LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19657, 8 June 1927, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The steamer Marama, which was due at Wellington yesterday with an Australian mail on board, evidently met with stormy weather. Advice at an early hour this morning was to the effect that the Marama had not made port and would not arrive until 7 o'clock this morning.

Three moro cases of diphtheria at Papatoetoo have been reported to the Health Department since Saturday. The patients are an adult, a girl of 15, and a child under school ago. Dr. 11. Chesson, medical officer of health, said yesterday that all the patients, who had the disease in a mild form, had been isolated, and every precaution was being taken to prevent the spread of the epidemic.

The railway crossing at Puhunui Road, Papatoetoe, was eliminated yesterday by the opening of the new overhead bridge. The bridge has been built with wide-vision approaches and, although the level crossing was not regarded as particularly dangerous, its closing will be appreciated by both local and through traffic.

"Tho fact that Australia fears the competition of New Zealand butter, on account of its quality, should bo made known by the Dairy Produce Board throughout tho world," said Mr. A. G. Lunn, president of tho Auckland Chamber of Commerce, when addressing the Advertising Club yesterday. No organisation in tho Dominion, ho added, was more keenly desirous of furthering tho interests of the farming community than the Chamber of Commerce.

The Minister of Justice, Hon. F. JRolleston, stated yesterday that a list of the latest appointments to the Commission of Peace of tho Dominion would be gazetted to-morrow. The list would contain tho names of some women justices.

A notice of motion that steps be taken to amalgamate the boroughs of Birkenhead and Northcote lapsed at the meeting of the Northcote Borough Council last evening, the proposer, Mr. H. Weaver, being absent at Wliangarei. The Mayor, Mr. A. E. Greenslade, gave notice for next meeting that the views of the Devonport, Talcapuna and Birkenhead Borough Councils should be ascertained regarding the union of all the North Shore boroughs, or any of them. A suggestion by the Birkenhead Borough Council that, in view of both bodies having their by-laws under revision, the Northcote Council should co-operate with a view to uniform by-laws for the two districts, was endorsed.

An interesting ceremony took place at the luncheon given by the Auckland Motor Trade Association to the visiting British motor delegation yesterday. Sir Archibald Boyd-Carpenter, one of the delegation, said he had been asked by Sir Herbert Austin, director of the Austin car manufacturing firm, to present a gold watch to Mr. John Seabrook for his excellent -services on behalf <of the Austin car. Mr. Seabrook said it was pleasing to note that so much interest had been taken in England of happenings in the Dominion.

"Revering the justices of the peace order as I do," said Archbishop Julius at the justices' social at Christchurch, I only wish that some of the plenipotentiaries, some of the big wigs who manage the affairs of the world in general, were placed in durance vile, and that justices of the peace were allowed to govern the world. I believe that if the late Emperor of Germany had been given seven days' imprisonment without the option of a fine there would have been no war.

When the Hon. R. A. Wright, Ministei of Education, visits Stratford next week he will accept on behalf of the Government a library of 1500 volumes, worth not less than £BOO. Mr. Harold Trimble is the donor and the Stratford Technical School the recipient. The volumes were collected by Mr. Trimble's brother and include some relatively scarce historical works, some of which relate especially to Great Britain and America.

A v request that ho be granted leave of absence without pay for three months, so as to relieve the borough finances, was mado by the engineer at the last meeting of the To Awamutu Borough Council. In accepting the offer the council recorded its appreciation of tho generous spirit which had prompted it.

Some years ago a chestnut-breasted teal drake arrived at the Wellington Zoo of its own accord, and took up its abode on the lake. Last season he took unto himself as a wife a mallard duck, with the result that the parents are now proudly convoying their unusual progeny—a family of one. This young bird is a male, with his father's characteristic colouring on his head and breast, the other portions of the body resembling the mallard. In size this unique bird is larger than tho chestnutbreasted teal, but smaller than a mallard. That it will be content with its home on the pond at the zoo is probably an event to be hoped for.

Tho Kamo School Commitiee has decided to establish a roll of honour in memory of old boys of the school who lost their lives in the Great War. The proposal is being well, supported in the district and several donations have been promised.

It is understood that negotiations are in progress which might lead to the purchase of tho old Normal School by tho Canterbury Manufacturers' Association, telegraphs our Christchurcli correspondent. Mr. E. 11. Marriner, organiser of the association, stated that nothing definite hied been decided as yet, but ho would probably be able to make an announcement in a day or two. Tho school building, which is one of the oldest in Canterbury, included the offices of the Canterbury Education Board until some years ago. Tho Canterbury Manufacturers' Association held their ideal home exhibition at tho school last year.;

That there was a curious lack of what might be termed "considerateness" in New Zealand as compared with England was a contention of Archbishop Julius as expressed in his address at a social of tho Canterbury Justices of the Peace Association last week. As an instance, he cited the - conduct of traffic. Ho said ho would drive in London any day rather than in Christchurcli, where one did not know whefe one was. Motor-cars here would swerve without any thought for those driving or riding behind them. The speaker preferred to drive an Atlantic steamship rather than a bus in London, and yet the London drivers had the forethought to beckon on followers when there was a break in tho traffic. In Christchurch men would talk on the roads while their bicycles'took up much of the way, and it was seldom that a boy would keep to the channel sido of the footpath when passing a woman, no matter how well dressed she might be.