LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21142, 28 March 1932, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

A Unique Cake. Complete to tlio minutest detail, a unique cake lias been made for the jubilee celebrations of the Methven School. It is a model of the original school in Jackson Street, which was burned down in 1916. The model is 46in. in length, 56in. high and 24in. wide. Its weight is 1301b. Repairs to the Toa. Tho Northern Company's motor-vessel Toa, which stranded at tho entrance of tho Whakatano River on March 18, returned to Auckland on Saturday morning. The vessel was refloated on March 19 and berthed at Whakatano to load cargo. She unloaded her c/irgo after arrival on Saturday and then went on the slip for lepairs to the hull sheathing, which was damaged during the 12 hours she was aground. A Satisfactory Result. Tiic works department of the Christchurch City Council would end the financial year on March 31 with a satisfactory credit balance, stated Mr. J. W. Beanland, chairman of tho committee, last week. A statement of the position of the department was submitted to the committee by the city treasurer. This shows that the comriutteo. ,has kept its expenditure within the estimates and that it will have a balance to carry forward to next year.

Car Strikes Light, Standard. An iron electric-light standard in Hobson Street, opposite St. Matthew's Church, was almost torn from its foundations early yesterday morning when a taxicab which was proceeding down Hobson Street swerved toward the footpath and struck it. The pillar, which carried a cluster of lights and two wires, was forced back from the kerb and considerably twisted by the impact, but the wires did not fall. The driver of tho cab was not injured and drove the vehiclo away under its own power shortly after the mishap. Weather Hazards. In order to protect itself financially from the effects of possible wet weather, tho committee responsible for the organisation of the Easter university tournament in Wellington has taken out an insurance policy against more than a fifth of an inch of rain falling between certain hours to-day. Tho inter-university athletic meeting, at which several brilliant outside performers will also compete, promises to be an outstanding success if fine weather prevails. A fairly high premium has been paid, but the committee is now more or less protected.

Unusual Record of Fire Engine. Negotiations have been proceeding for the purchase by the Auckland Fire Board from the New Plymouth Fire Board of an engine which has been used only once in 15 years. A final decision has not yet been reached. On the only occasion the engine was brought into service during the 15 vcar a of its possession iri New Plymouth, it was not actually used at a fire. It proceeded to Waitara at a fast pace, but it was not necessary to use the equipment on the machine. New Plymouth has not experienced a fire sufficiently large to require the use of the engine. Taxi Strikes Cow. While travelling along the Hutt Poad not long after midnight a ta,\icab collided with one of three cows which were on the road at a point about half-way between Petone and Ngahauranga. The cow struck was afftu t red Shorthorn. A constable was called from the Petone station and found the cow lying on the side of the road. Jts left foreleg had apparently been struck, but although it was swollen it, did not appear to lie, broken. r lhe constable accordingly did not shoot the animal, although later it died. The radiator and front of the taxicab wero damaged, and the cab could not. he started again after the collision. It was raining at tlie time, (lie road was wet and visibility poor. Proposed Education Economies. *

Tho education economies proposed by the National Expenditure Commission wero discussed at a recent meeting of chairmen of school committees in Christchurch. While it- was decided to object to the majority of the proposals, others received the approval of tho meeting. These were:—Minimum school age laised to six years (saving £11,000); material for handwork (£1000); manual training centres in country districts (£5000), and cessation of manual instruction for standard V. (£13,000); agricultural instruction (£11,000). No comment was made on proposed savings which concerned teachers' salaries or technical and secondary school boards.

Non-Stop Voyage from England. A non-stop voyage of 47 days from Cardiff was made by the. New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Piako, which arrived at Wellington'on Thursday evening. The voyago was mado via tho Capo of fiood Hope and after passing tho Cape, the vessel did not sight land again until she was approaching the New Zealand coast. The I'iako brought no cargo and she. has come (o New Zealand to load for England. The, vessel j s a coal burner, and to make such a long voyago without refuelling, N'os. 2 and 3 holds wero filled with coal, which served as ballast. It, is very reldom that- a steamer conies from Britain to New Zealand without calling at a port en route for bunker coal. An exceptionally short stay of 15 days in New Zealand will bo made by tho Piako which will only load at two ports, Wellington and Auckland. She is scheduled to leave Auckland for London, via Capo Horn, Montevideo and Las Pahnas, on April 8.

Ownership of Lagoon Bed. According to the ruling of the Minister of Marine, Hon. J. G. Cobbo, the area of the Ahuriri Lagoon, Napier, which was raised above sea-level by the earthquake, regarding which some dispute as to ownership has taken place, is without doubt the property of tho Napier Harbour Board, in which the area was vested in 1875. The area so vested was 7900 acres, stated Mr. Cobbe, but as there were doubts as to tho actual boundaries a fresh schedule was substituted by the Napier Harbour Board Amendment and Endowment Improvement Act, 1887, which schedule is very minute in its description. There appeared to be no doubt, therefore, that the land (tho bed of the lagoon) was actually vested in the board for the use, benefit and endowment of the board, and the Crown, by reason of tho statutory provision, ceased to have .any interest in tho bed of the lagoon. Ifc was the usual custom when such sudden raising of land occurred for tho Crown to take possession, but in the present case ownership had already been vested in tho board and the Crown could not thereforo assume ownership.