LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19792, 12 November 1927, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A large consignment of steel towers for the Waikaremoana electric scheme is being unloaded from the Canadian Pioneer at Prince's Wharf. The towers will be taken to Waikokopu by the Richardson steamer Parera, which is due at Auckland on Wednesday to load 700 tons. The Canadian Pioneer's shipment is part of a large older which was placed in Canada by the Government, While unloading coal from the steamer Kaiapoi at Western Wharf shortly after ono o'clock yesterday afternoon, Mr. Frederick Watson, aged 53, of 57, Grey's Avenue, slipped on one of the stages and sustained a fracture of the right leg. Ho was taken to the Auckland Hospital by the St. John Ambulance.

Petitions in divorce will occupy the attention of the Supreme Court next Thursday. About 60 undefended actions have boen set down for hearing.

In connection with the destruction of the bedding and tent of an ex-soldier, who died recently from tuberculosis, and in consideration of the loss sustainec thereby by the widow, the Otahuhu Borough Council donated £2 10s. The council received a letter from the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association, stating it was considered the action of the borough health officer had been too drastic and that he had not received the permission necessary to destroy the effects, and further that the compensation paid was quite insufficient for the loss sustained. The borough officer's report was that he had acted under the district health officer's instructions and that permisison to destroy the bedding was given, and was in the best interests of those concerned. It was decided to reply to the association in the terms stated..

Tho heroic'deed that made the name of Grace Darling famous was emulated last Saturday, when Mr. Ivan Brown's yacht Irex capsized in the vicinity of Cemetery Point, Broad Bay, near Dunedin. r JJhe yacht had come .to . grief in the strong south-west wind, . whetj Miss Gwenda Burt saw the crew's predicament, and ' though-• she knew that help was being procured from Broad Bay, launched a dinghy with the help of two other women, and, by herself, put off to the rescue. The strong wind caused a choppy sea, which made rowing extremely hard, but Miss Burt persevered and finally reached her goal and brqfight the crew of three ashore. • 1

A suggestion was made recently to the Minister-in-Chargo of Publicity, Hon. G. J. Anderson, By Mr. Alien Bell, M.P., that the Publicity Department should arrange for the production of a film depicting the arrival of the missionary pioneers at the Bay of Islands in 1814, the lives of some of the later missionaries in the North Auckland district, the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi, and the arrival of the first settlers in other parts of New Zealand Such a picture, it was pointed out, could be shown with pride in all parts of the world, and would at the same time bo an inspiration to the young people. In his reply, the Minister states that the Publicity Office photographer will not be free for some months yet. Mr. Anderson agrees that the subject should be discussed with the Secretary for the Dominions, Mr. L. S. Amery.

The interesting story of the purchase of a large block of land at Martin borough, Wairarapa, nearly fifty years ago, is told in connection with the approaching Wairarapa Jubilee Show. The purchase was made by the Hon. John Martin from the Hon. G. M. VVaterhouse, a one-time Premier of New Zealand. A resident of \Vellington, who took part in the transaction, states that the actual acreage concerned was 34,300, and the price paid was £85.000. This was in January, 1879. An interesting feature is. that prior to the completion of the purchase the principals had some difference, and Mr Water house—possibly with a view to getting the contract called off—demanded payment in gold. Mr Martin, satisfied that his purchase was a good one, promptly sought the aid of the banks, and on settling day the £85,000 in gold was there, and the purchase was completed

A unique method of overcoming the trouble caused by willows overgrowing river banks was disclosed by a member of the Clifton County Council last week, when the discussion centred.on the matter of checking the growth on the banks of the Mokau River. The willows were forming snags and militating against the passage of vessels past the coal mine wharf The solution offered by a councillor was that if nails were driven in the willows it would be found the willows would die. " You will need to drive a few thousand nails," said the chairman. The member averred that he had met with great success by using the method he had mentioned.

" I was annoyed when I read a report of a case in the Eltham Court on Tuesday when a solicitor appearing for a youth charged with failing to register for military training stated that there was a ' deplorable lack of co-ordiuation ' between the Defence authorities and the schools," said Major Uremner, of Headquarters staff, Hawera, last week. He explained that although it was incumbent on all boys over 14 years of age to register, the Defence Office in Taranaki had received a spiendid response from the primary school headmasters to requests that the names of boys over 14 leaving school be furnished to the Defence Office. Almost without exception the reports came to hand.

The question ot tutu growing on the roads aroused some discussion at a meeting oi the Taranaki County Council this week Tutu is not a declared noxious week, and the matter of the council's liability for loss of cattle was denied as the council had no authority to declare it a noxious weed withm the meaning of the Act. Tutu is growing in some profusion on certain roads in the county, but the council decided that it could not see its way clear to attempt the destruction of the weed

About 11 fortnight after marking Mr. John Black, jun., of Kelso, Otago, had about 70 lambs affected by stiffness in the joints, and out of this number 10 died. The trouble is known as arthritis, tnflaro mation of >i joint, found generally in the hock, knee or stifle. Arthritis appears under most unexpected circumstances, and is characterised by enlargements in a joint or joints causing mor o» lesc difficulty in standing on the legs or walking. When found among lambs the trouble may sud denly appear among portions of the Hock and as suddenly' disappear. The ewes and lambs require removing to new pasture, where a shelter bel' ol hedges, tjtack> 01 plantations ia situated. This trouble may arise more frequently in a wet lambing season than a dry one Protective men sures are exercise and shelter, keeping the ewes and Jamba moving about, and keeping th« flock on land which has good drainage and free from excessive moisture. " J