LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18197, 16 September 1922, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Plans for a bridge over the Wairau Creek, at the northern end of Milford Beat*', estimated to cost £6000, were submitted to the Waitemata County Council yesterday by the engineer, Mr. G. Jackson. The proposal is for a swing bridge, 93ft. over all, and a span of 35ft., with an allowance of 6ft. clear over head at high water. The bridge is" planned to connect with the Takapuna-Coast Road and, if proceeded with, will prove a great convenience to residents of Castor Bay and further north. The approval of plana and the apportionment of the cost between the council and Takapuna borough are matters which must be settled before the 1 project can proceed, and the latter issue will probably be referred to a commission.

" The fundamental idea of the Bankruptcy .Court." declared the official assignee, Mr. W. S. Fisher, at a meeting of creditors yesterday, "is chiefly to afford relief to those who have been unfortunate, and to enable them to get a fresh start." He added that it was very unfortunate there should be so prevalent a belief that there was a criminal taint about bankruptcy. The idea was wholly wrong. A creditor agreed, but stated that sometimes the Bankruptcy Court had to be used to punish unscrupulous tradesmen who otherwise would be a menace to the commercial community. In cases of misfortune business people usually arranged for private assignments. " Yes," said Mr. Fisher, " but private assignments are sometimes made use of for the purpose of evading the nublicity and inquiry that the Bankruptcy Court entails."

His intention to impose more severe penalties for breach of probation was announced by Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. Commenting on a taso in which a young man was charged with a breach of the terms of probation the -magistrate said some men simply laughed at probation. It was being brought into contempt, and if these breaches continued probation would only be granted i with such hesitancy that many deserving cases would be/ deprived of a chance. The matter of the taxi-stand in front of the Ferry Buildings was discussed by the Marine Boroughs' Association last evening. It was resolved to ask the City Council to remove the stand to a position to permit of unobstructed access across Quay Street to the Ferry Buildings.

The sixth anniversary of the opening of the battle of Flers, where the New Zealand troops made their first dramatic entry into the battle of the Somme, fell yesterday. The New Zealand Division moved out of the trenches against the village of Flers at dawn on September IS, and six hours later they' were reported by an aviator to be cheering in the high street of the village, behind a tank. Every objective was gained, and held in spite of furious counter-attacks. On the second day, September 16, the New Zealanders again pushed gallantly on and captured and held other German 'trenches, and were ready to advance even further, but theigeneral situation in the immediate vicinity did not permit this.

The next visit of the City Council's Works Committee to the impounding dam at Nihotupu has been fixed for November 1. It is expected that when the projected quarterlv inspection is made the concrete works at the dam will have shown further substantial progress. It is anticipated by the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, that by the beginning of November considerably less than 10,000 yds. of concrete will be required to be laid, so that the completion of the work within scheduled time is practically assured.

A sitting in Banco was held in the Supreme Court yesterday by the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout. The matters dealt with were only of a formal character, but they were numerous enough to occupy the Chief Justice the whole of the forenoon. Sir Robert will take similar matters in the Supreme Court this morning.

A fractured leg was sustained by Mr. Herbert Hart, a married man, 49 years of age, while working at Putaruru yesterday. Mr. Hart, who is employed by the Bartholomew Land and Timber Company, was helping to* tail-rope trucks into a siding, when the rope suddenly snapped and swung back; striking him below the knee. He was attended to by a doctor, who ordered him to the Auckland Hospital.

The work of improving the appearance of the surroundings of the municipal abattoirs at Westfield, recently authorised by the City Council, has been put in hand. The former stark environment, qiaite suggestive of the grim but necessary work carried on inside the buildings, is being transformed by the planting oj trees and shrubs and the laying out of flower plots and a small area of lawn. The flowers aro about to be planted and in a short *while the grounds will be wearing a very pleasant garb. The contrast from the forbidding looking aspect of the property in past years will be particularly notifeab 1 * from the railway line. Floriculture at the abattoirs, it is- suggested, may prove a counteracting influence to the Unpleasant odours that sometimes emanate from the various Westfield industries-

In the report of the meeting of creditors in the estate of Douglas Stuart VVylie, published yesterday, it was stated that in October. 1921, the bankrupt placed 500 shares in the name of a certain lady for services rendered. This should have read 25 shares

Through falling heavily to the ground a child, Olga Jansen, aged eight, sustained a fracture of the right arm yes teiday. The girl, who resides with her parents at 205. Edenda'e Road, was playing in the backyard when she stumbled and fell. She was admitted to the Auckland Hospital, where she is progressing satisfactorily. ■

When a gang of water&iders was unloading salt from the steamer Australia a complaint was made that they were using doghooks on bags of salt, telegraphs our Wellington correspondent They were ordered to cease this practice and when they refused to do so were relieved from further attendance. The enforced idleness acted with surprising rapidity on the men's independence, and shortly afterwards they were allowed to resume work without the hooks.

The Whangarei Harbour Board has decided to approach the Borough Council with a view to the construction of a new road from Whangarei to link up the board'B road to Kiorerpa in connection with the new wharf and harbour improvements at the intended deep-sea port.

A " school " of nine sharks Bpent about two hours cruising along the seafront at Napier one morning recently. They frequently came into the breakers, and were watched with great interest by scores of people walking on the Marine Parade.

" This council is, I believe, the most successful in the Dominion in collecting native rates," said Mr. T. E. Crosse at the Hawke's Bay County Council meeting this week. The clerk, who reported that for the year ended March 31, 1919, a total of 83 per. cent, of the rates had been collected, was congratulated on his efforts. The whole of the European rates for the .yea/ ended March 31, ly£o, have been collected.

Sympathetic, but not to the extent of contributing, was the decision of the Wai totara County Council in reply to a request by Mr. Clutha Mackenzie, M.P., tw assist tJrie Pearson appeal for the blind. The opinion was expressed that it was a matter for individual effort and not the local bodiea.