LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18895, 18 December 1924, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

BT.M.S. Dunedin is to leave Wellington to-day for Auckland, where she is due about Sunday. The cruiser "will then remain in port until January 27, when she will depart on an extended cruise to various ports in both islands.

The weather at Auckland continues unsettled. Yesterday the wind was light from the westward and the sky was dull and overcast. In the evening rain threatened but very little fell up to a lata hour. The barometer has been below normal for two weeks. It has been falling slowly since mid-day on Tuesday, and last night tha reading was 29.b0in.

Fruit from tho Eastern Pacific was brought to Auckland by tho Ngakuta yesterday. Tho vessel's cargo was a small one and consisted of about 5000 cases of oranges, bananas, pineapples and tomatoes. She will not return to the Islands again until about March. Two other shipments of Island fruit will reach Auckland to-day. The Tutenekai is due this afternoon with about 1100 cases of bananas from Niuo Island, and tho Kaiwarra is alto duo this afternoon with bananas from Fiji. The next vessel after these to bring Island fruit will bo the Tofua, duo from Fiji on December 29.

Instances in which children aro obliged to rise early and assist their parents in farm work before attending school, and in consequence are rendered unfit for school work, were referred to at a meeting of tho Auckland Education Board yesterday. Information was sought from Morrinsvillo as to tho powers of tho board in tho matter. " This is a question requiring careful consideration," said the chairman, Mr. A. Burns. If the child's assistance was essential on account of its parents' poverty, tho board would have to sympathise, but if it was a matter of greed more stringent . action would be taken. It was decided to make further inquiries.

There was an improved demand for ox beef at the Westfield fat stock sales yesterday, and prices showed a decided advance. With few exceptions the quality of the beef was first-class. Extra choice ox, sold to 36s per 1001b., other grades bringing from 28s to 355. Prime young cow and heifer beef' brought from 27s to 325, and poorer qualities 10s to 265. Sheep were yarded in moderate numbers, and there was a keen demand with a further slight increase in prices. Heavy prime wethers realised £2 Is 9d to £2 3s; heavy prime ewes, 36s to 395; and best lambs, 38s to 39s 9d. Prices for pigs remained about the same. Heavy baconers brought up to £2 16s, and heavy porkers £2 9s to £2 12s.

The Remuera and Parnell Fire Brigades received a false alarm from Ascot Avenue, Reinuera, at 10.45 a.m. yesterday. The alarm was duo to accidental interference with the wire by a linesman.

The new song of the Auckland Girls' Grammar School was sung in public for the first time by the pupils at the prizegiving ceremony last evening. The headmistress, Miss W. Picken, said it had been hoped for several years to find among the girls the writer of a song which could be adopted as the school's own. This year Joan Claridge's effort was so successful that it had been set to music by Mr. Maughan Barnett. The girls' rendering of the song was distinctly pleasing, the chairman, Professor A. P. W. Thomas, congratulating the composer on the " beautiful, melodious setting." So far as the words could be followed, they were a simple expression of sound sentiment for the " alma mater," with a recurring phrase: We sing our Grammar SchooL"

A protest against the use of New Zealand coal on locomotives was made at a meeting of the Auckland Enginedriv.srs, Firemen's and Cleaners' Association, and the following resolution was passed:— "That this meeting considers that only coal of first-class quality is suitable for use on locomotives; lignite is entirely unsuitable owing to danger from fire and lack of steaming properties and coal, containing sulphur and other fumes, which are injurious to footplate men in tunnel work, cannot be tolerated."

A well-known resident of Port Chalmers, who assisted in the unpacking of the first shipment of salmon and trout ova that arrived in New Zealand, has recalled the fact that the ova were obtained from the property of Sir James Fergusson, father of the GovernorGeneral. The shipment was brought to Otago by the barquo Celestial Queen, which arrivod at Port Chalmers on May 3, 1868. The result of the experiment of transporting ova 12,000 miles was awaited with a great deal of interest. Along with the ova a number of live fish, comprising gudgeon, carp and tench, were shipped on the Celestial Queen, but all died or were otherwise lost on the voyage. Two oysters survived tho voyage.

Probably not since the days of the war, when every available able-bodied man was required for active service, has there been such a shortage of labour in Hawke's Bay in general and Napier in particular, says the Napier Telegraph. On every hand industrial centros throughout the province are clamouring for workers, both skilled and unskilled, but more particularly for the former. For tho first timo for many months the books of tho Napier Labour Department aro clear of applicants for work. Everywhere, the shortage of labour is being felt.

A motor-car was observed pulling up on the bank of tho River Avon, in Christchurch, ono evening last week, and the driver deposited at least half a dozen petrol tins in tho river. That the Avon has now reached another stage in tho course of deterioration as a waterway, gays tho Lyttelton Times, is evidenced by tho fact that until this year a shallow draught motor-boat has been able to mako tho trip from tho vicinity of Stanmoro Road Bridge to New Brighton, a'b any stalo of tho tide. This season it i* found impossible to mako the journey except at high tide. Tho motor-boat draws rather under a foot and a-half of water.

Members of tho Southland Acclimatisation Society, at tho invitation of tho Hon. G. J. Anderson, Minister for Internal Affairs, waited upon him at Invorcargill last week, to discuss tho question of tho issuing of trout and salmon licenses to overseas visitors. A lengthy discussion took place as to various ways and means, one suggestion which found favour being that for Atlantic or Quinnat salmon *a £5 license should bo issued to tourists from overseas. Tho Minister stated that he would call a conference of the societies interested.