LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20239, 26 April 1929, Page 12

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Following a fine day on Wednesday heavy rain fell in Auckland yesterday. Thcro was a thunderstorm in tho early morning, accompanied by lightning and heavy showers, and in tho evening there was further lightning. During tho day the wind was light from tho north-east, but early in tho evening tho breeze changed to tho north. Tho rainfall for the 24 hours ended at midnight last night, as registered by tho Herald gauge, was ,85in., most of which fell in tho early morning. Tho month's rainfall now totals 3.84 in., compared with 3.77 in., tho average rainfall for April. Iho barometer, after falling slowly since Tuesday morning, registered 29.65 in. yesterday afternoon. It rose slightly afterwards, but tho reading at a late hour was only 29.70 in.

Sovero lacerations to an arm wero sustained by a City Council employee, Mr. 11. Ilarvey, aged 29, as a result of falling from a cart in West Street, Newton, on Wednesday afternoon. Tho injured man, who resides at 25, Browning Street, Grey Lynn, was taken to the hospital by the St. John Ambulance.

A touching incident occurred at tho Anzac Day service at tho Edendalo school yesterday morning, when two little children, standing apart from the others, honoured the memory of their soldierfathers who fell in the war. With infinite tenderness they placed on the school war memorial above the roll of honour, on which their fathers' names appear, two laurel wreaths, and then they walked slowly back to tho other children.

Advice has been received by Mr. A. Harris, 'M.P., from the Post and Telegraph' Department, that the Government will accodo to tho 1 application for the duplication of tho slot telephone cabinet at Milford, but cannot instal cabinets at tho western side of Lako Pupuko, at tho Pirate Ship or at Bayswater unless tho Takapuna Borough Council will guarantee it against loss. The council will not givo this guarantee.

Two of the Auckland Aero Club's machines will leave Mangero to-day if tho weather is favourable to participate in the aerial pageant to bo held at Hastings to-morrow by the Hawke's Bay Aero Club. Tho absence of tho two aeroplanes will necessitate the suspension of passenger flights at tho Mangero aerodrome during tho week-end. Successful solo flights were made at Mangero this week by two pupils who have completed the dual instruction course. The waiting list of pupils and tho demands made on the three machines now in service indicate that a fourth aeroplane will be required very shortly.

A plea to abolish hoardings in Devonport was made by Mr. T. Walsh at a meeting of tho Devonport Borough Council on Wednesday evening, when the council received an application for permission to erect 40 hoardings along the Lake Road boundary of tho Takapuna racecourse. The Mayor, Mr. E. Aldridge, said while tho borough had a by-law prohibiting the erection of further hoardings along the main roads, this application might receive consideration on the grounds that the site was away from tho residential portion of the borough and would bring in revenue. The application was refused.

The interesting fact that he had selected the burial place of the poet Rupert Brooke was mentioned by Major-General Sir Georgo Richardson in his Anzac Day address to the Grammar School boys yesterday. Ho told how, with troops assembling at different islands in the Aegean before the Gallipoli landing, ho went to the small island of Skyros. It was there that Rupert Brooke died two days before the landing. "I selected his grave on a little knoll under an olive tree, and there he lies peacefully to-day," said Sir George.

A request for a rural mail delivery was mado by residents of Titirangi to the Postmaster-General, the Hon. J. B. Donald, on Wednesday. Later, residents of Gleu Eden asked the Minister to make a grant for a post office. The Minister said he would give the requests favourable consideration.

The present Devonport Borough Council will go out of oflico without leaving a legacy of unfinished business for the new council. At the final meeting of the council on Wednesday evening it was reported that tho annual accounts had been prepared and audited ready for printing. This was regarded by members as a creditable performance by the offico staff, as the borough accounts deal with a revenue of about £65,000.

Tho linking of Birkenhead with tho city by automatic telephone will be undertaken shortly, according to a statement mado on Wednesday by the Postmaster-General, tho Hon. J. 15. Donald. Ho said it was proposed to run a submarine cable across the harbour, connecting Birkenhead with tho Ponsonby sub-exchange. A definite time for tho completion of tho work could not yet be fixed. The Minister said it would be his policy to connect suburban towns with main centres by telephone. This would make for improved facilities and would increase the popularity of telephones.

A collision between ;t two-seater motor driven by Mr. Stanley McKonzio, a dairy inspector, of Kawakawa, and u car, driven by Mr. L. McLean, a commercial traveller, of Whangarei, occurred on a corner on tho Towai-Kawakawa Road at about five o'clock on Wednesday afternoon. Both cars wero badly damaged, but fortunately no ono was hurt. Visibility was bad at the timo of tho accident owing to rain. Another accident occurred on the Kawa-kawa-Ohaeawai main road at about midday yesterday. A car driven by Mr. Jones, of tho Bay of Islands Hospital Board, who was accompanied by Mr. H. M. Rushworth, M.P. for the district, collided with a car driven by Mr. P. Keay, commercial traveller, of Auckland. Both cars were damaged, but beyond slight abrasions, no one was hurt. Heavy rain was falling at tho time.

" Is it a fact that cats were once used in Now Zealand for hunting rabbits?" asks a correspondent of a Wellington newspaper, which supplies an answer. Many years ago a Wellington firm advertised for cats, for which a reasonable price was offered. A consignment of several hundred was purchased, and despatched to tho Wairarapa to eliminate the rabbit pnst. As the experiment was not repeated, and rabbits continued to thrive on the Wai•rarapa Plains, it is assumed that tho venture was not a successful one.