LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19217, 5 January 1926, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Most of Auckland's business houses resumed yesterday after the holidays. Banks and insurance offices were open, while Queen Street presented a busier scone during the day than has been the case since beforo Christmas. Several offices remain closed, chief among the number being those of solicitors, who do not reopen until January 11. " There was every indication when I left England that the winter would hold less hardships than thft winter of last year," stated Sir Herbert Matthews, an English agricultural expert, who arrived yesterday by the Maunganui from Sydney. Ho added that generally speaking the industrial and social conditions of England were gradually improving. Taxes were still very heavy and the unemployment problem was still acute. A station erected and furnished by the Auckland National Reserve Division of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, with the help of the local residents, was opened at Onetangi on New Year's Day, by Mr. W. E Parry, M.P. The structure was built under the guidance of Mr. H. Garrett, and affords living accommodation for two men. Mr. Parry said he hoped sincerely no call upon'the station's services would have to be made. In the past Onetangi had been particularly free from accidents, but the. residents were extremely grateful to the brigade for placing facilities on the beach if evor the occasion arose to make a call upon them. It was such foresight that might mean the saving of life. Mr. Garrett gave, a short address on life-saving and an exhibition of methods employed in emergency cases. During 1925 building permits to the value of over three-quarters of a million were issued by the Christchurch City Council. The exact amount was £750,358, compared with £805,992 for 1524, a decreaso of £55,624. However, although there was a decrease in the value, the number of buildings showed an increase, the figures being 1223 for 1925 and 1114 for 1924.

The observation buses run daily by the Wanganui Tramway Department are proving very popular. The route covers 24 miles, going all round the city and taking in many points of interest and beauty. Each passenger is given a map of the tour, and in the afternoon an inspector accompanies the passengers and points out the sights. With only three buses at its command, the department has some difficulty in satisfying all the demands on the services, but the chassis of a fourth bus is due to arrive in the Dominion by the Otira " I am afraid the public of to-day is deteriorating. In football and other sports, men with the physical attributes that would justify their participation stand on the bank," declared Mr. B. S. Irwin, president of the Otago Athletic and Cycling' Club, at, a smoke. concert to visiting delegates and competitors last week. He said that too many people were spectators instead of being participators. Favoured by the recent dry spell, harvesting 'operations throughout the Rangitikei district aro well advanced. Golden grain is stooked on all sides ready for .collecting and threshing, but it is noticeable that the crops are more stunted in growth than ' usual. This is no doubt due to the chisck in growth occasioned by the unusual season. The crops are shorter: than in the past, but the quality of the yields is expected to come up to the average.,

Because he feared, a dog which had attacked him a few days previously Norman Maben Marshall, a lad of 11 years, residing at. Waterloo Road, Lower Hutt, rode his bicycle,on to the- footpath on New Year's Eve,.to .avoid the. animal; On account of.high gorse. hedges he did not perceive that Coloncil Chesney was driving his car out on to the road, the bicycle striking the side of the motor and throwing Marshall to the ground. The boy got np and was able to wheel his bicycle home, but later in the evening be became restless, contracted cerebral hemorrhage and died early on Saturday morning. Evidence of this character was given at the inquest before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M., in Wellington, when it was shown that, when struck, the lad appeared to be quite unhurt. He was not badly cut by the falL The coroner returned a. verdict that deceased ' met his death from cerebral hemorrhage and shock following injuries received in the accident.

Remarkable successes in Highland dancing were gained by Miss Gwen Macnaughton, of Auckland, at the Waipu Caledonian Sports on New Year's Day. In addition to winning the New Zealand championships in the sailors' hornpipe and sword dance Miss Macnaughton won first place in the Highland Fling, the Highland Reel, the Reel o' Tulloch, and the Irish Jig. She also tied for first in the sailors' hornpipe, and in the sean triufehais, the only other competition for which sho entered, she was placed second. In discussing the question of motor-car thefts in Palmerston North Sergeant Power stated ; that during the year a large number of bicycles found their way to the police buildings, but that most of them were machines taken in error. "Very often," said the sergeant, "we receive complaints regarding the disappearance of a bicycle, and on making a search for it we find the missing machine some distance from where it was reported to have been left." This was accounted for by the fact that occasionally when- a person took a bicycle in mistake and later discovered it to be a machine other than his own he immediately stopped, dismounted, left the bicycle at the point of realisation of wrong ownership, and proceeded to the place where ho had placed his own property, forgetting about the unfortunate individual whose cycle he had taken inadvertently. "On some occasions," said the sergeant, "we have had as many as four bicycles here awaiting identification by their respective owners." There was, however, only a small amount of theft reported to the police as far as bicycles were concerned.

There was a large gathering of officers of the Wellington Harbour Board on Thursday in connection with the retirement of three old officers of the board. Mr. F. J. Bull, chief tolls clerk, after over 40 years', service, who retires on superannuation allowance,. was presented with a well-filled wallet; Mr.' L. Spearman, after 28 years' service, received a silver tea . service; arid Mr. L. Arcus, after 23 years' service, received a large oak clock. | Messrs. Spearman and Arcus also receive a superannuation allowance. The presentation was made by Mr. J. Marchbanks, general manager, who spoke in appreciative terms of the excellent service rendered by the retiring officers, and especially of the very long service so ablv given by Mr. Bull