LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17754, 13 April 1921, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Port of Auckland in still very busy, thcro being not sufficient berths to accommodate all the vossols in the harbour. At present the steamers Otira and Tasmania and tho four-masted schooner Helen 13. Sterling are anchored in the stream waiting for berths. The Piako, which is at tho Queon's Wharf, jb expected to sail for Wellington this morning, and the berth vacated by her will ho taken by the Otira. The Sussex, which is at tho King's Wharf, is announced to sail for Wellington to-morrow, and in the event of her getting away her berth will bo occupied by the Tasamnia. "Tho united action of the banks, in offering ridiculously low rates of interest on deposits and in paying no interest at all upon monoy in current accounts, has been responsible for diverting monoy to private companies paying 4 to 7 per cent,," remarked a local business man yesterday when discussing the property market. "Tho legislation of last session has locked up a great deal of this money, and the stringency is accentuated in consequence." Ho added that if tho Post Office Savings Bank paid a better rate of interest that institution in normal circumstances would probably bo extensively used by people with liquid capital. For tho first time in tho history of the Auckland Presbytery, two women attended the meeting of that body last ovening as representatives of a congregation. They were Mrs. J. Reid and Mrs. Geddcs, who attended as a commission from bt. Andrew's Church. Invariably in the past, commissions from vacant churches to the presbytery have been composed of men. Tho condition of Mr. Harry Jury, of Albert Street, Onehunga* who sustained a fractured skull as & result of an accident at tho Mount "Smart scoria pit on Monday, is still very serious. Miss Brown, who was injured in tho motor-car accident at Remuera on Monday, i» making good progress and will probably be discharged from tho hospital in a few days. The memberß of tho Totalisator Commission returned from the North via Whangarci last night. Tho commissioners will visit Pukekoho to-day to inspect the Franklin Racing Club's course. A classification course for officers and nori-commissjoncd officers of the territorial force and senior cadets will bo held at Narrow Keck from April 25 to 30. Liout.-Colonel J. E. Duignn, D.5.0., chief staff officer, will bo in command, and it is expected that about 50 officers and noncommissioned officers will attend. The Auckland Inland Waterways Commission concluded its sitting at Mercer yesterday. Tho members of tho commission are Messrs. William Ferguson, chairman. James Begg and Ashley Hunter. The opinion that tho Waikato River' "Board's works had not been carried far enough to have any effect upon the river was expressed by Mr. C. A. Roose, launch master. He thought the groynes across the north channel at Kaitangata were advisable. The south channel ought to be kept open, but so far there was no improvement in navigation there. Tho commission "afterwards left for Ntraruawahia, where a sitting will be" held to-morrow. To-day will be spent in inspecting tho Waipa River. Tho operations carried out in late years for the re-establishment of oyster beds in Whangaroa Harbour have proved entirely successful. In tho early history of New Zealand Whangaroa was famous for the richness of its oyster supply. Owing to the case with which the shellfish were obtained, however, they were taken away in enormous quantities for export to Australia, and stripped from the rocks by such wasteful methods that the fishery was entirely destroyed. Three or four years ago, however; oyster spat were transplanted from tho Bay of Islands by the Marine Department's officials, in conjunction with Mr. J. C. of Russell. The young oysters have since grown and multiplied, and spread to such an exteift that there is reason to hope that within a year or two Whangaroa will contribute on a liberal scale to the Dominion's oyster supply. Tho erection of viTy large and unsightly undressed poles along Mount Eden Road, and tho excavation along tho western side of Dominion Road, for carrying telephone cables, without any intimation being given to tho council, was commented upon very strongly by the Mount Eden Borough Council on Monday. It was recommended that a protest be forwarded to tho Government, with a request that a 1 month's notice ho given in the fcituro before such works aro undertaken.

The War Pensions Board continued its sittings in Auckland yesterday, when 41 cases wero. dealt with. Seventeen permanent pensions were granted; , 13 were renewed for a further period, of which six wero deemed to be final; four cases are to be reconsidered at the expiry of the present grant; and seven cases were adjourned to Wellington. In four of the 41 cases existing grants wero increased and continued.

Tho proposed union of the Presbyterian and Congregational Churches was considered by tho Auckland Presbytery last evening. A committee was appointed to consider the basis of union.

Discussing matters of interest to sportsmen Major John Whitney told the members of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society at the annual meeting last evening that in every county in England a number of men aro employed to do nothing else but kill vermin, On one area of 10,000 acres 14,000 head of vermin had •been threo-qua iters of that number having been rats. Next came tho hawks. He said he thought the best endeavours of the society should be directed to the destruction of vermin, including common cats, stoats, and weasels. In England, he said, the raising of pheasants had actually ceased, as nobody could afford to continue it. As a result, hospitals, invalids, and all who enjoyed a good dinner, suffered. The use of a rail-grinding machino, cmployed under the direction of the Auckland City Tramways, which commences work after midnight, was tho subject of some discussion by tho Mount Eden Borough Council on Monday. The noise made by this machino was described by the engineer " as much worse than would be caused by a battery of machine-guns, and sleep after midnight cannot-be induced under tho most favourable conditions." It was decided to suggest that it should bo used during the day time. The opinion is expressed by prominent Manawatu farmers that owing to tho poor returns from sheep-farming there will bo a great increase in the butter-fat suppliers next season. This will mean a denumd for good milking cows as Bpring approaches The charges for admission to Lancaster Park, Christchurch, for tho coming season's football matches are to be increased by 50 per cent, tho first chango for 30 ycarß. Tho Management Committee of tho Rugby Union has decided that without additional revenuo it cannot meet the heavy expenditure in prospect. According to tho meteorological records for Wellington, the month of March was drier, sunnier, and windier than tho average of uovoral decades. Especially it was dry. Until the 26th, when .76in. of rain fell at Wellington, there had been only occasional light showers, and tho total for the month was only I.29in—-little more than one-third of the averago 4or tho last 60 years. Woslorly storms generally governed the weather, and as is usual in such conditions, Hawko's Bay lackorT rain. In that district about a tenth <al an inch of rain—not much more than a good shower—fell on March 7, and since then thero has been no rain at aIL,