LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18022, 22 February 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Main Trunk express that reached Auckland yesterday morning was an unusually long one. Numbers of tlie passengers had arrived in Wellington on Sunday by steamer from the South. Many were compelled to stand, and iB was not until Frankton was reached that the pressure on the seating accommodation was relaxed. Coming through the King Country dense smoke from bush fires added to the discomforts of the journey.

Marketable fish are in great, abundance at present, the season being favourable for the influx of fish to the Hauraki Gulf. The supplies coming in to the Auckland market are larger than they have been in any previous February for the past five years, and the fish are reported to be further inside tho gulf than usual. Trawlers are operating principally between Kawau and Tiri Islands and Cape Colville. The hot weather, while it brings an increase in the supplies of fish, is accompanicd also by a diminished demand. Consequently, retail and wholesale prices are particularly low. Smoked fish is selling retail at 6d per lb., and fresh fish, principally schnapper, at 3£d per lb.

All standard brands of benzine were lowered in price 2s a case on Saturday. Tho price prior to that dute was 28s 6d, but now it is 26s 6d. Othef lines came down in proportion. Kerosene fell from 18s 6d to 17s 6d a case. Ix)cal stocks, of benzine and motor spirit ore fairly plentiful, as shipments have been arriving regularly,

Five of the Union Company's steamers sailed from Auckland yesterday for various destinations. The Arahuia sailed in the afternoon for Gisborne and Napier. In the evening the Katoa left for Whangarei, and the Rakanoa, which has been rocommissioncd, clearcd for Port Kombla. At a later hour the Wingatur sailed for southern ports, and was followed by the Kaitoko for Newcastle.

Sy arrangement. with the Defence Department, soldier patients in the Domain Annexe are to bo treated at the Auckland Hospital, at a cost to the department of 10s 6d per patient per day. General service patients receiving massage treatment are to bo taken over by the board at a cost to the department of Is 6d each for eaah day they are treated.

Aii outbreak of fire occurred at about 10.20 a.m. yesterday in a house situated at 49, Crummer Road, Grey Lynn, where a bed and some bedding was burnt, and slight damage done to the wallpaper, before the flames were extinguished by the city brigade. The house, which is owned and occupied by Mrs. R. Paloaschez, is insured for £800 in the State Insurance Department, but the contents are not insurod. Tlio Mount Albert Fire Brigade was called out at 5.30 o'clock last evening to suppress a grass fire ou the Eustaco estate. By the time the brigade arrived tho fire was threatening the houses in the vicinity, but it was suppressed without any damage being caused.

Jelly-fish are teeming in the waters of the harbour and Hauraki Gulf at the present time. Tho phenomenon is a regular yearly occurrence, countless myriads of the creatures coming into shallow waters during tho hot weather of February and March. The beaches are frequently strewn with dead jelly-fish. Vessels coming into Auckland report having literally ploughed their way through shoals of jelly-fish, while the fishing industry on tho Thames mud-flais has actually been hampered owing to tho impossibility of the fishermen lowering their nets into the shallow water, Consequently, no supplies of flounders are reaching Auckland from Thames. Trawlers aro not affected by the phenomenon, owing to the fact that tho trawls trail at tho ocean bottom white tho jelly-fish frequent the upper sea layers.

A collision between a Takapuna tram engine and a milk cart owned by Mr. A. Collier occurred at one of the crossings at Milford yesterday morning. The driver of the cart was turning out of a sido street, and his view, s,s well as that of the driver of the engine, was obscured by some trees. Tlio horso was injured so severely that it was necessary to destroy it. One shaft of the cart was broken, and the axle was bent. The driver escaped injury,

" It behoves the Regatta Committee and yachtsmen to do their best to make the Anniversary Regatta one of interest to the public," said Mr. J. H. Frater at tho regatta prize-giving ceremony last evening. 110 referred to the criticism of the Herald that in catering for the public tho regatta left much to be desired, there being little of a ride-show character to dovolop the carnival spirit. He mentioned that in addition to the sailing and swimming events tho committee provided a race for speed launches, and had it not been for the unfortunate breakdown of some of the intending competitors in this event the race would have provided a sensational contest. He, howover, agreed that they should endeavour to keep the regatta up to date and provide tne spectators with sufficient to interest t'lem throughout the day.

The question of the efectricity required at tlio Auckland Hospital generated hy the Bleam plant installed i'.hore some time ago, was raised at the ( board's meeting last evening, by Mr. S. J. Harbutt. Ho suggested that the ongineer be askod to report on thi 8 matter, and expressed the opinion that power could be procured at a cheaper rate in this way than from any hydro-electric scheme. The engineer waa instructed to roporfc.

A resident of Grey Lynn, Mrs. Apnea Drummond Johnstone, aged 59 years, died suddenly yesterday, her body being discovered in a bathroom at No. 11, Wilton Street, where sho resided with her married daughter, Mrs, Carter. Dr. Murphy, who was called from a case nearby, stated that death had taken place about an haur previously, being due probably to heart failure).

The Devonport Central Ratepayers' Association, at its last meeting, decided to urge the Borough Council to take early steps to raise a second instalment of the road improvement loan, It was resolved to request the Marine Boroughs' Association to proceed with th e scheme for the formation of a Waitemata Elcctric Power Board.

A contract for the construction of the lower end of the new pipeline being installed -it the Waipori wator-power station of the Dunedin City Council has boen let to Messrs. Cory-Wright and Salmon, of Auckland. The contract is for the supply and erection of 842 ft. length of welded pipeline, 54in. and 61in. diameter, at the price of £8661. Another contract has .been let to tho Dunedin Engineering and Steel Co,, Ltd., for the upper end, consisting of 1326 ft. length of riveted pipes, at tho price of £9310.

The Wellington City Corporation lias installed an ingenious device for dealing with the coal at the power house for generating electricity. It is something of tlio slmpe of a lire-cscape ladder, and is worked by electricity. The coal is canned to its destination in the power house by a rubber belt divided into " buckets," and is delivered with remarkable expedition, 40 loads of coal being disposed of in a few hours.

Although the steamer Tntanckai is fitted with wireless telegraphy, she carries no one who can work it,' is tbe statement of the Government department i» control oi th» vo«4)