LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20898, 13 June 1931, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The condition of Mr. Albert Finn, who was admitted to the Auckland Hospital on Thursday suffering from injuries to the head, was reported last evening to be still fairly serious, although a slight improvement had been noted. Mr. Finn received his injuries through falling from a building at Mount Eden. Three pupils of the Auckland Aero Club were successful in gaining their A pilot's licences at the Mangere aerodrome yesterday. They were: —Messrs. F. B. Cadman, B. Rope and W. Stanton. The tests were conducted by Squadron-Leader L. M. Jsitt, of the Hobsonville air base. A traffic tally commenced at midnight near the School Bridge, Great North Road, by officers of the Henderson Town Board, will continuo until midnight next Friday. The tally is being held to determine whether the volume of traffic justifies the construction of a new and larger bridge, a pi'oposal which has recently been before tho board. Good progress is being made with the extension of the Mount Albert tramline to Avondale. Tho excavation work has been completed as far as Hcindon Avenue, and the rails have been laid lb Richardson Road. The massive retaining wall being built in readiness for the widening of the New North Road where it skirts Oakley Creek is approaching road level and spoil from the excavations is being used for filling. Solid outcrops of rock have necessitated considerable blasting operations. The pied stilt, a bird fairly common in inland districts, but one which does not frequently make its appearance in the city, has been seen lately at Judge's Bay, near tho Parnell Baths, according to a report made to the council of tho Auckland Acclimatisation Society. The stilt is a shy bird of tho plover family, remarkable for the extreme length of its legs. It has a long, straight beak. The wings and back are black, the head, neck and lower part of the body being white. It spends much of its time wading in water. The pohutukawa saplings planted along the waterfront road appear to be thriving. In a few years they should attain the proportions of large-sized shrubs, and in the course of time will present a magnificent avenue of trees from Campbell's Point to St. Heliers Bay. " Will you please open your mouth and speak up," said Mr. Justice Smith to a young man in tho witness-box in the Supreme Court yesterday. "It is amazing how badly young New Zealanders speak in a Court of law. It may be a good thing to speak softly," His Honor added. " Perhaps it is an indication of reverence. But you ought to be able to speak clearly. I have no doubt you can outside tho Court." All the members of the new Railway Board do not assume office on equal terms as regards the length of their appointments. Tho Railways Amendment Act, 1931, by which the board is constituted, provides that the chairman shall bo appointed for four years initially and afterwards for three years. Of the four other members, two at the outset are appointed for two years and two for three years, tho term subsequently being two years in every case. Tho purpose is to secure continuity in tho personnel of the board by arranging retirements in rotation. Sir James Gunson and Mr. D. W. Reeso have been appointed for three years and tho Hon. E. Newman and Mr. G. W. Reid for two years. A Government inspector who was visiting petrol service station* in Auckland yesterday had occasion to question tho proprietor of one about a quantity of petrol left standing in the glass bowl over a pump, the regulations requiring that these containers must be kept empty after each filling. Tho proprietor disclaimed knowledge of tho full bowl until light was thrown upon tho matter by another person. It transpired that a client, well-known at tho petrol station, was in the habit of helping himself when tho attendants were busy. After putting the hose into his tank he remembered ho wanted oil and 'accordingly procured it. Then, forgetting that he had not filled his petrol tank, he hung up the hose without taking any petrol and drove away after having paid for the oil he had received and the petrol still left in the pump. "I live at the junction of the railway," said Mr. H. E. Gilbert, of Hamilton, at tho General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Wellington, "and I often receive a telegram asking me to meet three Maori girls, and put them on tho limited express for the Maori Girls' Collego at Marton. I meet the train with my car to find not three but 13 Maori maidens, three ukuleles, four banjoes, and six guitars. I don't know what Miss Kinross, tho principal, docs with them at Turakina College, but wo all know that she sends them back to bo great iniluences for good in tho kaingas from which they come." Black and gold, with a narrow dividing stripe of sky blue, tho official blazer of tho Wellington Aero Club has now been decided upon. A system of badges, indicating tho wearer's status, has also been introduced. In order to provide night shelter for homeless men, tho committee of St. Martin's House of Help in Christchurch has purchased a house for the purpose in the central part of the city. The Rev. P. Revell, city missioner for the Church of England, stated that tho shelter would be called a guest house, and that no man would bo admitted to it unless ho possessed a ticket signed by him as manager of St. Martin's House of Help. Tho building, which will provide accommoda tion for 40 men, will bo in charge of a married couple, who will commence their duties in about three weeks' time. The men to receive shelter will wot be asked for payment. The scheme is to be financed by money raised at tho jumblo shop in Manchester Street and by the generosity of church people and £he public generally. That hedgehogs were becoming as destructive as rats was the opinion expressed by Mr. D Lee, of Lower Hutt, in a letter to the Wellington Acclimatisation Society. Hedgehogs were destructive of tho eggs ,of all birds that nested on the ground, he said. He had had a good many duck eggs stolen by hedgehogs, and had more than once found numbers of eggshells near hedgehogs' nests. Ho considered that hedgehogs should be destroyed on sight. "Ho is.quite right," said a member of the society.