LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20454, 4 January 1930, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

With the reopening of the shops and other places of business yesterday, Auckland began to settle down to work again after tho Christmas and New Year holidays. The unsettled weather which had prevailed caused disappointment to many people who had been looking forward to spending their free dayis in the open air. Legal and other professional ofTiccs will reopen during the coming week.

A deputation waited on the Hon. J. B. Donald, Minister of Industries and Commerce, and the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy, Minister of Health, yesterday morning on behalf of the members of the Post and Telegraph staff who were dismissed. The circumstances of the cases from the men's viewpoint were placed before tho Ministers, who gave an assurance that the matter would receive consideration.

There will be no broadcasting of tho speeches at this evening's civic farewell to tho Governor-General, Sir Charles Fergusson, and Lady Alice Fergusson, at tho Town Hall. A largo attendance of citizens is expected, as tho occasion will be tho last public engagement of Their Excellencies in Auckland prior to their departure for England. Seats will not be reserved, but will bo available to all citizens.

Heavy rain fell in Auckland yesterday. Tho early morning was bright and fine, but during tho forenoon the sky became dull and overcast' and after mid-day steady rain set in and continued during the afternoon and evening. Tho rain delayed cargo work on the waterfront and brought about a cessation of all outdoor sports. The sudden change in the weather

was not indicated by the barometer, which had been steady at 30.10 in. until ten o'clock yesterday morning. Afterwards there was a fall and the reading last night was 29.85 in.

Owing to tho rush of passenger traffic restriction has been placed upon tho issue of platform tickets at tho Auckland railway station during tho holiday season. As a result a great deal of dissatisfaction has existed among tho crowd of people that has been refused admission to tho platform to witness the departure of each express. "It is inevitable," a railway official said last evening. People wishing to see off children, elderly persons or invalids can obtain tickets, but wo cannot admit tho public indiscriminately. If wo did passengers would not bo ablo to move in the press that would result and the prompt despatch of trains would bo hindered." The restriction is to remain in force until the holiday rush has subsided. In tho meantime the clerks behind the grille in tho booking offico endure much bitter complaining.

A very largo gathering of Roman Catholic clergy will attend tho "month s mind" for tho late Bishop Cleary, which is to tako placo in St. Patrick's Cathedral on Friday, January 17. Those presont will include Archbishops Redwood and O'Shea, all the New Zealand bishops, all the priests of tho Auckland Diocese and a largo number of .ecclesiastics. Tho pontifical requiem mass will bo sung by Dr. J. Whyte, Bishop of Dunedin, and tho discourse will bo delivered by Dr. J. M. Liston, Bishop of Auckland.

A rare perseverance in his search for work was shown by a lono tramper encountered by an Auckland motorist on a drive to Rotorua a few days ago. A "lift" was offered to the tramper from Drury to.Pokeno, where the motorist left his "fare." That was about nine o'clock in the morning. The motorist, having business calls to make at several centres on the Hauraki Plains, soon forgot his companion ef the morning. Heading for Rotorua toward evening the motorist, much to his surprise, encountered near Marrraku the tramper he had left at Pokeno about nine hours earlier. The man had secured several other "lifts" during the day, but estimated he had walked about 30 miles between rides. The man \yas motored to Rotorua. He stated he was in search of a job 17 miles south of that town. The story has no sequel, as the motorist has not heard whether the man secured the work ho sought.

As the season advances the fishing in the Rotorua district is improving and on Lake Rotorua there have been some very satisfactory catches. Tho fish are in good condition and are fighting well. One angler secured a fish weighing This is the heaviest reported this season. All the lakes round Rotorua are giving good sport and tho absence of the "slab" is commented on.

Whilo motoring along the TaurangaTe Puke road, Mr. W. Southan lost a car through tho engine backfiring. The car was soon in flames and was reduced to a crumpled mass. As there was only a small insuranco on it Mr. Southan is a heavy loser.

The camping ground on the Tauranga waterfront, near Fifth, Sixth and Seventh Avenues, was well patronised hy motorists during tho holidays, telegraphs our own correspondent. Mount Maunganui is crowded with visitors. Apart from those accommodated in boarding houses and residences there aro about 170 camps, including 10 parties from Wellington, and 20 from Palmerston North. It is estimated that on Thursday about 1000 additional people from Tauranga, To Puke and Rotorua visited Mount Maunganui.

During tho past few months building activity in Masterton has been very pronounced. For the 12 months ended December 31 135 permits were issued by tho Masterton Borough Council to a value of £77,991. For tho corresponding period in 1928 a total of 140 permits was issued, of a valuo of £51,787.

Tho year just finished was a cold one for Wellington, the mean temperature being two degrees lower than what the average of previous years would lead one to expect. The mean temperature of 11 out of tho 12 months was below the average, Juno being the only month to be above tho average. The extreme maximum temperature was only 74.9deg., in February last, a figure which is by no means high.

Strange friendships havo known to exist among animals, but an unusual spectacle was witnessed on a farm at Newbury, near Palmerston North, the other day. Passers-by on the main road saw a sheep standing on tho back of a horse which was at rest in a paddock. The horse made no effort to dislodge the curious specimen of the woolly breed, which seemed to bo quite at home. When the travellers passed out of sight tho sheep was still maintaining its strange resting place.