LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18223, 17 October 1922, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Large quantities of fuel oil arc being discharged at the Queen's Wharf by the motor vessel Hermes and the steamer Pinna. The Hermes, which has been in port since last Wednesday, is discharging 38,000 cases of refined oil and about 100 tons of crude oil. The Pinna, which arrived at Auckland yesterday morning, is to discharge about 30,000 cases of refined oil and 500 tons of crude oil. In addition to these two shipments, the American steamer Las Vefcas, which arrived from San Francisco yesterday afternoon, is to berth at the King's Wharf this morning to discharge about 406 tons of case oil.

A painful accident occurred at Henderson yesterday morning, when an enginedriver in the employ of the Waitakere Timber Company, Mr. Frederick Newald, a married man aged 33, bad his right arm caught in the revolving cogs of a winch. He received severe injuries to nis arm and shoulder, and was admitted to the hospital last evening.

Some excitement was caused at the corner of Quay Street and Little Queen Street about 5 p.m. yesterday through the driver of a small motor-truck losing control as the vehicle waa turning into Little Quoen Street. After narrowly missing a man and his daughter, the truck swerved from sido to side and then collided with a motor-car standing at the side of the street, with the result that it was jammed against the kerb, the front wheels buckling under it. The headlights of the motor-car were damaged. Two ladies seated in the car fortunately escaped Injury.

The personal canvass of citizens for practical support of the Auckland War Memorial Museum fund is well forward. It is expected that the reports of the canvassers will be submitted to a meeting of the Citizens' Committee to-morrow afternoon, when the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, states arrangements for the pcblic appeal next month -will be considered.

The report of the committee of professional civil engineers, which has investigated the question of the suitability of the engineering department of Auckland University College to be recognised as a School of Engineering to train students for the degree of Bachelor of Engineering, was received yesterday by the University Collego Council. Tho chairman, the Hon. George Fowlds, said the report had only iust .come to hand, and he had not had time to go through it. The report was referred to the chairman, who would decide whether it should b« printed.

Little change in tho position with regard to the telephone service in Auck'and had occurred in recent months, said tho chief telegraph engineer, Mr. E. A. Shrimpton, yesterday except that the time for tho cut-over to a full automatic system was now only 15 months distant. When the change was made at the end of 1925, Auckland should be rid of its telephone troubles, at present due largely to the double system in operation—manual and automatic —and over-pressure on the existing facilities, > Only business connections could be given in the interim, but all demands for telephones should be met when tho complete cut-over was made.

An order adjudging Robert Wright, formerly of Tauranga, but now in the Taranaki district , bankrupt, was made in tho Supreme Court yesterday by Mr. Justice Hcrdman. The petitioning creditor was represented by Mr. Gould. A petition in bankruptcy has been filed at the Supreme Court, Hamilton, by Ernest Joseph Smith and Walter Frederick Smith, of tne firm known as Smith Brothers, of Otorohanga. The first meeting of creditors will be held at Otorohanga on October 25.

Considerable building activity is TP* norted in the Mount Eden district at preserit. In the vicinity of the 'Maungawhau School, it is stated that no fewer than 20 new dwellings have recently been erected - , while on the Mount Eden Road, near Essex Road, four new shops will shortly bo built. In addition, two shops ,ire nearing completion, in the vicinity of " Cucksev's Corner," while preparations for the building of two others are proceeding. A strong demand generally for shop property on the main road is also reported. Beyond the Mount Eden tramway terminus, many properties are stated to bo in the process of sub-division for building purposes.

Evervhody in Queensland was expecting great things for the State by the development of the cotton growing- industry, stated Mr. Louis Marks, of Brisbane, who arrived bv the Moeraki yesterday. _ The industry was as yet only in the initial stage, tint tb« prospects had attracted a ereat deal of interest, amonjr farmers and areas in suitable districts were being nlanted in many parts of the. State. Within ♦ last two " weeks, very onrouraging advices concerning the first shipment sent to London had reached Qneensland, the wbolo consignment being cleared at prices n-li-vh irere, clnss for clnss, above the rates mado by American cotton.

cases notified to the medical officer of health, for tbe Auckland district. Inst week numbered 15. Six occurred in fie A "rk'nnd Hospital district, e?eht in ♦V Wniknto, and one in the Thames district. There were no cases of rm*n"nonio influenza rencrrted during the weekend. and onlv two, both in Auckland, wprc rer>orfpd during the week ended at noon yesterday.

The steamer Pinna, which arrived at Auckland yesterday with oil from Borneo, was employed during the war carrying, from Port Said and Alexandria to Mudros, water for the Australian and New Zealand troops on Gallipoli. She is now bearing her fourth name. Originally a. German vessel she was first called the Tandem and then the Birkenfels. When taken over bv the British Admiralty during the war she was rechristened the Polshannon, being filled with tanks from her keel to tho 'tween decks. In 1919 the vessel was acquired by her present owners, and in August last, at Hongkong, she was converted from a coal to an oil burner. Her name was then changed to the Pinna.

The point whether employees who have | been given a day off on pay to attend their annual picnic should fee permitted to at home and work in the garden, and still draw their pay. was mentioned at the Arbitration Court yesterday by Mr. G. Davis. With reference 'to tho Auckland Drivers' dispute, Mr. Davis said it was desired that a clause should be drawn up in connection with the annual picnic day. Tbe employers proposed to give a Saturday morning off. bo that a picnic could be held, but thought that payment should not be made to men who took the holiday and did not go to the picnic " But what about the man ' who comes along and presents a written excuse from his wife or mother-in-law to &av ho wasn't ab'e to attend?" queried His Honor. " I think the matter is likely to load to oomplicat:ons!" At the suggestion of Mr. S. E. Wright, the drawing op of a clause to meet tne case was left to the employers and the union.

A distinct earth tremor was felt on Sunday morning, telegraphs our Cambridge corespondent. The shock occurred a little after seven o'clock, Tho Minister for Education has received from tho New Zealand Education Institute the following motion, which was carried at the last meeting of the executive: — " That thfl executive congratulates the Minister on the successful opening of the first intermediate school under the title of the Junior High School, and trusts he will bo encouraged to proceed with an extension of the improvement of the education system which this opening foreshadows." Mr. Parr stated in Wellington yesterday that the opinion of the Teacners' Institute was valuable, because it was tho judgment of experienced educationists. The public, however, was gradually reaching the conclusion that there were certain deficiencies in the education system, and that remedies must be secured. The reconstruction of the courses of education of children from six to 15 years of age which would be effected would, he felt confident, prove to be the solution of many existing difficulties*