LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18680, 9 April 1924, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The Marama arrived in Sydney from Auckland at 4.30 p.m. yesterday. The question of a fitting welcome by yachtsmen to the special service squadron which arrives at Auckland on Saturday, May 10, was discussed by the Auckland Yacht and - Motor-Boat Association last evening. The chairman, Mr. J. B. Johnstone, stated that the harbourmaster, Captain H. H. Sergeant, had stated that it was the wish of the Harbour Board that no organised display of yachts and launches be made on the morning of the arrival of the squadron, as it would make navigation very difficult for the officers of the warships. It was the desire of the board that the yachtsmen concentrate on an aquatic display on Monday, May 12, when races for yachts, launches, and rowing boats would beheld. The association decided to fall in with the wishes of the board.

To-day is the 30th anniversary of the first election to Parliament of the present Prime Minister of New Zealand. A general election had taken place at the end of 1893, and early in the following year the Waitemata seat became vacant as the result of a successful petition against the return of Mr. R. Monk. The by-election was fought between Mr. Jackson Palmer, who stood in the interests of the Seddon Government, and Mr. Massey, the selected Opposition candidate. After a keenly- campaign, in which the Premier, Mr. Seddon, took a prominent part, Mr. Massey was elected on April 9, 1874 by a majority of 173 votes, the respective numbers being 1619 and 1446. At the next general election, in 1896, Mr. Massey was returned for Franklin, which district he has represented ever since. Mr. Monk regained the Waitemata seat at the same general election.

An eight-year-old boy, William McKendry, who lives with bis parents at 34, Union Street, was admitted to the Auckland Hospital shortly alter 5 p.m. yesterday, suffering from a badly crushed hand. The lad, with his brother, was playing with a heavy mangle at their home, when his hand slipped between the rollers.

Apart from some minor flooding due to the rising of the stream -which flows from the Western Springs, the recent heavy rains have had no effect on the grounds at tho Zoological Gardens. Yesterday a visit of inspection was paid to tho zoo by the Mayor, Mr. J. H. Ganson, and members of the Parks Commit tee of the City Council for the purpose of making arrangements for the housing and accommodation of a number of additional exhibits which should reach Auckland before the end of this month. Those include spotted leopards, striped hyenas, nilghai, barking deer, Indian antelope and axis deer in pairs, fourhorned antelopes, two sarus cranes and six peacocks, all of which were shipped on the Sussex at Calcutta. The large number of animals and birds from South Africa is now at Sydney awaiting shipment. The committee has decided to carry out further improvements at the zoo. These will include a terrace and balustrade in front of the kiosk, and further tree planting, together with the thinning out of the present plantations which have taken very well.

"The further -we go it becomes 'curiouser and cariouser,' ** said Mr. Richmond, when opening the Wairakei case before Mr. Justice Herdman in the Supreme Court yesterday. He suggested that the action in some phases resembled * Alice in Wonderland." " Especially if yoi are asleep," interpolated Mr. Luxford, janior counsel for Mr. Cleave, the defend int. This won from Mr. Richmond the reply: ** I would rather say, 'especially if the shareholders are asleep.' "

Peaching of wild duck is said to be prevalent in the proscribed area at St. John's Lake, toward Mount Wellington. It was stated at the Auckland Acclimatisation Society's annual meeting last, evening that men and boys, with guns and spaniels, had been seen frequently shooting ducks. This is illegal within the area, and there is a reward of £20 for prosecution of offenders. It is not permissible even to shoot rabbits within the limits of the sanctuary. The society is on the look-out for poachers.

An echo of the Mount Eden destructor controversy was heard at the meeting of the Mount Roskill Road Board last evening, when the Mount Albert Borough Council submitted a scheme for a destructor, capable of dealing with the joint requirements of the three districts, for many years to come, at a total cost of within £13,500. It was suggested that the proposed destructor be erected in the locality of Swamp Road, or on another suitable site in the immediate neighbourhood. The board decided that the time had not arrived to join in a combined scheme, and further, that it would oppose the erection of a destructor within the Mount Roskill boundary.

There was a suggestion made at the annual meeting of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society last evening that farmers and others should be encouraged by payment of a subsidy to rear pheasants, in order to counterbalance extensive destruction by poison, indiscriminate shooting, and by other means. It was mentioned that in America many farmers' wives made good pin-money by raising pheasants on poultry farms. Members generally gave keen support to the suggestion, but a shrewd member pointed out that if the society gave our pheasants' eggs for nothing there was a danger that instead of the production of birds for sport many eggs might go into custards.

The new Post and Telegraph Officers' classification list, which came into force on April 1. has been completed, and will bo made public in the coarse of a few days. A comprehensive scheme of improvements in the Mount Itoskill district was submitted to the Road Board last evening by Mr. J. Turner. It was suggested that sooner or later the board would have to make provision for facilities in keeping with the progress of the district, namely larger public hall, to accommodate administrative offices, library, pictures, etc ; sites for fire station, police station, post office, and playing fields. The writer suggested that owing to the very unsuitable nature of the present reserve, a bill be promoted to empower the board to dispose of the reserve for building purposes, and to utilise the proceeds in acquiring more suitable grounds. This would provide a surplus toward the cost of the hall. It was decided to refer the scheme to the incoming board. Over 2700 licenses for fishing and gameshooting within the Auckland province were sold by the local Acclimatisation Society last year. There is a prospect of a substantial increase this year, and members of the society at ita annual meeting last night urged more importation of partridges, the liberation of more trout fry in the various rivers, and the encouragement of rural breeding of pheasant^