LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21717, 5 February 1934, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Jellyfish on Beaches Warm water temperatures and a north-easterly wind were probably responsible for driving inshore large numbers of jellyfish on some of the eastern beaches yesterday. The jellyfish were quite small, but, although too plentiful to please bathers, they did not appear to bo of the stinging variety.

Injury in Race While taking part in a "wheelbarrow" race at the Labour Party's picnic at Redwood Park, Swanson, yesterday, Miss Florence Zenanovich, of 56A East Street, Newton, fell forward heavily and received injuries to her chest. She was treated by a St. John ambulance officer on the grounds and later taken to the Auckland Hospital. After attention she was able to return to her home.

Warship Laburnum's Movements After 13 days in port undergoing refitting, following her prolonged cruiso to southern ports, H.M.S. Laburnum will leave for the Hauraki Gulf to-mor-row morning towing a target. The Laburnum will carry out gunnery exercises in the gulf in conjunction with the cruisers Dunedin and Diomede and she will return to Auckland on February 10 for two days before she proceeds to Russell and Whangaroa..

Grass Fires in Suburbs Tho Mount Eden and Mount Albert Fire Brigades attended a grass fire on the lower slopes of Mount Eden yesterday morning, the outbreak, which was fairly extensive, being extinguished by beaters. A similar fire on a vacant section in Ronaki Road, Tamaki, was extinguished by tho district brigade in the afternoon. On Saturday afternoon the Point Chevalier brigade attended a grass fire in Kiwi Road. Measles Predicted

According to Dr. E. Baker McLaglan, school medical officer, Christchurch may expect to have a measles epidemic this autumn or winter. She has just submitted a report to the Canterbury Education Board, pointing out that Auckland, Wellington and Dunedin have already had their epidemics and that Christchurch is unlikely to escape. Cases of measles have recently been reported in the city and suburbs. Pyjamas on Racecourse

The problem of light and comfortable clothes for men in hot weather was solved by a Maori at the Matamata races on Saturday. Clad in a suit of silk pyjamas, once vividly striped, but now somewhat faded, he was a conspicuous figure among the crowd in front of the totalisator, particularly as he had a stubbly black beard and wore no hat. A pair of white tennis shoes completed the ensemble. A Popular Show

The growing popularity of agricultural shows was evidenced at Clevedon on Saturday when the Clevedon Agricultural and Pastoral Society held its 25th annual show. Not only were entries larger than last year, but the attendance was about 50 per cent greater. Last year, when the attendance was considered very satisfactory, the gate receipts were £3l 19s. This year, with the same charges for admission, they reached £46 13s.

Melbourne Centenary Visitors It is probable that many people from New Zealand will visit Melbourne to attend the centenary celebrations toward the end of this j'ear. Although the celebrations will not commence before October there have been many inquiries made at shipping agencies for particulars about the sailings of steamers for Melbourne. So far the shipping companies concerned have not made any special arrangements to cater for the traffic, but it is anticipated that there will be heavy bookings from New Zealand for tho occasion.

School Holidays End To-day will mark the opening of the new school year for all primary schools in the Auckland district after a six and a-half weeks' break. The main secondary schools will also commence the year's work during the week. The grammar schools and Sacred Heart College will resume to-morrow and the Diocesan High School on Wednesday. New pupils at the Seddon Memorial Technical College will attend on Wednesday, and the remainder the following day. King's College and St. Cuthbert's College will both reopen on Thursday.

"Owning" the Depression Every country in the world seems to want to claim the depression as its own, according to Signor T. Flocchini, who has visited 43 countries in the last nine months, and who is at present in New Zealand. "Everywhere I go business men agree that the depression is world-wide," he said the other day in Christchurch, "but they all say that however bad the crisis faced by other countries may be, that faced by their own country is the worst of all." He added that within the last year trade .conditions seemed to have improved, and the outlook of the business commuhity in every country was much better.

Aviator's Flying Time Ihe flight that the well-known monoplane Southern Cross is scheduled to make this morning from Auckland to the historic area at Waitangi and return will mark a special event in the life of.Sir Charles Kingsford Smith. His total flying time is almost equal to 6000 hours, and when the aeroplane returns to Mangere aerodrome to-day this figure will have been reached. It takes many years of flying to mount up such a large number of flying hours and this is well illustrated by the fact that Sir Charles has now been actively engaged in aviation for 17 years. Yesterday morning the Southern Cross was flown to Arapuni and later to the beach at Waihi, where there was a largo crowd gathered. Destructive Larks

The most unexpected of several setbacks which tho workers on a tobacco plantation in the New Brighton district received was the destruction of about 5000 plants by larks. Many thousands of the young plants had not been long in the ground before the depredations of scores of larks were noticed. The only explanation that could be advanced by the manager of the plantation was that the larks, seeing the green of the plants,

divined by instinct that where there was green there was water, and that worms were generally to ho found where thero was water. Up to that, time tho presence of larks on the plantation was encouraged, for it was known that they would assist in ridding the place of undesirable insects. However, steps had to Tbe taken to keep them away.