LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22412, 7 May 1936, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Empire Air Mall Australian mail, including an Empire air mail which was despatched from London on April 19, arrived at Wellington from Sydney by the Wanganella yesterday morning. The northern portion of the mail will reach Auckland by train this morning. Ambulances Busy Unusually heavy calls were made on St. John ambulances yesterday, when the staff had to work at top pressure to fulfil the transport requirements of a large number of patients. On numerous occasions the whole fleet of seven ambulances was engaged. School Term Holidays The 750 schools controlled by the Auckland Education Board will "break up" on Friday for a vacation of two weeks, marking the conclusion of the first term's work. The majority of secondary and technical schools will observe the same holiday period. Police Search lor Body No trace has been reported of the body of Mr. Cuthbert Carson, aged 27, a seaman, who is believed to have been drowned as a result of falling overboard from the small cutter Rewa, moored off Orakci, on Monday night. Dragging operations were carried out yesterday by the waterfront police. Pukeko Season Closes After being open for only seven days, the pukeko shooting season, which commenced in the Auckland pro\ inco on May 1, will close to-day. Although pukekos have been reported to be plentiful this year, particularly in the swamp areas near Whangarei and in the vicinity of Mercer and Rangiriri, not a great deal of shooting has been reported. Domain Board's Sheep One of the most regular .sources of revenue of the Devonport Domain Board is the farming of a small flock of sheep on Mount Victoria. An average profit of 8s a head was realised on the recent sale of 51 sheep, reported Mr. E. H. Little at a meeting of the board last night. Thirty-six more sheep had been purchased with the proceeds. Moie Work for Teachers An indication of the effect of the readmission of five-year-old children to the schools was given at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday, when it was reported that as a result of this 5725 children had been admitted to schools in the board's district alone in February and March. It was stated that this would mean employment for more than 100 teachers. Use oi Leisure "With the introduction of the 40hour week leisure will be the biggest part of our lives," said Mr. J. F. ells, headmaster of the Kowhai Intermediate School, at the annual meeting of parents last night. The school was teaching an appreciation of literature, music, applied art and world affairs which, he said, would enable pupils to use their leisure profitably and make them of some use to the community. Motorists at Intersections "Simply putting out your hand at an intersection does not give you the right of the road," said Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when a motorist charged with negligent driving claimed that he had glanced in his back-vision mirror. "You must look behind; the right rear part of the car causes a blank area in the mirror," said the magistrate, imposing a fine of 10s. Brief Meetings Two meetings, which for brevity must constitute a record, were held by the One Tree Hill Borough Council, sitting in different capacities, at the conclusion of its ordinary business last night. The two meetings, of the Mount St. John and the Konini Domain Boards respectively, occupied less than a minute. In each case the annual statement of accounts, audited and certified correct, was presented and adopted without discussion. Ngaruawahia Bridge After having been restricted to the use of a single bridge for several months traffic is now able to use the twin bridges at Ngaruawahia. The restriction was imposed while redecking and other repairs were carried out, but although south-bound traffic is able to travel on the left-hand bridge as formerly, caution will be necessary as pedestrians are forced to use the vehicular section until work on the portion intended for their use is finished. Pohutukawas in Bloom Pohutukawas are in full bloom on an area of about 60 acres on the southeastern end of the Little Barrier. This information is given by Mr. A. McNaught, who has just returned from a month's visit to the island. Mr. McNaught said tuis and bellbirds were in countless numbers, 20 or 30 often being on a tree at the one time. They were very tame and were in wonderful condition. There was evidence of ample food supplies both for present and future use. Grafton Bridge Traffic The care which the traffic department of the City Council is exercising to prevent speeding on Grafton Bridge, which has been temporarily strengthened pending repairs, was shown by four prosecutions in the Magistrate s Court yesterday. The motorists concerned were charged with passing other vehicles on the bridge, and were stated to have travelled at from 20 to 25 miles an hour. The present limit is 10 miles an hour. Fines of £1 and costs were imposed. Increased Jury Pay The increased scale of common jury fees gazetted last March will operate in Auckland for the first time this week. The rate for jurymen required at civil or criminal sittings or at coroner's inquests has been increased from 9s to 10s 6d a day. If they serve for only three hours or less the payment is ss. The payment for special jurymen remains at £1 for the first day and 10s for each subsequent day, so that after the first day special jurors now receive less than common jurors. Electricity in Water Mains The presence of electric currents in water mains, caused by chemicals in the earth setting up electrical action, as reported at the last meeting of the Papatoetoo Town Board, is not an uncommon trouble, although it is by no means general. Referring to the matter yesterday, Mr. R. H. Bartley, general manager of the Auckland ElectricPower Board, said ground currents of the naturo reported were also caused by stray currents from electric supply systems, more particularly from direct current supplying motive power for such services as tramway systems. Insulation of water pipes was a method of preventing resultant corrosion, although electrolysis, generally a difficult matter to handle, was receiving constant attention by power board officials.