LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18951, 24 February 1925, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A message from Coromandol states that the b(sdy of an vinknown man was washed up at Paritu, Cape Colville, on Saturday. The eyes, nose and hair are missing, while flic body is clothed in a pair of dungaree pants, a singlet, and a sock. The local police have not received any further information to date. Excitement was caused in Queen Street shortly before noon yesterday, when a horse which had been left standing by the pavement bolted with an express cart in the direction of the wharves. Little traffic was in the street, but one or two motor-cars Were collided with, and the luggage from the cart was strewn on the roadway. The runaway was stopped by a man in the vicinity of Smceton's Buildings. Auckland's endeavour.to have its engineering school recognised by the University Senate was the subject of a quiet jibe by Professor Shelley, of Canterbury College, at the Workers' Educational Association Conference last evening. He was dealing with tho complexity of modern life and had occasion to remark that tho universities were now largely technical institutions, in that they consisted of people who knew beforehand what they were going to do in after life. "For instance," ho said, "they may be going to be doctors or lawyers or engineers-—if they live in Christ-church. . . ." He was going on, but his audience grasped the point, and his next remarks were drowned in laughter. A sensational "spill" occurred in the Suburban Handicap at the Wanganui Trotting Club's Meeting yesterday, when the mare Haroto fell, throwing her driver, Mr. E. O'Neill, heavily to tho ground. Fortunately neither the driver nor the horse was injured. A marble tablet recording the fact that the late Major T. Broun, the New Zealand entomologist, was a benefactor of the Paris Museum, has been placed on the walls of that institution. A letter to this effect has been received by the French Consul for France, M. Paul Serre. A portrait and some biographical details were asked for and these have been forwarded to Paris. Major Broun lived in Auckland for many years, and his fine collection of insects belongs to the War Memorial Museum. His daughter, Miss Broun, is assistant-matron at the Auckland Hospital. The rearing of the contractor's construction tower in connection with the building of the War Memorial Museum has enabled the public to form an idea how conspicuous an object the new structure will be among the landmarks around Auckland, crowning as it will, one of the hills in the Domain. As seen by passengers on vessels in any part of the harbour, the tower overtops all other tall buildings in the area behind Parnell. It is clear that when complete the museum will, to passengers on incoming steamships, be as prominent and striking a feature of the city as the Hospital buildings were thirty or forty years ago, before the growth of surrounding blocks. The people of Auckland hardly realise the valuable asset they have in the collection of books at the municipal libraries. This point was brought out at the convention of the Workers' Educational Association last evening by Mr, Walter Nash, national secretary of tho Labour Party, who said he had been consulting the chief librarian, and Mr. Barr had asked him if they realised what the library could do for tho W.E.A. Tho selection on the shelves included books on sociology. economics, political and international questions, literature, music, etc., but the demand for such volumes was not what might be expected. Mr. Barr had asked him to tell the people in the movement that he would welcome their inquiries, and if he did not have what was wanted steps would be taken to get it. "You have an asset there that is very much worth while," added Mr. Nash. A claim for .ClO for the value of his clothes damaged through falling over an unprotected manhole was made by an Onehunga resident to the Borough Council last evening. Several councillors said a similar danger had existed in other parts of Campbell Road, where the levels of the road and the footpath had been raised or lowered without altering the level of the manholes. This was done without any light to show the danger at night. Tho manhole which caused the trouble belonged to tho Power Board, and a councillor asked if the responsibility of tho council was not covered by the notice reading "Road closed." The claim was referred to the insurance company which covers tho council's liability, but it was decided to ask the foreman to report on why all danger spots were not lighted at night. Humorous reference to Auckland's bands of 26 years ago was made by Mr. E. It. B. Holben, president of the North Island Brass Bands' Association, at the civic reception to bandsmen yesterday. In bygone days, he said, "six mixed instruments and a good big drum" had constituted Auckland's Artillery Band, and very popular that band was on Auckland excursions, and other occasions demanding martial music. So keen was the demand, indeed, that not infrequently the "band" had to be split up into four in order to meet its engagements. The speaker did not state whether the competitors drew straws for the "good big drum." Tn view of the contemplated re-opening of the Empire Exhibition at Wembley, a circular has been issued bv the chairman of the Auckland Society of Arts to the members of the society's sketch club*, urging them to submit what they consider to be their best work, with a view to improving (he Auckland art exhibits, seeing that, last year's local contribution was considered regrettably meagre. The subjects are not restricted to New Zealand, nor to landscape. In continuation of the concreting of Khyber Pass, the south side of the road was broken up with a steam plough yesterday, from Maungawhau Road to Mountain Road. II had been thought that, on such steep gradients as this part of Khyber Pass from Maungawhau Road to Grafton Road a concrete surface would be too slippery for traffic, but experience has shown that this material is quite suitable "A remarkable little country," is the opinion of New Zealand expressed by the Hev. Paul Beresford, the recently-ap-pointed Anglican vicar of Springburn, Canterbury. He says that here claks distinction is much loss pronounced than in Soutii Africa, and he mentioned that (lie New Zealand roads arc much superior to those c»£ Africa.