellcrslie Town Board from the general manager, Mr. R. W. McVilly, in reply to a request by the board for tho improvement of the Borvice The circumstances attending the death of Miss Elizabeth Eckley, 48 years of age, of Mount Eden, who met with an accident while alighting from a tramcar from the city to Mount Albert, were inquired into by the coroner. Mr. K. C. Cuttcn, S.M., yesterday. After hearing tho evidence of three doctors, tho coroner found that tho cause of death was heart failure, and it was not connected with a fall from a tramcar which deceased had eight days before her death.

A telegraphic chess match between the Masterton Chess Club and the Auckland Chess Club will be played this evening at the chess club rooms, play commencing at 6.30 o'clock. Twelve boards will be played. If the match is not concluded play will ho continued next Saturday evening.

During heavy rains this week some houses at Lya'l Bay, built on a sandy hill slope, were damaged by sand washing in. In several instances the houses were half filled, or nearly so. Extensive damage was done.

Officers of the Education Board's Association and federated school committees, says a Wellington telegram, have issued a joint appeal to rail way men on behalf of children who have been working hard to receive the Prince, and now will be bitterly disappointed.

The Auckland District Women's stian Temperanco Union held a social gathering tho other afternoon, Mrs. Cook p.e King over .1 j,i> u attenuate. Mim> Aitkei., of Scotland, gave an interesting account', of the work of the British Women's Temperance Union in Scotland, dealing with the many departments of the work in wh'ch it is engaged. A presentation was made to Mis. Jamison, who is shortly leaving for Britain. Mrs. Cook, on behalf of the union, wished Mrs. Jamison bon voyage. Afternoon tea was dispensed.

An appeal against a decision by a magistrate was heard in the Supreme Court yesterday by Mr. Justice Sim, A returned soldier, Cecil P. Marshall (Dr. Baraford), appealed against tho judgment given by Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M.,'in the action brought by appellant against Victor Dibble (Mr. Inder), clerk in the employment of the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association. Plaintiff sought to make tho defendant liable for the loss of a registered letter, containing money amounting to £67 lis Bd, which was stolen from the Soldiers' Club, where it awaited his arrival, and wag never recovered. The magistrate in the lower Court held that the defendant had taken every care of the letter, consistent with his duty, and that he could not be held responsible for its loss and the subsequent cashing of tut warrants. Decision was reserved.