LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18334, 26 February 1923, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

• The weather at Auckland during the week-end was very changeable. On Saturday the wind blew Btrongly from the westward and raised a rough sea in the harbour. In the evening. light rain commenced to fall, and continued for some hours. Yesterday morning the weather cleared and the wind moderated to a light breeze, the day being fine and clear. The barometer has been fairly high, but unsteady, for some days. Since Tuesday it has been ranging between 29.80 in. and 2f1.90in. Yesterday evening it rose to 30.00 in.

The heaviest express train despatched from Auckland for many months left for Wellington last evening. The train comprised 20 coaches, and carried about 600 passengers. 111 was made up of seven first and seven second-class cars, three sleepers, a ladies' car, and . two vans. Owing' to the exceptional number of passengers,- many of whom were travelling only as far as Pukekohe, Mercer, or Frankton, the train was delayed in leaving until 7.24 p.m. The load proved a very heavy one for the engines when going up the Remuera hill. The train to Otahuhu at 7.18 p.m. was also delayed until 7.36 p.m.

Misfortune befel several yachts competing at the Northcote and Birkenhead regatta on Saturday, owing to the strong westerly, wind prevailing. Rona, this season's v Sanders Memorial Cup winner, capsized near the beacon opposite Chelsea. The launch Firefly promptly went to the assistance of the crew, and towed Rona to Heme Bay. Swiftsure capsized off Northcote Point during the progress of the. race for third-class yachts, the crew being picked up by Mr. C. Fowler's auxiliary Kariri. Sea Witch also capsized prior to the start of the race for fourthclass yachts. . The boom of Katie, in the race for second-class yachts, broke when near Resolution. Buoy, and a tug towed her back to her mooring in Little Shoal Bay. Other yachts failed to complete their respective races owing to minor accidents.

Suffering from a fractured collarbone, a 15-year-old boy, Walter Stephenson, who lives in North Road, CJevedon, was admitted to the district hospital yesterday evening. The injured lad had been riding a horse in the afternoon when the animal fell and rolled on him.

A prosecution under the cattle-tick regulations was heard before Mr. E. W. Burton, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court, Maungaturoto, on February 14, when T. H. Loveridge was charged with exposing for sale cattle which had not been dipped. The information was laid by Stock Inspector C. E. Stuart and Stock Inspector D. W. Otway prosecuted. Defendant pleaded guilty and was fined £5 and 7s costs.

An attempt to fell a large pine tree on a vacant section at tho top of College Hill on Saturday afternoon was attended with unfortunate results. The tree, instead of falling in the desired direction, was carried across the section by the heavy westerly wind which was blowing at the . time, and crashed on to the root of a residence on an adjoining section. The tree had been properly scarfed'to make the bole fall inwards on to the section, while a guy with tackle had been placed in position to control the fall, but, as the tree commenced to fall, the wind took charge. A number of rafters in the house were broken, and weather-boarding-, spouting and roofing-iron were fractured. The plaster ceilings in two of the rooms were also damaged. There were no personal injuries.

The motor-cycle races at the Takapuna racecourse on Saturday .were fraught with exciting incident, though no serious mishaps occurred to spoil the pleasure of the day. In the Great Northern Handicap the cycle ridden by S. Stratton caught fire early in the race.. The flames were extinguished speedily and the machine was not seriously damaged. In the same race P. Coleman fell when travelling at a high speed. With remarkable good fortune, the rider escaped injury and his .machine was not severely damI aged. There were several other falls of a I minor nature during the day. The footpaths at Devonporfc are being improved at present. The borough council recently acquired a tar-spraying machine, and several employees ' are busy carrying out the work, much to the appreciation of residents and visitors. A practice - adopted by the Public Works Department two or three years ago is the holding of an annual conference of its principal officers! to discuss . methods of working and administration and keep their general work in line. Ad-vantage-was taken of the presence of the i district engineers in Auckland for the : annual meeting of the Society of Civil Engineers to hold this year's official gathing in Auckland, and it took place on I Saturday at the University College science 'rooms. The Engineer-in-Chief, Mr. F. W. Furkert, presided, and about twenty offiI cers were present. The greater part of I a day was spent in comparing notes on ! various problems that had arisen in the course of the year, and making recommendations to head office for future guidance. About 60 members of local fire brigades left for Dunedin last .evening to attend the annual conference of the United Fire Brigades' Association. They will also take part in the biennial demonstration in that city, at which 600 firemen are expected to be present this year., I The geyser Pohutu, after a. lengthy period of inactivity months—has' again resumed business, says a Rotorud paper. The geyser gave a good display' on Wednesday and another on Thursday. The possible reason for this resumption, it is suggested, is to be found in the intelligent blocking of steam',, vents which were dissipating the. geyser's force. A sensation was caused at the Greytown Hospital a few days ago when a bullock walked into that institution. It j:ppearß that a mob of bullocks was being driven past the hospital, when one of them broke away and' sought refuge from the drover in the passage of the hospital. The drover, on seeing the animal enter the building, went round to the back part.' As he entered the passage the bullock saw him and retreated without causing any damage, shortly afterwards rejoining, the mob

Persons not familiar with the proceedings of the Supreme Court are often obviously on their guard when being examined by counsel, and look with suspicion upon anything that seems like subtlety. Counsel was examining a farmer witness at the Supreme Court, Christchurch, regarding a motor-cycle collision. "You heard the .motor-cycle coming?" asked counsel. "Yes," replied witness. . "What did it sound like?" "Like a motorcycle," was the reply, and counsel let it go at that.

"Our children are not standardised in size, and it is improper that the larger children should be cramped into forms," stated a- member when protesting, at a meeting of- the Wellington Education Board, against the refusal of the department to provide tables and chairs for children of the upper standards. A ! lad at one of the suburban schools was I stated to be well over 6ft. in height, and J to have the greatest difficulty in securing | comfort in the present forms, though some ! of the small children might suffer no ill- ! effects. '•;■■:■' . '.' i

{ A party of three Geraldine anglers who ! visited Lake Alexandrina last week had the good fortune to catch 15 brown trout, averaging 121b. each in weight. The heaviest turned the scales at 171b. All i were in splendid condition, and were caught on the fly. \ .■.'■,' -. -■ r.