LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18316, 5 February 1923, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A Press Association message states that the Marama sailed from Sydney for Auckland at seven o'clock on turday evening.

The triennial election of members of the Board of Agriculture will be held shortly. Mr E D. McLennan, president of the Auckland , Agricultural and Pastoral Association, who has held a seat on the board for some time past, .was yesterday nominated by the executive of the association for re-election. The , board consists of eight members, four representing each island. ' "''•■'..-'"• ■■'•..''

- Russell having been constituted a town district, an election of members of the first town board will be held on February 21. .

The first quarterly criminal session of the Supreme Court in Auckland for the year will open to-morrow. Tho calendar includes 20 cases in which 26 persons aro involved. Proceedings will commence at 10 a.m., instead of. 11 a.m., as was the rase in the past Two Judges, Mr. Justice Stringer and Mr. Justice Herdman. will be engaged during the session.

A false alarm of fire was received on Saturday by the Mount Albert brigade. The call was given at 10.10 p.m. from a box in Morrin Street.

About 700 people left for southern stations by two Main Trunk expresses last evening. The second train, which left' at 7.40 p.m., was the heavier one, comprising 13 passenger carriages, one of which was reserved for yachtsmen who have been competing in the Sanders.Cup races. The train which left at 7.10 pm. took about 300 passengers. .

Preparations are now being made for the annual collecting campaign of the Auckland Hospital patients' benevolent fund. The committor is desirous of raising £1000 and is anxious to secure the services of any ladies who would be willing to assist in the campaign. Further details will' be discussed at a meeting to be held to-morrow evening in the Y.M.C.A. building.

The Onehunga public school will not reopen until Monday, February 12. The teachers of the school, however, are directed to attend to-morrow morning at nine o'clock.

As the 4 p.m. train from Auckland was approaching Whangamarino station on Friday, Guard H. Watts tried to light the gas in the van when the lighted match fell on to a parcel of cinematograph films, which ignited and blazed up. severely burning the guard about the right hand and arm. He managed to throw the burning mass from the van before injury was done to other contents of the van.

Well known to the police by reason of his frequent appearances in the Police Court, Peter, the quiet old dog owned by Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.ML, created a mild sensation on Saturday morning by trotting up to the Bench with a substantial piece of fresh meat in his mouthPeter, it was noted, did not take up his wonted position on a sunny spot of'the floor, but took his meal-loot, probably— to his master's seat. The dog was escorted from the Court, and the humdrum business routine was resumed.

The experience of a railway passenger in securing a sleeping berth on the Main Trunk train were narrated by him on Saturday. He stated that on Thursday he applied at the booking office for a berth on Friday evening's train. He was told that no berth was then available, but was invited to call again. On going back on Friday he.was definitely informed that no berth was obtainable for that evening. Making an inquiry regarding Sunday's express he was told that a berth on' that train could not be guaranteed. Again he was invited to call again on Saturday morning. On calling at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday he state's that he found that he was still too early to get "fixed up." . A- couple of hours later he made a further call, and on this occasion a berth was allotted to him. "Four calls to get a sleeper ticket," said the weary traveller- "There is no need to make further comment!." He added ,that he was. treated with the greatest civility by the clerks on each occasion'

A fracture of the left ankle was sustained by Mr. Henry Green, of Seabrook Avenue, New Lynn,. on Saturday through falling as he was coming down a stairway. He was admitted to the hospital. A four-year-o'J boy, Stanley Johnston suffered, a fracture of 'the leg while playing at Helensville on -Saturday- He was brought to Auckland by motor-car and admitted to the hospital. His home is at Avondale South.

A motor-car accident occurred on the Panmure Road a'i, Ellerslie about 6.30 p.m. yesterday, when a 14-year-old boy, Alexander McDiarmid, was knocked down. He was riding a bicycle, at the time of the accident. His injuries were not serious, however, and he was able to go to his home after receiving medical attention. -

/ To mark the conclusion of the teachers' farm school, a concert was held at the Ruakura Farm, .Hamilton, on Friday evening. Occasion was taken by < the teachers to present Mrs. A. W. Green with a handsome fruit and flqwer bowl, as a token of appreciation of the., trouble taken by Mr. and Mrs. Green to make the visitors' stay at Ruakura pleasant and profitable. A presentation was also made to Mr. J. P. Kalaugher, in recognition of his assistance in making the course a success.

; Mr. J. A. Young, M.P., has received a communication, from Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister for Education, stating that a grant for increased accommodation at the Frankton School had been authorised, and that similar applications regarding A the Whitiora and Melville Schools are under consideration. ~,

The-recent rain has had a detrimental effect on the rape in the Matahiwi dis trict, near ; Feilding, and in the last two or three days the crops have all turned yellow. To save a complete destruction it is feared the crops • will have to be eaten off before 'they are ready. / There is an unusually large number of unemployed in Ashburton, and not a few of them are seafaring men- They are awaiting the opening of the harvest proper, which will probably bo late next week or the following week. At Rakaia the township is also the headquarters of a" score or more" such men. A number of them are penniless, and by their incessant solicitation of alms are a source of much annoyance to business men.

; A circus lost one of its horses near Stafford, West Coast, in rather a peculiar way. The circus halted, and while stationary one of the working horses was badly stung by a swarm of bees and succumbed in/ great agony before the party reached, the next town.

The somewhat ingenious method of going across the yard in a canoe to milk the cows was adopted by a woman in the Foxton district the other day, as a result of the very heavy rains.

On entering : Rolleston, near Christchurch, the railway traveller notices, a small, dilapidated shack, in the; front of which a large signboard states; "Wanted a wife." 'Hie, advertisement is lacking somewhat in artistic design, 1 and the signwriter's name appears to have v been omitted; but the traveller readily forgives these defects in view of , the advertiser's evident ';■ sincerity/Whether the -official railway traffic returns will show a decided increase ' in the • number, of feminine visitors to Rolleston - cannot ■ yet.bo stated. ;