LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20744, 11 December 1930, Page 14

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A collision between two motor-cars, one driven by Mr. H. Thompson, of Taylor Road, Mount Albert, and the other by Mr. Taylor, of Henderson, occurred at the intersection of Blake Street and the Great North Road, Avondale, early yesterday morning. Neither driver was injured, although one of the cars was considerably damaged.

The condition of Mr. Joseph Way, of Sandringham, who was admitted to the Auckland Hospital on Tuesday suffering from severe injuries to the head, was reported last evening to be satisfactory. Mr. Way fell over 10ft. into the hold of the Mahia while removing hatches on the vessel.

Under the will of Mrs. Isabella Hutchi aon, of Onehunga, who dia'd on November 14, a sum of £SO has been left for a new organ fund for St. Peter's Anglican Church, Onehunga. Sums of £2O each have also been bequeathed by her to St. Mary's Homes, Otahuhu, and to the Flying Angel Mission to Seamen.

The warships Veronica and Laburnum are carrying out exercises in the Hauraki Gulf and the Naval Department advises that gunnery practices will be carried out to-day. Both warships are to return to port to-morrow.

The possibility of the Government taking steps to arrest the influx to New Zealand of steerage passengers, who, it is stated, are desirous of obtaining relief work, was referred to by the Hon. H. Atmore, Minister of Education, yesterday. Mr. Atmore said there was no doubt that the question would be brought before Cabinet by the Minister in charge of Immigration, the Hon. S. G. Smith.

A total of 293 new members was elected at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Automobile Association last evening. The secretary reported that there were 97 deletions from the membership list.

A request for detailed information concerning the Ninety Mile Beach has been received by the Government from the High Commissioner in London, on behalf of motoring interests in England, and in ordei to supply the necessary information, Mr. F. W. Furkert, engineer-in-chief to the Public Works Department, travelled to the beach on Sunday evening. He was accompanied by Mr. H. Butcher, of the Auckland Automobile Association, and tbey returned on Tuesday. Mr. Furkert will prepare a report to be submitted to the Government.

" The idea of men buying their wives seems at first to be a terrible thing, but in the Melanesian mission field we have fought hard and successfully to have the system retained," said the Rev. E. Graves, spealting at the annual meeting of the Diocesan Missions Committee last evening. "It is the only safeguard a girl has got. What we have done has been to make them less expensive to buy. Otherwise many of the men could never have married. The women were quite annoyed to bo ' cheapened ' in this way." Mr. Graves added that now, however, the feelings of both parties in the contract were being studied.

The gathering of grass-seed is a remunerative industry at this time of the year for unemployed men, according to statements made at a meeting of the Devonport Borough Council last evening. It was stated that last year one person raised £47 in Devonport by this means. Members of the council stated that abundance of seed was available in the parks and reserves in tho borough, and similar conditions existed in most suburban and country districts. The council decided to write to the Unemployment Board recommending the collection of grass-seed as one suitable means of providing work for the unemployed.

The Avondale Baptist Church has accepted plans of a new school hall. Having received a further donation of £IOO within tho lasfc few days, a campaign for ihe balance of the funds is being launched immediately. The hall will cost £BSO and it is hoped to erect it in February.

As he was dealing purely with legal argument, Mr. Justice Herdman sat as a Compensation Court yesterday without the assistance of assessors. The six ,counsel engaged in the case all agreed that the Compensation Court was properly constituted by His Honor alone. "We have to assume that the assessors have been here and have gone away," said His Honor, resorting to a mild legal fiction. Since the Herald published a protest against the manner in which the eucalypts in the Ono Tree Hill Domain were being ruthlessly cut back, no more trees have been so treated. Instead of sawing them off at the 25ft. level, which meant destroying tho fine spreading tops, the workmen aro now thinning the upper limbs and are doing the work in such a skilful way that the beauty of the trees is not being spoiled. It is of interest to tree lovers to know the belt was planted at tho instigation of the late Mr. H. B. Morton, who also was responsible for tho avenue of oaks through tho domain.

Tlie Devonport Borough Council decided last evening to forbid tho parking of motor-cars on Vauxhall Road, between Wairoa Road and Malvern Road, but to permit it in the portions of these roads which abut upon Vauxhall Road. The traffic inspector was directed to report to tho council on the general question of parking and particularly tho more effective regulation of bus stopping places.

Reports that some of tho men engaged in tho sawmilling industry on the West Coast of tho South Island have, through lack of work, turned their attention to prospecting as a means of livelihood, havo raised the question whether goldmining in its various branches could not absorb some of the unemployed. Men who know well the West Coast and conditions there aro agreed that while an experienced man might earn a poor living prospecting, tho average unskilled man would stand no chanco of doing even that. It is stated that one can still see old-time miners working with a pan in the beach leads, tho sea sands, and lagoons in S.outh Westlaud, but though these men make a living, it is a poor oue.

For driving an unroadworthy passenger charabanc a Taihape resident was recently fined £4 and costs. The traffic inspector said the engine was loose on the chassis, the hand-brake defective, a bulge in tho tyre was liable to blow out, and doors were loose in the frames. The borough engineer stated the top would appear to be liable to fall to piece«.