LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18631, 12 February 1924, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Three calls to minor outbreaks of fir© ware received by the City Fire Brigade yesterday. The first was at 6.30. a.m. to a gorse fire near the Stone Jug, Western Springs. A grass fire on Government property adjoining the railway line at Green Lane resulted in the brigade being summoned at 12.55 p.m. A rubbish fire on the reclamation area near the Western Wharf shortly after 3 p.m. was easily extinguished 4 The hot weather of the past few weeks has been responsible for a large number of sharks coming into the harbour from the deeper waters of the Gulf. An incident yesterday demonstrated the necessity for care on the part of all bathers. A large number of people, including many children, were bathing on the beach at the foot of Victoria Avenue, Remuera. Some large kingfish had previously been seen in the locality, although the depth of water at high, tide is less than 6ft. Suddenly a shark, estimated between 10 and 12ft in lenth, appeared within a hundred yards of the bathers, who made an immediate rush to the beach. The shark remained in the shallow water for some time. An interesting reference to the recording of finger-print evidence at Scotland Yard, the headquarters of the London police, was made yesterday by Mr. Paterson, in opening a criminal case before Mr. Justice Herdman at the Supreme Court. Hundreds oi thousands of finger-prints were, he said, classified and indexed at "The Yard." Any finger-print could be produced and identified in five minutes It was an invaluable method of identification. The manner in whiph the Auckland magistrates deal with certain classes of social offenders who "stumble in and out of the Police Court" was racily described by the Rev. Jasper Calder in an address at the Rotary Club's luncheon yesterday. Mr. Poynton's method, he said, was to give advice kindly but firmly. Mr. Hunt was sudden and swift in his judgments, and Mr. Cutten was inclined to be cold and sarcastic at times. That the audience appreciated the crisp descriptive touch was indicated by an outbreak of laughter, in which none joined more heartily than Mr. Cutton. • A few more safety zones will be constructed shortly in the chief city thoroughfares. The Mayor, Mr. J. H. Gunson, stated yesterday that the zone building would be undertaken next month. Among those authorised is a large one opposite the chief Post Office. "Some people in New Zealand think the establishment of children's Courts would be a great move in solving the problem of wayward boys and girls." said Dr. Miller in the course of an address yesterday, "but you will n&ver solve your problem that way. We have had them in the United States for 25 years, but in a single recent year the wards of the juvenile Courts numbered no less than 17,500. What a tremendous saving if we could only apply means to eliminate this terrible human wastage." In Los Angeles, continued the speaker, he had made a close study of '4000 delinquent children, and had come to the conclusion that faulty environment was, in the great majority of cases, responsible for the trouble. The memorial gates erected at the "Valley Road entrance to the Jit. Eden Public School will be unveilad by the Governor-General, Lord Jellicoe, on Saturday afternoon. A souvenir programme of the ceremony, containing various photographs and a short history of the school from its opening in 1879, will be ready for distribution to-morrow. The extension of the Rotary movement in the Dominion was indicated at the Rotary Club's luncheon yesterday. The chairman, Professor H. W. Segar, announced that a telegram had been received from the Hon. George Fowlds at Invercargill stating that a Rotary Club would be opened at that centre on February 25. Mr. Fow'ids and Mr. C. Rhodes would perform the opening ceremony and would officiate in a similar capacity at the opening of a new Rotary Club at Wanganui.

The question whether some wattle trees on the footpath in Wattle Street, New Lynn, should be cut down formed the topic of some discussion at the meeting of the Town Board last evening. It was maintained the trees were an asset to the locality, and this street being a blind one no inconvenience was likely to be caused by them. Mr. F. Wilding said he wished New Lynn had rows of trees on the footpaths similar to Cambridge. It was decided that each member of the board should visit the locality and send in a vote for retention or rejection, of the trees. The clerk would then act oh the ruling of the majority.

A handsome picture, in water-colours, measuring lift, by 4ft., of the Port of Liverpool, showing in detail the tremendous docking provision at that port, was unloaded from the Corinthic in Wellington last week, and taken to Parliament House. The picture is a gift to New Zealand from the Mersey Docks and Harbour Board. When the representative of that body, Colonel Hawkins, was here last year, he intimated that the harbour authorities of Liverpool were desirous of presenting to New Zealand a painting which was in their possession, if the Government would accept it. Mr, Massey intimated at the time that the Government would be willing to accept it, and, during the Prime Minister's recent visit, arrangements were made to have the picture transmitted. It was so well packed that it, arrived with its glass intact, am' no apparent damage, however slight, to the frame.

Soma clothing manufacturers in Wellington consider that the tariff does not afford them sufficient protection against English labour. One stated that a line running into hundreds of overcoats of English manufacture, and of excellent material, was recently landed by a Wellington wholesale firm at 18s 9d each. The lot was cleared out to a wholesale buyer at 21s. The labour cost alone of the coat in New Zealand would be 24» 6d.

The Port Chalmers Council evidently thinks that Port Chalmers should have a good road connection with Dunedin City. Unfortunately that borough is not in a position, however, to give effect to the wish, because another borough and portion of a county intervenes between Port Chalmers and Dunedin. Every local body controls its own roads. At the last meeting of the Port Chalmers Borough Council Mr. Borrie inquired whether the borough had any status in regard to the choosing of the roads to be proclaimed main highways. I'u was very important that the road between the port and the city should be a main highway. In the discussion which followed it was stated that the road in question was in a disgraceful conditon, and urgently required improvement. It was decided to investigate the position in rev.rd to main highways with a view to having the Dumedin-Port Chalmers road classified as such.

Matters affecting the price and production of wheat are to be discussed at a representative conference of wheat-growers, which is to be held at Christchurch on February 27, by invitation of the growers The Minister for Agriculture, the Hon. W. Nosworthy, will attend the conference

Sums of £1 and £2 10s have been forwarded to the Treasury, and their receipt as conscience money is acknowledged in the Gazette.