LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21250, 2 August 1932, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL NEWS

Motor-truck on Fire in City A motor-truck caught firo at the junction of Fort Street and Customs Street East at 2.30 p.m. yesterday, the cause being tho backfiring of the engine. The Central brigade extinguished tho fire without difficulty, slight damage was done to the ignition wiring of. tho truck. Cattle in Victoria Avenue A herd of about 20 cattle driven along Remuera Road and down Victoria Avenue yesterday lent a rural aspect to a district where motor vehicles are more commonly mot with. " It is tho first time for many years that I have seen a drover and his dog in these parts," remarked an old resident. Diary as Court Evidence A diary written by a boy of 11 years was handed in as evidence and quoted in the course of a case heard in the Supreme Court yesterday. The young diarist also gave evidence in person. In the same case a newspaper containing an advertisement concerning a circus was tendered as evidence. Der>.hs of Old People At lonst seven p'-rsons over 70 years of age died in tho Auckland district during the week-end. Altogether, in yesterday's Herald, tho deaths were announced of nine people whose ages ranged from 72 to 96. Their combined ages totalled 761 years, an average of nearly 85 years.

Fine Meteor Display A fine display by a falling meteor was observed in the north-west sky by a Herne Bay resident at 10.40 last evening. A long comet tail was attached to tho meteor. Tho night was exceptionally clear, and the Herne Bay observer, who is an amateur astronomer, said the display was the finest ho had seen in New Zealand. Trade Exhibition at Fiji It is possible that New Zealand interests will bo represented at an agricultural, pastoral and industrial exhibition to be held at Suva, Fiji, on October 11 and 12. The Auckland Manufacturers' Association decided yesterday to convene a meeting of manufacturing and exporting interests, which representatives of the Auckland Agricultural and Pastoral Association, the Chamber of Commerce and the dairying industry will bo invited to attend. Ankles Fractured in Falls Two persons, suffering from *a fracture of an anklo received as a result of a fall, were taken to the Auckland Hospital by tho St. John Ambulance yesterday morning. Mr. Edward William Lightfoot, aged 66, of 19 Harcourt Street, Grey Lynn, slipped down the back steps at his residence, his right ankle being fractured. A similar fall caused the admission to tho hospital of a young woman, Miss Iri6 Perkinson, of 246 Hobson Street, City. Waterside Stop-work Meeting Tho usual monthly stop-work meeting of members of the Waterside Workers' Union will be held this morning, and no cargo operations will bo carried out before 10 o'clock. Vessels on which cargo work will be suspended while the meeting is being held will include tho overseas motor-ships Rangitiki and Myrtlebank, the Union Company's cargo steamers Wingatui, Kiwitea, Waipahi and Waimea, and the local coastal vessels Margaret W. and Pukeko. Close Season for Opossums Only about 30 opossum skins were received in Auckland for stamping purposes last week, the small total being accounted for by the fact that the Government has declared a close season, and the only persons permitted to trap aro registered orchardists and property holders in the Waitemata and Rodney areas, which include Rangitoto and Kawau Islands. Residents in these districts and orchardists are authorised, on obtaining a permit from the Auckland Acclimatisation Society, to trap all the year round opossums which are a nuisance. A Speedy Mail A mail from Canton which reached Wellington by tho Maunganui last week in 23 days is considered by an Auckland gentleman to be the speediest connection that has been mado between Canton and New Zealand. This gentleman has been in constant touch with Canton for nearly 30 years, and a trip of 24£ days from New Zealand to Canton was previously tho most rapid in his experience. The extra speed on this occasion is probably accounted for by the fact that tho mail steamer left Canton two days late and mado up the lost time on the trip.

Cheap Views of Football While many football enthusiasts strained on tip-toe to view the League test match between England and New Zealand at Carlaw Park on Saturday, and grandstands wero packed to capacity, some obtained a good* view from outside. Benzine tins and boxes were in great demand, and candy tins sold at sixpence each. Several men. were seen coming from tho direction of tho Domain carrying large planks, while two brought stepladders. Ono man had obtained a largo tin bath, which' lie placed against the fence and mounted amid roars of laughter from the portion of the crowd that had noticed him. Court by Candlelight Judge and jury wero sitting lato in the upper room at the Supremo Court last evening, and counsel was making his plea on behalf of an accused when tho failuro of an electric fuse plunged tho sceno into darkness. Proceedings were resumed a few minutes later when tho deputy-registrar appeared with two candles and had them lighted and placed ono on either side of the Judge's desk. Tho gloom was further dispelled when a Court orderly returned with a packet of candles and had them placed at various points about tho Court. Tho room presented a strange appearance for about an hour until an electrician had repaired the fault and restored tho light. Large Coins Inconvenient The inconvenience of carrying coins larger than half-a-crown is probably tho reason why the crown lias virtually never entered into circulation. An'articlo in yesterday's Herald mentioned that a now issue of ciowns had been struck for general circulation in 1927. A bank officer said yesterday that several pounds' worth of crowns had accumulated in his bank in recent years and four-shilling piecos wero also occasionally tendered. Neither seemed acceptable to tho public for general use, with tho result that such coins were '' in tho cellar eating their heads off." A quantity had recently been shipped back to England in connection with the adjustment of balances and it seemed unlikely that such largo coins would over be restored to general circulation..