LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22319, 17 January 1936, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Railway Station Garden The bright colours of tho many flowering plants and shrubs in the ornamental garden in the front of tho Auckland railway station are making an attractive display at present. Stocks, larkspurs, fuschias and hydrangeas are most in evidence, but there are numerous other varieties. Planets in Conjunction Viewed through a cloud-gap yesterday morning tho planets Venus and Jupiter presented a tine sight. Venus was much brighter than its companion and shone with a bluish light in distinction to Jupiter's yellow tint. At 6 a.m. tho two planets were only 1} (leg. apart, or three times the moon's apparent diameter. Rotorua Baths Praised " I have never seen better swimming baths than the stadium at IJotorua." said Mr. J. S. Edstrom, of Sweden, president of the International Amateur Athletic Federation, in the course of a lecture on the Olympic Games in the Wellington Town Hall this week. "Uiev are not so elaborately appointed from a spectators' viewpoint as some elsewhere," he added, " but the actual bath itself is wonderful." An Unwelcome Visitor An unwelcome visitor to the Auckland Hospital yesterday morning was a large centipede, which was discovered by one of the nurses outside the children's ward while on her way to the massage department. Preserved in a medicine bottle of formalin the insect, which was nearly 4}in. long, was placed on exhibition for the benefit of the small boys in the ward. It is thought that the centipede must have travelled up from tho Domain. Boy's Condition Improves Although he was still unconscious a slight improvement was reported last night in the condition of George Robert Dale Bebbington, aged 12, who was admitted to the Auckland Hospital on Monday afternoon following an accident in Great South Road, near Papakura. However, he remained on the seriously ill list. Bebbington suffered concussion and abrasions when be fell on the concrete roadway after the bicycle he -was riding was struck by a motor-car Conflicting Signposts Where the main south road crosses the railway line at Hinds, Canterbury, there are two signboards that must have given food for thought to many motorists. The signs are on opposite sides of the road, not more than two chains apart, but they hold conflicting ideas about distances. One proclaims: "Ashburton 11 miles, Rakaia 29 miles, Christchurch 63 miles." The other has a different version: "Ashburton 12 miles, Rakaia 30 miles, Christchurch 64 miles." Cadet Training Ship A vessel of a line seldom seen in New Zealand ports, the British India Steam Navigation Company, Limited, the Nardana, arrived from New York yesterday. She is a steamer of 7974 tons gross, and apart from the Nuddea, which made a trip to New Zealand last year, she is the only representati% - e of the line to visit Auckland for some time. The Nardana is one of the company's two cadet training ships and carries 38 on the present voyage. She is usually on the Australian run. Motor-tracks on Fire A motor-truck belonging to Messrs. Sutherland and Pearson, carriers, of Onehunga, caught fire on King's Wharf yesterday morning as the result of a back-fire. The Central Fire Brigade was summoned and the outbreak was extinguished with little difficulty An empty two-ton motor-truck being driven from Huntl.v to Otahuhu caught fire at Takanini last night. The bodywork of tho vehicle, which is owned by Paine Brothers (Motors), Limited, Otahuhu, was damaged before the flames were extinguished.

Reliance Upon Others The tendency of the public to expect the Government or local bodies to provide amenities that they should provide themselves was mentioned by members of tho Egmont County Council recently when, in response to an application from the Opunake Seaside Committee, it was decided to give a contribution of £1 Is toward the purchase of a first-aid outfit. Members said they considered the public which used the beach freely for pleasure should not rely on, the society for everything but should provide the money.

Breakfast at Work Complaints by ratepayers that the unemployed relief workers in the Geo riding had been seen to start a fire going on their arrival at work and then cook breakfast, were mentioned by a member at the 1 last meeting of the Egmont County Council. He said that when spoken to the men intimated that they had to get up so early to catch the county lorry that they had no time to get their breakfast before they left. "What arc you going to do about it?" asked the chairman, Mr. W. C. Green, to which the member retorted: "Get a cook on the road, T suppose." Energetic Goldfinches The activities of a pair of goldfinches building what is believed to be their third nest of the season are being watched with interest by the owner of an Auckland garden. The part taken by the male bird is chiefly that of escort and adviser, as lie accompanies his mate on each excursion in search of nesting material, and, from the tip of a near b.v bough, keeps up an encouraging twitter as she weaves industriously. One one occasion, however, ho was seen to pluck a tiny feather from his breast and offer it as a help for the lining. Goldfinches are very thorough builders and their nests may be found in almost perfect condition after the lapse of many months. Welded Steel Hangar The first steel structure in Otago to be electrically welded throughout, the spacious new hangar being erected at the North Taieri aerodrome for Union Airways, Limited, has many features of interest m its construction. Without a single rivet or bolt, the steel framework, incorporating nearly 60 tons of steel, is nearing completion through the efforts of 20 skilled workmen, who, in the ne,xt week or two, will bo working overtime in their efforts to have the building completed by the end of the month. The hangar, which is 92ft. wide and 72ft. in depth, will accommodate one air liner. On tho northern side of the hangar will bo the workshops, and well-appointed administrative offices and waiting rooms will be built adjoining the southern wall.