LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18292, 8 January 1923, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Heavy outward traffic on the Main Trunk expresses during the week-end marked the closing of the holiday timetable. Both the raid-day train on 'Saturday and the usual 7.10 p.m. express yesterday were well patronised, while all the ' seating accommodation on the final exI press at 7.40 p.m. was occupied. The ; latter train consisted of three first-class I carriages, ten second-class, two sleepers, and the ladies' car. The last of the extra I trains from Wellington will arrive to-, day. The popularity of the Auckland Municipal Art Gallery, referred to in Satnr- j day's issue, is strikingly shown by the attendance registered for 1922. The total number of visitors daring the year was 153.199, or an average of nearly 3000 a week. This number shows an mcrease of 4256 over the total for 1921, and of over 10,000 above that for 1920. The highest monthly total last year was that of 14,907 : in April, which included the Easter holiday visitors. The outward express from Rotorua on Saturday morning had ten carriages, and as all appeared fairly well filled, the number of passengers must- have approximated 400. The crowd left on the station platform, however, showed that there are still : many visitors in Rotorua. A pleasing little episode showing that political rivalry need not enter into other phases of life occurred at the ; Tamaki West beach carnival, opened on | Saturday at St. Helicrs Bay and Kohi- ; marama Beach. Sir Frederic Lang, who | at the recent election lost the Manukau I seat to Mr. W. J. Jordan,- the Labour ! candidate, performed the opening cere- ; mony, and he and Mr. Jordan motored j together between places at which the carnival was taking place. During the afternoon they were chatting together, apparently without a thought that only about a month ago they were political rivals. From a fishing holiday at Taupo Mr. \V. J. Napier has returned to Auckland He states that Taupo has been filled with visitors this season, and that many anglers have secured large catches. Tile average weight of the trout was about. 91b, the trout being in excellent condition. By taking the car at Putaruru, he states, Taupo can now be reached in one day from Auckland, or by taking the Main Trunk express to Waimarino. thence to Tokaana by moto-coach, and across the lake in the launch, Taupo can be reached in 21 hours. An idea of the extent to which the possibilities of wireless telephony are being realised in New Zealand is afforded by letters received in Auckland from Wanganai and Taihape. Each writer states that general election results, broadcasted from Scots Hall on the evening of the polling day, were "picked up" with admirable clearness by those who were "listening-in*' &t these towns. According to reports, the soldier settlement at Beporoa is a picture at present. In hundreds of acres the tops of the posts only can be seen owing to the magnificent growth of cocksfoot. The feeding value of the grasses generally grow by the soldiers can be estimated by the fact that several-of them have averaged 2501b. of butter-fat per cow for the season. One expert in agriculture states that the Repcroa soldier settlement is among the most successiful of any in New Zealand. Two Christchurch fishermen had an unenviable experience last week. A small fishing boat manned by John Seavason and William Hoffenden left Sumner aii 11.30 a.m. to spend a couple of days fishing in the bays. When off Le Bon*« Bay the engine stopped and the boat began to le£<k. Fortunately a message was sent from the Akaroa lighthouse to the constable at Akaroa to the e-Jfect that a boat wse at anchor in distress near the heajds.. The constable immediately obtained a launch and went out to the heads arriving there at 4 a.m. The occupants, who had calculated that the boat would sink by 4.30 were towed safely into Akaroa Hsarbour. The two walking parties from the Christchurch Y.M.C.A., which visited the Franz Josef Glacier and Ihelßulier Gorge respectively during the Christmas holidays, had most successful outings. The glacier party walked altogether 162 miles, and spent 11 days on the trip. All along the route the trampers were moat kindly treated. At Ross, Hari Eari, Matainui, Waiho, and Hokitika they were given the use of public halls for sleeping quarters, and many settlers along the way gave them milk, fruit, and other farm produce. The Buller Gorge party was most hospitably treated by the people of Inangahua Junction and other places along the route. The interior of 'the Lyttelton gaol i; at present being pulled down by prison labour. The debris, which has been purchased by the Lyttelton Harbour Board. is being carted to the new reclamation area, where it will be utilised in the con ' struct ion of the sea wall. i The Queensland bowlers are astonishec : to find that New Zeaianders, as bowlers . proportionately outnumber themselves They give, as an instance. Palmerstoi . North, with six greens, equalling one t< ': every 2500 people; Brisbane, with 12 one "to 17,000 ; and Ipswich, with one t« 25,000. As a local resident was driving acre* * the Patea Bridge to the railway station ■ a starling flying overhead dropped ai I egg, which fell on the shirt front of th< ; driver, covering it and his waistcoat wit! ' the.yolk. i The country round Wellington is fresh' ' ening up wonderfully after the receni " rain, and already the brown areas oi ' 4 dried grass are giving way to fresr, 3 shoots which have come up quicklj } owing to the great heat in the earth, Haymaking is in fall swing at- present. ; and although some of the crops have suf fered owing to the long spell of dr\ ' I weather, present indications go to sho^ __ I that there will be a good supply o! j ! winter fodder. The cereal crops in main , parts are not showing much straw, bul p the heavy heads prophesy well for £ , good harvest. 3 There is still about £7000 outstand 1 ing of the £193j000 of rates to be col ' i lected by the Dunedin City Corporatioi t for the current financial year. Durin| r the months of December £136,000 waj 3 paid, and prior to that £50,000 was re ? ceived. The percentage of rates nnpaic r this vear is 5.6; in 1921 it was 3.1, anc y . in 1920 it was 4.0. n I q | The Canterbury Education Board las f \ year spent £54,972 on new schools ani fe ! residences and on the maintenance o 1 j present buildings and sites. This sui is somewhat less than was spent in th n previous year. The decrease is accounte ix for partly by the fact that high cost e in the previous year were such a drai v on the board's finances that no work ;- except the most urgent could be undej j- taken, and partly by the fact that th i. Government has reduced the mainter rl ance grant by 10 per cent School con 's mittees continue* to raise/large sums an •e claim subsidies on them for ground in h provements, even for additions t s- buildings. In this way much is hem done to overcome the money shortage.