LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22000, 5 January 1935, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Wairarapa Lake The Wairarapa Lake was lower on Wednesday than it has been in the memory of the oldest settlers. It does not contain much more than half the water it did at this time last year. The Arbitration Court A sitting of the Arbitration Court will begin in Auckland 011 January 30. It is expected the work awaiting the Court will keep it occupied for five weeks. Most of the business relates to co 111 pen sat ion claims. Early Mushrooms Early mushrooms have been observed in considerable quantities in the Okoko and Mangorci districts, in Taranaki. One Mangorci resident is said to have gathered sufficient in a short timo to provide breakfast for the family.

Hammerhead Shark Caught A hammerhead shark, fift, in length, was recently caught off the Ngimguni Heads, about 16 miles from Whangarei, I) 3' Mr. F. Robinson. The shark, which was landed with an ordinary hand line, broached repeatedly and fought gamely. According to Mr. Robinson, sharks of various kinds are to bo caught in the vicinity of the Ngunguru Heads. Dry Spell 1| the Sounds As a result of the long dry spell, water is in short supply in many parts of the Sounds, streams and wells having failed, says the Marlborough Express. Picnic parties leaving Picton for most of the popular bays have to take water with them. The. herbage and bush are as dry as tinder, and extreme care in the use of fires is urged. Northern Line Trains Repairs necessitated by the slips which occurred on the northern railway line on Wednesday have been completed, and traffic is practically back to normal, although speed restrictions are being observed on several stretches of track. The 8.40 a.m. express from Auckland to Opua reached its destination 27 minutes late yesterday, while the inward train was 11 minutes late. Relief Works Resuming Relief works throughout the Dominion are to recommence on Monday, and men who have been in the city for the holidays are now leaving for camps in the country. Relief workers were allowed two weeks' holiday on full pay, and a Christmas gift of a week's wages was also made. Many of the workers took advantage of the opportunity to visit the city, receiving a concession in the cost of transport.

Attack by a Dog An unprovoked attack was made upon a passer-by at the Hamilton motor camp yesterday by a large dog belonging to a travelling motorist. The victim, a Hamilton resident, was a professional photographer engaged in seeking pictures of holiday scenes. He had approached within about 20ft. of the dog when it sprang at him, obtaining a firm grip on the leg of his trousers. Although efforts were made to force the animal to release its grip, it clung to the trouser-leg until it was called away by its owner.

A Schoolboy's Turtle A schoolboy of Eastbourne, Wellington, made an unusual discovery sonic days ago. On a pile on the Rona Bay Wharf, a little above high water mark, he found a tiny turtle, which he is now proudly treating as a pet, giving it changes of water and seaweed in a basin in the back yard at his home. The turtle is known to grow to great size in some of the islands of the Pacific, but this Eastbourne specimen apparently can lay no claim to age. It is about two inches long, of a beautiful green colour, with fine markings. It is perfectly formed. Sharks and Aeroplanes

Arrangements were made recently with Flying-Officer lan Keith, instructor to the Western Federated Flying Club, for the club's aeroplanes to cooperate with the surf life-saving clubs of New Plymouth in giving warning against marauding sharks in the vicinity of the popular beaches of the district. Following the long spell of hot weather shark alarms have been given more than once at Moturoa and the eastern beaches of the town. Sharks are difficult to see from the beaches, which makes false alarms easily possible, but they can bo seen instantly from an aeroplane.

right Against Crime "A determined effort is being made by the United States Government to suppress crime," said Mr. J. R. Templin, in an interview on his return to Christchurch from a visit to America. "To-day tho Government is assisting the States in putting down crime and is co-ordinating all the arms of the law to work in harmony. The lack of cooperation between the Federal Government and the States has been tho trouble in the past, but now crime will have a hard time. At present, of course, criminal activity is appalling. The Federal Government is also trying to formulate a criminal procedure which will expedite convictions." Brisk Railway Traffic

Although holiday railway traffic has now passed the peak, there aio still large numbers travelling hy rail, and there was a heavy exodus from the city yesterday. The three o'clock oxpress for Wellington had three extra second-class and two extra first-class carriages, making a total of 14. There were three extra second-class cars on the limited express at seven o'clock, and the relief express at 7.40 p.m. had eight well-filled carriages. It is still necessary to run separate trains to Now Plymouth, and there woro six carriages on the train which left at 7.18 last evening. The New Plymouth express will run separately again tomorrow evening. Inward passenger traffic yesterday was comparatively light.

Sheep Travel by Sea Many thousands of sheep are to be transferred from hast Coast ba\s to the Bay of Plenty and Auckland during the next three months. The Bichardson Line motor vessel Pakura, which will leave Auckland for. Hick's Bay . this morning, will bo engaged until the end of March in carrying (>OO,OOO sheep from East Coast bays to Tauranga and Auckland. More sheep will be shipped by other vessels. The Pakura was recently converted at Lyttelton from a steamer to a motor vessel. She is now fitted with an 850 horse-power Polar Atlas motor engine, which will give her a speed of ]2 knots. During the past two days she lias been at the western viaduct having 'tween decks fitted in the hold for the carriage of sheep below decks. She is the third of the company's vessels to he converted from steam to motor power, the other ships being the Awahou and Pukeko.