LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21233, 13 July 1932, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS.

Liberation of Pheasants. A total of 297 pheasants will be liberated this week by the Tauranga Acclimatisation Society in the Tauranga, To Puke and Katikati districts. Taxi-driver's Wedding Procession. A novel wedding procession passed along the main thoroughfare of Pukekohe, King Street, yesterday. The procession was formed of a number of taxis, all decorated and with horns sounding, the bridal pair being in the first car. The taxi-drivers had formed the procession in honour of one of their number, whose wedding took place yesterday. Church Service at Hospital.

Representatives the Presbyterian, Methodist- and Baptist Churches have agreed to combine in arranging united Sunday morning services, for patients in the Auckland Hospital. The Rev. T. Halliday reported to tho Auckland Presbytery last evening that tho Hospital ]3oard had been approached through its chairman on behalf of these Churches for tho necessary permission, and a favourable reply was hoped for. Young Man's Hard Luck. A young married man in Christchurch who lost his job in a North Island drapery firm by retrenchment has for some months past been making a brave fight to keep afloat by selling from door to door. He has only just managed to clear expenses, but has been pleased to be doing something. The other night thieves entered the shed where his little car was garaged, and practically cleaned out his stocks, the loss totalling £39 at cost price. Bell-birds for Reserves. A suggestion that bell-birds might be secured for release in the scenic reserve was made by the president, Mr. J. M. Cochrane, at the annual meeting of the Te Aroha branch of the Auckland Acclimatisation Society. It was decided to ask tho Native Bird Protection Society for a number of bell-birds from tho Little Barrier Island if it were permissible. The matter of planting suitable native . trees which would provide food for tho honeyeating birds of this kind was also discussed and it was decided to seek information on the subject. Te Awamutu Borough Rates.

Reporting to the Te Awamutu Borougli Council this week the town clerk stated that during June practically half the total rates for the current year had been paid, to gain the 5 per cent, discount. The chairman of the Finance Committee, Mr. H. C. Rainey, stated that the innovation of a discount had proved popular, and ho considered it .in excellent indication of the town's solidity that in four weeks such a large sum could be paid in to the borough account. The overdraft had been liquidated, and £I9OO placed at fixed deposit for short terms, thereby earning interest.

Gifts for St. John Ambulance. A dance held by the ..Thames Girls' Club at Druids' Hall last evening resulted in a substantial donation of parcels of groceries for distribution bv the district nurses of the St. John Ambulance. Admission to the dance was by means of a parcel of grocery, and at 10 o'clock a telephone message was sent for an ambulance to call at Druids' Hall, although no reason was given.. It was an unexpected surprise, therefore, for the ambulance staff to be received by the president, Mrs. P. McGregor, and given parcels containing such necessities as sugar, tea, bread and butter. The parcels will be distributed to the poor by the nurses.

Buying Goal by the Tin. "People buying coal nowadays are paying cash," said a Christchurch coal merchant. "They seem to be frightened to enter anything up in case something should happen to prevent them from settling the bills. We'se still doing a lot of 6d and Is business —we give them a kerosene tin' full for Is, and most families seem to make it last for a whole week. Boys, too, come with their barrows and carts for a sack of coal, for they save 3d a sack on delivery. Some people come regularly every week for their little bit of coal —some of our customers have been buying their sixpennyworth of coal regularly each week for a year or more."

Soccer in Secondary Schools. The principal of Nelson College, Mr. C. H. Broad, was approached by the council of the New Zealand Football Association recently with a request that Soccer should be introduced at the college. A reply was received •by the council at its meeting in Wellington last evening. " I regret I cannot see my way to meet y° u in the matter of Association football in the college," said Mr. Broad. "It is impossible to run the two together. It must be Rugby b'r Soccer, not Rugby and Soccer. I cannot see any reason for ousting the former." It was decided to file the letter until such time as further steps were taken in regard to playing Soccer in secondary schools. New Safety Zones.

A decision to place two additional safety zones in Karangahape Road, one on the inward and one on the outward set of rails, was made by tho Transport Board yesterday. The manager, Mr. A. E. Ford, was -instructed to confer with tho City Council and tho Karangahape Road Business Promotion Society before deciding where the zones were to be placed. The manager reported that, he had recently been approached by tho president of the society, who requested that ono zone should be placed on tho outward line, opposito the Bank of New Zealand,' at the corner of West Street, and tho inward zono at the stop to the west of Howe Street. The cost bf the zones would bo £76 each.

Music for Relief Oamps. A special appeal is being made by tho Metropolitan Unemployment Relief Committee for gramophones and records for use in tho many relief camps iti the Auckland Province. It was reported at a meeting of the committee yesterday that several roquests for gifts of this nature had been roceived from the camps, tho men stating that any means of providing music & the evenings woul<s help to break the monotony of camp life. It was suggestod that there might be many gramophones for which the owners had no further use and that if these were forwarded to the Hobson Street- depot thoy could be sent to the camps. Damaged machines would bo accepted, as unemployed mechanics could be engaged to repair them.