LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18018, 17 February 1922, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The now grammar school for boys at Mount Albert, which opened for the first time on Tuesday, is stated by the headmaster to bo running very smoothly. The roll already numbers 285 pupils. The attendance being on a residential basis, a number of former pupils from the old grammar school have neon transferred to the new school. In response to a request from the headmaster,'the Railway Department has agreed to stop the morning train from Helensville at Mount Albert on the five school days of the week, so that pupils attending the new' school may avail themselves of this train. The department, however, has declined to grant concessions in fares to the Avondale pupils wishing to alight at Mount Albert station, as the distance falls short of tho stipulated three miles.

The Hamilton Raring Club's Meeting was concluded yesterday, when there was anbther large attendance at Claudelands. The leading event, the Waikato Handicap, was won by Mr. W. G. Stead's filly Radiant Light. The sum invested on tho totalisator was £38.249, a decrease of £15,719 compared with the amount handled on the corresponding day last year. The grand total for the meeting was £80,389, which is £29,429 below last year's record.

The question of the delivery of weekend cablegrams was before the last meeting of the oouncil of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce in the form of a request from a local business firm that an effort bo made to havo such messages delivered and not posted on arrival. It was reported to tho council yestorday that representations to the Telegraph Department elicited tile information that it was not possible, with tho present staff of messengers, to comply with the request. It was further stated that week-end cabloarams were scut at quarter rates on the distinct understanding that they were to be posted to tho addressee. This was an international arrangement, and could not bo altered.

A petition in bankruptcy has been filed with the official assignee at Auckland by Pyustace Syratt Souster, Milder, of Parnell. Tho first meeting of creditors will be held at the office of the official assignee next Thursday.

Two additional bequests to the Papatoetoc Orphans' Home are announced. One bequest is a sum of £340 by the late Mr. J, Ashmore, of Whitford, and the other i s £200 by the late Mr. M. L. Watkins, of Cambridge.

A decision not to pay employees, ex

cept leading hands, more than the minimum award rato of wages has been arrived at by the Auckland Guild of Master Painters. Tho award rato is 2s an hour, and the bonus 3Jd, making a total minimum of 2s 3Jd an hour. For some considerable time painters have been receiving varying rates in excess of the award rate, ranging up to 2s 9d an hour. It is stated that a very large number of painters aro now seeking employment. The decision of the employers will take effect as from March 3.

A supplementary catalogue of the Auckland Municipal Art Gallery and the MacKelvie collection has been issued by the director, Mr. J. Barr, under instructions from the Mayor. The additions compriso five pictures in the New Zealand section and two in the British and Foreign section in the City Art Gallery, and 22 pictures in the MacKelvie Gallery. The catalogue is illustrated by excellent reproductions of 14 pictures and its value is enhanced by notes Relating to the pictures and the artists.

Tho sitting of the commission of inquiry regarding the allocation of the cost of repairing the Mangere Bridge was

commenced yesterday by the commis-

sioner, Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M. The various districts cited wero represented by counsel, and on various applications the Newmarket Borough, the One Tree Hill Road Board, and the Papatoetoe, Manurewa, and Papakura Town Boards were added to tho list. As seven davs' notice must be given to the parties added tho inquiry was adjourned until March 1. A visit to the bridge was subsequently made by the commissioner and counsel.

The excellent progress being made in

the scout movement was the subject of a report submitted to the Provincial Council of Boy Scouts by the Provincial Commissioner, Mr. H. Stebbing. It was stat-ed that tho progress of the movement was being maintained and the various troops would reassemble during this month to carry on an extensive programme of scout work. Special mention was made of the Sea Scouts, whose activities were creatine; interest in other parts of the Dominion. The Provincial Council decided that in no circumstances wero scouts to undertake collecting money Dy means of street boxes, and where collecting in any other form was suggested this should bo approved by headquarters. This was in accordance with a decision by tho Chief Scout.

An Order-in-Council has been issued declaring that a deposit receipt for moneys deposited for a fixed period with any incorporated bank shall be deemed to be security in which any part of the balance of the New Zealand Public Trust Office account may bo invested, says u Press Association message. .'

The council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Socioty was informed by Mr. E. F. Stead that he had found parasitic worms in trout in the Rakaia River. He said ho did not know whether the worms were identical with the parasitical worms found in kahawai and red cod, and he did not know whether they were marine worms or fresh-water worms, but all the trout in which he found them had come in direct irom the sea. In many cases the worms wore three-quarters of an inch long. They were not actually in the flesh of the fish, but were in the stomach cavity in clusters, and from 500 to 5000 might be found in one fish. He never had found them in Rakaia River trout before. Of six salmon he caught in that river, there was one worm in one of them. He suggested that anglers who found the parasites in trout should send specimens with affected parts to Professor W. B. Benham, director of the Otago Museum, in order that they might be identified. The trouble might prove a very serious one, he concluded.

The unavoidable use of the streets of Whangarei for the driving of stock gave rise to an exciting incident last Tuesday. A flock of sheep, says the local paper, was being driven down Bank Street and became excited when they reached the business area. In addition to invading a boot store in Cameron Street, from which they were driven through the back door, one hefty wether beat the defonce of a cordon of employees of the Farmers' Union Trading Company, under the marshalling of the manager, Mr. S. H. Price, and dived through one of the large plateglass show-windows, smashing it to pieces. The wether was then persuaded to rejoin the flock.

A charge of misbeliaviour against two 6ailors was heard at Helensville a day or two ago. It was stated in evidence that during the trip of a steamer from Dargaville a misguided passenger gave the two men a bottle of wine, The wine affected their heads, and at about 1 a.m. they visited another steamer and disturbed the peaceful slumbers of the men, one of whom showed fight and was knocked out. One of the accused endeavoured to assure the presiding justices that this kind of "rumpus was quite common on tho " high seas." The men were convicted and each fined £1 and costs,

Two sharks were caught at the wharf at Mapua, Nelson, last week. One, on being opened, was found to contain a bottle that had been thrown overboard in Cook Strait from the steamer Nikau about a month previously,