LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20172, 5 February 1929, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Tho daylight limited express from Wellington arrived at Auckland over 40 minutes lato last evening. The cause of the delay to the train was loss of time in making crossings with south-bound trains, while further delay occurred at Frankton Junction, where connections are made with mixed trains from Rotorua and the Bay of Plenty. Both these trains were lato in arriving, and it was impossible to make up much of the lost time in the comparatively short run to Auckland.

A disturbance among a number of seamen and firemen in Quay Street early last evening resulted in Hector McLeod, aged 30, a seaman, being taken to the hospital suffering from the effects of a kick. His condition was stated to be satisfactory. During the disturbance three men were arrested by tho police.

The tarred footpath at the corner of Victoria Street and Hobsou Street was ignited yesterday morning as the result of an underground electric feeder cable fusing. The City Fire Brigade answered the call and suppressed tho outbreak by means of chemical extinguishers. The supply of electric current was not affected. The rush experienced by railway officials during the past few days on account of the ending of tho school holidays continued yesterday. Both the Bay of Plenty and Rotorua expresses, were very well patronised, while the station officials bad a busy time in tho evening. The limited express to Wellington was fully booked several days ago, while tho second train was also filled to capacity. Taking tho present heavy traffic with tho great rush during the Christmas and New Year period one railway official said this holiday season had been the most strenuous he had known.

The Arbitration Court will commence its next sittings in Auckland on Monday. March 11, and will continue until Easter, by which time it is hoped to have the business completed. There is a lengthy list of industrial matters and compensation cases to bo dealt with.

Every ward iu the Auckland Hospital was inspected by the Minister of Health, the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, yesterday. The chairman of the board, Mr. W. Wallace, who accompanied him, said it was the first occasion in his experience on which such a thorough Ministerial inspection of the institution had been made. Mr. Stallworthy was at the hospital from 11 a.m. until after 5 p.m., and conversed with many of tho patients in the course of his inspection. A brief visit was also paid to the Alexandra Convalescent Home, Ellerslie, but visits to tho infirmary and the St. Helens Hospital had to be postponed.

A full cargo, but an exceptionally light one, was carried from Lisbon to Sydney by the steamer Queen Olga, which reached Auckland with raw sugar from Java yesterday afternoon. The lightness of the cargo was due to tho fact that it was comprised entirely of cork, being the only full cargo of cork that has been taken, to Australia. Tho vessel's sugar cargo totaJs 7200 tons, but when she was fully loaded with cork the weight of that cargo was only 500 tons.

The gear which hoists and lowers the middlo spans of the Ngatca Bridge over tho l'iako River for the passage of shipping failed to drop the span to its level position at three o'clock yesterday morning and repairs were not effected until 9 a.m. The spans were standing on end for the passage of a scow when aj break in the gear occurred. Under tho supervision of Mr. F. Bnsham, engineer to the Hauraki Plains County Council, a portion of the gear was detached and the spans lowered, but when within two feet of the bridge level the winch gear failed. One span dropped squarely into position and the other was eventually forced into position with the aid of timber jacks.

Authority to the Papatoetoc Town Board to borrow £26,000 for water supply purposes has been gazetted. The loan is to be for a term of 36£ years at 5£ per cent, interest, with one per cent, sinking fund.

The movement of stock by rail continues in the Waikato, and a train of 50 trucks brought a consignment of sheep to Frankton on Sunday. A train of similar size arrived at Matangi. On Sunday evening 30 trucks of stock were despatched from Frankton Junction to the freezing works at Wcstfield, and another large train is expected to arrive at Morrinsville from Whakatano West to-day.

''l am pleased to have a portfolio to administer in which the question of party politics docs not obtrude," said tho Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, Minister of Health, in replying to a welcome extended to him by tho Auckland Hospital Board yesterday. The Health Department in Now Zealand had accomplished a great deal, the Minister added, but there was much moro still to do. Ho particularly appreciated tho assurance of co-operation ho received from the board. Along the lines of co-operation the department would realise tho larger work challenging it in tho future.

It is stated that Miss Mercedes Gleitzo, who won fame by swimming tho English Channel and the Strait of Gibraltar, lias abandoned the idea of coming to New Zealand to essay tho attempt on Cook Strait. It is learned that she has now decided to stay in England and to put tho "closo season" to good use by gaining personal knowledge of tho conditions under which various classes of working girls livo and earn their living. She recently spent a week as an assistant behind tho counter in a big Manchester store, and next went to work in a spinning mill. Miss Gloitzo recently became engaged to bo married.

Swarms of bees are at all times regarded witli trepidation when they make their appearance, but a competitor in 'he Marton motor-cyclo races tho other day had a uinquo eucounter. While travelling at a high speed ho rushed right into a swarm which was flying low across tho track. Ho congratulated himself on his escape from being stung, but probably lie was going, too fast to be pursued.

"For some time past the board has mado repeated efforts to have the pro tection on hares removed, but so far the Department of Internal Affairs has not fit to accede to tho board's request," states tbo annual report of tho chairman, Mr B. B. Gower, of tho Mannwatu Rabbit Board. "However, wo have been assured that should any settler wish to destroy hares ho may do so after having made written application to the department for the required permit. I hope to still pursue our endeavours to have the protection removed."