LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18341, 6 March 1923, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A visit of inspection was paid to the Zoological Gardens yesterday by the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, and the chairman of the Works Committee, Mr. G. Baildon. Construction work was found to be progressing satisfactorily, while the animals were in improved condition as a result of the greater freedom and exercise. The ostrich which died over a week ago, is to be replaced shortly, while the gift elephant and tigers are to be shipped from Calcutta next month. Another collection of monkeys is also to be obtained from Calcutta. "I feel justified in commenting on the special session of Parliament just concluded, and in saying that the tone of some discussions was not in conformity with the dignity of that assembly," declared Mr. A. Thompson, president of the United Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association yesterday. He stated that the political situation in New Zealand at the present time was not all. that could be desired. There was an extreme necessity for stable government, and they could only hope that the good sense of the majority of the representatives would enable the work of the country to proceed on the lines of sound progress. A fervent remark at the Rotary Club luncheon yesterday struck a responsive note in the gathering. Mr. H. P. Kissling was relating how he had travelled with a retired American rug-collector, just -home from Smyrna, where he had been taken prisoner by the Turks and released through the good offices of t»e British Navy. The collector stated that had it not been for our navy authorities closing ilie bridge at Constantinople on the occasion of the celebrations following Kemal'a victories over the Greeks a massacre unparalleled in recent years ? would have taken place. Tho American s final remark, said Mr. Kissling, was one that most of us have uttered since 1914 : "Thank God for the British Navy." The Takanini public school will be officially opened by the Prime Minister, Mr. W. F. Massey, on Saturday afternoon at half-past two o'clock. The Minister for Education, the Hon. C. J. Parr, and members of the Auckland Education Board will be present. A deputation of Mount Albert residents waited on Mr. R. J. Allingham yesterday urging him to allow himself to be nominated as a candidate for the. Mayoralty of Mount Albert. Mr. Allingham promised to consider the matter and give his answer in a week's time. A special King Country supplement of 10 pages will be issued with to-morrow's Herald. It will contain articles dealing with all tho towns between Taihape and I Otorohanga, and comprehensive reviews of the development of the districts and their industries. A fine series of photographs will illustrate the number, demonstrating not only the wonderful and varied scenery of the region, but its great fertility. Striking information will be published as to the great expansion of production in the King Country during the past decade and the possibilities of the future. A suggestion for the revision 'of the Licensing Act was discussed at the Commercial Travellers' annual conference yesterday. It was decided that, the Prime Minister be reminded of his promise to introduce licensing legislation to amend the present unsatisfactory position, and that the recommendations of the Parliamentary Licensing Commission be brought before the next session of Parliament with the object of adopting them. The world-wide activities of the Rockefeller Foundation, which exists to further the promotion of heilth and prevention of disease, were referred to by Mr. H. P. Kissling at the Rotary Club luncheon yesterday. The treasurer's report for 1921 showed the following item of interest:— "Balance of Mr. Rockefeller's gifts, December 31, 1921, 171,204,624.50 dollars." In English money this represented over £35.000.000 sterling. In China alone the institution founded by the Rockefellers spent £400,000 in 1921, chief!v in building and equipping medical schools. The wide popularity of the Auckland Weekly News in country district* from the Far North to Stewart Island was commented on yesterday by Mr. C. Barwell, of Panmure, who lias just returned to Auckland after completing a tour of 3600 miles on a "push-bike." "The red cover of the 'Weekly' was to be seen everywhere," he said, "in the roadman's hut on the Bealey Pass, in the settler's houso at the foot of the Franz Josef glacier everywhere acclaimed as the best paper in the world. The fact that a photograph of myself and my bicycle appeared in it last year seemed to have made me known to half the people in the Dominion by reputation, and frequently even by name, and secured for me a cordial welcome." A quantity of dried cut gorse in Granville Terrace, Parnell, caught fire shortly after 3 p.m. yesterday. The back fence on Mr. H. Dansey's property was somewhat charred before the Parnell Fire Brigade extinguished the fire. The Court of Appeal, Second Division, will be adjourned from March 19 until April 9. It was announced in the Supreme Court yesterday that a direction to this effect had been received from the Chief Justice, Sir Robert Stout. A contrast to travelling facilities was drawn by Mr. H. P. Kissling in his address before the Rotary Club yesterday. " From the time of landing at Southampton," he said, " one seems to realise there is in England something different from all other countries. It applies just as much to-day as it ever did. No bustle, no checks for your —which always turns up all right, though how it does so is a. mystery — and effective help on stations and trains, with appreciative thanks for moderate tips, makes one realise that tradition and respect for age are practical assets that all countries should cultivate. It is possible that when the promoters of the great Summer Carnival decided upon the dates for the great outdoor festival they did not realise they were encroaching upon the period of Lent. The carnival is arranged to commence on March 17, and is to continue throughout the week until March 24, and although these dates come within the 40 days of fasting which precede Easter, it is not thought that the Gay Week of 1923 will suffer greatly. It was, however, noticeable that when the first rehearsal of the amalgamated choirs for the carnival was held last Saturday evening only 170 choristers attended out of the 500 expected. As eoitfe of the singers who were expected to take part are members of; choirs which have a special call made upon their time during Passion Week, they are unable to devote any time to the practices which will be necessary to bring the carnival choir to the desired pitch of perfection. Apart from this, there seems to be a whole-hearted desire on the part of the citizens to make the first Auckland Carnival worthy of the, city. • The election of members of the City Licensing Committee .promises to be an interesting one, as the New Zealand Alliance has nominated a full ticket of five candidates. The alliance candidates are Mrs. Lee Cowie, the Rev. Percy Knight, and Messrs. M. J. Bennett, 0. Mcßrine, and T. Vivian. The five remaining candidates are Messrs. J. Grace. , G. H. Letby, E. Leydon, A. Thompson, and J. TreVithick. The election to fill the five vacancies will be held on Tuesday, March 13. The present season, says the Pahiatua paper, has been a breaking one for the horticulturist and cottage gardener. Rain, snails, and gale, frost, rust, and blight have, all had a good innings* ;