LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 18963, 10 March 1925, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

As the result of an iron girder■ falling in the foundry where lie is employed in Lome Street, yesterday afternoon. Mr. Percy Davis, aged 38, had his right foot severely crushed. Mr. Davis, who resides at 58, Norfolk Street, Ponsonby, was admitted to the Auckland Hospital at 3.30 p.m. A railway porter, Mr. Frank Burke, aged 20, sustained similar injuries when his foot was caught in a cowcatcher at the Auckland Station shortly after mid day yesterday. Mr. Mnrke, who resides at 16. Fcrnlcigh Street, I'onsonliy, was also admitted to the hospital.

Aliens appear to lie. corning to New Zealand in steadily increasing numbers, and yesterday a total of 40 of them landed from the Maraina. Most of the intercolonial boats trading between Sydney and Auckland bring their quota of people from Southern Kurope. Those v, ho landed from the Ma ram a yesterday weie mostly Dalmatians, this designation on the pas .scngev list being applied to 29. Fhcie were also two Yugoslavs and six Italians, while three Chinese were on the ship.

The installation of the new water-heat-ing plant at, the Hobson Street baths is now well in hand, and there is an assurance that during the coming winter months the baths will be filled with tepid water. Since the stoppage of the hotwater supply from the Hobson Street power station, the baths have suffered a falling off in patronage, but with the utilisation of the new plant they should be more popular than ever, for the water will not only be heated, but will be clarified. From a health point of view this is very desirable, and will no doubt add greatly to the pleasure of swimmers.

Eighteen pheasants were brought to Auckland by the Kemuera from London. '1 he birds are from the Birkhampstead pheasant farm, England, and were consigned to Mr. A. Dobson, Arawa Came Farm, Whangarata. Two other pheasants died on the voyage but the eighteen were landed in good condition.

An inquest regarding (he death of John Calland, the fireman who disappeared from the .steamer Koromiko last Tuesday, and whose body was found in the Wait.emata Harbour on Saturday, was opened by the coroner, Air. F. K. Hunt, S.M., yesterday, and adjourned sine die. A post-mortem examination has revealed no marks of violence.

King's College Memorial Chapel, built by the Old Hoys' Association in the grounds of the new college at Mangere in memory of old boys who died in the Great War, is almost, completed. The dedication service will take place on the afternoon of Anzac Day, April 25. and the consecration service will take place the following d.iy.

If was anticipated the large collection of South African animals and birds secured for the Auckland Zoological Maidens would reach Auckland from Sydney by the Maheno this morning, but advice has been received that it was found impossible to have the exhibits shipped. Negotiations are now proceeding for the conveyance of the. collection by another steamer. The consignment is at pivsont housed in Sydney, and is under the care of the curator of (he Auckland Zoo. Mr. T. L. Griffin, who marie the purchases in South Africa. It includes giraffes. I'.el ras, marmoset monkeys, many varieties of African buck, lynx cats, porcupine, sible antelope, springbok, bateleur and tawny eagles, hornbills, jays, egrets, barbets and other unusual animals and birds. Information from Sydney is to the effect that the health of the exhibits is excellent, and there is every reason to expect *l;;u tiny will be landed in Auckland in first class condition.

People generally consider that the six years provided by the Statute of Limitations is quite long enough to keep a debt alive, but occasionally a person turns up who tliinks otherwise. 'lbe Indcr family recently received from Tasmania a sum of £6 for a debt over 50 years old. The money was owing to the late Mr. Walter Inder, and after half a century the debtor decided to discharge his obligation. The debtor got in tom-h with the Inder family through seeing the advertisement of Mr. Indcr, solicitor, or Gore.

The open season for shooting doer in the Wanganui Acclimatization District has been fixed for the period April 1 to May 15. This announcement is made in the current Gazette and is supplementary :o thr recent Order-in-Council declaring the open season for other parts of the Dominion. The conditions in regard to the Wanganui district provide that holders of licenses will lie entitled to take not more than two bunks and three does and that no buck ,shall be killed carrying antlers with fewer than twelve points. "You seem rather to pity these boys who are farm labourers. Mr. Cockayne," said Sir James Wilson, at the Board of Agriculture inquiry in Wellington last week. "But, I want to remind you that one of the greatest men in the world was a farm labourer, namely, Robbie Burns." "Quite so." said Mr. A. 11. Cockayne, "but thank (<od he was a botanist, and knew a daisy when he saw one."

In an interview in Christ church last week, Captain L. M. Isitt stated that the third refresher course for pilots, which concluded on Thursday, had been most successful in every way. A good deal of flying had been gone through with various types of machines, and the pilots had been out every day in spite of the fact 1 hat the weather had not been good "flying weather." a great deal of high wind having been experienced. On I'liursday formation (lying was carried out., two de. Haviland Knurs, two de llaviland Nines, and two Bristol fighters being used The fourth course has now started.

A llawke's Ila v lady who lias just returned home after an extended visit to London states that the thing which struck her most forcibly while in the metropolis, was the big diiVcicuce iu the price of meat Mild at Smithfield market and the price thai the actual consumer had to pay for it. This worked out at as much as 70 per cent. She had seen meat sold at Sm it hlield for 10;|d per pound, which had been subsequently retailed at Is 6d per pound. Someone, it would .-.eeni, was making a good profit at the expense of both the prod icer and the consumer.

Two huge specimens of the (rout and eel family respectively were caught, iu the Mataura River during the past few days. Mr. H. Anderson gaffed an eel weighing 261b. and 4ft. 6in. iu length, and he is going to try some of the cured skin for bootlaces. At Wyndham Mr. A. T. Ross caught a, splendid trout, weighing lOA lb., with a length of 50m. and a girth of 16in.