LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21469, 18 April 1933, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Fruit from Suva Tho Auckland fruit market will be replenished by a large shipment of bananas which were brought by the Royal Mail liner Niagara yesterday. Included in tho vessel's cargo were 5700 cases of fruit from Suva. Birkenhead Scrub Fire An extensive scrub fire adjoining the Kauri Point Domain at Birkenhead occurred late yesterday afternoon. The Birkenhead Fire Brigade was summoned, but found that burning-off operations were in progress on a property adjacent to the Domain. Municipal Voting Papers Legislation is to be prepared for submission to Parliament next session to provide for a change in the method of voting at municipal elections in the city of Wellington and at polls taken by the Wellington City Council. The voting will be by means of a cross in a square opposite to the name of the candidate for whom or the proposal for which the voter desires to vote. Work for a Thousand As a result of arrangements made with the Unemployment Board, the Waimakariri River Irust will employ 1000 relief workers for the next twelve months. It is possible that the full number will not be employed immediately, but the trust intends to start with not fewer than 600 men. will commence within a fortnight. The men will be employed on embankment construction and clearing in the Waimakariri River bed. Sand-drift Lands Afforestation of tho many thousands of acres of waste sand-drift lands along the west coast of the North Island, from the Patea to tho Rangitikei Rivers, is engaging attention. What is planned is a Wanganui and District Afforestation Board, on which will be represented the counties of Patea, Waitotara, Wanganui and Rangitikei and the Wanganui City Council. Authority for such a board to operate must be sanctioned by Act of Parliament. Deer Plentiful at Hanmer Three Hanmer sportsmen recently returned with many fine heads from a fortnight's stalking trip over what they consider to be new country. They found the deer plentiful and the heads generally good. Their "bag" included the following heads: —Seven 30- pointers, four 11-pointers, four 12-pointers, two 13-pointers, four 15-pointers, one 16pointer, and one 18-pointer. The stalkers were able to operate on only three days, the others being either too wet or foggy. Weekly News as War Record Reference to tho generosity of Mr. L. F. Shakespeare, of Waiuku, in presenting to the local branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association the pictorial sections of the Auckland Weekly News issued during the whole period of the Great War, was made at the annual meeting of the association. It was reported that the copies had been bound in nine volumes, and the opinion was expressed that they formed a unique record of New Zealand's part in the war. Destruction of Pests An indication of the vigorous measures being carried out by the Auckland Acclimatisation Society to exterminate hawks, stoats and weasels is given in the annual report of the society. The sum of £378 was spent by the society last year in bounties for the destruction of 14,951 hawks. Over the past 11 years, 144.972 pairs of hawks' feet have been sent to the society, £3897 being paid in rewards. During the past year 5219 tails of stoats and weasels were sent to the society, royalties paid on a basis of Is a tail amounting to £394. Oflending Motorists When members of the Waimairi County Council, at a meeting in Christchurch last week, were discussing whether the traffic inspector's motor-car should be replaced by a motor-cycle, a councillor said that inspectors ought to be told that they were not to chase offending motorists at a speed of from 70 to 80 miles an hour. "They must chase them," said another member. "They don't need to," was the rejoinder. "They can take their numbers." A third councillor remarked that inspectors who chased motorists at high speeds not only endangered their own lives, but the lives of the general public. Notable Swimming A notable swimming performance was registered by Miss Mona Leydon, tho 220 yards and 440 yards lady champion of the Dominion, at the New Zealand University carnival in the Tepid Baths last evening. Miss Lr.vdon took part in an 880 yards handicap and, although she conceded long starts to her two opponents, she won by 120 yards in 13m 0 3-ss. This time broke by 53 2-5s the New Zealand record hold by Jliss Kathleen Miller, of Wellington. Unfortunately, Miss Leydon's time, through having been registered in a handicap race, cannot be granted official recognition. Significance of Wreath "I have not much time for wreaths," said Mr. W. J. Wa Iter, when suggesting at a meeting of the Lyttelton Harbour Board recently that tho board should offer tho Christchurch Returned Soldiers' Association the alternative of £2 2s or a wreath for tho Anzac Day memorial service. Tho association would have better use for the money at the present time, ho said. It was decided to send a wreath as usual, Mr. 12. J. Howard, M.P., pointing out that though ho recognised the nefcd for assisting the living in the present instance, it was the spirit of the wreath that counted. Timber for Fruit Boxes "There is nothing better than pine for the manufacture of fruit, boxes," said Mr. L. T. Jones, supporting a motion at a meeting of the Waitotara County Council to provide up to £SO a year for the proposed sand duno afforestation scheme now being inaugurated by the Wanganui Development League. Ho added that apples were already being exported from Wanganui. In the past the county had planted trees in various places and tho expense had practically gone for nothing. Here was a scheme which would be reproductive. The council passed the motion to pay up to £SO a year once tho Afforestation Board is legally consti,,tuted.