LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18891, 13 December 1924, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tho trout in Lake Taupo ore at present in splendid condition. Mr. W. J. Napier, of Auckland, who has just returned from this favourite resort, states that excellent catches aro being mnde, the average of the fish boing about 101b.

A collision between a largo motor-bus and a two-seater car occurred in Queen Street, near the intersection of Victoria Street West, shortly after 6 p.m. yesterday. Slight damage only was sustained io the front portions of the vehicles, which were able to proceed on their way. Except fcr the driver the bus was empty at the time.

The weather at Auckland continues somewhat unsettled. Yesterday the conditions were fine, but the wind was blowing strongly from tho south-south-west. On tho west coast and at Awanui a moderate galo was blowing from that direction. Tho barometer is still below normal. It has been slowly rising since Wednesday night and last night the reading was 29.80 in.

An application for the reduction of tho fines of £10 imposed upon two young men on Thursday for unlawful conversion of a motor-car to their own use, was mado to Mr. J. W. Poynton, S.M., yesterday, by their counsel, Mr. CahiU. Chicf-Dctectivo Cummings objected to any mitigation of the penalty, and 6aid that such offences were hard to detect, and caused great inconvenience to owners of cars. Mr. Poynton remarked that both accused had been liberally treated, and that their previous good characters alone saved them from imprisonment. The application was refused.

Two motor-carß have bceu stolen from the Commerce Street stand during tho past few days. On Wednesday a Ford car was taken . from tho stand between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., while tho owner was at work in a near-by office. Another car, a Chevrolet, was missed from tTTe samespot yesterday afternoon. The incidents have been reported to the police, but no word had been received of the recovery of cither car last night.

The majority of the members of the Main Highways Board will assemble in Auckland to-day preparatory to undertaking a tour of the North Auckland district. They have been inspecting the main roads of the southern portion of the Auckland Province and the Hauraki Plains during the week, and will be joined here to-day by Mr. G. T. Murray. The members of the. board will leave on their northern tour on Monday and expect to return on the following Saturday.

Two accident cases were admitted to

tho Auckland Hospital yesterday; A girl named Muriel Nicholson, six years of age, living at Beach.Road, Point Cheva-

lior, was playing on tho beach at Point Chevalier when her foot was pierced by a large splinter of wood. An operation was performed to remove tho splinter and the girl is reported to be progressing favourably, A boy named Dolphc Montgomery, living at 17A, Hamilton Road, Ponsonby, while cycling along Ponsonby Road, wa3 knocked down by a motor-car and received abrasions to the head, knee and elbow and a dis-

located shoulder. He was admitted to the hospital, where an operation was performed and a number of stitches inserted* His condition is described as good.

The practical naturo of the instruction given in tho metal workshop at the Kowhai Junior High School was referred to in the report of the principal, Mr. R E. Rudman, presented at a meeting of tho school committeo on Thursday evening. Through tho kindness of Mr. W. S. Miller a partly assembled motor-car had been used as tho basis of a practical losson in motor mechanics by the metal work instructor, Mr. S. E. Morrison. The report added that tho boys had evinced the liveliest interest in the building up of tho various parts that go to make a car.

An amusing interlude enlightened a bankruptcy matter in the Supreme Court yesterday. A witness stated that ho had received free advico from three firms of solicitors. To this Mr. Justice Stringer rallied that, if lie remembered rightly, Shakespeare had said something to tho effect that the " breath of an unfeed solicitor " was not worth much. Mr, Leary, who appeared in tho case, added :

" What, a pity that quotation is not bettor known '"

" I am glad to sec that in somo countries, there is a tendency to revert to the old idea that a classical education, with

its stern mental disciplino, is a better training for all walks of lifo than the teaching of a heterogeneous mass of knowledge which cannot but bo superficial," said tho principal of St. Cuthbert's College in the annual report, presented at last evening's breaking-up ceremony. " It is an unsound principle,"' she continued,

" that a child should be permitted to learn merely what appeals to her, rather than to chooso suitablo subjects to tra.'n tho rnind to be orderly and capablo of developing later in particular directions.

I maintain that a gir! trained along these linos will run her home just as well, if not better, than ono who has had a smattering of many subjects and has done nothing thoroughly."

The matter of "blackballing" unfinancial club members was brought up for discussion at a mooting of tho Manawatu Cricket Association. It was suggested that tho persons concerned bo reported to tho kindred sporting clubs with the idea of "blackballing" tho players.