LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18207, 28 September 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Prices for beef at the Westfield fat stock sales yesterday were equal to last week's rates, the cattle offered being in excellent condition. Extra choice ox realised £1 5s per 1001b., other grades bringing from 14s to £1 4s, according lb quality. Cow and heifer beef brought from 15s to £1 5s per 1001b. There was practically no change in sheep values compared with last sales. Wethers brought from £1 3s to £1 15s 6d, ewes £1 to £1 Bs, hoggets £1 to £1 3s, spring lambs 14s to £1 10s. Prices for pigs were about equal to last week's rates, choppers and baconors realising from £2 10s to £4. An outbreak of fire occurred in a bedroom on the second storey of tho Alexandra Hotel, at the corner of Federal and Durham Streets, shortly after ten o'clock last night, but only minor damage was done before it was extinguished. Tho City Fire Brigade confined the fire to the room in which it originated. The bed and bedding was damaged and one wall scorched. A false alarm was received by the City Fire Brigade at 7.10 last evening. The alarm came fromf the corner of Hobson and Wellewley Streets. " No better form of social service has been adopted during the past 12 months in New Zealand than that undertaken by the Young Women's Christian Association, which decided at its last conference in Wellington to initiate a campaign throughout tho Dominion in the interests of the health of young women who have to earn their own living," said Dr. Truby King yesterday. Tho idea was to interest young women in shops, offices, and factories in acquiring better health and a higher standard of efficiency and happiness. Tho subjects treated by leading authorities were work, food, exercise, recreation, and clothing in relation to health, and the scries of meetings held in the three Southern centres had been entirely successful in reaching the class aimed at. Popular lectures on similar lines would shortly be started in Auckland, and would bo followed up next year as part of a continuous policy.

A summary of the works completed by the Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board to date was submitted to the board last evening by the engineer-secretary, Mir. H. H. Watkins. litis was as follows: — Outfall works at Orakei, seven sections of the main aewer of a total length of over eight miles, 13 branch sewers of a total length of over 12 miles, and pumping stations with plant, and connecting mains to sewers. The expenditure to Augusrt 31 last totalled £468,363, out of £475,000 raised in various loans. The Auckland Land Board met yesterday, the commissioner, Mr. IL M. Skect, presiding. Messrs. J. P. Bailey, B. Sladden, and R. Boddy werq also present. Of 30 applications for advances to discharged soldiers, 22 were recommended for tho approval of the Minister, two were adjourned, and six refused. Thirteen applications for fee simple were approved and 11 forfeitures ordered. Tho coal trade at Newcastle is somewhat disorganised owing to labour troubles and other causes, with the result that vessels calling there for cargoes are subject to considerable delay. The Commonwealth Governmcn steamer Dundula, which arrived at Auckland yesterday, was 20 days at Newcastle waiting to load her cargo of coal and another four days loading it. She brought nearly 5000 tons for the New Zealand railways. Seventeen coupons in loans of the Auckland and suburban drainage which had been paid by the London branch of the Bank of New Zealand were forwarded to Auckland by the Wiltshire. The coupons did not come to hand, and were evidently lost in the wreck of the vessel. At the meeting of the board last evening a communication was received from the Auckland branch of the bank containing a certified copy of declaration of despatch, and requesting authority for payment to debit of respective coupon accounts accordingly. It was decided to give tHe necessary authority on receipt of the original certified declaration. A petition in bankruptcy has been filed by Leonard Victor Lee, of Waimana, whose occupation is that of a cook. The first meeting of creditors has been called for October 10, at Whakatane. The straightening of the outward tramway rails at the spot in Upper Queen Street where the Grey statue formerly stood was completed at 2.45 p.m. yesterday. The straight lines had previously been laid alongside the curved ones, and it was only while the actual connecting up of the new and old lines was being done that the service was interrupted. For a quarter of an hour the cars that leave the city by way of Upper Queen Street were diverted to the Wellcsley Street routes. There was no alteration in tho service on the inward line. It is expected that this track will be straightened next week. The efficiency of the Mount Albert Fire Brigade was the subject of commendation at the meeting of the Borough Council on Tuesday evening, when the fire brigade report was considered. Under new arrangements several members of the brigade now sleep at the fire station every night. An extension of tho alarm-boxes was strongly urged by the superintendent, Mr. F. Marter, particularly along Edendale Road. At a recent outbreak a resident had to walk from beyond Kitchener Road to Balmoral Road to give the alarm. Tho matter was referred to the Fire Brigade Committee for consideration. The present system of disposing of tho city sewage is considered by the Soldiers' Mothers' League to involve " an immense loss to agriculture" A resolution to that effect, and calling upon the City Council to dovise some moans of preventing this " loss," was forwarded by the league to tho Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board last evening. The motion further suggested that the present system of drainage would cause the loss of beaches to future generations. The engineer-secre-tary to the board, Mr. IL H. Watkins, reported that tho method of sewage disposal was being dealt with by the Works Committee in a report yet to bo submitted. It was agreed to await tho report.

A New Plymouth resident haa a horse which has been made a great pet, and In consequence in full of crafty tricks. At gate oponing the horse defies all the ordinary fixture*, and will work away at any new device until he finds a solution. A few duys ago the horse observed a baby about four years old sitting in a box eating a biscuit. This is sl dainty that the animal loves, and without hurthit: tho child's hand it promptly annexed the biscuit and devoured it. He liked tho taste so well that he in ve«ti rated for more. Carcfuilly taking the child's dress in his teeth ho lifted the baby from tho hox, and was rewarded by more biscuits in tho bottom of the box. Tho child's mother placed the box behind a gate, and, jiving the baby more biscuits, proceeded with her duties. It was not long before tho horse had the gate opened, and the performance of lifting out the child and searching for biscuits was repeated without trouble or harm. On another occasion tho house cat wa« lapping some milk from a. saucer on tho verandah. The horse promptly pint its head over Iho railings, gently removed tho cat with its teeth on to the ground, and "converted the milk to its own use"