LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20762, 3 January 1931, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The rain which fell in Auckland and most parts of tho province yesterday was welcomed by farmers and gardeners after tho prolonged spell of dry weather. On New Year's Day light showers were experienced in tho city, but tho rainfall for the 24 hours was only .07in. Yesterday light rain in the morning was followed by a torrential downpour at 10.30 o'clock and another shortly before one o'clock in the afternoop, gutters and drains being flooded. Although rain was experienced for only about three hours altogether, the fall during that period was ,52in., which is only .29in. less than the total rainfall of ,81in. for last month. The barometer registered a slight fall after mid-day, but it was steady at 29.90 in. last night.

Severe burns to both legs were, received by Mrs. Elsie Marshall, aged 24, of Dominion Road, as a result of a small kerosene stovo bursting late yesterday afternoon. She was taken to the Auckland Hospital.

Two motor-cars were stolen from streets in the vicinity of tho Ellerslio racecourse yesterday. A largo touring car owned by Mr. F. S. Murgatroyd, was removed from Station Terrace, off Green Lane, and a car belonging to Mr. W. E. Simpson was taken from Matai Road, Green Lane. Neither had been recovered last evening.

A shark about five or six feet long was seen at Narrow Neck late on Thursday afternoon. It was swimming in the shallow water about 10yds. from the shore, just whero hundreds of people had been bathing earlier in the day, although the beach was practically deserted when tho shark was noticed.

As a result of being kicked by a cow while milking early last evening Mr. Basil Bishop, aged 21, received internal injuries. Mr. Bishop, who is employed at the Veterans' Home, Mount Roskill, was admitted to the Auckland Hospital. His condition is not serious.

The prisoners in the Mount Eden gaol were not forgotten during tho rejoicings attending tho commencement of another year. On New Year's Day each man and woman received a bag of sweets and yesterday morning a gramophone concert, arranged by Mr. S. Falls, official Presbyterian visitor, occupied more than an hour and a-half. Both privileges were greatly appreciated by tho prisoners.

A young man got into difficulties while bathing at Ocean Beach, Raglan, on New Year's Day. His cries for help were heard by other bathers in the vicinity and he was rescued. There was a strong under-current in the breakers and the young man was carried out of his depth.

Many unusual requests, it is stated, aro made to the Mayor of Christchurch from time to time, but one of the most original that he has yet received was made by a man who called upon him and demanded a penny because a stamped and addressed envelope which he had sent to the Mayor had not come back to him. Treating the matter as an excellent joke the Mayor called the man into his room and questioned him as to whether he was a Scotsman and the particular reason why he was so anxious to get his penny back. The visitor, however, dashed the Mayoral hopes of another Scottish joke to the ground by declaring that he was born in New Zealand. Maintaining a serious demeanour the caller entered into a lengthy explanation of . the complaint he had made, but was brought to a halt when the Mayor suddenly produced a penny and expressed tho hope that he would then be satisfied.

The tramways authorities in Wellington have now beforo it an ingenious change-giving machine of Swedish manufacture for use on one-man cars or buses. The machine does not actually give the correct chango itself, but certain tabs opposite the "penny," "threepence," "sixpence," "shilling," "two shilling," and "half-crown" receivers can be manipulated far more quickly by hand than a conductor would bo able to pick out the change from a mass of money in his bag. There has been no decision to use the device so far; it is merely under observation, and probably, if found to be efficient, it may be tested on some of the buse3. The whole thing is comprised in a compact space about 6in. square, and when handed in at the end of the shift there is "no necessity for the clerks to separate the various coins, ns these are already in their various compartments.

Two Hawke's Bay ladies whu recently returned from California relate an amusing experience. Unaware of the loss of the Tahiti, they were partaking of one of America's national dishes, fried chicken, in a Los Angeles hotel, when they noticed a ninn reading a newspaper some little distance from their table and were struck with the heading, "New Zealand Steamer Wrecked." Curious as to what steamer it could be, they continued their meal, and presently tho man departed, leaving the newspaper on his chair. Calling the nearest waiter, they asked if they might have tho newspaper that the man had left, "Certainly, madame," replied the waiter, who, to their astonishment, tore a ;>ago from tho paper and gave it to them. "I'm sorry to troublo you," said one of the ladies, "but wo wanted to see what New Zealand steamer it is that has been wrecked." The waiter, who was full of apologies, explained that ho thought they wanted a piece of paper to wrap round tho chicken hones, so that they might take them homo for their dog.

Save in isolated instances, there is now very little gold circulating publicly and tho sovereign or half-sovereign is almost unknown to many of the later generation. Curious episodes in connection with the tendering of gold have been recounted from time to time. A visitor to tho races at Awapuni the other day found himself iu tho peculiar position of having a sovereign declined by a ticket-seller at one of tho totalisator windows. While it was apparent that tho seller's knowledge of coinage had not been fully developed, tho delay in exchanging tho gold for the more common variety of bank note might well have been attended with unfortunato results. However, such did not occur, for the investor duly made tin exchange and got back in time to back the winner.

Details of the recent Defence Force retrenchments reveal a number of individual cases in which the treatment has been at least unceremonious. One Wellington victim of the summary dismissals will get a pension, but ho got scant compensation for arrears of leave. His service covers 29 years without one day's sick leave. ITo loses 25 days' back leave and several., days' annual leave. When members of the staff were working off their annual leave recently this man was retained 011 duty with a view to taking his leave after the 1931 military camps were held. Now both camps and leave are wiped out by retrenchment.