LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18889, 11 December 1924, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Strawberries were sold at from 8d to 9d a chip at the markets yesterday, a considerable reduction on "the prices ruling earlier in,the weekA THe 1 [sudden drop is attributed to reluctance on the part of shopkeepers to buy after the heavy downpour. Growers will be able to pick only small quantities of berries to-day, and this should result in prices becoming firmer. Peak quantities for -thef season will, it is believed, be available to-morrow and on Saturday.

Prices for '.. beef' at the * West-field fatstock -sales, yesterday showed little alteration. Extra choice ox. sold to 34s per iOOlb., other grades bringing from 26s to 335. Prime young cow and heifer beef brought from 25s to 30s, poorer qualities 13s •tp 24s 6d. Sheep were yarded, in decreased numbers, and values improved under keen competition. Heavy prime wethers realised from 37s 9d to 40s, and heavy prime ewes, 35s to 37s 3d. Best lambs sold at. from 32s 6d to 36s 6d. Prices? for pigs were lower. Heavy baconers brought up to £2 18s, and heavy porkers up to £2 14s.

An effort to induce advertising concerns to remove display signs from country highways is to be made by the Auckland Automobile 'Association; "At last evening's meeting of the executive, a request was received from the North Island Motor Union suggesting individual action in this direction by every motor association. It. was pointed out the effort has special reference to the disfiguration of scenic resorts. The iacting-secretary was instructed to communicate 'with the owners of signs in all cases brought to the association's notice.

"Christchurch people are exceedingly gullible," remarked a creditor at a bankruptcy meeting yesterday, when the sale of chattels was being discussed. "The town seems to be full of cranks and quacks." Permission was granted to the Navy League at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Grammar School Board to address the boys of the Mount Eden school with a view to forming a branch of junior members. A letter from the secretary stated the league was anxious to impress upon the. youth of the Dominion the value of protection afforded by the Navy. In Wellington and Christchurch the schoolchildren members of the league numbered many thousands, while in Auckland there were but a few hundreds.

Lake Rotoroa, in the- Nelson district, is becoming a favourite spot for pleasure seekers, and the indications are that it will shortly become one of the most popular of the South Island pleasure resorts. There were no fewer than sixty visitors ,to the district last Sunday. A handicap at present is the fact that the last portion of the access road- is impassable for motor traffic, this entailing a special conveyance or a walk of about twenty minutes. A sum of mbney is available for repairs to the road, but the work has not yet been completed.

An unusual experience befel the small steamer Rangitoto on her voyage from England to Auckland. In the Red Sea hundreds of small swallows, apparently exhausted by a long flight, swarmed aboard the Rangitoto and perched wherever they could find a resting place. Owing to the absence of suitable 1 food on board the birds all died in a very short time, and then they were found in the cabins and in all sorts of places where they had taken refuge.

"We tan hardly have the play of Hamlet without Hamlet here," remarked the official assignee, Mr. W. S. Fisher, commenting on the late arrival of a bankrupt at a meeting of creditors yesterday. Hamlet, -however, arrived on the scene a few minutes later, and the "play" was proceeded with.

Two more candidates are announced for election to the Waitemata Power Board. Mr. H. Cadness, of Northcotc, is standing for the marine boroughs, and Mr. W. R. T. Leighton, of Henderson, for the Henderson and Glen Eden districts.

a "We have many failures nowadays, and debtors seem to slip in and out of bankruptcy with . ease, especially *in Auckland," remarked a creditor at a bankruptcy meeting yesterday. "There is nearly always a motion of sympathy passed. We have to pay our debts, and why should not the bankrupts ?"

"Although: we have, in my opinion, as fine a city as any south of the line, yet our schools and playgrounds are an utter disgrace by comparison with other public buildings," said the Rev. A. Thornlull at the meeting of the Primary Schools' Committees' Association last evening. "We have our splendid domains and other breathing spaces, but the schools and grounds attached are certainly not worthy of a community like Auckland." .

In reference to the prevalence of rabbits in the South Island, it was stated at a recent Farmers' Union meeting that two men - had . earned £750 in five months on two stations in Southland. The speaker said on one property he had held he had poisoned '36,000 rabbits in two years, with the resnlt that he had been able to greatly increase his stock. A similar statement is made by the manager of a Wairarapa sheep station. He says that by persistent trapping, and with the aid i of wire netting, he has destroyed so many rabbits that his wool clip has increased by 30 bales-and the carrying capacity of his farm by 30 per cent, o

The family man apparently gets a cold reception from most landlords nowadays. A witness in a case at the Magistrate's Court in Dunedin said that he had been promised a house, but when tho landlord learnt that" he had'eight children he was told • that there was "nothing doing." " It is a hard thing for a man with a large family to get a place," said witness. " They don't seem to want children in this world now."

. A remarkable coincidence occurred in the Christchurch Magistrate's Court last week. An old man was charged in the morning with having allowed his horse to wander in the cemetery, He pleaded not guilty, and said that the sexton, a man named Johnston, had given him permission a long time ago to put his horse in the cemetery. The case was adjourned till the afternoon to enable the police to find the sexton. When the case was resumed Mr. Johnston; who is the present sexton at the cemetery, appealed and swore that he did not know the defendant'. It looked as if the old man had committed perjury, hut then it was discovered the man who took care of the cemetery before the witness was also named Johnston. The coincidence was commented upon and the case adjourned to enabJo th* police to, find the right man.