LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21457, 3 April 1933, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Fewer Hamilton Fires The Hamilton Fire Brigade received seven calls last month, five of which involved property. In March, 1932, 14 calls were received, 12 of which were to grass, gorse and peat fires. i City Assessment Court A sitting of the Assessment Court to hear objections to tho Auckland city valuation list will bo commenced at the Town Hall this morning. The Court will be presided over by Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M. League Footballer Injured While playing in a practice League game at Carlaw Park on Saturday afternoon, W. Hassan, the well-known Marist halfback, broke two small bones in a hand. £le was taken to the casu " alty ward of tho Auckland Hospital and after attention was able to return home. He will bo unable to play for several weeks, however. Saddle For Elephant A special saddle for an elephant, claimed to be the only one of its kind in tho world, has been made by Mr. A. D. Wiseman, formerly of Auckland, and now in business in Sydney,_ for a young elephant in the Sydney Zoo. T he saddlo is massive, carrying 12 children in one load, while another leather saddlo has been made for tho keeper. High Exchange and Shipping "The effect of tho 25 per cent exchange rate should be further to decrease shipments from tho Old Country io New Zealand," said Mr. C. J. Cowan, managing director of the New Zealand Shipping Company, yesterday. "It certainly will have a tendency to decrease the number of people travelling. Without expressing an opinion as to tho wisdom or otherwise of raising the rate, I should say the immediate effect as far as shipping companies are concerned was bad." Repairing Damaged Railway Tho work of reconstructing permanently tho section of lino near Taumarunui, which was damaged by the recent wash-out, is now ncaring completion and tho speed of trains passing over it is now more nearly normal. "A lighter engine than the usual express engine is necessary, however, between Kakahi and Taumarunui, and this causes delay. The express which arrived in Auckland on Saturday morning was only 31 minutes late, and yesterday morning's express was exactly half an hour late. Fine Brown Trout Caught A brown trout weighing 161b. was caught in a small tributary pf the Tongariro River near Tokaanu last week by Mr. C. A. J. Randrup's party. The fish was brought to Auckland, and anglers who saw it agreed that few fish of such condition had been caught for many months. Mr. Randrup said that after the recent big flood trout had sought refugo in the tributaries of the Tongariro to escape tho muddy water, but tho river was now almost clear again. Just after the flood strong fish were not to be found in the usual pools. Health Camps at Motuihi A party of 93 children left by launch on Saturday morning for the Community Sunshine Association's health camp at Motuihi, and a similar party returned in the afternoon looking bronzed and healthy after a glorious holiday. Tho children at present in camp will remain until April IS, when aother party will go into camp until May 6. Although conditions .on the island make winter camps beneficial, May 6 may be the closing date for tho season of tho association's activities on the island unless further finance is forthcoming. Activities at Cromwell "Business is good at Cromwell, and no one is on the dole there," said a visitor to Cromwell on his return to Dunedin. Every week gold was being brought to tho bank, ho added. All men searching for gold on the river banks and on other areas seemed to be making good and liked the life at Cromwell. Tho township would be even more prosperous when the Kawarau River reached its winter level, for even better returns would then be obtained. Should the gates of the Kawarau dam again bo closed this winter, the working of the river banks would bo helped considerably. Talks on Cricket While in Australia members of the English cricket team devoted a good deal of time to lecturing on the game at tho various schools. This policy was carried out during the team's visit to Christchurch for tho first test match. Mr. P. F. Warner, co-manager of the English team, will give a talk on tho game to pupils of tho Mount Albert Grammar School this morning and tomorrow morning ho will speak at the Auckland Training College. A feature of tho customary educational broadcast to be relayed this afternoon by Station IYA to schools throughout the Auckland province will bo an address by Mr. Warner. Large Quinnat Salmon A quinnat salmon, which is believed to bo a record for tho lake, was taken at Lake Wanaka last week by a member of a party of anglers who have been visiting Pembroke. The fish, which was later brought to Dunedin, weighed 291b. when .caught, and was a magnificent specimen. Tho angler was trolling on tho lake when ho felt a bite that indicated tho presence of something larger than usual at the other end of the line, and after an exciting tusslo the huge fish was eventually secured. It is reported that good catches of quinnat have been fairly common recently at Wanaka, many of the fish taken being over 201b. in weight. Honey For Easy Chairs A Christchurch furnishing firm recently "sold" two easy chairs in return for honey to tho value of tho chair#. Tho honey was in 41b. tins, and the firm had no difficulty in soiling it to its employees. The deal completed, everyone was satisfied —the chairs had become the property of tho man who wanted them; tho firm had received tho value of the chairs in cash, and the employees had bought first-class honey at a very reasonable price. However, such a system of exchange, or barter, though it had an enormous vogue in Australia when conditions there were at their worst, is not in common uso in Christchurch. Inquiries revealed that a transaction such as tho one described is quite unusual.