LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19891, 9 March 1928, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Showery and dull weather was experienced in Auckland yesterday. Heavy rain clouds gathered late in the afternoon, and early last evening torrential showers were experienced in the suburbs. In Remuora the noise of large raindrops on iron roofs resembled the falling of heavy hail, and the sound of the rain approaching could bo heard distinctly from a considerable distance. Conditions remain stormy on the coast, and several vessels have been delayed. The Canopus has had a prolonged voyage from Westport, and should arrive at Auckland to-day. The Mako has also been delayed by stormy weather on the west coast, and will not reach port until to-morrow.

Injuries were sustained by two men using hand-trolleys in Auckland yesterday morning. Struck by the handle of a truck when a load was unexpectedly deposited upon it, Mr. B. Bushell, of 7, Vincent Place, who was working at Princes Wharf, sustained abdominal injuries which made necessary his removal to the Auckland Hospital by the St. John Ambulance. His condition last evening was stated to bo satisfactory. Ihe fall of a case of bananas was the cause of the second accident, in which Mr. K. E. C. Melton, a railway employee, sustained injuries to the arm when wheeling a truck in the goods shed at Auckland. He was admitted to hospital. As the result of a fall from a ladder, Frederick Pye, aged 17, of 8, Spring Street, Morningside, was admitted suffering from injuries to the back. His condition is not serious.

According to a report received by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society last evening, trout are plentiful in the lake at Arapuni. It was stated that last month fishing parties mado catches of 97, 45, 32, 22 and 20 fiih in a day, while the fish were in splendid condition and were great fighters. Those near the dam were particularly large. "A good deal of criticism has been levelled, at the Government pn account of its campaign against preservatives in foods," said the Minister of Health, Hon. J. A. Young, when speaking at Kaitaia yesterday. "Boracic acid is not wanted in the butter in England," he continued. "It may be pointed out that a little preservation in butter will do no harm, but the position is that it will be getting into all things. Too much disinfectant can do much harm."

The world's record thresher shark, weighing 8321b., which was landed on February 18 off Cape Brett, was consigned from the Moerewa freezing works to Auckland yesterday. It occupied the full diagonal length of an "L" truck.. The tail is about 4ft. long.

Owing to the vessel's propeller fouling a wire rope at 8 o'clock yesterday morning, thp departure of the steamer Rangitoto, from Thames, was delayed until 5 o'clock in the afternoon. When the vessel was leaving the wharf in the morning the rope was twisted about six times round the propeller-shaft before the engines could be stopped. The tide had ebbed sufficiently by mid-day to allow the work of clearing the rope to commence. The obstruction was cleared by 2 o'clock and the vessel was ready to depart on the afternoon tide. In accordances with an annual custom, the children of King Country schools will come to Auckland to-day for their annual picnic, which takes the form of visits to various places of interest in the city. Anticipated with the greatest enthusiasm, tho pilgrimage is none the less something of an ordeal, for the children of distant schools have to rise at an early hour and return late at night. Children of the Waimiha school, for example, will rise this morning at about three o'clock and will return to their homes at 11 o'clock this evening. Over 600 adults and children will form the party, which will arrive in Auckland at 10.26 this morning. They will spend a strenuous day in visits to the zoo, the museum, the library, public parks and other places of entertainment and educational value, catching the train for tho return journey at 4.35 this afternoon.

A railway servant who was on duty at the Dunedin railway station early on Sunday morning was alarmed to see a shadow pass the window of the room in which he was working. He was instantly alert, and tho faint sound of footsteps indicating that someone was mounting the stairs leading to the tower seemed to confirm his suspicions that some unauthorised person had entered the building with no good intentions. He immediately sought a workmate who was in a neighbouring room aud after discussing the situation in whispers they concluded that, for safety purposes, the assistance of the nightwatchman should be enlisted. Armed with heavy ebony rulers the trio waited at the only exit from the tower. An hour passed and their patience was almost exhausted when steps were heard on the stair§ again. Tho intruder's surprise when he slowly opened the door and found three men awaiting him can be easily imagined, but tho trio were probably more astounded when the captured one informed them that he had been guilty of nothing more serious than putting back the clock one hour.

" I am 71 years of age and have been paying rates for 50 years without having anything done to my road, so I think I am entitled to some consideration." Thus spoke a settler who waited on the Inglewood County Council this week asking that a bridge be built to give him access with implements to his farm. He and his son, he added, had "humped" two tons of fertiliser to the section on their shoulders last year, but for his own part he was getting too old for that. Members were sympathetic toward the settler and the overseer was instructed to report on the matter.

When the deer stalking season in the Wellington Acclimatisation Society's area opens on March 24 stalkers will be entitled to tako two red and two sambar stag heads, or four heads of red stags, plus an unlimited number of hinds. During tho last 15 years the sambar deer stalking season has been limited to June and July, but owing to the nuisance that these Indian deer are making of themselves in some parts of the district it has been decided for this year to combine the two seasons. The maximum number of points developed by the sambar deer is six and only six-pointers may be shot.

Built up over a long period of years, tho library of the Wellington Choral Union has become ono of considerable value and of this the members may justly feel proud. "I am rather struck with the size and quality of your library," remarked the new conductor of the society. Mr. J. Bishop, at the reception tendered to him the other night. "Never outside London have I come across such a fine library in the possession of any amateur society."