LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22192, 20 August 1935, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

H.M.S. Diomede Leaves Suva * Having completed her cruise to the South Sea Islands H.M.S. Diomede, commanded hv Captain Cosmo Graham, is returning to Auckland. Tho warship left Suva on Sunday and is scheduled to arrive on Friday. Stamp Collectors' Mail Advice has been received that the first-day covers of the new issue of Western Samoa pictorial stamps were forwarded to their destinations yesterday. They were transferred together with other Now Zealand mails at Suva from the Diomede to tho Niagara and were sorted by mail agents, on the Niagara. Accountant Still Missing Although a police party again searched in a boat and along the shores of the Manukau Harbour yesterday, there was 110 sign of the body of Mr. William Henry Terry, accountant, of Bowling Avenue, Epsom, who is believed to hav*> been drowned in the harbour on Thursday afternoon. Look-outs are being kept as far down the harbour as Blockhouse Bay. *. Railway Fitter Injured As the result of being struck by a piece of metal while working at the railway workshops at Otahuhu yesterday morning, a litter, Harold Bloomficld, aged 39, married, of 5 King Street, Papatoetoe, suffered severe lacerations to the right arm and fingers of the right hand. The injured man was removed to the Auckland Hospital in a St. John ambulance.

Cows on Main Roads " I am continually hearing complaints from ratepayers that cows are being allowed to wander on the roads of tho borough by day and night, thereby constituting a grave danger to motorists," said Mr, J. Park, Mayor of Onehunga, at a meeting of the council last night. The council decided, on tho motion of Mr. Park, that tho borough ranger be advised to summarily prosecute all offenders in future.

"Paterson's Curse" A decision to declare a plant known as "Paterson's Curse" a noxious weed was made by the Manurewa Town Board last night. A specimen of the plant, which was stated to be spreading rapidly in the district, and causing concern among farmers, was received at the board's previous meeting for identification. Tho weed grows unchecked to the detriment of grasses and clovers as stock do not relish it.

Smoking at University A letter was received by the Auckland University College Council yesterday from the Remuera branch of the Women's Christian Temperance Union congratulating it on the steps taken in connection with the prohibition of smoking among women students. "We do not deserve it," remarked a member, and another suggested that the letter should be handed to Professor Maxwell Walker, retiring chairman of the professorial board. It was decided to inform tho writer that the matter was one for the board, to which the communication would be sent.

Anti-Aircraft Equipment A second consignment of equipment for the anti-aircraft base being established at Narrow Neck camp reached Auckland from England yesterday morning by the motor-ship Wairangi. The consignment, which includes the trailers for the motor-trucks on which the gims are to bo mounted, will be unloaded to-day or to-morrow, and transported to the camp. No advice has been received as to when the guns will reach New Zealand, but further equipment is expected to arrive within the next few weeks. A Startling Experience During the height of Sunday night's storni, a Romuera resident and friends were startled when a blue, blinding flash shot from the radio set across the room. Reception ceased immediately and it was feared that the set had been fused. Investigation showed, however, that not only had the occupants of the room experienced a remarkably fortunate escape from severe E.hock, but even the set had not been damaged. What had happened was that each valve had been blown up a short distance in its socket, and all that was needed to re-establish reception was to push the valves back into their connections.

Witness Not a Judge The tendency of witnesses to express opinions on the rights and wrongs of the actions of motorists in collision cases is frequently exploited by defending counsel in the Courts. An attempt by counsel to lead a woman witness to express a definite opinion was defeated by tho torse reply given in the hearing of a case at the Magistrate's Court at Otahuhu yesterday. Evidence was being heard in a charge arising out of a collision between two motor vehicles. In examination counsel said: " Did it appear to you that tho lorry driver did the right thing?" The witness' reply, which caused laughter and ended the examination, was: " 1 will leave that to tho magistrate to settle."

Rugby in United States Increasing interest in Rugby Union football in the United States has been shown during the past few years, and Mr. W. H. Pickering, a young New Zealander studying at the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, who is at present visiting Auckland, said yesterday that the game had good prospects. It was developing at the universities in the eastern states, and the players in California were increasing. It seemed that Rugby could attain an important position as a secondary game, for it could bo played after, the completion of the short season fof American football, which occupied only two months, although that was a strenuous period. American football was strongly commercial, and Rugby had an appeal for athletes who played the game for the game's sako. Schoolboys and Orchards A very satisfactory way of combating the "menace" to orchardists represented by schoolboys lias been evolved by ono Canterbury grower, and this he explained to thfe conference of the Canterbury branch of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation. "Whenever I. catch a boy red-handed robbing my orchard —and it is not often now—l either take his bicycle, with the condition that he shall not get it back until his father writes me a letter of apology, or threaten to prosectue him, on the same conditions," he said. Another member said he had an even simpler method. His orchard was surrounded by a fairly high gorse fence, and every gap lie plentifully besmeared with tar. "This was successful in keeping out two regiments of soldiers on one occasion," lie said, "and it did not cost me twopence."