LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20156, 17 January 1929, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tho condition of Mr. Eugene Robins, aged 23, of 4, Moehau Street, Grafton, who was admitted, to tho Auckland Hospital last Thursday suffering from severe head injuries, was last evening reported to bo slightly improved. His condition is still serious, however.

Rewards amounting to £9 for the conviction of three youths concerned in the unlawful conversion of motor-cars were passed for payment to two constables by the council of the Auckland Automobiles Association last evening. For some time the association has been offering £3 to any person giving information leading to a conviction. In the case under consideration last" evening tho three youths admitted seven offences, four of which concerned cars of members of the association. It was decided that in future each claim for a reward would bo considered on its merits.

A parly of Australian tourists has arrived in Auckland after spending two weeks at various North Island resorts. Members of the party reached Wellington from Sydney and subsequently visited Now Plymouth and Mount Egmont, ,Waitomo Caves, Rotorua and Wairakei. Although they me scheduled to leave Auckland to-morrow by the Marama for Sydney, sonio of the visitors have been so delighted with their visit that they have decided to remain longer in the Dominion.

A delay of about a quarter of an hour was caused on tho tram routo between tho foot of Queen Street and Grafton Bridge when an overhead power tine broke at 7.15 last evening. Repairs were quickly executed and the. normal service was resumed at about 7.30.

A warning that undue noise in crying wares in the city streets is not permitted was given in the Magistrate's Court yesterday when the City Council prosecuted Harold Pope on a charge of disturbing the peace. It was stated i'ope had made such a noise when selling racccards at tho corner of Queen Street and Customs Street that nearby shopkeepers could not carry on business. Pope was not the only offender and frequent warnings had been given. A fino,of 10s was imposed.

Tho council of tho Auckland Automobile Association decided last evening to urge tho City Council to experiment with white lines for the guidance of traffic at tho intersection of Manukau Road and the Great South Road. It was stated the lighting arrangements and tho nature of tho approaches to tho intersection rendered the ordinary traffic domo unsuitable.

Tho floating target built for the New Zealand Division of tho Royal Navy at a cost of £IO,OOO will bo taken by a tug from its anchorago at Devonport this morning and towed out into tho Hauraki Gulf by H.M.S. Veronica. Tho warships of tho Division will carry out gunnery practico during the next few days, when tho new target will bo used for the first time. The target is not intended to be destroyed, and whilo shells may burst around it in the ocean, it is not expected that any direct hits will bo registered. The target draws 12ft. of water, and 240,000 ft. of Oregon pine were used in its construction. The cruisers Dunedin and Dioinedo are now in the gulf and they will bo joined by the Veronica and the Laburnum. The Laburnum left for Tauranga last evening and will spend four days thero before returning to the gulf.

Bridge work between Glorit and Hauhoa, on tho Helensville-Wellsford Road, will necessitate tho closing of the routo today. New decking is being laid and the Auckland Automobile Association advises motorists that the work will prevent through traffic on the west coast road today.

Evidence that disagreement still exists on some matters among members of the Newmarket Borough Council was provided at a meeting of the council last evening. Tho Mayor, Mr. J. Donaldson, did not approve of the insertion of a paragraph in the minutes of a special meeting held on December 7, but he was in the minority, lie declared he would .sign the minutes under protest. Mr. J. H. Cooper suggested that tho Mayor should vacato the chair in favour of the deputy-Mayor and his difficulties would thus be solved. Finally the minutes were signed by the Mayor.

Difficulty experienced by the police in tracing cases of motorists and dealers who fail to notify change of ownership of motor-cars was mentioned by Sub-Inspec-tor McCarthy in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday. "It is a most involved business, and I am sure my hair is turning grey sooner than I expected," said Mr. McCarthy. Tho magistrate, Mr. W. I\. McKcan, remarked that if ho mado the fines heavier the approach of the, grey hairs might ho halted.

The piece of ambergris weighing 2701b., which was found recently by Mr. V. Subrity.ky near tho north spit at Kaipara Harbour, was brought to Auckland on Monday, and has been lodged at the Bank of New Zealand until its value has been assessed. According to Mr. P. J. Anderson, a member of a party camping near tho placo whero tho find was mado, tho lump of ambergris was similar in appearance to a log covered with marine growth.

Tho danger of the Hamilton Lake becoming completely clogged with weeds was discussed at a meeting of the Hamilton Domain Board this week. It was decided to appoint a committee to prepare a scheme for lidding the lake of the weeds. Members said there had been rapid development in tho growth of rushes in the lako in recent months, and considered machinery should be purchased to keep them cut. It was decided to seek tho co-operation of tho public in raising funds to carry out tho scheme.

Shearing and harvesting in Canterbury havo been set back as the result of the wet weather experienced lately. Many stations will not finish shearing until February, whilo tho crops aro badly in need of bright sunshine and a drying wind. At present thero is a. good demand for ploughmen, teamsters and gonera! station hands.

When tho Lyttelton tunnel was drilled two upward shafts were put in, near each portal, running up through tho hill. Whether they wero intended for ventilation, or some othor purpose, is unknown, but they wore closed when tho tunnel was finished. Recently one of them caused considerable troublo. Tho bottom of it had not been properly sealed; tho shaft got somo water in it, and then began to act as a drainage sump for the hills, with the result that water poured into the tunnel, badly damaging some of the brickwork of tho lining. The shaft had to be reopened and properly sealed, and a large number pf bricks had to be renewed.;