LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21793, 7 May 1934, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Bridge Under Repair Motorists proposing to travel south by tho central route are advised by the Automobile Association that tho main road between Ohakune and Taihapo will be closed for traffic on Wednesday on account of repairs to a bridge near Tangawai, about ten miles south of Ohakune. The alternative route south from Baetihi to Wanganui will not be affected. School Term Holidays

The 750 schools controlled by the Auckland Education Board havo concluded their first term's work and have closed for a vacation of two weeks. They will reopen on Monday, May '2l. The majority of secondary and technical schools will observe the same holiday period as the State primary schools, although a number will not resume until Tuesday, May 22. Miniature Zoo on Monterey

A large number of Australian birds, and also numerous animals and snakes, are being taken from Australia to America by the IMontercy, which left Auckland for Los Angeles on Saturday. The collection is like a miniature zoo, and is contained in over 100 cages, in which are specimens of nearly all the native birds, animals and snakes of Australia. They are for exhibition at tho coming Chicago Fair.

Play for Blind Audience Inmates of the Jubilee Institute lor the Blind were given a rare treat yesterday afternoon, when the members of the Auckland Little Theatre Society, who are playing G. B. Shaw's "The Apple Cart" at the Town Hall concert chamber, visited tlxe institute and gave a performance of tho play.- The subtleties of Shaw's dialogues were fully appreciated by tho blind audience, whose reception of the play gave considerable pleasure to the players. White Heron at Otahuhu

A white heron was noticed on the Tamaki River at Otahuhu by a number of residents and passers-by on the Great South Road on Friday and Saturday. The bird did not appear to be disturbed by the streams of traffic crossing the road over the river, and on ono occasion was actually seen perched on the bridge coping. Otahuhu residents take a particular interest in the white heron, as the Otahuhu Hiuh School Committee selected this rare bird for the school crest about two years ago. Assistance in Kind "I always look more favourably on a request when I can see that the petitioners have done their best to help themselves," said the Hon. J. Bitehener, Minister of Public Works, in reply to a deputation on Saturday. It was mentioned that in one case a settler, having no cash available, had handed in a sack of danthonia seed to the Public Works Department as his contribution to the cost of metalling an access road, while in another case a ton of pumpkins, and several pigs and sheep, had been offered in lieu of money by settlers who desired to assist in the cost of constructing a road.

Loan Money Not Required The cancellation of the unexercised portion of a loan authority originally granted to the One Tree Hill Borough Council is notified in the current Gazette. In 1926 the borough was authorised to borrow the sum of £24,350 for the purpose of constructing its portion of the Great South Road in concrete. When the work was completed it was found that it had been necessary to borrow only £20,300 to finance the undertaking, leaving a sum of £-1050 which it was not necessary to call up. As this money could not be used for any other purpose, the transaction is being closed by the unexercised portion of the loan authoritv being cancelled.

Rain Every Day This Month There was a continuation of wet weather during the week-end, showers being experienced on Saturday and yesterday. The moderate wind varied between west and south-west, and the conditions were wintry and cold. Rain has fallen every day this month, the rainfall for the six days ending midnight last night as registered by the Herald gauge, is 3.99 in., the average rainfall for May being 4.61 in. According to records taken for 77 years the rainfall during May varies considerably. The wettest May recorded was in 1926 when the month's rainfall was 13.70 in. The driest May was in 1881, when only .9oin. fell during the month.

Praise for P.W.D, Engineers "It is not the Public Works Department that should be criticised for any alleged extravagance, but, shall we say, the Government in power at any particular time," said the Hon. J. Bitchener, Minister of Public Works, on Saturday. "The Public Works engineers' work is to make a sound and first-class job of anything they are ordered to do. They would build a bridge to the moon if given the order to do so and the funds with which to carry it out." Mr. Bitchener added that he had been most gratified on his tour of North Auckland counties to find that almost without exception local bodies' and settlers alike had nothing but praise for the way the Public Works engineers and staff carried out their work.

Wellington ol the Past "I can remember peaches growing in the garden of Mr. 'Barney' Rhodes, later the Hon. W. B. Rhodes," said a vice-president of the Wellington Early Settlers' Association, the other day. "That garden ran from James Smith's corner in Cuba Street to the site of the old Opera House in Manners Street. J list on the present site of the Town Hall cattle used to be pushed overboard from the ships, to swim ashore to the cattle yards where the Bank of New Zealand now stands on the corner of Cuba and Manners Streets. We used to call—and some old-timers still call—Lambton Quay 'The Beach,' "said another early settler. "You could not turn out of Willis Street into 'The Beach' unless the tide was out." Remarkable Escape

: A little girl, four years of age, had a remarkable escape from serious injury, if not from death, at Oamaru recently. Her parents took her for a motor drive and tho child was placed in tho back seat of the car. Slio occupied herself bv playing with tho latch of the door, which apparently swung open, and tho child disappeared into the roadway. The parents were unaware of what had happened and tho car continued its way merrily at about 30 miles an hour. Looking back after a time to see how their child was' enjoying the ride the parents were horrified to notice that tho back compartment was empty. Tho car was swung round and the parents, with rapidly-beating hearts, looked ahead in search of their child. They wero overjoyed to see her standing in the roadway and, apart from a bruise or two, slio was uninjured. Her mother asked the child if she had been frightened, and received tho tearful reply that she thought "they were going home without her!"