LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19215, 2 January 1926, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Very boisterous and squally weather was experienced in Auckland yesterday. Late on New Year's Eve the weather became showery, and a light breeze was blowing from the north. Early yesterday morning the wind freshened and changed to the south-west. It blew strongly from that direction all day, accompanied by occasional rain showers. Toward evening the conditions improved somewhat, and the wind moderated considerably. Hie barometer, which registered 30.10 in. at mid-day on Thursday, fell steadily until last evening, when the reading was 29.60 in., a fall of .50in. in 18 hours. The glass remained steady up to a late hour and then began falling again. A flat-bottomed dinghy, painted blue, badly smashed and containing oars and a man's soft felt hat, was discovered on western beach, Northcote, yesterday morning by Mr W. Powell. No boating accident has been reported and it is not known what the history attaching to the dinghy is. The Federal Line steamer Norfolk, which reached Auckland from Liverpool yesterday, sailed on her voyage on November 24 with six dogs on board, four collies and two Airedale terriers. During the voyage the pack increased to 19. On Christmas Day one of the collies gave birth to six pups, all females. On Boxing Day, another collie went one better and had a litter of seven pups, four males and three females. The supply of fruit at the Auckland city markets on Thursday to tide shopkeepers and their customers over the New Year holidays met with a keen demand. All varieties sold well. Strawberries were plentiful, and sold exceptionally well,- realising from Is 2d to Is 5d a chip. Apricots and peaches also came forward in good supply. The produce market was confined mainly to potatoes, green peas and beans, which all sold well. The Auckland Racing Club's Summer Meeting was continued at Ellerslie yesterday, when there was an attendance of about 26,000. The leading event of the programme, the Great Northern Derby, was won by Mr. A. 15. Williams' colt Star Stranger. The totalisator investments amounted to £110,652 10s. Compared with the figures on the corresponding day of last year this represents a decrease of £12,323, but on that occasion the programme comprised eight events, while this year it was limited to seven races.

Tragic circumstances surround the death of a little girl named Hyland, 11 months old, who was drowned in a bucket at Kaiwhaike Pa, says a Wanganui paper. It transpires that the mother left tho child in the care of a lad of nine while she went to the back of the section for the purpose of collecting wood. While the lad was attending to some duty the child fell head first into a bucket of water, where the distracted mother found it dead on her return. It is only a few months since another tragedy darkened the home of the bareaved parents, when a little boy was kicked on the head by a horse and killed. An inquest was conducted by the coroner at Kaiwhaike, and after evidence had been heard, a verdict of accidental death was returned. The last two or three hot days, with the strong north-westers, have considerably altered the appearance of the Peninsula, says a Christchyvch paper. The hills and spurs are getting very brown. Feed is plentiful, farmers profiting by last winter's experience, having cut more hay than usual. The cocksfoot crop, which a few weeks an.o gave promise of an abundant yield':, is now looking very thin," and with the restricted area there is a prospect of a considerable shortage. A good heavy rain is needed to bring on the seed. Shearing is not yet finished, though, many of the small owners have cut out. In the gardens flowers and vegetables are abundant. All stone fruit will be in short supply, apricots especially. Apples and pear trees are well laden, and walnuts make a better showing than for some years past. The great Waipikirangi geyser at Taupo is once more active, writes a correspondent of a Napier paper. This large and beautiful geyser broke out quite suddenly less than a year ago, only a few yards from the famous Crow's Nest, and used to play over 100 ft. Then the lake and Waikato River rose, and swamped it. For some time past the river has been falling and the boiling pool, once more freed from the weight of cold water, is again delighting the spectators. It is now playing several times a day, sometimes contemporaneously with the Crow's Nest. To see these magnificent geysers playing together, with the spray from them almost mingling, and the glorious rainbows shining in the steam, i 3 a sight never to be forgotten. Owing to dry weather the enormous motor traffic is seriously affecting the foliage and blooms in the Government gardens at Rotorua. Motorists thoughtlessiy exceed a reasonable speed in the garden drives, and the dust churned up from the light pumjce road is thick on every leaf. Unless motorists are more thoughtful of public property tho serious step of closing the drives may have to be considered by the authorities.

Since the amalgamation of the Landa and Survey Department over 30 years ago, the chief administrative position in the various districts, that of commissioner of Crown lands and chief surveyor, has, with perhaps one exception, been held by the professional officers, who have been trained principally in the survey branch of the department. It is understood that a change in policy is being made in respect of these appointments, and that the professional position, that of chief surveyor, will be separated from that of commissioner of Crown lands, and further that the new policy will be carried into effect in the appointment of a successor to the present commissioner of Crown lands and chief surveyor at Wellington, Mr. T. Brook, who is to take over the duties of Valuer-General at an early date. A public farewell was given at Morrinsvillo last Wednesday ■in honour of Mr. H. Arnold, stationmaster, who has retired after 40 years service in the Railway Department. He has been located at Auckland, Remuera, Opua, Whangarei, Mount Somers, Hornby and Morrinsville, being stationmaster at the last five places. Before coming to New Zealand he served for over five years in the London and North-Western Railway, in which his father was a stationmaster. The high esteem in which he is held at Morrinsville was clearly demonstrated by the many warm tributes paid to him at. a farewell gathering.