LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19255, 18 February 1926, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A schoolgirl, Hazel Colquitt, aged 13, was reported missing lrom her home in Church Street, Penrose, last evening, and u_p to a late hour had not been heard of. She was last seen at mid-day in Mays Road, Te Papapa, going in the direction of Penrose. The girl is about sft. 4in. in height, of slight build, with dark bustercut hair, fair complexion and full face. She was wearing a brown dress with light stripes, a brown jumper with long sleeves and black iace-up boots. There was a steady demand for beef at the Westfield fat stock sale yesterday with values generally firm at last week's quotations. Extra choice ox brought up to £1 12s per 1001b, choice and prime selling at from £1 8s to £1 lis. Prime young cow and heifer beef realised £1 5s to £1 9s. Sheep were yarded in large numbers and values were easier, especially for ewes. Heavy prime wethers made £1 9s to £1 lis and medium prime £1 7s to £1 9s. A large yarding of pigs sold readily at late quotations. Choppers brought £3 to £5 and heavy and medium baooners £4 lis to £5 Is. A fire was discovered at nine o'clock last evening in a two-storeyed wooden building in Victoria Street West, owned by Mr. W. Clarke, of Victoria Street, and occupied by Mrs. S. Bowman. The outbreak occurred in a bedroom, and was quickly suppressed, the chief damage being caused to bedding. The Mount Albert Fire Brigade received a call to Mount Royal Avenue shortly before six o'clock last evening. Grass in a paddock was being burnt off, and when the brigade arrived the fire was well under control. The American schooner-yacht Kaimiloa will leave this afternoon for the Bay of Islands, where its owner, Mr. M. R. Kellum, intends to spend a fortnight's deep-sea fishing. Among the guests of Mr. and Mrs, Kellum on their northern trip will be their son, Mr. N. Kellum, and Mrs. Kellum, of Murea Island, Tahiti, Captain and Mrs. Gray a also of Murea, Miss B. Murphy, of Gisborne, and Miss J. Lawford, of Auckland. Mr. R. 0. Chesney will also accompany the party. On his return Mr. Kellum proposes to spend another two or three weeks at Taupo. The statement contained in a letter published in the Heeaxd that 40 exTraining College students had been unable to find employment, was referred to by the chairman of the Auckland Education Board at yesterday's meeting. Figures were supplied showing that there were actually only three students to whom a position had not yet been offered. The assistant-secretary stated that these were uncertificated teachers, who would be given relieving work as soon as possible. All the other students had been offered employment and would no doubt be appointed to permanent positions before long. A decision to frame a by-law prohibiting the use of trolleys or any similar contrivances in the streets unless they are being drawn or propelled by some person not riding on them, was made by the Devonport Borough Council last evening. It was stated that now most of the main roads in Devonport were paved in concrete some of the steep grades were proving favourite tobogganing grounds for small boys with trolleys. With , the increase in tha amount of motor traffic the boys and their trolleys constituted a danger both to- themselves and to motorists. . A rapid increase In Auckland's school population was indicated in the returns for the quarter ending December 1, submitted at yesterday's meeting of the Education Board. The number of scholars on the roll at the end of 1925 was 67,004, an' increase of 1384 over the figures for the preceding year. The average attendance totalled 61,476, made up of 32,086 boys and 29,390 girls. This represented an increase of 3699 in the average attendance, which in itself was 91 per cent, of the roll number. Members commented on the remarkable expansion of the Auckland district, as shown in the primary school returns. After trying hard for more than a year, the Auckland Chamber of Commerce has ousted from one stronghold the disliked word "Australasian." The London Chamber of Commerce has had for a, long while an "Australasian Trade Section." Early last year the Auckland Chamber wrote suggesting that the title was misleading, and that it should be altered to "Australian and New Zealand Trad* Section." The London Chamber seemed at first not to take the proposal seriously, but at its meeting this week the council of the Auckland Chamber was notified that the section had unanimously recommended, that the change should be made.

An application for permission to erect four houses in pinus insignia on the Merrilanda Estate came before the One Tree Hill Road Board last evening. The applicant suggested that if the board was not desirous of establishing a precedent or bringing in a by-law permitting building in pine, his application should be considered as an experiment to provide cheaper homes with an equal degree of stability. Mr. J. Dawson, engineer to the board, said he had seen houses at Tokopura built of pine, which were wearing well after about eight years. It wan decided to grant the application providing the weather-boards and the portion from the ground to the floor are built of standard timbers. If ha desires the applicant may use pine in the inside construction from the floor upwards.

During the hearing of a divorce petition at Dunedin yesterday, petitioner stated that he married respondent twice, the first time under the name of his stepfather, and later under his own name. He stated that he was under the impression that the first marriage was invalid, and having communicated with the Registrar-General on the point, had decided to go through the ceremony anew. Mr. Justice Sim stated that the first marriage appeared to have been valid, and for dissolution proceedings to succeed it would be necessary to show that the parties were actually married on The first occasion.

Fishing in the Waikato River a few days ago three parties of anglers, using canoes, secured over forty fine trout, ranging in weight up to 8!b. The spot where the trout were secured is just above the hydro-electric construction works at Ar&puni, and is comparatively easy of .access from Te Awamutu.

There were 25 bankruptcies in the Hamilton district last year, nine involving farmers. Discharges were granted in 13 cases and five were suspended. The amounts owing to unsecured creditors totalled £28,819 6s, and the assets realised £8854 2s Id. A total of £3853 17s 2d was paid out in dividends.