LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19149, 15 October 1925, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Prices for heavy cattle were again lower at the fat stock sale at Westfield yesterday, but light prime ox sold at about last week's rates. Extra choice cx brought up to £2 9s per 1001b., and prime young cow and heifer beef from 22s to £2 Bs. There was improved demand for sheep, and values were firmer. Heavy prime woolly wethers brought £2 7s to £2 9s 3cl. Spring lambs were penned in increased numbers and prices were lower. There was scarcely an average yarding of pigs, but the demand was firm. Heavy choppers made from £5 10s to £7 10s, and heavy choice baconers, £5 to £5 9s. There is an impression that the striking seamen undergoing sentences in Mount Eden Gaol are receiving pay for any work they may be doing. However, this is not so, as any payment to which a prisoner may be entitled does not commence until he has served three months of his sentence. As the maximum penalty imposed on seamen who have been convicted in Auckland since the strike started has been six weeks it is obvious that the question of payment does not affect them. The tactics of some tramway motormen in reporting motorists for alleged by-law breaches were criticised by the council of the Auckland Automobile Association last evening. The secretary, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, said cases were occurring in which the motormen were not acting fairly. Informations were laid against motorists for passing stationary tramcars although the road was clear. The by-law allowed vehicles to proceed as soon as all tram passengers were out of the way. Members remarked that it was notorious that the tramcars exceeded the speed limits over short stretches. Any motorist who cared to make a comparison with his speedometer could prove this. It was resolved to bring the complaints under the notice of the Auckland Tramways Union. An illustration of Rat.ana's views on gambling was given by the Rev. J. J. North at the Baptist Conference yesterday. He said the great Maori movement headed by Ratana took its start from a violent recoil from gambling. Ratana himself had smashed his telephone with an axe because it was a connection with the bookmakers. Many of Auckland's large keel yachts as well as a number of launches have their summer moorings in St. George's Hay, and additional facilities for owners of the vessels have been decided upon by the Auckland Harbour Board. The members of the Works Committee had inspected a shoal complained of opposite the boatsheds and on their recommendation it was decided to provide two coloured leading lights in triangular beacons on Parnell Wharf to indicate the channel'to the launch landings. It was also decided to ask the City Council to provide a light at the launch-landings on King's Drive. A start has been made with the work of altering the premises in Quay Street recently acquired by Mr. James Gleeson for the accommodation of the Thames Hotel license. The building has for many years been the home of Messrs. Lichtenstein, Arnoldson and Company, from whom it was purchased. The building, which is of five storeys, is of reinforced concrete with floors of the same material, and in remodelling the structure it has been found necessary to break down some partitions on the ground floor, a slow and difficult task. In the meantime the license is being kept alive in a remnant of the old Thames Hotel building on the corner of Queen and Customs Street, where the bar trade is being carried on. The holder of the license has filed an application for transfer from the present location to the Quay Street premises, and it will come before Auckland Licensing Committee at its meeting on December 2. Evidence of the neglected condition of the road from Rotorua to Taupo was before the council of the Auckland Automobile Association last evening in the shape of correspondence, which stated that a lady was thrown out of a large car, although the speed was but seven miles an hour. It was stated that the road was bordered by State forest property. and that in 21 miles there was only one ratepayer contributing to the county council funds. In view of the importance of the route to tourists, it was resolved to communicate with the Public Works Department. Excellent work is being done by the musical and dramatic branch of the Mental Hospital Reform Association, formed for the purpose of bringing good cheer and brightness into the lives of the sick and afflicted. The performers have taken the name of "The Players," and have, included in their party a "story-teller man," whose contributions have been most successful. The Players have decided to extend their sphere of operations and to give entertainments not only at the Mental Hospital, but also at, other institutions. The general hospital was visited recently. A liberal response has been made to the appeal for books and magazines to form a library at the Mental Hospital, and a contribution of £lO worth of books was recently received from an anonymous donor. A motor-car containing the Labour candiate for the Riccarton electorate, Mr. Winter Cole, had rough treatment from a fierce, north-west gale which raged over Canterbury on Tuesday evening, telegraphs our Christ church correspondent. Mr. Cole was returning from an election meeting at WhiteclifTs. At Glentunnel. above the Selwyn riverbed, the full force, of the. wind was experienced. and the car was continually blown off the crown of the road. At other times it was partly lifted by the violence, of the wind and shot along the road like a bullet. Although the petrol was completely cut. off the car was able to coast along at the rate of 20 miles an hour. All along the road was strewn with gorse, and the air was full of flying shingle and branches, all of which made driving very difficult. The hood of the car was torn to ribbons. Considerable interest is being taken in the coastal districts in two black spots which have appeared on Mount Egmont in the snow close to the top, says the Taranaki Herald. A correspondent ad vises that there is much speculation as to what (he spots are. The consensus of opinion seems to be that they are slips caused by the sun melting the snow. Some of the cargo which was damaged during the fire on the steamer Kent when at Auckland is now being discharged from the vessel at Wellington. The damaged cargo comprises a wide variety of goods, some of which have been rendered useless, while, other articles have lost a considerable portion of their original value.