LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18549, 6 November 1923, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

An extra Main Trunk express was run las!fc evening. The train, which left at 7.40, carried about 150 immigrants, who arrived by the Rimutaka. The express consisted of nine carriages, in addition to the usual luggage vans. The 7.10 express, which was fairly well filled, consisted of eight carriages, two sleepers, luggage van and postal van. High prices are at present ruling for pigs. This is attributed to the keen competition by curcrs. Australian buyers are also operating, in view of the shortage of pork in Australia. It is thought, however, that the high prices will prevent any export, to Australia Stocks axe now being built up and if sufficient pigs are on the market this week, it is anticipated that prices will be easier shortly, lnere is generally a heavy Christmas trade in hams, but at present no probable quotations have been put forward. The Auckland Racing Club's Spring Meeting was concluded yesterday, and with the weatner in keeping with the season then; was a • large attendance, about 10,500 being present.. The racing was of an interesting character. The leading event was tho King Edward Memorial Handicap, which was won by Mr John Williamson's five-year-old horse Loyal Irish. The totalisaior investments during the day imounted to £59,266 10s, which was £8371 in excess of the sum handled on tho corresponding day last year. The grand total for the meeting was £132,560, an increase of £14,776 10s on the figures for the spring gathering last year. The Mount Albert Fire Brigade received a call shortly after three o clock yesterday afternoon. A toi-toi bush in front of a residence in Kenneth Avenue had become ignited and was endangering the building. The outbreak was suppressed before the arrival of the brigade. Although Java may offer a promising field for extension of trade activities, and may bo a very charming country from the tourist's point of view, it would not appear to be the kind of place New Zealanders would favour as a permanent home. Speaking at a meeting of the Auckland Industrial Association yesterday, Mr. A. S. Evans, who knows tne country well, said there were no seasons in Java as seasons are known m New Zealand; there were merely the wet and dry periods, and the humidity was so great that people were olten compelled to make three or four changes of apparel in the' course of a day. In reply to a query from a well-known woollen manufacturer, the speaker stated that, he had never yet seen a blanket in Java. The beds provided in hotels were about twice the size of tho ordinary double bed, and contained no covering whatsoever, consisting merely of a light cane mattress and two pillows. "It is no country for foreigners," added the speaker, "although it offers splendid opportunities for advancement of trade." How necessary things were made beautiful in early English architecture was more than once emphasised by Mr. O. it. Ford, in a lecture under the auspices of tho Auckland Institute last evening. The lecturer contrasted with this the useless ornamentation which had made ugly so much of modern building, the supremo example being what is known as the "villa" residence in New Zealand to-day. In reply to an interjection that beauty cost money. Mr. Ford showed pictures oi comely houses which combined economy in construction wnth neatness in design, and eschewed useless ornamentation. The tramway service to the Ellerslie racecourse -was again largely patronised yesterday, and the effect, of its competition with the railway was apparent. The race trains were not nearly as well filled as formerly, though one or two very long trains were despatched to the city immediately after the last race. • One of these carried about 800 passengers. A railwayman expressed the opinion that that although the competition of the trams had undoubtedly affected the revenue, the quicker service to the city would always assure tho railway of good sup. port. An example of profitable farming came before tho Waipawa Hospital Board, Hawkes Bay, recently in connection with the proposal that tho local board take over the administration of the Pukeora Sanatorium. A copy of the 'sanatorium balance sheet was received by the board and special attention was drawn to the fact that the farm account showed a profit of £1048 after paying over £1200 in wages. The farm as only 300 acres in extent, and the opinion was expressed that such a profit as that shown was exceedingly satisfactory. A smart retort came from a Hindu wrestler, one of two men accused of conspiracy in regard to a wrestling match, when the case was before Mr. Justice Stringer in the Supremo Court yeterday. The Hindu had, against the expectations of some, won the match. " Did your opponent," asked counsel, "say to you after the match ' You are no — good "I" The Hindu promptly replied "He could not say that; I am too — good." " The wonderfully rich green of North Head was our first delighted impression of New Zealand," states one of a party of immigrants who arrived in Auckland ten days ago by the Remuera. " That first good impression has not been lost in our subsequent experience in Auckland, and we feel now that the doubts and heartsearchings of the long weeks on the water were very vain indeed. Bit I shall always hold that sight of North Head in affectionate memory although I now know it is only one of the many green hil's of Auckland. both in the landscapo and in actual life." The danger which often lurks at the end of the Hamilton traffio bridee for vehicle drivers waa demonstrated on Saturday afternoon, wjien a heavy motorlorry collided with a gig which wa3 travelling in the opposite direction. The chains were broken and the horse reared violently. The driver quickly regained control and averted an accident. A reduction in the maximufft price of pollard as sold by the manufacturer for delivery free on board at the nearest port is announced in the Gazette. The price was fixed by Order-in-Council in February of last year at £8 per ton, and this has now been reduced to £7. " I think it is high time the charwoman was called in," said a member at a meeting of the . South Invercargill Council. "We . are all smokers," he' stated, " but surely we did not put all that rubbish on the floor." Two depu tations were received during the evening, and members expressed regret that they had moved out from the table, thereby revealing the terrible state of the floor Tho matter of cleaning out the building and putting down linoleum was left in the hands of the Finance Committee. " We will have to call in an ambulance for some of the chairs," commented an other member. " Some have two legs, some have three, and » few have the re quisite four." It was decided to effect the necessary repairs. The erection of a four-story building in ferro-concrete, to be let in shops and offices, is shortly to be commenced in Upper Queen Street for the Probert Trust Board of the Methodist Church. The site which is opposite tho Town Hall and faces on Alexandra Street also, has a frontage of 55ft. with a depth of. 64ft. The property is part of an endowment for the Methodist . Theological College. The site is at present occupied by wooden shops. The new building, estimated to cost £25 000 will be so designed as to "admit the addition of a further four storeys when repaired.