LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21115, 24 February 1932, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Mushrooms Fairly Plentiful. The warm, showery weather experienced in the past few days has encouraged the growth ©f mushrooms in the country districts. Fair quantities were obtainable at trie Auckland City Markets yesterday. They sold at from Is to Is 6d a lb.

Cheap Fruit in Auckland. Bananas and pears are probably Ihe cheapest fruit obtainable in Auckland at present. At the Auckland City Markets yesterday bananas realised only 4s to 8s a case, and they are available in city shops at 2d to 3d a lb. R:pe pears sold for 2s to 3s a case, the retail prices being 3d a lb. and 41b. for Is. Baby Injured in Tall. A baby, aged 15 months, the child of Mr. and Mrs. H. Asquith, 29, Alexandra Street, Glenmore, received injuries to the head through falling down some steps at their home yesterday afternoon. Hie infant was admitted to the Auckland Hospital. Its condition was reported last evening to be fairly serious. Roman Catholic Home. Four sisters of the Roman Catholic Order of the Good Shepherd, from Melbourne, reached Auckland by the Maunganui yesterday to join the sisters of the order, who are conducting the newlyestablished Mount St. Joseph rescue home for girls at Waikowhai. The home, which occupies a large residence standing in over 30 acres of grounds, was dedicated and opened last September. Removal of Tram Poles.

"A fine improvement has been made in Queen Street with the tram poles out," said the chairman, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, at a meeting of the Auckland Transport Board yesterday. Mr. Allum said that only two more poles, at the foot of Queen Street, required removal. The work would be carried out when arrangements were completed for the fixing of stabilisers on the post office building. Albert Park Flowers.

The brilliant colours of the canna lilies provide the most conspicuous display at Albert Park now. There are many of them in the border by Princes Street and they occupv separate beds near the Queen Victoria statue and below Bowen Avenue. Two glorious beds of dahlias of great size and rich hues are well worth seeing. Zinnias are also in full flower. The paik has greatly benefited by the recent rains.

Railway Versus Trams. The reduction in suburban fares on the railways has had little effect upon tram traffic, according to a verbal report made by tlie manager, Mr. A. E. Ford, at a meeting of the Auckland Transport Board yesterday. He said the frequency of tram traffic assured the board of the large majority of the custom offering. It had been necessary to increase the number of cars on the Mount Albeit and Great South Road routes. Aeroplanes for Hawera.

Two aeroplanes from the Auckland Aero Club will leave Mangere about eight o'clock this morning for Hawera, where they will attend the borough jubilee celebrations. Two pilots will travel in each machine, one being in charge going south and the other on the return trip. The pilots will be Mr. 0. M. Richwhite, Mr. It. Kirkup, Mr. J. Ewington and Mr. J. M. Stevenson. They will return this afternoon. Wine Buried for 27 Years. The bride at a Wairarapa wedding was toasted in champagne which had lain buried in the grounds of her home for 27 years. The wine was some from her parents' wedding table, and had been carefully sealed, placed in a totara box and buried by her father, to lie undisturbed until the wedding day of the first of his family to marry. The wine, which came from Bellamy's, the bride's grandfather being then a Minister of the Crown, in perfect condition, and even the box showed little signs of having been buried for nearly 30 years.

Post-mark Slogans. New Zealanders are acquainted with the modern habit of using slogans on the post-marks of letters, and the Government's adjuration to "Telephone friends in the other Island" has practically become household knowledge. The Australian authorities, however, appear to have commenced a new practice in postmarks. Letters from Australia which have reached Auckland in recent mails have borne the eminently topical words, "Prevent bush fires." The departure provides a sufficient commentary on the disastrous fires which have been experienced in several Australian States during the summer Ski-ing on Sandhills.

For the first lune in New Zealand, skiing is to be carried out on sand slopes. The Alpine Sports Club is arranging an expedition to Bethel's Bay, on the west coast, during the week-end, when it is expected that, members will be, able, to gain excellent practice in readiness for the club's trip to National Park in August. On sand dunes near Berlin ski ing has bpen practised for some time with success, and a Sydney ski club has for years held ski-ing classes on grassy sloops in I lie suburbs. It lias been found that turning, climbing, running and even skijumping ran be practised to advantage under I liosc conditions.

Queen Street Traffic. At a meeting of the Auckland Transport Board yesterday it was decided to take no action regarding the City Council's proposal to amend its by-law dealing with the running of omnibuses through that part of Queen Hticet between Customs Street and Wellesley Street. In a report at the last meeting the board's manager, Mr. A. E. Ford, stated that the purport of the proposal was to allow vehicles operating at separate fares, such as service cars, to traverse the busiest thoioughfare in Auckland. The question was discussed by the board-in-committee and the view taken was that the board's wishes would be known to the City Council.

Huge Sunflowers. Astonishing figures relating to gigantic sunflowers grown in the Dominion continue to reach the Hekali>. Following publication of the dimensions of a flower, measuring 16in. across, which was grown at Hamilton, Mr. G. 11. Mair, of 11, Kitchener Road, Takapuna, recalls an immense specimen, 23»in. across, grown by him and a friend at Taranaki 30 years ago. The plant was about 6ft. high. On a plant 13ft. 6£in. high the flower measured only 9in. across. The specimens both gained first awards at a local show. An unusual plant over Bft. high, with 10 fully-expanded sunflowers and 12 buds, has been grown by Mr. T. Morrison, of Kaikohc. The centre flower measured llin. across and the remaining opened ones 7in. Olhor plants in the same garden, each with only single flowers about lOin. in diameter, are about 10ft. high.