LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19177, 17 November 1925, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Spurious coins, which made an appearanco in Auckland sonic weeks ago are still in circulation. The coins, mostly halfcrowns, are hardly distinguishable as counterfeit on a casual glance-, but when compared with the silver coin arc at once recognisable. They are slightly heavier than tho genuine coin, and the milling on the inner edge, which usually proves too;much for the counterfeiter, is entirely absent. Lead appears to bo the principal ingredient in tho alloy, and the coins make definite tracings when put to paper. That the spurious article may nevertheless be taken as genuine is evident from tho fact that a local firm yesterday received a counterfeit half-crown from its bank. An employee had no difficulty in breaking it into four pieces in his hands after it had been recognised. The announcement made by Mr. J. F. Ewen, president of tho Auckland liotary Club, at the luncheon yesterday that the combined staffs of tho Farmers' Union Trading Company had contributed £6OO toward tho Jubilee Institute for tho Blind building fund was greeted with applause. Mr. Ewou said the result, was a matter of congratulation for the staff and tho managing director, Mr. R. Laidlaw, a member of the club.

"In Auckland one hears some complaints of slackness In trade," said Sir Harold Boauchamp on Saturday. "This is largely attributable to over-trading in the immediate past and to over-specula-tion in suburban land," Sir Harold expressed the opinion that both these causes would be rectified in a short time.

The unsightly sheds and tho high hoarding fence on the Princes Street frontage of the new University College have now been removed, and all debris has been cleared away. The fine building, especially the central portion with tho imposing main entrance, now shows to much greater advantage from Princes Street. The space between the college and the street has already been planted in lawn atid native plants and shrubs.

The contractors for the erection of tho War Memorial Museum, tho Hansford and Mills > Construction Company, are pushing ahead, steadily with the erection of the majestic pile which is to crown the prin cipal hill of the Domain. Along the main frontage the walls have been carried up to the full height of the ground floor, and enough of the granite and stone facing is in position to indicate what a handsome structure the whole will bewhen completed. The other portions of the building are proportionately well forward. However, the contractors havo nearly two years yet in which to carry out their undertaking, which provides for completion of the building in September, 1927.

No definite action lias yet been decided on by the ISiew Zealand Alliance in icgard to the result of the Ohinemuri restoration poll. Mr. C. R. Edmond, Dominion organiser, and Mr. W. R. Tuck, president of the Auckland branch, left for Paeroa last evening to inquire further into tho position.

Recently Captain Kingsford Smith, a well-known Australian aviator, placed proposals before the New Zealand Government in regard to a trans-Tasman aeroplane flight, and he sought the assistance of the Government'in "carrying his proposal info effect. It is now announced that the New Zealand Government has decided that, it is unable to offer* any assistance to Captain Smith.

Sawdust is a bad diet for trout. According to a report received at a meeting of the Wellington Acclimatisation Society the fish in the Rangitikei have been offered the dust from the sawmills along the river. The society instructed th 6 ranger to investigate the matter.

In a reference to the inglorious fate that befell the Country Party candidates at the recent elections the Otago Daily Times remarks: —"The chairman of the provincial executive has explained that the Auckland Farmers' Union was betrayed, that it was 'pushed into the fight and then let down.' The only comment prompted is that the betrayal seems to have been very whole-hearted. Nothing that may be said can discount the conclusiveness of the evidence that the farmers in the North did not want the Country Party. And, despite the embittered and somewhat sulphurous remarks of Mr. Colheck, one of the defeated Country Party candidates, respecting the 'greenness' of the farmers, they showed their good sense in tho view they took." A sentence of seveii days' imprisonment was imposed at Hamilton on Walter Daniel Cox, aged 34, on a charge of being an idle and disorderly person. Tho police stated that accused had been in the country only a few months. He had been seen wandering aimlessly about Orini, sleeping in an unused shop. His presence iu the district had caused uneasiness to the settlers, -and ho had been before the Court before.

The voice of conscience does not always remain silent, and, according to a Gazette notice published last week, its influence was recently felt by more than one person. One sum forwarded to the Secretary of the Treasury as conscience money was 10s, while two amounts of £2O each reached the Land and Income Tax Department.

A monkey which escaped from the Opera House in Christchurch on Tuesday succeeded iu reaching Hereford, Street, and the staff at tho National Bank was called on to participate in a chase through the premises. ./flic wanderer, which is a performer in n-» hippodrome, eluded the attempts at capture and made toward tho Bank of New Zealand, but was eventually trapped and returned to the Opera House.

The steady growth and increasing commercial importance of Blenheim and its surrounding district are reflected in the decision of the Bank of Australasia to open a branch there in the immediate future. Mr. E. Horrobin, formerly manager of the bank's Otaki branch, lias been selected fo take charge of the, bank's Blenheim branch.

The caretaker's residence at the Caledonian Grounds in Timaru was totally destroyed by fire recently. At the time of the outbreak, the occupiers of the dwelling, Mr. and Mrs. Drew, were in town, but their son, aged twelve, was sleeping in one of the front rooms. Fortunately ho was awakened by the smoke, and ran to the residence of Mr. J. A. Hay. a short distance away, to give the alarm. Consisting as it did of dry seasoned timber, the building rapidly became enveloped in flames, and little could bo done by the brigade. A few pieces of furniture and a piano wore saved, but even these ware somewhat charred.