LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22099, 3 May 1935, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Ambulances Busy Lone distances were covered by St. John ambulances yesterday and officers of tlio association had a particularly busy day. In five trips—to Helensville. Pokono, Ardmore, Redvale and Brown's J} a y_a total distance of over 250 miles was traveled. In addition several shorter trips were made. Honest Admiration "I am satisfied, after 18 years' dose . contact with local body affairs, that ( there is no 'graft' in municipal life in the Auckland metropolitan area," said , the Mayor of Otahuhu, Mr. H. T. Clements, last night, when bidding farewell to tiie council. "From my experience and contact with local bodies in the Auckland district," he added, "I can safely say that all members have solely been imbued with an ideal to serve their respective communities." Flying Sportsmen Air transport in South Westland has been accepted as eagerly by sportsmen as by settlers, travellers, prospectors and the post office. There is fine deer stalking in the back country, but the time taken to reach it has in the past put it out of bounds for many people. Now stalkers have found that an aeroplane can take them to the good shooting in an hour or two, and Mr. J. C. Mercer has taken several parties in, even showing them their quarry from the air. Wild Birds " Considerable effort has been put into an attempt to check the practices of bird-liming and the caging of wild birds, which have been becoming all too prevalent, and are accompanied by much cruelty, states the annual report of the Forest and Bird Protection Society of New Zealand. " The bird dealer is, of course, at the bottom of the evil, but so far our representations have not received the attention which the matter warrants. We are continuing our fight against these cruel practices." Ghristchurch to John o' Groats An unexpected meeting with an old acquaintance was mentioned by Mr. C. S. Thomas in an address to the Business Men's Club in Christchurch. Mr. Thomas was visiting the most northerly hotel in Scotland at John o Groats, and he seemed to recognise the proprietor. He told him so, but received little response. When he was leaving, however, the proprietor said, " Mr. Thomas, you have an awfu' bad memory," and revealed that he had been an important witness in a case conducted by Mr. Thomas in Christchurch. Low Barometer Reading Rain, which was threatening late on Wednesday night, fell heavily early yesterday morning, but although tho barometer continued to fall until about 6 v a.m., conditions improved about daylight, and there were only light showers during the day. The barometer became steady during the morning, but showed a further fall after midday, and reached the unusually low level of 29.40 in. during the afternoon. | It began to rise slowly during tho evening, however, arid registered 29.4/rin. at midnight. The rainfall for the 24 hours was .ISin. Soldiers' Memories Almost 21 years ago, Mr. N. Malcolm, formerly of Dunedin, but now a resident in South Africa, sailed from Wellington on the Maunganui as one of the original members of the Field Engineers, Main Body. This week the Maunganui again carried Sir, Malcolm from Wellington, but on a more peaceful errand, that of returning to his work after a period of leave in the Dominion. The coincidence was not overlooked by the returned soldiers, and representatives were present from associations in Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin and Wellington to see him off. Unusual Lecture Exhibits Although they were very unusual to produce at a meeting attended by some .300 women, two exhibits used by a speaker at the annual meeting of the Northern Wellington Federation of Women's Institutes proved very effective. The first was a human skull and the second a human jaw. The woman lecturer handled both with a familiarity that was in marked contrast to the attitude of the rest of the company toward the exhibits. The lecture dealt with the effect of certain foods on the human physique and the skull and jaw were used to show the condition of the teeth which had been subjected to a lifetime of chewing coarse foods. j Our Advanced Civilisation

As an illustration of the advanced standard of civilisation he had found in New Zealand, Mr. Paul Harris, of Chicago, mentioned at the civic reception tendered him yesterday that he had that morning received a- letter from "an organisation known as the Noiso Abatement Society." "Generally speaking, I am entirely in sympathy with the movement," he said. "It is a thing wo much need in Chicago. Wo have a Smoke Abatement Societv. and it is time we had a noise abatement society there. I am sure it will come." Tho Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, remarked that there would be an automatic abatement of the noise nuisance after next Wednesday, the day of tho 'municipal elections. Work on Highway Deviation

Good progress has been made with tho Hinton's Gully deviation on the Hamilton-Morrinsville main highway, and the final stages of the work should be commenced next month. Heavy rain has hampered the work considerably, but the deep cutting on the western side of the gully lias been nearly completed. The spoil from the excavation is being used to raise the level of the road across the gully. The Silverdale Road, which outers the gully from the north, is at present closed, but it is intended to build it up to the level of the new highway and retain the junction. When the scheme is completed poplar trees will be planted along .the banks to prevent subsidence or scouring. Otahuhu Amenities

Two schemes of work were suggested by the retiring Mayor of Otahuhu, Mr. H. T. Clements, at a meeting of the Otahuhu Borough Council last night. Ho said he would like to see the incoming council give these<■ close consideration. A scheme to build additional storage tanks at the waterworks would ease tho costs of pumping water. Plans had been prepared for a reservoir with a capacity of 1,000,000 gallons. Even should tho water supply at any time fall away, there would be no worry if adequate storage was provided. He also suggested that the scheme for concrete footpaths be revised. Two such schemes as ho had mentioned would materially assist to restore normal conditions among workers.