LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20866, 7 May 1931, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Two cycling accidents occurred in the city yesterday. Mr. Edward Fitzgerald, of Lower Vincent Street,, was knocked down by a cyclist in Napier Street in the "evening and in addition to the fracture of several libs, received concussion and head injuries. He was takon to the Auckland Hospital by the St. John Ambulance. A messenger boy, James Brown lee, of Second Avenue, Kingsland, received a broken arm and injuries to one leg opposite the Town Hall earlier in the day. He was riding a cycle when something blew into his eye and he came into collision with n small car. After receiving attention at the hospital the lad was able to go to his home. The fust prosecution of its kind brought in Auckland was heard in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when the purchaser of a motor-car was prosecuted for failing to notify the insurance company carrying the compulsory third-party risk that the car had been transferred to him, although the proper transfer of registration had been carried out. The opinion was expressed that had the new purchaser met with an accident involving injury to a third party, the injured person might have had no recourse against, the insurance company. Remarking that tho case was the first of its kind, the magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, imposed a fine of 10s, with costs. Fine weather was experienced throughout the voyage of the steamer Corinthic, which arrived at Auckland yesterday from Southampton. The vessel carried 67 passengers for New Zealand, 17 travelling cabin class and 50 third class. Of tho total number 35 were for Auckland. Over 200 people who had assembled outside the Birkenhead Council Chambers to watch the progress of tho voting as the returns from the various booths came in were disappointed when they learned that the returning officer, Mr. J. W. Cocks, had refused to make any progress reports. He stated in reply to various impatient electors who attempted to ascertain particulars that it was "against the law" to make any announcement before roturns were complete. It was not until after 10 o'clock, when th"& complete returns •were available, that any official notification of the voting was mado known. In tho course of his speech to electors tho Mayor, Mr. J. P. McPhail, apologised for the disappointment caused by a different reading of the Electoral Act from that usually understood. A purse containing about £4 in cash was taken from a residence in View Road yesterday. The house was left unlocked and entry apparently was made by the back door. " This class of man must be protected against his own folly," said Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Hamilton Magistrate's Court yesterday, when imposing a fine of £1 on a motor-car owner for passing over a railway crossing in his car at a time when it was engaged. Sergeant Harley said the incident occurred in Victoria Street. The bells were ringing and the crossing-keeper stood in the middle of the street displaying a red light. Defendant said he did not see tho light and did not hear the bells until ho had crossed the line.

Several minor earthquakes were experienced at Napier and Hastings last weekend. The tremors had a decided swaying motion, but the majority were free from jolts. The death of an infant occurred on the steamer Corinthic on Good Friday, while the vessel was en route from Southampton to Auckland. The child, whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. J. Rockett, were passengers to Auckland was buried at sea. ' The value of fingerprints as a method of identification was briefly referred to by Mr. Justice Reed, when addressing the grand jury at the opening of the Supremo Court criminal session in Wellington. " One Judge had described the fingerprint as an ' unforgeable signature.' " he said. It was practically impossible for two persons to have the same fingerprints. Fingerprints never changed all through life, and there was no relationship between the marks of the parent and the child. Accused in ono case before the Court had left his " unforgeable signature" on a window. Steady progress is being maintained on the Napier-Wairoa section of the East Coast MaiD Trunk railway. Work on t,ho section from Waikare to Wairoa has been retarded very little by the earthquake. There are 416 men engaged. Tho Kotemaori tunnel is now almost finished. The Mohaka and Maungaterangi viaducts are expected to be complented by the end of 1932, when the line to Wairoa should be opened. Tho repairing of tho line from Napier to Putorino is not tho concern of the Public Works Department, but of the Railway Department, which was operating this section at the time of the earthquake. A settler of Waimate Plains, Taranaki, this season planted four acres of wheat and was rewarded with an excellent crop of 50 bushels to the acre. Tho grain was a good quality Tuscan.

" There arc far too many strangers bringing unlicensed lorries into this district, and competing with those in this district who have paid their fees," re* marked Traffic-Inspector Olliver at, tho Napior Police Court, when several chargps dealing with the licensing of lorries wero heard. " WqII, I think we can leave that phase of the matter to you," added His Worship. " As far as New Zealand and Canada are concerned I know the trade treaty question is a big one; but it is in the. hands of the Government at tho present time, and f understand that no announcement has been made," said Mr. G. G. Kew, of Windsor, Canada, assistant-sec-retary of the Ford Motor Company, of Canada, Ltd., who arrived in Wellington by the Monowai on his way to Australia, "We are very hopeful, however, that there will be a satisfactory development in that question, because it means so much both to Canada and New Zealand. What, the action of the Government will bo is problematical, but we are relying on some favourable action being taken." Mr. Kew was disinclined to discuss business conditions, beyond saying that the root cause of the general world economic situation was difficult to find. Since the manufacture of gas was resumed at Napier, leakages from the mains have been located on the flats in a number of places. The smell of gas was particularly strong in Clive Square.