LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20875, 18 May 1931, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A large quantity of overseas mails arrived at Auckland by the Royal Mail liner Aorangi from Vancouver yesterday. The vessel brought for New Zealand 2300 bags of English and American mail, of which 560 bags were for Auckland.

It was stated laSl evening that the limited express from Wellington due to arrive at Auckland at 9,40 a.m. to-day would bo about an hour late owing to (rouble having developed in a hot-box on one of tho do luxe sleeping cars. The trouble occurred near Palmerston North and the train was an hour late in leaving that station. It was doubted whether it would he able to make up much of the lost time owing to tho difficulty of crossing other trains on the northern portion of the line.

Music, dance and classical, was played by the Band of the Jubilee Institute for the Blind at the garden party at Government House on Saturday. The blind players, especially the solo instrumentalists, won popular favour on account of their great versatility, their playing ranging from a strict rendering of standard compositions to jazz novelties played in perfect dance time. The boys have mado great progress with their musical studies since the band was formed and at a social function, such as that of Saturday, find their musical methods in great demand.

Figures showing the extent of the activities of the Salvation Army throughout tho world were quoted by Commissioner J. Cunningham at a public meeting in (he Congress Hall yesterday afternoon. Last year, he said, the Army provided 11,500,000 beds for poor men and women and 24,500,000 meals for tho hungry. It found situations for 23,800 unemployed and found temporary employment for 214,000. In New Zealand alone it provided 450,000 beds and 1,200,000 meals.

No change has been noted in the condition of Mr. William MacPherson, who was admitted to the Auckland Hospital on Friday suffering from serious injuries to the head. The condition of Mr. Herbert Clapham, who was also admitted on Friday with head injuries, is still fairly serious. Both men received their injuries as a result, of being knocked down by motor-cars.

Groceries and tobacco worth about £lO were stolen from tho store of H. Taggart, Onewa Road, Northcote, on Saturday evening. Subsequently the front door of tho premises was found to have been forced open.

Two stowaways concealed themselves on board tho Union Company's cargo steamer Poolta at Sydney and they were not discovered until the vessel was some days at sea.* The Poolta reached Auckland on Saturday evening and the stowaways were handed over to the police.

Four telephone boxes in the Mount Albert and New Lynn districts were broken into on Friday evening and their contents removed. The machines in each case were forced open, considerable damage being done.

Severe lacerations of (he hand were received by an infant, Violet Cameron, aged 18 months, as a result of having it caught in the suction pump of a milking machine on tho farm of her foster-father, Mr. F. Vickers, of Morrinsville, yesterday afternoon. On her admittance to the Waikato Hospital last evening it was found necessary to amputate three fingers.

Considerable difficulty is being experienced on the West Coast this year in the collection of the heavy traffic tax on motor vehicles. Owing to tho depression in the various industries, many motor lorries are parked in their owners' garages, waiting for the financial clouds to roll by. As a result of recent visits to various parts of the district a traffic inspector remarked on the small amount of motor traffic of all descriptions now on the roads. During a trip to Hokitika he passed only one car in the 35 miles, and only two were encountered on the return journey to Greymouth. The depression is evidently affecting private owners as well as business firms. When motorists are called upon to relicense their cars this month, it is moro than likely that many of them will prefer to give tho vehicles a rest, rather than pay the fees due.

Several reports have come from Murchison that grey ducks are fairly plentiful on the new lake in the Matakitaki Valley caused by the earthquake in June, 1929. Several really good bags were secured in the first few davs of the month.

Surprise at tho huge increase in the number of cyclists in Wanganui is expressed by a resident, who states that ho recently counted over_2oo bicycles as he stood at a busy corner. Ten years ago, he said, most of these cyclists would have been travelling in the framcars, but the advent of lower prices for bicycles and the time-payment system had increased their numbers five-fold.

The need for a comprehensive schemo for the clearing of earthquake debris at Napier was referred to by Mr. J. Myers at a meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last week. He said that of

tlio 40.000 unemployed men in New Zealand perhaps 5000 or 6000 conld be placed in Hawkc's liny. There were many men now attempting work for which they were not adapted and they should he given an opportunity in Hawkc's Bay. The scheme might cost £500,000, he said, but in less than six months the affected parts of Hawkc's Bay could be definitely cleared up. The massive chimneys of the Government Buildings in Wellington are being reduced in height as an earthquako precaution. All Government buildings have been under supervision recently with a view to eliminating anything which might prove dangerous in the event of severe tremors. The expectations of a record export apple crop in the Nelson district this year) have been realised. Last week saw the 800,000 th case sent forward for shipment overseas. Last year's record was 784,000 cases. Tho season is now practically over, most of the packing sheds having been closed. However, late varieties will be received up to May 20 and tho export total is expected to reach 810,000 cases. A grant of £450 from its funds for the relief of its members affected by the earthquako in Ilawke's Bay was made last week by tho New Zealand Educational Institute at its annual meeting in Wellington. A committee is to bo appointed to make disbursements to claimants.