LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20810, 28 February 1931, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Two accidents, both involving tramcars, occurred in Wellesley Street East within the space of ten minutes early last evening. Mr. W. H. Johnson, a tram conductor, aged 36, of 6, Belwood Avenue, Mount Eden, fell from the platform of an tramcar as it was passing the Seddon Memorial Technical College and in*jured. his head. It is believed, that he struck a centrerpole when leaningout from the side of the tram. A few minutes later Mr. H. A. Jordan, aged 37, married, of Redfern Avenue, Dominion Road, fell in attempting to board a moving tramcar, opposite the Wellesley Street post office, and struck his head on the step. Both men taken to the Auckland. Hospital by the St. John Ambulance. Their condition is not serious.

Heavier supplies of eggs have been coming forward to the Auckland market during the week and the demand has tended to fall off. Several of the bigger grocery firms have reduced their prices for eggs 2d a dozen during the few days and a general reduction is expected next week.

Motorists who travel the AucklandHamilton highway have been much interested in the work at Rangiriri, where the Omatea and Rangiriri bridges and the road deviation are to be formally opened by Mr. A. W. Hall, M.P., at 2 p.m. to-day. Rangiriri is also holding a regatta to-day and a large gathering of Auckland motorists is expected to attend both functions.

In order that the work of the Church of England may be continued in the stricken districts in Hawke's Bay, the Primate, Archbishop Averill, has opened a fund to which all church people are urged to contribute. The Diocese of Waiapu suffered very extensively in the recent disaster and it is urgently necessary that money should be forthcoming from the other dioceses.

Owing to the work now proceeding on the Wanganui River Road it is possible to reach the fine cherry and chestnut grove near Jerusalem which was planted by the late Mother Mary Joseph Aubert. "I have never seen a sight like it," said a visitor, the other day, in referring to this orchard of something like 50 acres of cherry trees, which have nearly all been imported from France. He said that the drive to Raetihi, via the Parapara, thence to Pipiriki and Jerusalem, a distance of» 84 miles, was.one of the finest of its kind in the Dominion. "Very few know of those cherries," he added, stating that there were various kinds which ensured a supply of fruit to almost as late as April.

Travellers alongside Lake Ellesmere, Canterbury, have wondered at the great number of black swans to be seen. For a large bird they are very prolific. A pair that has been for some time in Akaroa Harbour has this season a brood of six cygnets, and the eight birds sailing along in single file and maintaining a regular distance apart affcrd a pretty sight. Two of the white swans had a brood of three*, but unfortunately the male bird killed them.

A Christchurch firm has written to the Wellington Chamber of Commerce complaining of what it. alleges to be an anomaly in favour of American competition in regard to the supply of fruit-case timber to the Cook Islands for the packing of citrus fruit and tomatoes. Last year the Government advanced the tariff on imported dressed timber to 19s per 100 super, feet and 9s 6d per 100 ft. for rough sawn timber, yet the Cook Islands growers paid no duty on American cases. The council resolved to send a copy of the letter to the Associated Chambers of Commerce.

Telegraphic communication between Gisborne and Napier has been restored to normal, but telephone calls are now very few, indeed between the two centres. The reason is not difficult to explain, for the Napier and Hastings exchanges aro almost completely out of action. Only a few subscribers in both Napier and Hastings have been connected, and until a thorough examination of the cables is possible no idea can be given of how long it will take to provide another complete service. It will mean building practically a new exchange in each of these centres.

" This is the worst job we have ever tackled," said a representative of the firm of practical steeplojacks which has been engaged to lower the huge chimney stack owned by the Otago Brush Company in Dunedin. This old landmark of 50 years' standing was considered to be in grave danger of collapsing if Dunedin had an earthquake, so the company decided to have it reduced from its present height of 130 ft. to 80ft. The main difficulty being experienced by the steeplejack workers is with the concrete top, which is estimated to weigh two and a-half tons, and it is feared that only a little shake might bring the lot down. The stack was originally erected to serve a soap works, but such a tall stack is no longer required.

Heavy losses have-been .sustained by Gisborne settlers in the destruction'of wool by fire at Napier as a result of the earthquake. Fortunately, most, of the wool stored there remained intact, but advice has been received that some Gis-borne-owned wool was totally destroyed. In several cases the wool was owned by men who had purchased it as speculative investments, and it was boing kept in store in Napier awaiting a substantial rise in the market. In one case, wool purchased last season was lost, while that bought this season remained intact. One settler has been advised that wool for which he paid more than £2OOO last season as a speculation will not return him anything.

An entirely unrehearsed incident occurred in the Square gardens at Palmerston North the other day. Numbers of mischievous boys were chasing fish along the edges of the duck pond when their activities were observed by a citizen who takes a particular pride in the towp's civic amenities. He crept up behind a boy who was leaning over the railing, and, before the lad realised what was happening, he was receiving summary chastisement from a vigorously wielded walking stick.

The wife of the Governor of New South Wales, Lady Game, was one of the passengers in a car last Saturday travelling from,Westport to Greymouth. After an inspection of the blowholes at Punakaiki, the car was about to lie restarted, when it caught fire under the bonnet. The engine and some of the paintwork werp slightly damaged, but the passengers were not endangered, and not inconvenienced, except by having to wait until a relief car could arrive from Westport.