LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20255, 15 May 1929, Page 12

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The German cruiser Eraden, which will visit Auckland at tho end of next month, carries a complement of 520 officers and men, including 68 cadets, according to further advice received by tho German Consul in Wellington, Mr. W. Penseler. Tho present commander is Captain von Arnauld. No bananas wore available at the Auckland City Markets yesterday. As a result of adverse weather conditions the Tofua, which was to havo reached Auckland on Monday with supplies of bananas from the islands, did not arrive until yesterday afternoon. The Ulimaroa, which will arrive from Sydney to-day, is bringing a fresh shipment of grapes, and probably a small supply of mandarines. With passengers, mail and cargo from New Zealand, tho New Zealand Shipping Company's liner Ruahino will reach Southampton at midnight to-night, according to advice received in Auckland. The vessel has made a prolonged voyage and is seven days behind schedule. She sailed from Wellington pn April 4 and reached Panama on April 25. She should havo arrived at Southampton on May 8. " There are often found small discrepancies between evidence given in the Police Court and that given here," said Mr. Justico Herdman in the Supreme Court yesterday, when counsel referred to varying statements made by a woman witness. " Such differences are sometimes evidence of truth," His Honor added. Too much could not be made of slight differences in unessential detail recorded in evidence in tho two Courts. The spring fides at Auckland on Monday and yesterday were about one foot higher than usual. This was caused by the south-east storm in the Hauraki Gulf. A most unusual course was adopted during tho hearing of an assault case before Mr. Justice Herdman in tho Supreme Court yesterday. For several minutes the foreman of tho jury was permitted by tho Judge to put questions direct to a woman witness. Ordinarily tho jury may ask for tho elucidation of certain aspects of a case through the Judge, but His Honor permitted the foreman in this case to cross-examine the witness on points about which the jury was not clear. Although such a course is a quite proper one when given the Judge's sanction, it is very seldom that a jury foreman himself questions a witness. The frequency of earth tremors continues to cause concern in the Hunterville district, says the Herald's correspondent, although none of the tremors is of a severe nature. Strangely enough, there has been a shake every morning since the main shock last week, the time invariably being about five o'clock. There have also been several tremors during the day. Bricklayers from a wide area are inundated with work in Hunterville. Reports from Rewa and Tokorangi state that the earthquake there was even worse than in Hunterville and Feilding. Ranges were thrown into rooms and smashed into pieces, while in several places all the dishes were broken.

As the public domains on tho volcanic hills of Auckland come within the purview of the Lands Department, the opportunity was taken by th.e Auckland Town Planning Association, during tho Hon. G. W. Forbes' recent visit, to show him around the city. Accompanied by Messrs. G. M. Fowlds and E. V. Blake, of the Volcanic Cones Committee, an inspection was made of Mount Eden, One Tree Hill and Mount Albert, and quarrying .on other hills was observed at close quarters. Mr. Forbes expressed himself as delighted with the magnificent views obtainable from the hill-tops and promised to give carpful consideration to the representations of the association as set out in its recent report on the preservation of the volcanic cones of the isthmus.

A proposal to group suburban churches of various denominations with a view to organising occasional wireless broadcasts from them was mentioned to the Auckland Presbytery yesterday by the Rev. W D. Morrison Sutherland. Ho said these would be in addition to the services that are now being broadcast from city churches. A committee of suburban ministers and elders was set up to cooperate with Mr. Sutherland in arranging the proposed groups.

Members of the Canterbury Real Estate Institute, at their annual meeting, passed a resolution in favour of the removal of " For Sale" notice boards from occupied residences in Christehurch. One member said the appearance of so many notice boards had a bad effect on buyers. Tho impression that Christchurch was flooded with property for sale should ibo removed by making a clean sweep of boards from occupied property.

Sunday's easterly gale caused a good deal of trouble yesterday to the contractors, Messrs. J. J. Craig, Ltd., who are building the stone breakwater round the Auckland Harbour Board's 25-acre reclamation west of Western Wharf. The breakwater is being formed initially to high-tide level only, and the stone is being tipped from motor trucks running on a temporary roadway along its top. The gale washed the small storte and blinding away in several places, and until the roadway was repaired work was at a standstill, as was a fleet of laden trucks. Most of these had to wait on the wharf until the breakwater was thrown open to traffic.

A donation of £2 ,2s was made to the funds of the Returned Soldiers' Association by tho Mount Albert Borough Council last evening. This action is in accordance with the usual custom of the council.

Tho Glen Eden Town Board has been informed by the Main Highways Board that tho latter is unable to grant a subsidy of £3 for £1 on tho cost of concreting the West Coast Road. The Town Board decided at its meeting on Monday evening to ask the Main Highways Board to what extent the latter was prepared to subsidise the work, which is estimated to cost £17,800.

The 50th anniversary of the first landing of Indians in Fiji falls to-day. A programmo has been arranged lo celebrate the jubilee in Suva, including a procession, a display by children and Boy Scouts and meetings in the Town Hall. Writing of the occasion Uriddhi, a HindiEnglish journal, says: "Now the fifty years are completed tho jubilee is come, the old wrong has reached the period of its annulment —indenture is no more, franchise is granted and education is receiving favourable consideration."