LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22005, 11 January 1935, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Season's Apples The fine weather has hastened the apple crop and tho first of the new season's supplies are now available. Both dessert and cooking apples are in good demand and the quality of tho fruit is excellent. The main varieties which arc now available arc Red Astrakhan and Gravenstcin.

Unique Bowling Incident A unique incident occurred in the pairs tournament of the New Zealand Bowling Association played during the past two days. In section M at Remuera no fewer than five pairs tied with three wins each, the other pair failing to gain a win. This involved a series of games to find the winner. Wright, St. Heliers, eventually won the final game against Buchan, To Aroha.

Injured Horseman The condition of the young horseman Cyril Coulsbro, who suffered serious injuries while riding a on the Te Awamutu Racecourse just before the Waipa Club's race meeting in mid-December, shows steady improvement, states the Te Awamutu correspondent of the Hkiiald. The patient is now well on the road to complete recovery, although he is still in hospital.

Improving Grafton'Road The resurfacing in bitumen of Graftou Road between Park Road and Stanley Street has been commenced. The thoroughfare is much used as a convenient entry to the city, but for some time past the "ripple" surface which has developed owing to heat and the incline of the road has been {i nuisance to motorists. The work now in progress will provide a good driving surface.

Load of Pigs Capsized An exciting if somewhat trying few minutes were spent by the driver of a motor-lorry laden with pigs, when the vehicle 'capsized on the Matangi Road, near Hamilton. The lorry ran off the road and down an embankment, and the pigs scattered in all directions into near by fields. It was only after considerable difficulty that the pigs were recaptured. The driver of the lorry was not injured, but the vehicle was damaged.

Agriculture Commission The appointment of three members of the Executive Commission of Agriculture and the members of the reconstituted Dairy Board is one of the tasks to be undertaken by the Cabinet. Tho Prime Minister, when interviewed in Christchurch, repeated his earlier assurance that the Government intended to announce the appointments soon. The commission will consist of three members and the Minister of Agriculture, who will act as chairman. Maori War Anniversary

To-day is an occasion to be recalled as the anniversary of a dramatic and memorable engagement in the early Maori wars. On January 11, 1846, the capture was made of the Ruapekapeka Pa ("The Bats' Nest"), the strong-

hold of Kawiti in the Bay of Islands district. It had for long been gallantly defended against the English troops and artillery, but January 11 was a Sunday, and not expecting an attack the Maoris did not keep a watch. The attackers entered and captured the partlv-deserted fort, and thus inflicted a blow on the Maoris that led to the collapse of Heke's and Kawiti's rebellion.

Changes in Rating A suggestion by the Dunedin Chamber of Commerce that the law should be amended to prevent over-frequent polls on the question of changing the rating system of a borough from annual value to unimproved value, or vice versa, was approved by the council of the Auckland chamber yesterday. The Dunedin chamber proposed that a petition signed by 25 per cent of the ratepayers, instead of 15 per cent, should be required before a poll should be held, and that the'mininnim interval between polls should be seven years instead of three. Members of the Auckland council expressed a preference for five years instead of seven. New Task for Daniel

Daniel, the now famous horse which was acquired by the Community Sunshine Association from the 7,00 authorities, and thereby saved from becoming lions' food, has been exchanged for another horse. The new animal is proving a good worker about the association's camp at Motuihi Island, while it is understood that Daniel has turned out to be a good riding horse. After the publication of a paragraph in the Hkrat.d a few weeks ago stating that Daniel was a failure as a cart horse, many animal lovers expressed anxiety lest the veteran should again be sentenced to the lions' den. One farmer wrote to the association asking the lowest price which would be accepted for the horse.

Employers and Territorials In compliance with a request from the New Zealand Territorial Association, Northern Command, the Auckland Chamber of Commerce has decided to issue a circular letter to all its members, urging them to encourage their young employees to join the Territorial Force and to give every facility for attendance at annual training camps. The Territorial Association, in a letter received at yesterday's meeting of the council of the chamber, stated that unfortunately it had proof of cases in which a trainee not only hesitated to ask for leave to attend camp, but considered that the mere mention of his connection with the Territorial Force might prejudice him in his employment. Positions for Boys

The Auckland Bo.vs' Employment Committee is still experiencing difficulty in finding suitable boys for farm positions. At present there are about 80 applications from farmers, but although there is a largo number of lads on tho rolls, fully 80 per cent aro not prepared to accept work on farms. To a large extent this is caused by the desiro of parents, who are unwilling to allow their boys to lire away from homo. "It is a noteworthy fact, however," said Mr.* G. Gribble, secretary of the committee, yesterday, "that over 90 per cent of the lads we have placed on farms have remained in farm work and are very satisfied with it." Mr. Gribble also mentioned that there were vacancies for 12 boys at Kt. John's preparatory farm. Six youths were now being trained there and a large area of land was occupied in the cultivation of crops.