LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20640, 12 August 1930, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

As a result of falling whilo playing at the Newton Central School yesterday Violet. Watts, aged six, whose parents reside at 45, Haslett Street, Eden Terrace, broke her collarbone. She was taken by the St. John Ambulance to the Auckland Hospital and treated in the casualty ward.

The police have been notified of the disappearance from the home of the Little Sisters of the Poor in Shelly Beach Road of Mrs. Bridget Woods, aged 67. The missing woman was last seen at the home last Wednesday.

Twenty motorists were fined in the Otahuliu Police Court yesterday for speeding on the Great South Road. The finest ranged from 30s and costs to £3 and costs.

A new mission schooner for tho Seventh Day Adventist Mission in the New Hebridos is being built at Sydney. She will be navigated to the New Hebrides by Captain J. C. Radley and five natives of the New Hebrides who are travelling to Sydney by the Royal Mail liner Aorangi, jwhich left Auckland last night.

The syllabus of instruction in physical training in tho primary schools in New Zealand has been remodelled by experts both inside and outside of the Education Department. Hie school physical instructors have undergone courses of training in the new scheme under tho direct supervision of Dr. J. Renfrew White, of Dunedin, who has closely studied this branch of work both in New Zealand and abroad. The students at the four training colleges are now receiving instruction and tho teachers of the public schools in the Auckland district will have an opportunity to gain an insight into the new methods shortly, as refresher classes will be held in Auckland during the forthcoming term holidays.

The belief that the albine kiwi on Little Barrier Island is still alive is held by tho caretaker of the island, according to tho annual report to Parliament of the manager of Tourist and Health Resorts; The caretaker states that during the last few months kiwis were coming near his house and were seen near the house and in the garden. They appeared to be in large numbers and when darkness came their cry could be heard. Although the white kiwi had not been seen, white kiwi-feathers were occasionally found. An inspection of the gullies in the interior of the island showed that tho native birds were increasing. The Colonial Auxiliary Forces Decoration awarded to Major H. M. Clark, of the North Auckland Mounted Rifles, has been forwarded to him by the GovernorGeneral, Lord Bledisloe. In congratulating Major Clark on his decoration, -which is for 20 years' continuous service as a commissioned officer, His Excellency said it was his desire to present the award personally, but he would not be in Auckland for somo time.

The conditions ho had witnessed in some Christchurch homes were described by Mr. J. S. Barnett at a meeting of tho Finance Committee of the Citizens' Unemployment Fund last week. "I recently had occasion to do some visiting on behalf of tho Coal and Blanket Fund, and I met with tho most appalling conditions," said Mr. Barnett. "I visited one home where there was not 5s worth of anything in the whole house, including furniture. There was also a baby eight months old. That sort of tiling can be seen all over Christchurch. It is time wo extended ourselves."

It is said that beggars cannot be choosers, but certainly at least ono of them can choose his mode of conveyance. It is related that a few days baek a Wellington taxi-man, on securing a passenger, was given instructions. On reaching the destination the passenger duly paid his fare of 3s 3d, and, bidding the taxi-man a cheerful "Good-evening, that's where I'm parking to-night," he pointed to a "doss-house" conducted by a charitable organisation and he walked off in that direction.

A very mean piece of work was done when someone slashed 70 out of 142 sheepskins which had been hung out under some trees in a paddock adjoining the wool works belonging to Mr. Early, at Woolston, Christchurch, last weok. Mr. Early, who has been in the habit of hanging out very green skins, sometimes for a week, was working with an assistant until five o'clock on the previous afternoon. Returning in the morning he found a Inrgo number of tlio skins cut and slashed in several places. The perpetrator had to climb the fence of the paddock, as several of the rows range up to about 10 yards from the fence. The damage is estimated at about £lO.

Two witnesses in a caso in tho Tolico Court in Wellington the other day. had, it was found, remained in the body of tho Court and listened to the ovidence after witnesses had been ordered to leave the Court and remain outside until called upon to give their evidence. One of the men concerned said he had come back after leaving the Court and the other had not left the Court at all. "You aro liable to bo punished for disobeying the order of tho Court," said the magistrate. "Tho evidence can go on, but tho action of these witnesses must discount the value of their story."

Revere frosts with occasional heavy falls of snow, aro reported from the Tutaki Valley, in the central Btiller portion of tho Nelson district. The deer, driven from the highlands by hunger, have, in the early hours of the morning, consumed most of tho turnip crops. Theso wary animals select a time for their visit when almost everyone is sure to bo in bed and are becoming not only a source of annoyance, but also of loss to tho settlers. The Tutaki Valley was one of (he areas affected by last year's earthquake.

At. a recent dance at Eltham a member of tho committee who has had a great deal of experience in (he control of these functions decided that in view of previous happenings it was time to deal with the supper door "crashers," Accordingly, ho endorsed on the back of the supper tickets a codo word in bold letters and the doorkeepers were instructed to examine carefully oach ticket presented, to ensure that people did not gain entrance before their rightful turn. Fully 30 people endeavoured to enter for tho first sitting with tickets manufactured from cigarette packets, old theatre passes, or anything of tho correct colour, but in this instance the doorkeepers wero too alert to be caught by such artifices.