LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19632, 10 May 1927, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

To-day is the second anniversary of the death of the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey, who led the R«iform Party in its displacement of the Liberal administration, and then held office as Prime Minister of New Zealand for nearly 13 years. His term of office, which dated from July, 1912, was second only in length to that of the Rt. Hon. R. J. Seddon, and, like Mr. Seddon, he died- in official harness. "I am always felling counsel that the purpose of an opening speech is to indicate to the jury what evidence it is proposed to call," remarked Mr. Justice Stringer in the Supreme Court yesterday in interrupting the preliminary remarks of counsel in an assault case. "You should sum up the case when the whole facts are before you. When you enter into criticism of the case you make the jury more or less confused.''

Astonishment was expressed at the Papakura Town Board's meeting last evening when advice was received from the Papakura Fire Station Committee that the proposal to hold a fire brigade demonstration at Papakura on June 3 had had to be abandoned, the brigade having written the committee " that the brigade did not thirk it advisable to hold a demonstration on June 3 and did not see its way clear to take part in such a function, but thought a smoke concert would be better." Members took the suggestion of a smoke concert in lieu of a demonstration as a preposterous joke. The chairman said he had been fissured that day by thu captain of the brigade that arrangements were now being made for the demonstration.

A lurid blaze from the incinerator at the Tamaki Sawmill Company's plant at the corner of Great South Road and Manukau Road shortly after five o'clock last evening resulted in the Parnell and Remuera fire brigades being summoned. An inspection showed that the burning of some shavings had caused the flue to become red hot, Ibut there was no necessity for the services of the brigades.

A collision between two motor-cars at the intersection of Mount Eden Road and Watling Street u Saturday evening adds another mishap to the long list of traffic misunderstanding® which have occurred at this corner. An embankment obscures the view at the junction, and the blind spot is regarded as one of the worst in the suburbs.

Another coincidence of an aged brother and sister dying within a short period of each other is reported. Mrs. Marion Whitelaw Fisher, of Cambridge, aged 71, had been suffering for some months and became confined to her bed. This fact upset her brother, Mr. Jolm Crickett, aged 87, of Ci|;y Road, Auckland, and* early Sunday morning he passed away. At 10 o'clock the same morning Mrs. Fisher died. Mr. Crickett, who was eldest member of his family, arrived in New Zealand ih the Helenslea about 62 years ago. Mrs. Fisher was the youngest member of the family. The presentation of the first link of a gold mayoral chain was made at the initial meeting of the new Onehunga Borough Council last evening. The town clerk, Mr. H. A. Yockney, said he had been asked by the donor, Mr. W. Morton, to state that instead of merely carrying out his promise, made during the jubilee celebrations last week, he had decided to attach the link to a silk collar, so that the Mayor wear it at once. Accordingly, the tow a clerk inves ted the Mayor, Mr. W. C. Coldicutt, with the collar of office. Mr. Morton had also presented, an appropriate gold pendant. The Mayor gratefully accepted the gift, and said he hoped that former Mayors of the borough would perpetuate their turn of office by adding a link to the chain. He stated the pendant bore the Maori inscription: "Kei ahau te mana," which was capable of three somewhat similar interpretations, of which he preferred the following: "I hold the key of the position. !> - "Auckland is at least five to ten years behind the times in the matter of eliminating from her narrow streets those dangerous centre tramway poles, which have already exacted and continue to exact heavy toll on human lives and property," says the May journal of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, In a review of transport conditions in the city and suburbs. The journal .suggests that no other city in New Zealand, even oneseventh the size of Auckland, tolerates the .(existence of the poles in the centre of the streets.

A motor-lorry owned by Mr. G. H. Geard, carrier, crashed into a centre-pole outside the Hekald Office shortly before 3 o'clock yesterday afternoon. No one was injured. Although the vehicle bore no ohtward sign of damage beyond a shattered windscreen, it was unable to proceed under its own power.

A complaint recently made by the Auckland Commercial Travellers and Warehousemen's Association to the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. K. S. Williams, that about a mile of road between Pokeno and Waitakaruru was unmetalled and in a bad state for motorists, has received redress. The Minister has replied stating the formation and metalling of the portion of the road in question is now in hand.

The pedestrian traffic control rules for the lower Queen Street crossings were swept by the board last evening by the thousands of home-going passengers by the ferry boats and trams. Hardly one instance was observed of any pedestrian appearing to realise that he had passed beyond the confines of the white lines on" the roadway into the prohibited area where the old-time practice of tram and car dodging was indulged in. At that hour, the pointsmen were fully occupied in controlling the vehicular traffic, and the pedestrians had perforce to be left to go their own way. The oil engine for the Tongan Government's new motor-ship Hifofua was lifted into the vessel by the Harbour Board's floating crane yesterday afternoon. The engine weighs seven tons. Afterwards the Hifofua was taken back to the Central Wharf, and this morning her two masts will be lifted off the wharf by one of the board's five-ton electric cranes and placed in position.

An exciting chase after a supposed thief occupied the attention of Mr. Warland, verger, and- Mr. C. Michel, sacristan, of St. Paul's Church,, during the evening service on Sunday. Hearing a dog barking in the parish"hall beneath the church the verger warned the sacristan and together they went outside to investigate. At the chance! end of the building they observed a man moving in the long grass and attempting to keep out of sight. The church officers gave chase, but the intruder escaped through a hedge. On the previous Sunday evening, six ladies' handbags were missed from the vestry of the church', and some weeks previously a number of valuable communion vessels were stolen.