LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19658, 9 June 1927, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Two men concealed themselves on board the Shaw, Savill and Albion steamer Mamari at London, and when the vessel reached Auckland yesterday morning they were given in chargo of the wharf police. The two stowaways are Australians and about 30 years of age. They hid themselves in the paint-locker and when discovered after the vessel was a day at sea they were put to work. Several members and officials of the Auckland Power Board, including the chairman, Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, and Mr. R- H. Bartley, general manager, visited Arapuni yesterday for the purpose of obtaining first-hand information regarding the progress of the Arapuni hydro-electric scheme. They will attend the power boards conference, to be held in Hamilton to-day. The election of 84 now members at the meeting of the Auckland Automobile Association Council last evening brought the membership up to 4750. Gratification came from another source also, when the secretary announced that the Main Highways Board had agreed to pay £353 on account of the signposting undertaken unconditionally by the association during the past few years Proof of the severity of conditions during the winter months is afforded in a statement by Major Annie Gordon in regard to the assistance which has been given by the Salvation Army. During May 500 families received orders upon grocers and butchers, and 200 bags of coal, 199 parcels of clothing and 50 pairs of blankets were given out in addition* to bedding and furnishings. A good haulago record was recently put up by a steam roller on Parnell Rise. It had for a load a transformer for the Public Works Department weighing 18 tons, which was carried on a truck weighing 63 tons. The roller itself weighs about 15 tons and has been in constant work for 30 years. Generous tribute to the far-sighted founders of the Auckland Savings Band was paid by the president, Mr. E.' Anderson, at the meeting of trustees yesterday, on the occasion of the 80t'n birthday of the institution. Mr. Anderson reviewed the history of the bank and said he took pleasure in its wonderful progress and pride in his association with the concern. Bunting was flown from the Queen Street building to mark the occasion. When. the official figures are compiled at the Government Labour Bureau at the end of the week there is likely to be a considerable decrease in the number of men seeking work. Since the beginning of the week over 50 men have left Auckland for Whangamata, near Waihi, where they are being employed by the Public Works Department on road constructionSimilar work on the Owawenga Block, Otorohanga, has been responsible for absorbing 15 other men. Unfavourable weather has resulted in largo numbers of casual employees missing two and more days' work in some districts. In order to fill the vacancy on the committee of the Auckland Institute, occasioned by the forthcoming departure of Dr. P. H. Buck for Honolulu, Mr. G. Graham suggested at the meeting of the anthropological section on Tuesday evening that an endeavour should be made to obtain one or more representatives of the Maori race. Mr. Graham emphasised the loss the institute would sufier by Dr. Buck's departure, which would break the link between the institute and museum, and the native race. Mr. Gilbert Archey, curator of the museum, and several other members supported Mr. Graham's proposal. To watch from a tree in the Domain a game of football in Carlaw Park cost George Hogwood £1 6s in the Police Court yesterday, when he was charged with' ""climbing trees." Senior-Sergeant Edwards said the City Council had experienced some trouble through people climbing trees outside Carlaw Park and it wished to put a stop to the practice. " Perhaps the by-law is not known," said the magistrate, Mr. W. R. McKean, " but I can quite see that public attention should be drawn to it. Accused will be convicted and ordered to pay costs amounting to £1 6s. Fines will be imposed in future cases." " I know nothing more sickening than to have to sit down and deliberately wipe out the names of hundreds of men who want employment and who are unable to get it," said Archdeacon Mac Murray when opening at the Town Hall yesterday the Rev. Jasper Calder's winter fair for the unemployed. Archdeacon Macmurray said the Djlworth Trust Board wished to employ two men, and for these two positions there had been 627 inquiries at the office and 185 by letter, making a total of 812. Following representations made by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, the Railway Department has decided to change the name of the Pukanui station, near Helensville, to Punganui, in view of confusion which existed between the former name and Puhinui to the south of Auckland. The change will come into effect on June 26. Through being delayed at Ngaruawahia by a fault in the tablet system the Main Trunk express arrived in Auckland about an hour and a-half late yesterday moriv ing. The scheduled time of arrival is 6.41 a.m., which enables the Wellington mail to bo sorted in time foi the morn ing delivery at 8 a.m. The express did not arrive until 8.10 a.m., and the mail was not delivered until the afternoon A suggestion that the council consider the practicability of converting some of its heavy lorries into motor-buses and running a municipal bus service was made at the meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council last evening. The matter \ < referred to a committee for consideration. An old blockhouse at Wallaceville, near Wellington, which was erected in 1860 as a refuge against anticipated but unrealised attacks by Maoris, 13 now being repaired, and while the work of restoration may detract somewhat from its venerable appearance, it should preserve this link with the early days for many years to come. The need for repairing the old building was noted as far back as 1921, when tho Early Settlers Association brought the matter before the Lands and Servey Department, and more recently by the Upper Hutt Borough Council, who offered to maintain and administer the reserve if the Goverrfment spent £IOO on putting tho building and the surrounding acre of land in 'order. This sum waa voted for the work last year.