LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22260, 7 November 1935, Page 12

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Sloop Leaves on Orulse The Imperial sloop Leith left Auckland at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon on a month's cruise to North Island ports. The sloop will visit Napier, Gisborne, Tauranga and Tolaga Bay, returning to Auckland on December 5. Counsel's Task "You are putting me in an awkward position," a witness in a case in the Supreme Court in Wellington remarked when he was being cross-examined b.v Mr. W. E. Leicester. "Of course, that' is his job, you know," observed Mr. Justice .Blair. Rough Seas On West Coast Owing to the boisterous south-west wind blowing the sea was very rough on the west coast yesterday and the Manukau Bar was unworkable. The steamer Nikau left Onehunga for Nelson yesterday morning, but she was' barbound at the Manukau Heads last night. The Ronaki was also barbound at Raglan, waiting to sail for Onehunga. Use of Roads at Night Pressure is to bo exerted by the North Island Motor Union on the Transport Department with a view to securing legislation compelling pedestrians using roads at night to walk on the right-hand side. This decision was made at a meeting of the executive in Palmerston North, confirming previous indications of the union's attitude in the matter. Petrol From Coal

The home production of petrol by distillation from coal is a new industry of growing importance in England, according to Mr. G. E. Russell, of Liverpool, who recently visited Christchurch. In an interview he said that it was expected that 45,000,000 gallons of this petrol would be produced in 1936 under the direction of Imperial Chemical Industries.

Registration of Cyclists At the suggestion of the Mayor, Mr. I. J. Goldstine, the .One Tree Hill Borough Council decided at its meeting last night to forward a remit to the 1936 Municipal Conference urging that the Government be requested to incorporate in the Motor Traffic Regulations a provision requiring the registration and numbering of cycles. It was recommended that no charge be made for registration.

One Tree Hill Prosperity \ If the number of motor-car driving licences issued in a borough can be taken as any guide to the prosperity of the residents, One Tree Hill must stand fairly high. According to a report furnished to the Borough Council last night by the traffic inspector, the number of licences issued to date is 13191 As the population of the borough is about 8300, this represents an aggregate of one licence to every six residents, including children.

Sunshine and "Snapshotting" «ffhere is at least one business in the city where the profits are dependent on the vagaries of the weather. According to the manager of a leading photographio developing and printing establishment, the amount of business done and the number of roll-films sold is almost in direct proportion to the number of hours of sunlight in tho week-end. Although modern negative material is extremely fast, very little amateur photography is done in dull weather in this part of the world.

School Jubilee Celebrations Praise for the manner in which the recent celebrations of the jubilco of the Waimate North School were conducted was given by Mr. C. F. Collins at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday. The celebrations were probably the most interesting of their kind he had attended, he said. Educational histosy in the district extended back long before the days of the board and the present school, to the early portion of the 19th century. "Were any of the original scholars present?" asked a member.

Nursing Sister Contracts Leprosy In a report furnished by the medical authorities at the island leper station of Makogai it is stated that the Sister Superior recently had to perform the sad duty of informing one of the pioneer sisters who founded the hospital in 1911 that she had contracted the dread disease. "You cannot imagine how much it cost me to break the news to this dear sister and then, accompany her to the compound for leprous women," wrote the Sister Superior. "She showed marvellous courage and resignation and edified everyone by her cheerfulness and patience." Control ol Pedestrian Traffic

Astonishment at the lack of control of pedestrian traffic in New Zealand was expressed by Mr. J. A. Haggitt, of Dunedin, who passed through Wellington recently when returning home from an overseas tour. "We noticed it as soon as we left the Lurline in Auckland," he said. "It seemed as though mqtor-cars were pulling up and slowing down here and there all the time to avoid people who were crossing the streets at all angles. After coming from Europe, England and America, we can honestly say that we never saw anything like it abroad."

Whitebait by Air The demand for whitebait in Wellington recontly has been so heavy as to exceed the available Bupply, and advantage was taken of air transport the other day to convey West Coast whitebait to Wellington. Caught in Greymouth in the afternoon and despatched to Christchurch by goods train, the consignment was sent to Wigram aerodrome by motor-lorry, where Mr. J. J. Busch, commercial pilot to the Canterbury Aero Club, had it loaded into a Fox Moth, and just over two hours later it was being unloaded at Rongotai. The total weight of the fish was 5501b. Champagne Standard "It is difficult to bring the public from the champagne standard down to the level of plain beer," said Mr. j. W. Heenan at the last meeting of the Wellington Centre of the New Zealand .Amateur Athletic Association, when referring to the obstacles in the way of restoring amateur athletics to tho favour the sport once enjoyed in> Wellington. "I do not think," he remarked, "that the importation of overseas athletes alone will bring tho public back. Wo had the Canadian schoolboys, and an English team here last season, but they did not draw because we had no one to pit against them." He urged that everything possible be done to develop local talent.