LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20931, 22 July 1931, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

The third quarterly criminal sessions of the year will be opened at Auckland* on Tuesday before Mr. Justice Herdman and Mr.'Justice Smith, So far 16 cases have been set down for hearing, and it is expected that others of a serious nature will be added. Four men are concerned in ati unusual charge of conspiracy to defraud by forging and uttering forged bank notes, and there is a case against a woman who is alleged to have endangered a child's life by failing to provide it with necessaries. 'J here are four charges of burglary and three men are to stand trial on a charge of robbery with violence.

A motor-car, owned by Mrs. A. T. Elliot, which was stolen on July 11 when intruders broke into her garage at 2, Belvedere Street, Epsom, was recovered yesterday in a small street off Dominion Road. The car was travel-stained, but undamaged, and according to the speedometer had been driven 400 miles.

The danger caused by cyclists riding at night without, lights or rear reflectors was stressed in a letter received from the Auckland Automobile Association at a meeting of the One Tree Hill Borough Council last evening. Mr. W. G. Mulholland said he had noticed that evening seven out of 11 bicycles unlighted. The traffic inspector was instructed to pay particular attention to the detection of offenders.

Informal ion regarding the progress of the plans for a new kitchen at the Auckland Hospital was sought by the Rev. W. C. Wood at a meeting of the Hospital Board yesterday. " While we arc having cold weather now it will not be long before the hot season has arrived and we might have a repetition of trouble," he said. The chairman, Mr. W. Wallace, said the board's architect was working on the plans and he understood good progress was being made. He would see what was being done.

Progress in the formation of the western reclamation was reported to the Auckland Harbour Board yesterday afternoon by the engineer, Mr. D. Holderness, who said the concreLe wall cope on the eastern side of the 42ft. roadway was now- 1151 ft. in length. A certain amount of work had been done on the road foundations in consolidating soft areas and 4476 square feet of the Western Wharf extension had been concreted. The board gave the Finance Committee power to act in authorising payments by its London agent, on account of the contract for the rolling lift bridge for the western viaduct, the chairman. Mr. G. R. Hutchinson, remarking that the amoynt involved was about £6500. The age of lava beds and other volcanic deposits in and near Auckland is not easy to determine. Professor J. A. Burtruni, in a lecture at the Auckland University College last evening, explained that' volcanic'basalt, or bluestone, altered little with the passage, of ages. Some of that in : the Auckland district might be only 1000 years old. It- was'possible that the'activity of Rangitoto ceased-less than a millennium ago. The lava flow at the north end of Takapu'na, Beach had 'overwhelmed and" killed trees, and there ; was positive evidence J/lhat . they were j kauris. _ • • "I am rather distressed about the .way. we have to put oft some of the country places," said Mr. Justice Frazer, (When the Arbitration Court was seeking to arrange a Gisborne fixture at its opening session in'-Auckland yesterday. "We have had to put Gisborne off. We should have gone there six months ago. Perhaps they will get a new court one of these days, and be able to get through the work," he added reflectively.

The concreting of the former railway crossing in Breakwater Road is now complete, ' and the fine broad roadway is being very freely used by traffic to and from the wharves and King's Drive. The crossing was below the permanent level of Customs Street East, and the new road surface stands higher than the old. In order to let traffic pass, the concreting had to done in three sections, and some congestion could not be avoided while the work was going on. The triangular " island " at the Customs Street end is being improved with a rockbordered flower-bed, which should provide a pleasant spot of colour in a rather drab locality.

The new Railways Board has advised the Papatoetoe Chamber of Commerce that it will welcome for consideration suggestions for the fostering of suburban passenger traffic. In a letter received this week the board stated it had not yet considered its policy in regard to suburban traffic, but would do so at an early date. Several suggestions previously tabulated by the chamber, of commerce were approved for submission to the board.

" It is a question of keeping our money in New Zealand or sending it overseas," said Mr. J. Dawson, engineer to the Mount Roskill Road Board, when that body last evening accepted the tender of a New Zealand firm for a quantity of water-pipes. One member advocated the acceptance of a lower tender from Australia, but Mr. Dawson pointed out that the rate of exchange was in favour of Australia and influenced the quotation. Apart from that, the New Zealand-made pipes were of greater utility and .much more suited to the board's requirements.

The Waipa County Council on Monday had before it an application for a motor drivers' licence by a ratepayer near Te Awamutu who is very deaf. The chairman explained that the applicant was well known, had driven a car for years without accident, and was thoroughly fit in all other respects. The Minister of Transport, when appealed to, had replied that the responsibility is on the local licensing authority. The council unanimously agreed to instruct its clerk to issue the desired licence.

A young woman in New Plymouth recently received a parcel containing five raisins that had been sent to the South Pole with the Byrd expedition. The raisins are in perfect condition

"'lf these little irritations . are to be enforced, the Railway Department will find it is not acting in its own interests," remarked Mr. W. J. Nicholson at the Papatoetoe Town Board meeting last evening when reporting that the railway authorities had .closed an access to the Papatoetoe station on the. east side. The crossing had been used by travellers for the 'last 10 years, said Mr. Nicholson, and while it was, perhaps, an unauthorised one, it had proved a great convenience to, passengers. Many protests liad been received and it was suggested the board should request the department to provide a ramp at the northern end of the platform. The. board decided to request the department to reconsider the matter.,