LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21576, 22 August 1933, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Lynn's "Fire-engine" A toy fire-engine,' complete with a miniature alarm of tbo triangle type, occupied the centre of the table at last evening's meeting of tho New Lynn Borough Council. Aware of the borough's present lack of fire-fighting facilities, someone presented the machine to tho Mayor, Mr. G. Lawson. Early Spring Portents A scarlet kowhai is already flowering in native bush near St. Holier? Bay. In tho same locality the long cry of tho shining cuckoo was distinctly heard on Sunday afternoon. This is unusually early for the bird to bb singing Last year the cuckoo was reported as having arrived in the second week of September. Heavy Railway Traffic

Owing to tho school holidays railway traffic through Frankton and Hamilton last week-end was unusually heavy. Extra carriages were added to the expresses for llotorua and Wellington on Saturday, and tho limited express yesterday. Tho Sunday excursion train from Auckland carried over 300 passengers, necessitating the addition of several cars at Papakura. Use o! Machinery A sum of about £4OO has been saved by the Lake Ellesmerc Land Drainage Board through tho uso of machinery instead of horso teams in reopening tbo cut between the lake and the sea. Tho cut lias, become blocked seven times since it was opened on August 8. Machinery used in the work of reopening has been equal to about ten threeliorso teams, which would havo cost £IOO more if used during that period. Windfall for Ratepayer A New Lynn ratepayer who for nine years had been paying a non-con-sumeil's water rate lie was not obliged to pay was granted remission of tho amount, £l7, at last evening's meeting of tho Borough Council. In a letter he stated ho had learned his property was sufficiently far away from the nearest water main to escape the rate. Ho forwarded receipts amounting to £l7 since 1926. "Wo have no option but to remit the sum," said the Mayor, Mr. G. Lawson.

Paid Rugby Coaches A suggestion to engage paid Rugby coaches emanates from tho North Island- and was mentioned by Mr. J. K. Moloney, at the meeting of the Canterbury Rugby Union. Mr. A. I. Cottrell, captain of the Canterbury team, expressed his opposition to the scheme and said that something could be done to keep old players, and particularly representative players, in the game. Mr. Moloney said that he had considered the scheme not sufficiently advanced to commit himself upon it.

Restoring Survey Stones The work of restoring the stones used for the original survey of Auckland in 1840 from tho summit of Mount Eden has not yet been commenced. The stones were recently recovered from the crater of the mountain, and tho Mount Eden Borough Council, with the cooperation of tho Auckland City Council, proposes to erect them in tho form of a cairn on a knoll adjacent to their original site. • The City Council has communicated with the Mount Eden authority stating its willingness to remit £8 iOs as half cost of tho work.

Eig Brother Movement A tribute to the work of the Big Brother movement was paid by Mr. J. S. Cupit, district supervisor of tho Child Welfare Department, at a meeting of tho Auckland Rotary Club yesterday. He said the movement had been started in New Zealand 11 years ago by the Auckland Y.M.C.A., to assist children requiring better associations and environment, and shortly afterward the Roman Catholic Church had commenced a similar work. In th« past ten years the movement had assisted about 1000 boys, and approximately 97 per cent had .developed intr> good citizens. Deputation Not Admitted Because representatives of relief workers who attended the Mount Eden Borough Council last evening as a deputation to stato what their business was, they were not admitted to tho chamber where a meeting of tho council was in progress. Tho Mayor, Mr. T. McNab, acquainted the council with the attitucje of the deputation, and several members then said the Standing Orders, which did not permit receiving a deputation which would not disclose its purpose, should be observed. The decision of tho council was communicated to the men, who were waiting outside, and they left tho building. Mr. Bitchener's Champion Pupil A novel proof of his interest in education was supplied by tho acting-Min-ister of Education, the Hon. J. Bitchener, when replying to an Auckland deputation yesterday. "I have taken a keen, interest in educational matters for the last 30 years," ho said, "i was chairman for 22 years of the board of governors of the school which produced Lovelock, tho champion miler. I regard him as one of my pupils." Mr. A. J. Stallworthy, M.P., remarked that in that case the Minister. had certainly made tho pace. "Yes," replied Mr. Bitchener, "and Lovelock set tho standard for the world." Tho Minister's reference was to the Waitaki Boys', High School.

A Round-about Journey Americans are noted for their fondness for rapid sight-seeing, but a party of 15 tourists who are to arrive from Wellington by train this morning will have established something of a record when they sail by tho Monowai for Vancouver later in tho day. After spending a month in Tahiti, the party arrived in Wellington by tho Maunganui yesterday morning and left for Auckland by train in tho afternoon. By taking tho direct route north to Vancouver tlioy would have travelled about 4500 miles, while tho journey via New Zealand will add 2279 miles to their travels. They will see little of tho scenic attractions of New Zealand, but their chosen routo will allow them to touch at Suva and Honolulu. Minding His Own Business Tho fact that the Minister of Public Works, tho Hon. J. Bitehener) had only once previously beon in Auckland tvas mentioned by Mr. W. J. Holdsworth, chairman of tho Auckland Eloctric-Power Board, when extending a welcome to Mr. Bitehener at tho Power Board Buildings yesterday. "Mr. Bitehener tells mo ho was in Auckland only once before,", said Mr. Holdsworth. "That was 12 years ago. when ho landed from a steamer and went immediately south by train. The Minister has told me he has been too busy minding his own business to bo ablo to return to Auckland. However, ho now has a job which invplves looking after tho other fellow's business, and that meant he has had to com? back to Auckland."