LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19230, 20 January 1926, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

During the absence of the family at the pictures on Monday evening, a thief entered a house at 365, Manukau Road, Epsom, occupied by Mr. James Ruston, confectioner and greengrocer, and stole money and clothing, the total value being about £lO. When they retnrrted the occupants found the kitchen window at the back of the house was open. It had been locked inside by a large nail, but this had been forced. There was ample evidence of the burglar's visit. Two cases occurred yesterday afternoon of old people sustaining injury through falling in the street. Mr. Thomas Manning, of Manukau Road, Avondale, slipped on a grating outside the Y.M.C.A. Buildings in Wellesley Street at about four o'clock, and on examination at the Auckland Hospital it was found that his left leg was fractured. Mrs. Mary Butler, aged 76, of 631, Manukau Road, Epsom, suffered a fracture of her left wrist as the result of a fall in Queen Street. Neither case is serious.

A large number of passengers are arriving in New Zealand from overseas this week, over one thousand being from England. The Shaw, Savill and Albion liner Arawa, duo at Auckland from Southampton to-morrow, has 513 passengers, and 595 passengers will reach Wellington from Southampton on Saturday by the New Zealand Shipping Company's liner Ruahine. In addition, the Niagara landed 422 passengers from Sydney at Auckland on Monday, and the Marama reached Auckland from Sydney yesterday with 217 passengers. Over 300 passengers arrived at Wellington from Sydney by the Maunganui yesterday, arfd the Moeraki is due there from Melbourne to-morrow with a further number.

A further report was made to the Auckland Hospital Board last evening concerning the case of a young woman who arrived from England eleven months ago and was admitted to the hospital last November suffering from tuberculosis of the hip. It was stated she was likely to be a charge on the institution for some years, that she was refused an assisted passage to New Zealand on account of her infirmity, but that she was permitted to come out by paying her passage in the ordinary way. Indignation was expressed that the case should have been thus overlooked by the authorities in England, and it was decided to call the attention of the Prime Minister and the Minister of Health to the seeming laxity in administration of the regulations.

The Union Steam Ship Company's new steamer Tamahine was being drawn up on the patent slip in Evan's Bay, Wellington, yesterday morning when one of the chains used for hauling on the slip cradle broke. Two other big chains still held the cradle, besides which there are massive pawls which prevent the cradle from running back into the harbour. Three-quarters of the Tamahine's length was out of the water, and she remained in that position for a couple of hours until repairs to the cable had been completed. The vessel was then safely drawn right up into the slipyard to receive her first cleaning and painting since her arrival in New Zealand. She is one of the largest vessels yet put on the Wellington slip, being of 1850 tons gross. A deep-sea sportsman, Mr. P. R. Gardner, of Kamo, from long experience on the known grounds, was convinced that mako sharks, swordfish and hammerheaded sharks would all be found'in the deep water off Whangarei Heads. He has proved his belief to be right. Among catches made by him at the week-end was a mako shark 10ft. long and weighing 3861b. Half a mile off, under Bream Head, he saw in two hours four other mako sharks and three swordfish, one of the latter of the broadbill species. Never in his experience, he said,, has he seen so much indication of good sport offering. * - ,

The Railway Department's scheme of housing for employees in connection with the railway deviation at Palmerston North is proceeding apace. Sixty-five houses are to be erected near the site of the proposed new station and 50 are now under way, several being practically completed already. All are factory cut at Frankton, then railed to Palmerston, where they are assembled. Different types of roofs and porches will lend variety to architecture, and tend to the creation of a suburb on model lines at the western boundary of the borough.

" Small profits, quick returns," is not, in the opinion of a member of the Poliangina County Council, the slogan of the modern schoolboy, for he remarked during a discussion on the small, bird nuisance at a council meeting that he did not think the payment of 4d per dozen for birds' eggs would appeal to the present-day youth. Younger members of the council, however, held that the pursuit still held a strong appeal for the average boy.

A good deal of drift wood has been coming down the Wanganui River during the past few days on account of the heavy rains experienced recently." The danger that existed from floating logs prevented several of the highest powered launches on the river from competing in a motor-boat race last Saturday. As it was the, propellor of the Tortoise was damaged through coming in contact with driftwood.

A painful accident befel Carl Erenstrom, 17 years of age, who resides at Main Street, Palmerston North, when he was injured while bathing in the Manawatu River, at the Fitzroy bend, last week. Where the water was about only 3ft. deep Erenstrom took a dive off the shoulders of a companion. He struck the gravel bottom, and his injuries were such that he had to be taken to the hospital, being unable to move his head. An X-ray examination was made and it was reported that Erenstrom was progressing favourably.

It would seem that at present Dunedin is full of visitors, and that a similar position will be maintained for a considerable time, says the Otago Daily Times. A prominent hotelkeeper stated that since last Sunday the hotels and private hotels have been occupied to their full capacity, and a large number of visitors have been billeted through the Accommodation Bureau in private homes. The bowlers have taken up a lot of accommodation. On January 25 the wool buyers will arrive, then follow the optometrists, the Trotting Conference, the New Zealand Institute of Architects, the Press Association, New Zealand Accountants, and numerous other bodies which are holding their annual conferences. The city will consequently have a large number l of visitors right up to the end of March.