LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21938, 23 October 1934, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

A Deserted Bridge In changing its course, Brown River, near Bell Hill, on the West Coast of the South Island, has wandered completely away from a bridge which fofme'rly spanned it. The river is now some two chains away from a once very useful bridge that now serves no purpose at all. Traffic has to cross the river by a ford, which can be used only < in good weather. Death of Naval Mascot Ratings on the training ship H.M.S. Philomel are mourning the loss of their mascot "Woofit," who died on Saturday. The dog, which was a fox terrier, had been with tho vessel since 1929 and was very popular with the men. Residents of tho North Shore had a high opinion of the animal's intelligence, for it had often been seen returning on the ferries, unaccompanied, after a jaunt to the city. A suitable entry has been made in the ship's log. Addition to Cornwall Park A rock archway as part of the Campbell Park drive scheme has been completed. The structure, which is built of bluestone, faces the old avenue in the vicinity of Acacia Cottage, the original home of Sir John Logan Campbell. On either side of the arch of trimmed stone is a wall of natural rock and in this flower beds have been formed. The drive scheme is making rapid progress, the rate of growth of the native trees in the avenues being remarkable. Motor-van on Fire While the petrol tank of a light motor-van owned by Mr. A. E. of 142 Green Lane Road, One Treo Hill, was being filled at the corner of Green Lane and Manukau Roads about 4.30 yesterday morning, some of the spirit spilled on to the hot engine and ignited. The outbreak was attended by the Remuera and Parnell brigades and was suppressed with wet sacks. The van, which was used for carrying milk, was not damaged. Dog Does Penance A cocker spaniel doing penance for the sin of raiding a poultry yard was a mournful figure in Heme Bay yesterday. For the greater part of the day he had to endure the enforced presence of a victim of his caprice, a fairly plump Black Orpington hen, the dead bird being secured to his collar by a short length of rope. When his first efforts to rid himself of the bird failed, he became resigned but his disgust was apparent. Fanciers regard the practice as an almost infallible cure for poultry raiders. Closing After Fifty Years The junior department of the Napier Girls' High School, which for 50 years has formed an integral part of the institution, is to be closed at the end of the present term. For some time the question of whether it should continue had caused the board some concern, but in the past few months various circumstances, chiefly pecuniary, and the dwindling attendance, made its closing inevitable. The matter was reviewed by the board in committee at its last meeting, and when the members went into open board it was announced that the junior school would have to go. Different from England kin comparing the lay-out of towns in ngland with some in New Zealand, Mr. S. Blackley, in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Town Planning Institute of New Zealand recently, described the position in the Dominion as "ribbon growth." By this he meant that, instead "of the people settling around the town, the land along the highways was cut up for occupation. "In most towns in England," he said, "activity centres around tho village church, but in New Zealand it centres around the local 'pub.' In other towns, a line is taken from one 'pub' to another." Tour by Farmers Arrangements for a tour of the Dominion by New South Wales agriculturists and pastoralists are being made by the New Zealand Department of Industries and Commerce with the support of the State Minister of Agriculture, Mr. Main. Tho itinerary provides for departure from Sydney by the Monowai on February 1 and for a stay of nearly three weeks in New Zealand. Visits are to be paid to grain growing, lamb raising and dairying districts and to freezing works, dairy factories, seed testing areas and the agricultural colleges. Trips will be made also to the scenic resorts. Criminal Sessions The calemlftr /or the fourth quarterly criminal sessions of the Supreme Court, which will open this morning, consists of 25 separate cases in which 30 persons are involved. The list is somewhat longer .than usual. There is one charge of negligent driving so as to cause death and one of manslaughter against a railway signalman at Newmarket. False pretences, forgery and breaking and entering make up the majority of the charges, and there are also allegations of violent assault and of the theft of motor-cars. The trials will be conducted by Mr. Justice Herdman and Mr. Justice. Fair, and the charge to the grand jury this morning will be delivered by Mr. Justice Herdman. Humours of Dipping "They dipped the dogs also when the dip was first erected at Mohakatino, but it was found that some of the dogs were nearly blinded as a result, so it was stopped," remarked a member of a delegation to the Farmers' Union North Taranaki executive in advocating the waiving of the regulations regarding dipping. "They dipped two of the drovers," he added reminiscently. Actually the drovers were not dipped, but he was referring to an incident in the early days of the dip, when the man in charge of the dip, who was rather a wag, had persuaded two "new chum" drovers that it was compulsory for drovers to be dipped on the first occasion that they drove stock along the road. So persuasive was his eloquence that at the finish he had difficulty in convincing them that they did not hnve to go through the process. Port of Oisborne Increases in the total tonnage of cargo handled at Gisborne wharves during the past 12 months were reported at a meeting of the Gisborne Harbour Board yesterday. The return covering 12 months to the end of September, showed 45,396 tons inward, compared with 43,398 tons for the preceding 12 months, and 42,215 tons outward, as against 41,020 tons for tho 12 months ended September 30, 1933. A project for the expenditure of approximately £12,000 in installing grab dredge machinery on one of the Korua's barges for the purpose of deepening the ship channel and maintaining the depth of water at Kaiti wharves was approved. It was explained that the funds required could be drawn from the dredge reserve, the bulk of which was furnished by the sale some years ago of the bucket dredge Maui to the Government.