LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19140, 5 October 1925, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The overland route to New Plymouth is gaining popularity. Within the past fortnight two Rugby football teams have traversed the route by motor-bus in order to carry out fixtures. The Auckland team journeyed to New Plymouth recently and the Taranaki representatives who played their return match here on Saturday, also made the trip by road. On the way to Auckland they met with a sudden interruption when the bus brkoe down near Otorobanga and they had to walk eight miles to join the Main Trunk express and complete the journey. They returned yesterday morning and should reach their destination this afternoon.

Strong westerly winds and squally wet weather prevailed at Auckland during the week-end. On Saturday the conditions were squally and rain fell at frequent intervals. Although the weather continued boisterous yesterday, very little rain fell. The stormy conditions caused a considerable sea on the West Coast on Saturday. The Ramwa, which left Onehunga for Auckland in the afternoon, was unable to cross the Manukau Bar, until 10 a.m. yesterday, when the conditions had improved. The barometer, which had been steady at 29.60 in. for some time, rose after Saturday afternoon mnd last night the reading was 29.80 in.

An entry was effected by burglars to the Lyric Talkeries, Symonds Street, on Friday evening. The intruders stole £l6 in cash as well as musical instruments and gramophone records valued at over £3O. The thieves obtained access to the building by forcing a window at the back.

Slight concussion as a result of a fall while skating was sustained by a girl at the Golden Gate Skating Rink on Saturday evening. She was tripped by a skate catching against the heel of her shoe and fell heavily. Assistance, was rendered by the St. John Ambulance officer on duty, and later the girl was able to walk home.

Two calls, neither of them of a serious nature, were received by the City Fire Brigade in the course of the week-end. The first, at 9.50 p.m. on Saturday, was occasioned by the fusing of an electric cable at the corner of AJbert and Wyndham Streets. Some damage was done to the cable. The second call was at 230 p.m. yesterday when there was a chimney fixe in a house owned and occupied by Mr. T. Jackson, at 121 a, Remuera Road. This was promptly extinguished, no appreciable damage being done.

There was a rise of one in the number of applications for employment at the Auckland office of the Labour Department last week, the number being 186, as compared with 185 for the week before. Of these 149 were classed as fit for heavy work, and 37 for light work. The applicants included 65 labourers, 17 cooks and hotel workers, 14 motor-drivers, 10 engineers, fitters and turners, 8 storemen, 8 clerks, and 6 blacksmiths. There were four seamen and firemen on the list. Private employment was found for 37 men, including 23 labourers, 8 farm hands, two cooks and hotel workers, one enginedriver, one fitter, ono factory hand and one garage assistant.

While leading a horse to water yesterday afternoon Mr. Joseph Noyer, of Surrey Crescent, Grey Lynn, had the misfortune to have his right arm jammed against the slide of a stall in the stable by another horse. He sustained a badly broken arm. He was admitted to the Auckland Hospital early last evening.

A petition in bankruptcy has been filed by Frank Raven, farmer, of Otorohanga, The first meeting of creditors will be held on October 12 at Otorohanga.

The Stratford-Taumarunui road, passing through the Counties of Ohura and Tuumarunui, has been Gazetted a main highway under the Main Highways Act, 1922. This road, which is about 37 miles in length, commences at the south-western boundary of the Ohura County and runs .generally in a northerly direction via the Ohuria Road to Harvey Road. Thence it continues generally in an easterly direction via Harvey, Tokinma, Aorangi, Roto, Kuril ran, Opetea, Aorangi, Wanganui River and Kururau Roads, and terminating at the western boundary of the Borough of Tuumarunui.

Three boys were found by Constable Peters asleep at the Frankton railway station on Friday evening, and after inquiries had been made they were apprehended ou R< charge of stealing a motorcar at Auckland. It was found abandoned m Hamilton. The car was missed by its owner on Thursday night. The boys were taken to Auckland to be dealt with.

The young man, Mr. Leslie Lord, who sustained injuries to his head las the result of being thrown from a motor-car when it collided with a bus at the corner of London Street and Norton Road, Hamilton, on the morning of September 27, was still in an unconscious and critical condition in the Waikato Hospital on Saturday. The driver of the car, Mr. Wiliisvm Eke tone, who received minor injuries, was discharged from the hospital two days after his admission.

Evidence of the faith of business people in the prosperity of the town and district is shown by the fact that at present there is not one vacant shop in Te Awamutu, telegraphs our correspondent. Residences are also almost unprocurable.

An amended regulation under the Frjiit Control Act, dealing with the levy on fruit for export is published in the current Gazette. It is provided that the charge payable by way of levy on all fruit produced in n district in which part 1 of the Act is in operation and intended for export, is to be one penny on a case containing half a bushel and under, and twopence on a case exceeding half a bushel but not greater than one bushel.

A system under which business houses may establish direct telephone communication between separated premises without obtaining connection through n telephone exchange is announced in the Gazette. It is provided that at any place where, in the opinion of the chief telegraph engineer, departmental circuits or existing poles or telephone cables can conveniently be provided for the purpose of establishing direct communication between places of business, such can bo leased and maintained bv tTiVs fl# partment at annual rates based on the type of circuit provided.

"If you want to walk on the road you want a reflector on your back at nighttime," said Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court at New Plymouth, when hearing the evidence of a man who had been knocked down on a hill by a motor-car. ' The charge of dangerous driving against the driver of the car was dismissed.