LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18171, 17 August 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Prices for beef <a& t-ie Westfield fat stock sales yesterday w*.re equal to last week's rates. Extra choice ox realised £1 4s per 1001b., other grades bringing from 13s to £1 3s, according to quality. There was a further improvement in mutton values, sheep showing an increase of 2s to 3s a head, compared with last week's rates. Wethers brought from 19s to £1 14s 9d, ew<» 18s to £1 6s, hoggets 15s to £1 6s 9d. There was a large yarding of pigs, prices for which were about equal to last week's quotations. Choppers and bacon pigs realised from £2 to £4 18s. Two motor-cars collided on Schischka's Hill, the steep grade at the foot of Emily Place, about 8 p.m. yesterday. One car, owned by Mr. Thomas, architect, of Shortland Street, and driven by Mr. Kenneth Otway, was proceeding down the hill, and the other, driven by Air. L. Morrison, was going up. The front wheels and axle of Mr- Thomas' car were badly damaged, and other injury was done. Very little damage was done to the other car. None of the occupants was hurt. Letters stating that since the abolition of the position of truant officer in Auckland non-attendance at schools had increased were received by the Education Board yesterday from the Headmasters' Association and from the Newton School Committee. Some discussion upon the truancy question followed the reading of the letters, the board deciding that certain prosecutions pending as a result of truancy should be proceeded with at once. Several members maintained that better results were secured by the supervision of a truant officer, Mr. J. P. McPhail giving notice of motion that the cuestion of the appointment of a truant officer be reconsidered at the board's next meeting. The neglected state of the Anglican cemetery at Albert Road, Devonport, was the subject Of a complaint received by the Borough Council last evening. The complainant said the general condition of the cemetery was disgraceful. The Mayor, Mr. H. S. W. King, said he thought the council was perfectly justified in urging that improvements be made. It was decided to approach tho Diocesan trust Board on the matter. Tho tourist attractions at Samoa are attracting an increasing number of visitors, according to the Secretary for External Affairs, Mr. J. D. Gray. There was no question, he stated yesterday, that during the winter or dry period, I from April to October, tho group had j many scenic delights to offer the visitor, besides affording a most enjoyable change j from the rigours of th© New Zealand i winter. It was amazing the number of I Stevenson lovers who still made Apia \ and Vailima their Mecca, and every ; iteamer day between 30 and 40 people on the average visited the latter place and climbed the lull to the last jesting-place of the famous writer. An advertisement recently inserted in the Hebald has caused considerable embarrassment to the advertiser by the great number o£ replies received. These total 299 for one insertion of the advertisement. Naturally a very large number c* the replies came from the city, suburbs, and country districts near Auckland, but there were 46 from places beyond the boundaries of the Auckland provincial district, including 12 from the South Island. It is interesting to note that letters were received from Peria and Kaitaia, in the Far North, to. Dunedin and Milton, in Otago. Nelson and the West Coast were well represented, while in Canterbury the replies came from places % far apart as Cheviot and Ashburton. The success that has attended the home garden competitions in many schools m th 9 Auckland district was reported on by Mr. J. P. Kalaugher, supervisor of the manual s»nd technical branch,! at the meeting of the Education Board yesterday. He suggested that circulars be sent,to every school in the district recommending the scheme. Th» recommendation was adopted. Very cordial rslations exist between the administrations of New Zealand and American Samoa, stated the Secretary (for External Affairs, Mr- J. D. Gray, yesterday. During his recent visit to v the group Mr. Gray exchanged visits with the new Governor of American Samoa, Captain E. T. Pollock, U.S.N.. who received his present appointment laat March. D'our days were spent at Pago Pago, when the Americans provided most hospitable entertainment, and the Governor, with a party of naval officers, later visited Apia and also stayed at Vailima, the old home of Robert Louis Stevenson. The whole party made a pilgrimage to the writer's grave at the summit of Mount Vala- The spirit of co-operation which existed between the two administrations was of great advantage to both. The new motor fire engine of the Ellerslie Volunteer Fire Brigade will be formally handed over to the brigade by the Town Board on Monday evening. The ceremony will take, place at the new brigade station. The question of a site on which to erect a refuse destructor for the western suburbs has been discussed at a meeting of representatives of local bodies interested. It was decided to recommend to the Minister for Health, the Hon. C. J. Parr, aTxmt 2p acres at the N end of Dominion Road, which is at the boundary of the three districts interested, namely. Mount Albert, Mount Eden, and Mount Roskill. The chairman of the Mount Roskill Road Board (Mr. G. E. Tansley), in reporting this decision to the board on Tuesday evening, said the conference had asked the Minister to indicate where the money was coming from to, pay for the land. A man named Alex. Hampton, aged 34 years, employed by the Waikato Central Power Board, was chopping down a tree on Tuesday, when the axe slipped, and the blade struck his instep, inflicting a severe cut, which "was stitched up at the Waikato Hospital. He was able to leave the institution yesterday. The large locomotives are how undergoing their trials on the Taranaki section of the railways, and the time is therefore opportune to press for the speeding-up of the mail train between New Plymouth and Wellington (says a New Plymouth paper). This is absolutely essential in the interests of Taranaki and the other districts concerned. It is a fact that there has been no improvement in the tram service, so far as time of running is concerned, since the line was opened, which is a reflection on all concerned. To be quite fair, the Railway Department is not to blame for this. Rather it is the fault of the people concerned, who have allowed the train to stop at nearly every wayside station. Just one-sixth of the time (three minutes short of two hours) is actually taken up in stoppages. To obtain an' appreciable reduction in the running, therefore, some of these stops must be eliminated. t Rapid progress continues to be made by Mr. R. Semple and his; party of cooperative workers with the driving of the water tunnel at Orougofongo, and about a quarter of the total distance has already been pierced. At the Wainui end,- the tunnel has been driven for 2400 ft.. and at the Oroiitforongo end the tunnellers are now in 400 ft. A lady while on her way to do some shopping in Timaru. dropped her purse, containing a considerable sum ol! money in iiilver and notes, and decided to advertise her loss. Before the advertisement had time to appear, however, a young man called at the house and informed the lady that her purse was waiting for her at the polico station. He had found the purse, taken it straight to the police, where the contents were investigated, and an address discovered, and had then gone vs'traight to the address to acquaint the owner with tho whereabouts of her lost property. Tho lady immediately offered the man.£l as a reward, but he quietly Tefused. " You need the money more than I do. You ar,e married, and lam single," he said. *