LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22141, 21 June 1935, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Tory Channel Whaling So far this season the Tory Channel whalers, Marlborough, are reported to have effected six captures. The whales started to move later than usual this year, and it was not u/itil last week that the first was sighted, although a watch had been kept for some time. Waterside Worker Hurt While working alongside the Wanganella at Queen's Wharf yesterday morning, a waterside worker, Mr. Alfred Dagnall, agod 34, single, of 17 Beresford Street, City, had his left foot severely cut when a heavy milk can fell from a sling on to his foot. Ho was taken to the Auckland Hospital in a St. John ambulance. Napier Improvements The bridge and roadway giving direct 'access from Port Ahuriri to Westshore at Napier is expected to bo ready for use in about a month's time. The bridge, a wooden structure, is to be 400 ft. in length. This new access should play an important part in popularising Westshoro as one of Napier's best patronised summer resorts. Sloop's Gunnery Exercises A message was received yesterday from tho war sloop Wellington, which has been engaged in gunnery exercises in the Hauraki Gulf since Monday, that she would arrive in port at eleven o'clock this morning. She was originally to have returned yesterday afternoon. The sloop will leave on July 15 on her first Island cruise and will be away until September 21. More Employment /or Boys " I think we can accept this as a reflex of better times," said Sir Joseph Smith at a meeting of the Auckland Boys' Employment Committee yesterday, when it was reported that since the previous meeting 71 new enrolments for town positions had been received and 115 boys had been placed in employment. Country enrolments totalled 35, but only 31 positions had beeiL offered. Motor-cyclist's Escape A young man had a narrow escape from injury when his motor-cycle and a motor-truck were involved in a collision at the corner of Lome and St. Paul Streets, City, about 10 o'clock yesterday morning. The cycle was forced under the truck, which had to be jacked up before the cycle could be removed. The rider, however, was unscathed, and the services of a St. John ambulance, which had been summoned, were not required.

Birkenhead Vehicular Landing The vehicular ferry traffic was diverted yesterday from Birkenhead to Northcote, in consequence of the removal of the Birkenhead steel floating pontoon for overhaul on the slipway at Freeman's Bay. The work of cleaning and painting will occupy about a fortnight. The landing stage was removed in the morning by the Auckland Harbour Board's staff, the floating crane Mahua lifting the connecting bridge, weighing about 50 tons, to the Birkenhead waterfront. i Improvement In Weather There was a marked improvement in the weather in Auckland yesterday after a prolonged period of wet and wintry conditions. It was only the third day this month on which no rainfall has been registered on the rain gauge. The rain has been intermittent throughout the month, however, and the total fall, 3.79 in., is Suill more than an inch below the average for June. After a week of low readings, the barometer began to rise rapidly early yesterday morning, and at midnight registered 29.90 in., a rise of .45in. for the 24 hours. Orakei Maori Pa Appreciation by the Mayor, Mr. Ernest Davis, of the interest of the Chamber of Commerce in the proposal to develop the Orakei Maori pa was expressed in a letter received by the council of the chamber at a meeting held yesterday. "Tho expression of your viewpoint is both welcomed and appreciated, and I should like you to know how much I value your offer* to co-operate with me and my council in ensuring that early action be taken," wrote Mr. Davis. "For my part, I feel that -the assistance of the sub-commit-tee which your executive has set up will bo of considerable value to me." Misplaced Credit "After my department has, provided thfi money and done all the work in connection with the lighthouse, I am invited by Mr. Cobbe to attend this ceremony," said the Hon. J. Bitchener, Minister of Public Works, at the opening of the Baring Head lighthouse, Wellington. "Could you imagine anyone but a man from the South of Ireland doing a thing like that?" He strongly objected, the Minister jokingly continued, to the Marine Department seeking to assume credit where it was not due. His own department had handled the job with a praiseworthy efficiency and thoroughness.

New Drainage Scheme An opportunity of becoming more fully acquainted with all aspects of the proposed comprehensive scheme of drainage for the Auckland metropolitan district is to be given to new members of the Auckland and Suburban Drainage Board at a special meeting of the boarcl to be held on Tuesday. The engineer-secretary, Mr. H. H. Watkins, who prepared the report on which the scheme is based, will address the meeting. Invitations have been issued to representatives of local authorities which will be brought into the scheme, the Auckland Harbour Board, Government departments, the Auckland Chamber of Commerce and members of Parliament representing the Auckland metropolitan constituencies. The Bledlsloe Orchid Orchids named after Viscount Bledisloe are on their way to Christchurch from England. In a letter to the curator of the Botanic Gardens, Sir Jeremiah Column, who is sending the parcel, describes the Bledisloe orchid as "a very pretty and meritorious cross, with golden sepals and petals." When it arrives this batch of orchids will be the third sent by Sir Jeremiah. Tho first arrived in March, and the second was received last week. Thirtytwo different varieties formed this consignment, and all but one were in good health and opened up in perfect condition. Sir Jeremiah says two of the orchids, Galton Lily and Speciosa, are exceptionally fine. The value placed on the orchids for customs purposes is £9O.