LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20304, 11 July 1929, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Injuries to the head were sustained by Mi. Michael Brown, aged 61, through being struck I>y a molor-lorry near the intersection of Bellevuo and Dominion Roads, Mount Eden, late yesterday afternoon. Mr. Drown, who resides at 5, Wi!loughby Street, Dominion Road, was icnioved to the hospital in the St. John Ambulance. His condition last evening was not considered serious.

A scheme for avoiding Police Court procedure in the case of trivial motoring offences was rejected by the council of the Auckland Automobile Association last evening. The proposal had been forwarded for comment by the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, it having been suggested that traffic inspectors and police officers might be empowered to issuo penalty tickets on the spot to drivers who elected to plead guilty. This would permit tlie voluntary paying of Hues at an appointed office. 'I he council of the Automobile Association decided that no action was warranted, in view of the fact that members could avoid waste of time by taking advantage of the free legal representation provided by the association.

The possibility of diverting I'arnellbound motor traffic passing through Newmarket to the Victoria Crescent overbridge and then on into Manukau Road was discussed by the Newmarket Borough Council last evening. Mr. It. T. Michaels said that pedestrians ran considerable risk while crossing the Triangle to the safetyzone. ''Motor-cars go whizzing across all the time, and there have been several accidents lately," he said. On his motion, it was agreed that the traffic inspector and the police pointsmen should bo asked to report on the proposal. It is 18 years since 12 black opossums were released at Dickey's Flat, near Karangahakc. Since then they have multiplied greatly and may now be found as far afield as Te Aioha. A few have been seen at Komata, and some near the racecourse. Taking advantage of the present open season of six weeks, 12 trappers have secured licenses and are busy in the bush. One trapper has already bagged 50 skins, which have a market value of 12s 6d each.

The condition of Ml'. Maxwell John Picard, of Hamilton, the young motorcyclist who was found unconscious in Leslie's Gully, on the Hamilton-Cam-bridge Road, on Tuesday, was reported at a late hour last night to bo critical. The injured man was found by a passing motorist and taken to the Waikato Hospital.

The Whangarei St. John ambulance has completed 7000 miles without one tyre being punctured. This is a performance likely to incite envy among many motorists.

Allegations regarding the intemperance of certain motor-drivers in a North Auckland township were made at the meeting of the council of the Auckland Automobile Association last evening. The absence of a police station was blamed for the nuisance. The touring manager, Mr. R. E. Champtaloup, said the inspector of police at Whangarei was taking steps which should lead to the apprehension of offenders.

A new movement to further the construction of a ship canal from the Waikato River to the Manukau Harbour at Waiuku, was inaugurated at a meeting of the Hamilton Borough Council last evening. On the motion of Mr. J. E. Tidd a special committee was set up to confer with other local bodies in order to secure tho scheme recognition as a State enterprise. Mr. Tidd said the proposal had been discussed for the last 20 or 30 years. The cost would be about £200,000. It was a matter outside the sphere of active politics, and on that account no definite step had hitherto been taken to put the scheme on a working basis. A canal would add considerably to the prestige of Hamilton as the largest town in the Waikato. The Mayor, Mr. J. R. Fow, said the matter was one of great interest to the whole of the Waikato.

Tho proposed renaming of Frankton Junction was discussed by the Hamilton Borough Council last evening. Mr. C. Laffertv said constant confusion was being caused, as strangers were ignorant of the relative geographical positions of Frankton and Hamilton. Mr. D. D. Wilson stated that Mr. H. H. Sterling, general manager of New Zealand railways, would attend a conference at Hamilton shortly to discuss the proposed alteration. It is proposed that Frankton Junction should be known as Hamilton Junction.

Work is being pushed Along on tho formation of the road /ound Lake Waikaremoana. There are 42. men at the Lake House end at Aniwaniwa, 39 at Mokau, and 63 at Hopuruahirie. Of these latter, 42 are working toward Lake House, while the remainder are engaged towards Ruatahuna. There are also over 40 Maoris engaged on the latter section. Although at times the conditions are fairly wintry, the men have been well catered for. Their camps arc dry and firewood is in abundance. Each camp has its fine roomy galley and one can safely say that (he men arc snug for the winter. All stores are transported across the lake by (lie Government launch, and occasionally some rough trips are experienced.

In order to avoid giving cause for complaint regarding tho reception of visiting farmers the Waikato executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union has invited farmers of the Waikato to assist it by placing cars at the disposal of the Southland farmers, who will spend Friday afternoon in the district. A social welcome will be given the visitors at four o'clock.

Palmerston North has been fixed as the place for the next annual conference of tho North Island Agricultural and Pastoral Associations. Delegates were greatly amused at the conclusion of yesterday's conference in Auckland, when Mr. W. F. O'Donncll, secretary of the Auckland A. and P. Association, in moving to that effoct, confessed that Auckland had secured this year's conferenco through falso pretences. Actually he applied last year for the National Dairy Association Conference and had been greatly surprised when ho found Auckland had been allotted the A. and P. Associations' Conference. Tho mistako had originated through his letter having been addressed " care of tho A. and P. Association," and if. had been read to the wrong conference. " A very happy mistake." remarked a delegate amid the laughter which followed.

A prominent South Canterbury wheatgrower stated recently that the quantity of wheat so far sown in the Tirnaru district was small, several farmers having delayed putting in their crops. He fully anticipated, however, that when tho harvest came round the crop would be as big as that of last season*