LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22059, 15 March 1935, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Oar Strikes Verandah Pole A motor-car travelling up Queen Street last night ran on to the footpath in front of the premises of J. R. McKcnzie, Limited, and struck a verandah pole, which snapped in two places. The front bumper and front right mudguard of the vehicle were buckled, but the car was driven away tinder its own power. Water for. Warships

The consumption of fresh water on the Australian cruiser Canberra is about 15,000 gallons a day. In the engineroom are two evaporators which, when the ship is at sea, are used to convert salt water into fresh water. These machines are capable of producing 27,000 gallons of fresh water a day, or nearly twice as much as the ship's normal consumption. Wash-house on Fire

A wash-house at the rear of a residence at 45 Tainui Road, Devonport, caught fire shortly before four o'clock yesterday afternoon, and the outbreak had a strong hold when the local brigade arrived. Extensive damage was caused to the back of the wash-house, but the fire was prevented from spreading to the house. The dwelling is owned and occupied by the Misses Alice and Rosemary Robinson.

Large Electric Lamp Bill The annual expenditure on electric lamps for a cruiser like the Canberra is from £4OO to £SOO. This high consumption of lamps, of which such a vessel has about 1200, is due to the continuous vibration from the machinery and the shock of gunfire. The power for lighting the lamps is obtained from four large generators, which have a capacity equal to meeting the demands of about 7000 houses of average size. Counsel and the Olock The Court of Appeal in Wellington had had a long sitting and when counsel for a respondent had finished his case there were many who hoped that the day had come to an end. But counsel for plaintiff arose. "I wish to reply to my friend on certain legal points," he said, glancing at the clock. "I shall be as brief as possible, as it, is getting late." "Do not consider yourself bound by that clock," said the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers. "It has stopped."

Spirit of the Age "It is often said that our age is more irreligious than other ages were; all ages are religious to some extent, and I do not think ours is less religious than most," said the Rev. H. W. Newell in an address to the assembly of the Congregational Union of New Zealand in Christchurch. "After all, religion deals with the ultimate meaning of life and death, and few people to-day live past the age of 30 without asking themselves these questions." Wild Boar Hunting

A shooting party had some thrilling sport while out pig hunting in the Tangitu district, near Taumarunui, recently. In two or three days on Mr. Larsen's property they secured a bag of 14 pigs, including two huge boars, which gave them a great chase. One of the boars was particularly savage, severely mauling the dogs, one of which it killed. After the first shot was fired it led the hunters on a two miles chase over very rough country before it was finally killed. As mementos of the chase the hunters now possess two magnificent sets of tusks. Overseas Mails Arriving

Empire air mail, despatched from London on February 23, is due at Auckland from Brisbane by the Strathaird this evening, and the vessel also will bring Australian mail. The Aorangi, which is due from Vancouver on Sunday afternoon, has 1310 bags of English and American mail and 162 bags of parcels for New Zealand. Of these, 385 bags of letters and 39 of parcels are for Auckland. The Monterey, which will arrive at Auckland from Los Angeles on March 22, has 699 bags of English and American mail for New Zealand, including 225 for Auckland.

Dangerous Roads A number of roads in the St. Heliers Bay area are in a dangerous state for motorists following the recent rains. Maintenance work in Yattendon Road had not consolidated when the rain commenced and many motorists have nearly come to grief in greasy mud, which in some places is nearly a foot deep. A lorry became bogged and a heavy car skidded and nearly capsized. Motorists are advised to avoid this road and others in the vicinity as much a? possible until the road formation has been heavily metalled and rolled.

Butter For Hospitals Lord Bledisloe's practical interest in the New Zealand dairying industry found expression in sending parcels of butter to leading London clubs and hospitals. Messrs. Joseph Nathan and Company, of Wellington, who acted for His Excellency in this matter, have received the following from the Bermondsey Medical Mission Hospital, London: — "We have received the 201b. of New Zealand butter that you have sent from Lord Bledisloe. Please accept our grateful thanks. We now use no other butter in this hospital—and it has entirely driven out all margarine we used to uso."Dominlon Theatres Appreciated

It was pleasant for Constance, Duchess of Westminster, to discover that the patrons of New Zealand theatres are not permitted to smoke during performances. "As a non-smoker I found it quite a relief to go into your cinemas and be able to enjoy the pictures without being surrounded with the smoke from cigars, cigarettes and pipes, as we are in England," she stated in Napier. She said it was hard to understand New Zealanders who desired the authorities to permit smoking in theatres, and it was to be hoped that they would not be allowed to have their way. Valuable Book Recovered

Through the good offices of the Wellington Smith Family, an organisation formed primarily to provide help anonymously for those in need, tho Christ's College library has just had restored to it a valuable old book which formed part of its earliest collection. Last year the Smith Family founded a travelling circulating library for men in tho relief work camps. In a parcel of books recently presented for this library was found volume 11. of a work published in 1816, calf-bound, and bearing. the inscription, "In trust for Christcliurch College, Canterbury Settlement, New Zealand. Presented to the Bishop Designate of Lyttelton." It was realised that the book was probably part of tho Christ's College library, and the college bursar, Mr. E. R. Webb, was informed, with the result that the old book will soon be back again among its companion volumes.