LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17782, 16 May 1921, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

. The Northern Company's steamer Kawau met with a , mishap to her machinery at Mangawai on Friday evening. The breakdown, although not very serious, put the vessel out of action and the Gael was despatched from Auckland at midnight on Saturday to tow the Kawau up to the city to undergo repairs. Both vessels reached port shortly before eight o'clock last night

Further names were added on Saturday to the list of unemployed being compiled at the Trades Hajl. The total now stands in the neighbourhood of 410. Very few of the men have as yet been placed in employment from this list. Th e officials of the Auckland Labour Bureau are still endeavouring to find avenues of employment for the men handing in their names. The labour market is still reported to be dull in Auckland. A review of all territorials and cadets in the city district will be held in the Domain on the King's Birthday, Friday, June 3. The Governor-General, Lord Jellicoe, will attend and will take the salute in the march past. Arrangements are now well in hand for the ceremony in which, it is expected, between 5000 and 6000 territorials and cadets will participate. A Royal salute of 21 guns will be fired by field artillery at the Domain. It is anticipated that a naval detachment from H.M.S. Philomel will attend the parade. The Pakuranga Hunt Club's race meeting was held at Ellerslie on Saturday, and though a cold southerly wind was blowing, there was an assemblage of about 10,000. The Governor-General, Lord Jellicoe, and Lady. Jellicoe were present. The Pakuranga Hunt Cup was won by Mr. A. E. Hattaway's gelding Hokomai. At the conclusion of the race cup, which formed a portion of the prize, was presented to Mr. Hattaway by Lord Jellicoe. During the day the sum of £48,879 was invested on the totalisator, which represents an increase of £12,159 10s on the amount handled at the previous meeting held in the spring of 1919. ,

The opening of the shooting season in the Hobson Acclimatisation Society's district has been attended with encouraging results. Over 240 licenses have been issued. Pheasants are reported to be more plentiful than has been the case for some years and the birds are in excellent condition. This year 130 pheasants were liberated from , the society's game farm at Aratapu, the policy on this occasion being to liberate, them within a couple of miles of the more populous centres, instead of near the game sanctuaries as heretofore. This was done in view of the greater source of revenue from licenses issued whero men can go out with a gun for only an hour or two.

Takapuna has attained to the dignity of a telephone exchange numbering more than 100 instruments. Consequently the subscribers have been notified that for the future they will have a service up to 10 p.m. on week-days, instead of 8 p.m., as heretofore. The new system is now in operation.

The position of burgesses who are absent from their" home districts at the time of municipal elections was considered at the last meeting of the combined executive of the four district Ratepayers' and Residents' Associations in Devonport. It was decided to ask the Borough Council to surest that the Municipal Association make representations to* the Government that absent voters' permits, be issued for local elections on lines to those granted for Parliamentary elections.

Though the general tendency of prices is now downward in one popular line, that of sporting goods, there is not only no reduction of price, but even prospect of an increase, advice having been received from England by one. Auckland firm of an increase of 10 per cent, on all goodß after March 31. Among lines which are selling freely are golf clubs, which have advanced more than 200 per cent, over pre-war prices. This increase is said to be due to th-j fact that the woods used for the clubs, ash and,hickory, weVe in heavy demand for ofe aeroplanes during the arefstilLin short supply, owing to the "'tremendous increase in demand for all 'clasleff: of'Jlpbrting goods which has taken place m-England during the last few years.-*'... *'l_.-u-The the' exportation of jam has been 'withdrawte -tintil further notice permits to export jam will not be required.. It should be understood, the Gazette notice states, that it may be necessary to withdraw . this general per-, mission and to reimpose the embargo at a later date.

Game is very scarce in the Morrinsville district this season. A few pheasants and quail have been bagged, but generally speaking the experiences of sportsmen have been disappointing.

An application by the Whangarei Harbour Board for a better crane at Onerahi Wharf has been refused by the Railway Department. At a recent meeting the chairman said the present facilities were among the most obsolete to be found at any port of equal importance in New Zealand. They were 30 years old, and incapable of dealing with -their original capacity. The development of the coal,, industry in the Whangarei and Hikurangi districts would probably produce 1500 tons a day for shipment, and the existing cranes at Onerahi would be totally inadequate.

A monument to the memory of Sis* Arthur Guinness, Speaker of the House of Representatives for 10 years, has 1 been erected at the main entrance of the Greymouth cemetery by the electors of Grey, the constituency he represented for 29 years. The chief feature of the monument is a granite column 20ft. high. Sir Arthur Guinness died on June 10, 1913, at the age of 67 years. A tablet has also been placed on the monument in memory of Lady Guinness, who died on January 12, 1920. Great excitement was caused near Feilding on Friday by a wild bull, which broke out of the owner's paddock. The owner went after it on horseback, and an exciting encounter ensued, the bull charging the horse and goring it. The rider had a very narrow escape. Another horse on the road was also gored before the owner of the bull returned with a rifle and shot the beast.

An emphatic protest against the action of the Government in prohibiting the importation of gas stoves into the Dominion, thereby penalising local authorities and consumers, was made at a meeting of the Waihi Borough Council. The Mayor, Mr. Donaldson, alleged that there was an inclination on the part of the Government to bolster up one particular firm in New Zealand manufacturing gas stoves.

It has been decided that the Samoan Observatory shall not be closed, states Professor E. Marsden, of Victoria University. The observatory was established during the German ownership of the islands, and during the war the work was carried on under the British occupation, by Dr. G. Angenheister, till a few months ago. It seemed not unlikely then that its activity come to an end, but funds have beap provided for its maintenance. The New Zealand Government will provide £800 a year, the British Admiralty another £800, and tho Carnegie Institute has promised, in addition to a money contribution, to lend a man and give special support to certain work connected with atmospheric electricity and magnetism. Mr. C J. Wcstland, "51 Wellington-, has been in charge !=ince Dr. Angenheister gave up his post, and will remain in charge in the meantime, /• j-i . '>