LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21161, 19 April 1932, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Great Haul of Schnapper. A party of fifteen men, fishing with lines from the launch Awhitu on the Manukau Harbour, near Whatipu, on Sunday, caught over 800 schnapper. The fish, which were caught within four hours, were all fairly large and in good condition. The catch was made at low water. Deer in Bay of Plenty. A twelve pointer stag was shot by Mr. L. Carruthers, of Opotiki, at Tarawera on Sunday, and a ten pointer at Tirohanga by Mr. D. Marjoribanks, states the Herald's Opotiki correspondent. Deer are getting plentiful in the Opotiki district. One large stag was seen in a paddock on the Waioeka I'oad last week but escaped when disturbed. Long Service as Committeeman. To have served for 48 years on the committee of one school is the record of Mr. A. Worrall, who was elected for his 49th term on the Epsom school committee last evening. Mr. Worrall was a member of the first Epsom school committee. Appreciative references to his long and valuable service were made at tho householders' meeting last evening. Surfacing Great South Road. Arrangements between the tranklin County Council and the Main Highways Board for the permanent surfacing of the Great South Road between Papakura and Mercer are now being finalised by the chairman of the council, Mr. J. N. Massey, M.P. Under an agreement with the council the board is to undertake the work according to plans prepared by the county engineer, Mr. J. F. McArthur. Long Negotiations End. The signing of an agreement between the Auckland Electric-Powcr Board and a freezing company at Westfield for the supply of power was reported to the board at a meeting yesterday by the chairman, Mr. W. J. Holdsworth. "It is very gratifying," lie said. " Hie company will be our biggest consumer after the Transport Board. We have been negotiating for seven years in the matter."

Safer Motoring. A. suggestion was made by Mr. F. W. Johnston, president of tho South Island Motor Union, that motorists should be forced to have their windscreens equipped with double wipers in the winter time, a second one to the left of the driver. "By this means," said Mr. Johnston, "the driver is enabled to pick up cyclists nnd other traffic oil the left before, lie reaches them, instead of picking them up on his bumper-bar." Condition of Trout. The view that the trout at Taupo would be equally as good next season as they were in 1924 was expressed yesterday by Mr. Jr. A. doing,' of Hamilton, who has had much experience in angling at Taupo. Mr. Going, who was fishing in the Waitakanui Stream at Taupo last week, said the angling at Taupo was as satisfactory now a? it was in 1923, a season which was followed by one outstanding f;r the phenomenal size of the fish caught. Navy League Service. The work of the Navy League during the recent civil disturbances was referred to by the retiring president, Mr. A. G. Lun'n, at the annual meeting of the Auckland branch last evening. He stated that a band of the ladies' committee and gills' branch under Miss E. Jf. Statham had been conducting a canteen every night for the use of the naval brigade and the special constables on duty. On Saturday night 500 to 600 meals were served.

Tog in the Harbour. A dense fog enveloped the harbour arid foreshore yesterday morning, but did ti not extend into the Hauraki Gulf. r lhe fog commenced at ari early hour and was so dense that navigation was difficult. The steamers Morinda and Waimarino from Norfolk Island and Wellington respectively, arrived at seven o'clock, but had to anchor off Devonport. Thcv were delayed at the anchorage for nearly two hours before the, fog cleared sufficiently to enable them to proceed to their berths at Prince's Wharf.

Nearly an Accident. When the northbound express was approaching Temuka recently at 2.10 p.m. a. little girl of five or six years was seen standing on the cattle stop at the High Street crossing. Some workmen who were near by called to the child to get off the stops, but she seemed too frightened to move. The engine-driver had evidently seen the child, and had applied the brakes. A man who was passing on a bicycle saw the danger and carried the girl off the line. The train passed without pulling up. Travelling Allowances.

The perquisites? received by public men were referred to at the meeting of the Jlid-Canterbnry executive of the Farmers Union. The president, Jlr G. H. Li 11, said the time had come when the Government's attention should be drawn to the fact. The present was not the time to spend money in the way it was being expended by public men when absent from Wellington. It was not much good, he emphasised, members of Parliament protesting against cuts in expenditure if they were not prepared to take cuts ill their own salaries.

Power House for Unemployed. A decision to offer the use of the disused power house at Devonport to the Devonport Borough Council tor purposes connected with the unemployment situation was made at a meeting of tho Waitemata Electric-Power Board yesterday. Tho suggestion was made by Mr. 0. W. Marks who said he had been asked by representative's of the unemployed for the use of the building as a depot for the distribution of clothing or other relief, or, if necessary, as a shelter. After discussion, it was decided to offer tho building, provided the borough council took over its control. Household Orchards.

That householders should he prohibited from growing fruit in their own gardens, owing to the menace of fireblight, was a suggestion which did not. find hnoui at a meeting ol the Lhvistchurch l'iicbhght Committee. One member urged that steps should be taken to have a bill passed through Parliament to .enforco tho prohibition. If commercial orchards were to be threatened by the pests which were bred in household orchards, he said, prohibition would not be too drastic. Probably not more than £IOOO worth of fruit altogether was grown in household plots. Several members disapproved of the suggestion, anil one stated that householders would bo meeting visiting officials with a gun. A regulation prohibiting the growing of fruit by householders would interfere with a householder's liberty of choice, of what he should grow in his back garden. Ao action was taken.