LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22004, 10 January 1935, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Shark Oaught Irom Dinghy While fishing from a dinghy about 100 yards off shore near the Tauranga harbour entrance, a Tauranga resident. Mr. W. Edwards, captured a hammerhead shark, six feet long. It fought for 20 minutes before it was secured.

Cooler Auckland Weather The weather in Auckland yesterday was considerably cooler than during the four previous days. The thermometer registered 73 degrees in the shade at four o'clpck in the afternoon, a reduction of nine decrees, compared with the temperature at the same time on Tuesday. There was a moderate southerly breeze with warm sunshine, although a light shower fell in the western suburbs at about mid-day.

Collapse of Bowler When about to spin the coin prior to the commencement of yesterday's play in the annual Dominion bowling tourney at the Auckland greens. Mr. F. Robertson, an elderly married man. who was to have played lead for Balmoral against Hataitai in the championship pairs tourney, collapsed on No. 1 green. He was taken to his home at Croydon Road, Balmoral, in a St. John ambulance, and a substitute played in his place. Mr. Robertson's condition is not serious.

Rapid Disposal of Pigs An exceptionally brisk disposal of pigs was witnessed at the Westfield snleyards yesterday. Two complete rows consisted almost entirely of heavy baconers, with about six to a pen. and Mr. G. Ley ton completed the sale of about 360 pigs in just over 40 minutes, at some stages at the rate of two pens a minute. The speed of the sale seemed to stimulate tho enthusiasm of the buyers and prices of £3 15s a head end over were frequently obtained, representing tho highest levels for some time in tho pig sales at Westfield. South Canterbury Crops

South Canterbury has escaped the prolonged dry spell experienced in other parts of the South Island, and conditions are fairly good there, states the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. J. Bitchener, who returned to Wellington from his home at Waimate on Monday. The season, he said, had been wetter than usual, and both grass and crops were showing heavy growth. Heavy rains were experienced after tho crops were well forward and large areas were down and badly tangled. The farmers were afraid that the weather would not be very suitable for harvesting, Mr. Bitchener said.

Lads' Long Bicycle Ride A bicycle journey from Westport to Gisborne, a distance of 626 miles on roads that would try the muscles of any experienced adult cyclist, has just been completed by two lads, Richard Cunliffe and William Sloan, students at the Westport Technical High School. They left Westport on Boxing Day, and dismounted from their heavily-laden machines at Patutahi, near Gisborne, at 5 p.m. last Sunday. Both lads are 16 years of age. They showed little sign of fatigue after their long ride. Both were mounted on sturdy roadster bicycles equipj)cd with back-pedal brakes, and each carried a change of clothing, sleeping bag and rain-coat, while other paraphernalia was distributed between the two.

City Valuation List The valuation list for the City of Auckland for 1935-36 is now practically completed and will be made available next Tuesday. The individual valuation notices will bo posted the following day. The total of the assessments, of which there are approximated 34,000, is not yet- available, but it was stated yesterday by the city valuer. Mr. P. F. Notley, that it should be in the vicinity of last year's figure, which was £2,532,714. Mr. Notley said lie was not anticipating that the total would be any lower as he considered that last year had about reached bedrock. There might be some reductions as tho result of adjustments, but these would be more than balanced by the valuations of new buildings erected since tho last list was compiled. Northern Beach Fishing

During the past week or two the fishing on both the east coast and the west coast in the North has been exceptionally good, especially off the Ninety-Mile Beach, where, with the calm waters and the easterly winds the fish have been coming close into shore. Last week-end by netting from the beach hundreds of mullet and flatfish were obtained by parties from Kaitaia. Fishing from the Bluff and Scott s Point as well as from the beach has also been successful, largo hauls having been secured. Shoals of kingfish have been seen at tho northern end of the beach. Large catches are also reported from the Houhora Harbour, Doubtless Bay and other parts of the east coast. A number of sharks has been caught along this coast.

Accident Victims' Condition Slight improvement took place yesterday in the condition of Mr. C. C. Somerfield, of 8 Russell Crescent, Filers) ic, who received concussion and abrasions in a collision between a motorcycle and a bicycle on tho Panmure Highway on Monday. His condition was reported by the Auckland Hospital authorities last night, however, to bo still serious. Two other persons injured in the same accident, Kathleen Nicholson and Miss Joyce Strong, are no longer in a serious condition. Improvement also took place yesterday in tho condition of Mr. John Bayer, of Tahekeroa, about 14 miles north of Helensville, who received fractures of several ribs through being thrown out of a buggy. Mr. Bayer's condition was reported last night to be not serious.

Ample Water Supplies Thero is still ample water in the storago reservoirs in tho Waitakero Ranges for all the city's summer nveds. The draw-off during the past few weeks lias been consistently heavy owing to the spell of hot and dry weather, but the total water in storage is now ] ,179,000,000 gallons, which is 391,000,000 less than the storage capacity of the dams. The daily average consumption for the three-weekly period up to the end of last week was 9,300,000 gallons, the heaviest demand during thy period being 10,940,000 gallons on December 20, The daily average was greater by 1,100,000 than for tho same period of last year. In tho early part pf December the consumption on one day exceeded 11,000,000 gallons, and it was this that brought, about the restrictions which had to be imposed on tho use of hoses during certain hours in the Remuera and Tamaki districts. At the present rate of consumption there is sufficient water in the storage dams to supply the city for the next four months, even if no nioro rain falls during that period.