LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19940, 8 May 1928, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A gift of £SOO has been received by the Otago University from Mrs. McGillBrown, and will be used to found an annual scholarship for a faculty of commerce, says a Press Association message from Dunedin. One scholarship will be awarded each year, and the term of each will be two years.

Seventy-six assisted immigrants, 26 boys brought out by the Salvation Army and 18 domestics arrived by the Tamaroa at Wellington yesterday. Of the assisted immigrants, 22 arc men, 36 women and 18 children. The boys are going to the Salvation Army's Putaruru farm.

" The flood in the Waikato River has not seriously affected the electric power plant at Horahora," said Mr. T. Maclennan, district electrical engineer, yesterday. " When the river first rose, last week, the extra water increased the out,put of the power plant. Further heavy rains caused the river to rise still higher, and a large quantity of silt which had been deposited in the riverbed between Arapuni and Horahora was removed. The quantity of electricity generated at Horahora did not increase, however, the effect of the flood waters being neutralised by the rubbish in the screens." Mr. Maclennan said the Horahora works were operating satisfactorily, and there was no immediate prospect of having to shut down the works for cleaning.

Streams in the Waitakere Ranges were running high yesterday as a result of the heavy rain on Sunday, and by seven o'clock last evening the quantity of water in store in the city reservoirs had risen by 95,000,000 gallons to 521,000,000 gallons. The level in the Waitakere dam is now at the 48ft. mark, having risen nearly 6ft. in 36 hoars. At the Nihotupu dam there was a gain of Bft. 6iu., th,e water being 76ft. 3in. deep. The greater part of the gain was made during Sunday night and early yesterday morning.

Adverse comment on the number of changes in the teaching staff of the Te Kowhai School, Waikato, was made by parents at the annual meeting of householders. It was stated that there had been no fewer than 11 changes in the personnel of the staff in a single year. The effect of these changes was unsatisfactory, as far as the children were concerned. ' Complaints that Maori lads are not accepted for naval service owing to the regulations restricting recruits to British men by birth have been received by the Akarana Maori Association. Two specific cases were mentioned at a recent meeting of the association. It was decided to write to naval headquarters at Wellington requesting that the regulations be modified to allow of the entry of Maori recruits.

In order to investigate the cargo service maintained by vessels of the old Swayne and Hoyt Line, Mr. C. E. Brown, manager in Australia and New Zealand of the Matson Steam Navigation Company or the Oceanic Steamship Company, arrived from Sydney by the Niagara yesterday. These steamers, which are more commonly known as the "West" line, were recently purchased by the Matson Company from the American Shipping Board. Mr. Brown stated that there was a possibility of the present cargo service being extended to the benefit of the Dominion. Recent heavy rains resulted in a serious washout on tho Putaruru-Taupo Road at Tokoroa, and only a few light cars were able to negotiate the danger point. A road gang, however, was promptly on the spot, and tho road is again open to heavy traffic. Tho temporary block was the indirect cause of two mishaps on the alternative route, the Paranui Road, where a heavy lorry and a car slipped off a narrow filling and rolled down a 15-I'oot bank. In both cases the drivers escaped without injury. At a point not far from the slip on the Putaruru-Taupo Road the surface has been reduced to a quagmire, and the drivers of heavy vehicles have had a most difficult experience in crossing over the road.

Katipo spiders are becoming increasingly common at Tahuna, Nelson's seaside suburb. Recently six large spiders, accompanied by a number of young ones, were discovered under a piece of driftwood by Mr. F. Spencer. Although the effect of the bito of these spiders has often been exaggerated, it is pointed out that bathers and picnickers should be careful not to disturb any collections of driftwood, paper, or other rubbish, particularly on the drier parts of the beaches.

" I like to come and see if yon have any complaints," was the remark with which the Minister of Lands, Hon. A. D. McLeod, greeted the soldier settlers at Kopane, says a Manawatu paper, when he visited them last week, "but I hope you won't let that bit of gorse spread too far," he added, glancing at a small clump of gorse on the roadside. "You know, I've got a 'holy horror' of that stuff," the Minister exclaimed amidst laughter. A settler stated that the gorse had been cut down considerably since the Minister's last visit. "It won'* hurt to keep it down a bit more," was Mr. McLeod's rejoinder.

Speaking at an Minunl meeting of householders at Elmwood, Christchurch, last week, Mr. R. S. McKenzie strongly criticised a remit forwarded by the School Committees' Association to tho effect that thero should be some method of providing school stationery at wholesale values to the pupils. Ho condemned the remit as a "direct attack on trade." "Why not supply jerseys, boots, and other things at wholesale rates?" he asked. "If we do as suggested we will not need any shops or any businesses. Wo could sell everything at the school!" The majority of those present apparently agreed with tho speaker's view, and the remit was negatived.

" The Waimakariri has been in excellent fishing condition all the season, and until Christinas good fishing was to be had as far upstream as Coutts Island, states the afinual report of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society. The main run entered the river about February 14. The majority of fish appear to have been netted, for reports from the upper reaches show very poor bags, and very few fish wera seen running in the rapids. Referring to the Hurunui River, the report states that salmon have been running freely and were to bo seen in most of the pools, especially in the gorge. "We are certain that in a fow years the river will be heavily stocked with these fish." Salmon fishing in the Rakaia, states the report, has shown a marked improvement on the two previous seasons, the river being in splendid condition for tilt* greater part of the season. Some magnificent bags were secured, two well-known anglers landing 25 fish during one week-end, the fish averaging 17lb. The largest reported fish taken this season scaled 351b..