LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21458, 4 April 1933, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Ratepayer's Error "I want an increase," said a ratepayer at the City Assessment Court yesterday afternoon. "Oh, my goodness! That is something new," exclaimed the presiding magistrate, Mr. W. R. McKean. It was explained by tho ratepayer that ho had inadvertently said "increase" instead of "decrease." Diphtheria in Whangarei. Diphtheria is reported to be prevalent among school children in Whangarei and there ore five cases at present in the Whangarei Hospital. All are making good progress. Dr. D. Cook, medical officer of health, and Mr. J. H. Ashton, borough health inspector, are taking all precautions to prevent a spread of the sickness. Gisborne Ex-servicemen A steady increase in membership has been shown by the Gisborne Returned Soldiers' Association. Starting off with 262 financial members in the years 1927-29, the association almost doubled that figure in the following year. During the year 1930-31 over 900 members were enrolled and last year a membership of 1037 placed the district fourth in the Dominion. At March 31 tho number had been raised to 1137, with the possibility of returns from country centres bringing the number to 1200. Drop in Property Values An example of the steepness of tho fall in city property values was cited by Mr. H. E. Vailo when giving evidence in tho Assessment Court yesterday. Mr. Vaile said an allotment at tho foot of Anzac Avenue was recently sold at £32 a foot. It had formerly changed hands at £l5O a foot. Tho city valuer, Mr. P. E. Notley, asked whether tho price of £32 was not paid at a forced sale. Mr. Vaile said the property was sold by tho mortgagee, but ho considered the price obtained was a fair test of present-day values. Big Game Fishing in Otago The master of tho steam trawler Waitangi, Captain W. Drury, had the good fortune (or otherwise) to securo a very large specimen of tho shark family in tho trawl, says the Otago Daily Times. Mr. David Graham has identified it as the carpet shark, known to fishermen as ground shark, sometimes incorrectly called a broad-nosed dogfish and known to science as Cephalosyllium sabclla. Tho fish measures over 6ft. and weighs several hundredweight. It is quite a harmless species of shark and is of a very sulky disposition, providing no sport for line fishermen. (* ... Unique Military Distinction A signal distinction has been conferred upon the Taranaki Infantry Regiment, a distinction that makes the regiment unique among all New Zealand infantry and mounted units. After about three years of negotiation, it has been decided by the War Office that'the regiment is entitled to the battle honour "New Zealand" for services rendered in the Maori Wars by the Taranaki Rifle Volunteers, the parent unit of the present regiment. The regiment has, therefore, been placed on the same footing with regiments of the British Army which fought in the campaign. A disputed battle honour "South Africa, 1902," also has been awarded to the regiment. Plantation Operations In spite of tho dry weather that has been experienced during tho past few months, the propagation work carried out in the Selwyn Plantation Board's nursery at Darfield has been the most successful since the nursery was established 16 years ago, says a Christchurch newspaper. Tho superintendent, Mr. R. G. Robinson, believes that tho success has been duo to dry cultivation. "No watering has been done by hand," he said, "and the results obtained have been excellent. Great success has also attended general planting operations. Good rains last year proved beneficial, and in 35 years' experience I have not seen sturdier types of trees than those in the board's plantations and nursery to-day." Survey Party's Big Task With the object of finding a suitable route for the continuation of the Te Anau-Milford Sound Road into the Hollyford Valley, a survey party from tho Public Works Department in the charge of Mr. I. W. McKinnon has left lnvercargill and proceeded up as far as tho Divide, where they will be camped for the next two months. The road through the Eglinton Valley and up past Lakes Fergus anil Lochiel has already been surveyed;: and work is proceeding on it at the present time, but beyond tho no definite decision has been reached as to which route offers tho least difficulty. Tho task of tho present survey party, therefore, will bo to work down into tho Hollyford, which is renowned for its beautiful bush and alpino scenery, and ascertain if a track is possiblo there. Voting and Personal Feeling The pleasure enjoyed by a disgruntled voter in crossing out the name of a candidate of whom ho does not approvo was mentioned at a meeting of , the Auckland Electric-Power Board yesterday, when tho question of voting at local body elections by marking with a cross or by striking out names was under consideration. " Personally, when I see tho name of a man whom I do not like, I feel like doing this," remarked Mr. T. Bloodworth, who scratched vigorously on his order paper as an illustration. " Only the other day a man told me that when ho had finished striking out tho name of a man with whom ho had differed, you could not recognise it," added the chairman, Mr. W. J. Iloldsworth. "He seemed pleased at the thought." Large Bill of Costs Tho cost of sending solicitors, an engineer and two members of tho executive of tlie Auckland Manufacturers' Association to Wellington to make representations regarding tho Water Supply Bill sponsored by the Onehunga Borough Council amounted to £207, it was reported to tho association yesterday. The representations to tho Parliamentary Local Bills Committee resulted in the suggested measure being thrown out, and the executive was satisfied that, had there not been prompt and energetic action, there was every likelihood of legislation being passed which would have detrimentally affected manufacturing industries in tho district, and possibly throughout tho Dominion. Before incurring the expenditure, guarantees were obtained from interested firms, tho sum, with the association's guarantee of £25, totalling £445.