LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21553, 26 July 1933, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Oranges In Short Supply High prices are ruling, for oranges at tho city markets owing to tho shortage of supplies. The next shipment is not duo until August 5 and it is expected stocks will bo depleted by then. Passengers from Sydney The second of three passenger vessels due at Auckland Mrom Sydney this week, the jVlarama-, which arrived yesterday morning, had a very small passenger list. There was a total of 18 travellers, of whom only eight were in tho first class. Search for Silver Tho search for silver on vessels leaving New Zealand for overseas is being continued by police and customs officers. Yesterday morning a search was made on the Royal Mail liner Aorangi before she sailed for Vancouver, but 110 silver was found. Man's Fingers Crushed Painful injuries were received by Mr. R. Hammond, foundry worker, of 1647 Great North Road, yesterday morning, when two of his fingers were crushod between girders while he was working on Prince's Wharf. The injured man was taken to the Auckland Hospital in a St. John ambulance. Finger-print Evidence A tribute to tho value of finger-print evidence was paid by Mr. Justico Herdman in the Supreme Court yesterday in the course of his charge to the grand jury. In referring to a case in which (he Crown relied on finger-prints found on windows, His Honor said this was probably tho safest evidence that the Crown could produce. Importance of Humour "Humour is one of the great refuges of life, and tho man who is sensitive, but has no humour, suffers much from the bitterness of experience," said Dr. T. Gordon Short in an address last evening when stressing tho importance of cultivating in children a sense of fun. By the aid of humour an experience which was unpalatable could be deprived of its real significance and treated as a joke. To be able to appreciate tho funny side of things was one of tho greatest aids in successfully facing the difficulties of life, and the man with a good sense of humour was not the one who usually lost his mental balance. Large Sailing Vessels ' Two large sailing vessels, the 3476ton German auxiliary barque Magdalene Vinnen, and tho Finnish barque Plus, 1251 tons, are scheduled to arrive in New Zealand from Seychelles Islands toward the end of this year. The Magdaleno Vinnen visited Auckland last February, when sho brought a quantity of cork from Spain. The Plus is an iron barque and sho was built at Hamburg, Germany, in 1885. In addition to the Magdalene Vinnen, two Finnish sailing vessels visited Auckland last February with phosphato cargoes from Seychelles Islands. The vessels were the fourmasted barque Passat and the barque Winterhude. White Sticks for Blind Many inquiries have been received by the New Zealand Institute for tho Blind concerning tho scheme to provide blind people with white walking sticks, as an indication to vehicle drivers and others to exercise care. Tho director of the N.Z. Institute for the Blind, Mr. Clutha Mackenzie, said yesterday that so far 250 white walking sticks had been issued to blind applicants throughout New' Zealand. They had expressed their pleasure and had found the sticks very useful. All the motorists' organisations had been communicated with and had commended the scheme, promising to give it every publicity in tho interests of the blind members of the community. A Husband's Duty "Tho woman who is applying for maintenance in this case is absolutely destitute," said Mr. W. J. Campbell, who appeared for the prosecution in an application heard before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in tho Police Court yesterday. Counsel for the defendant husband submitted that tho wife could not be called destitute, as she was living in a house which was rent free. "She may tfo living without paying rent, but she cannot eat the house," commented the magistrate, who made an order in favour of the woman. He added that tho woman, as well as the husband, had to have food and shelter, and it was clear that a proper contribution should be made toward her support. Accident to Visitor A fracture of the leg, received through slipping at Waitomo Caves, was responsible for the premature ending of a tour of New Zealand by Miss Katherino Cook, a member of a party of schoolteachers from Honolulu who arrived at Auckland a fortnight ago. Miss Cook left by the Aorangi yesterday on her return to Honolulu. Tho accident has not given Miss Cook an unfavourable impression of New Zealand, as she spoke enthusiastically yesterday of the unparalleled scenic beauty of Waitomo, Rotorua and the Southern Alps. From what she had seen of the education system of New Zealand the standard was very high and excellent work was being done in tho native schools. Accident Victims' Condition Tho condition of Mr. Charles Roderick Fraser, of 697 Manukau Road. Epsom, who suffered concussion as a result of being struck by a tramcar on Sunday evening, was reported by the Auckland Hospital authorities last evening to be still serious. An operation was performed yesterday on the 10-montlis-old child who received head injuries through being dropped on some stairs on Saturday, Tho child, who is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. T. A. Maxwell, of Princes Street. Otahuhu, was still in 'a fairly serious condition last evening. Tho condition of Iho young boy, Regiuald Lucion Rathe, of Malakana, who recoived injuries to tho left eye or. Friday afternoon, was no longer serious last evening. Fire Brigade Efficiency No fewer than four lire engines were to bo seen in Queen Street a little before 11 o'clock last night, giving a good demonstration of the new metropolitan control system. At 10..17 a call luul been received to a wilful false alarm from tho corner of Richmond Road and Richmond Avenue, Grey 1/.vim. One engine from the central station and one from tho Western District station had just been sent to this call when the central station received a call to Queen Street. Since this was from the heart of tho city tho superintendent, Mr. W. L. ;Wilson, despatched one engine and tl/e extension ladder, and called out the farnoll and Reniuera engines as well. As'it happened, tho liro was caught early eit 11 " 1^'I . requiro only a hand extinguish l '' . . *' lo r l lll< 'k mobilisation of ineif iUK ' vas most impressive.