LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20867, 8 May 1931, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Minor injuries fo liis head and slight concussion wore received by Mr. William Thomas Simpson, aged 57, of King Edward Street, ol'f Dominion Road, when he was accidentally knocked down by a motorcar at the junction of Wellcslcy Street East and Syinonds Street, at about 6 p.m. yesterday. The injured man was taken to the Auckland Hospital by the St. John Ambulance. His condition is not re garded as serious.

The cable steamer Iris returned to Auckland last evening after having carried out repair work to cables in Cook Strait. She anchored in the stream and will move to her moorings at Devonport this morning. The Iris will next be engaged on repair work at Norfolk Island. The first term of-all schools in Auckland will conclude to-day and tho term holidays will be commenced. Work at the primary schools and the Seddon Memorial Technical Collpgo will bo resumed on Monday. May 25, and at the Grammar Schools and Sacred Heart College on the following day. Classes at tho Diocesan High School will be recommenced on May 27 Tuition at King's College and St. Cuthbert's College will not be resumed until Juno 2. Special holiday railway fares for return journeys came into operation yesterday and the issue will bo continued until May 16, tickets being available for use until June 13. A woman holding a voting paper and a man iri close conversation with her attracted the notice of a policeman on duty at a polling booth during Wednesday's municipal elections. The man seemed to be giving the woman some advice. Stepping briskly forward, the policeman tapped the man on the shoulder. What are you doing?" asked the policeman. "Do you not know you are not supposed to tell anyone for whom they should vote?" The policeman apologised when he was informed that ho was addressing tho returning officer, Mr. P. F. Notley, who was merely instructing tho woman in the procedure to be followed in marking the ballot paper. " My observations lead me to believe that there are in the world to-day three distinct types," said Dr. T. Z. Koo at the Optimists' Club's luncheon yesterday. " There are the Hindu of India whose relationship is between man and God, the Chinese with whom it is between man and man, and the Western races with whom it is between man and nature." To emphasise his point, Dr. Koo pictured a great waterfall. The Hindu would see in it tho power of God. Its beauty would appeal to tho Chinese, who would discover in it a place suitable for habitation and meditation. To tho Western mind the thought would be of the great amount of power going to waste. The scarcity of fish which has existed in Auckland for a considerable time has been slightly relieved this week. Terekihi continue to be in good supply, and flounder are more plentiful. There are also slightly larger stocks of schnapper. Tho greater part of the supplies is being obtained from the Bay of Plenty grounds. Trawling operations in the Ilauraki Gulf aro meeting with only a small degree of success.

The number of patients in the Auckland Hospital has been reduced to about 100 less than the average for last year since the board, in tho interests of economy, decided to refuse admission to cases which, in the opinion of tho doctors, were fit to bo sursed at home. As far as further economies in management are concerned, the task has been left for tho new hoard, but one or two steps have already been taken. Unnecessary lights, for instance, have been eliminated, and the wards are not so bright as formerly. Although tho first election of members of t'lio Auckland Transport Board 011 Wednesday synchronised with tho biennial municipal elections, under (he provisions of the Auckland Transport Board Act there will not ho another election for the board for four years. The original board was composed of members chosen by tho City Council and tho other interested local bodies and the first elective board is that just chosen. Hereafter tho elections will bo held at fouryearly periods. Tho chairman will bo chosen at the first meeting of tho new board and ho will hold offico for two years. At the annual meeting in May, 1933, tho board will again'elect a chairman, who will hold offico until the end of the board's present term. A proficiency examination for those who have left school without gaining proficiency certificates will bo conducted at tho Wellesley Street school on Tuesday morning. It is some years since an examination of this typo has been held ( but a fairly considerable demand for it has led to tho Education Board reinstating it.

A tingling feeling of satisfaction is surging through the breast of ono city elector. 110 did not mark his ballot paper for the City Council election on Wednesday, but instead pasted on it a slip of paper bearing tho words:— " ' Blank ' " recommended that my wages should be reduced 10 per cent." Tho ballot paper thus endorsed was then solemnly lodged in the appropriate box. "Blank" was not, elected; in fact, ho occupied an extraordinarily low position at the poll. After the departure of tho warship Diomede from Wellington for Auckland on Monday afternoon it was discovered that four of tho ratings had been left behind, and it was necessary for tho ship to return to pick them up. The cruiser left after tho customary leave-takings between the sailors and their shore friends at 4.20 p.m., and in a little over an hour she was back in the harbour. Tho men who had missed the boat wero rowed out from the Clyde Quay Wharf, and in a short time the interrupted trip was resumed. Owing to the continuod spell of dry weather, water for domestic services is becoming a scarce commodity in the smaller towns on tho West Coast of the South Island that are not served by a water supply, and in consequence many residents find it necessary to have water carted. At Runanga the Borough Council is attending to the supply of water to its residants. In spite of the recent culling by the Acclimatisation Society, and the raids mado of late by deer-stalking parties, deer continue to bo a great nuisance to runholders in the Ashburton Coige. Herds of half-a-dozen or more make frequont raids, especially on turnip crops, of which they destroy large numbers in one night.