LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22427, 25 May 1936, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Primary Schools Reopen Primary school children will return to school to-day, when the winter term, which will last until August, will commence. The children have enjoyed two weeks' holiday, favoured by fine weather throughout.

Warships' Gunnery Practices The Naval Department advises that the warships Dunedin, Wellington and Wakakura will be carrying out day and night practices, involving gun fire, in the Hauraki Gulf during the period June 1 to June 4. Fall on Steps Through falling on steps at her home at 6 Montague Street, Newton, Mrs. Essie Agnes Caffery suffered a fracture of the left leg on Saturday night. She was taken to the Auckland Hospital in a St. John ambulance, but her condition is not serious. Pheasants Numerous Pheasants appear to be fairly numerous in and around Auckland this season. Three fine birds have been noticed several times this week in the early morning among the trees just below the summit of Mount Hobson. Pheasants used to be fairly frequent visitors in the garden of a Parnell resident, and after a long absence one has again appeared recently. Dogs Worry Sheep Sheep-worrying by dogs is occurring at Maungaraki,' Petone. Mr. M. McDonald reported recently that he had about 20 sheep destroyed. In some cases the bodies had not been discovered, death having taken place in the bush. The worrying in this case is not being done by Alsatians. Mr. McDonald shot one of the .dogs, a black and white cattle dog, but two others of the same breed escaped. Strawberries at Wellington

Proudly carrying a little cardboard box, an officer of the Salvation Army Men's Home, Miramar, called at an office in Wellington last week. In the box were five or six strawberries, several of good size and all partly ripened. "Miramar sunshine for you," said the officer as he poked the strawberries with a forefinger. "Tell them in Auckland about this." It was stated that no special effort had been made to develop and ripen the strawberries.

Two Lasting Impressions "Two things about your country have made a great and lasting impression on me," said the Rev. David Lang, in the course of a lecture in the South last week. "The first is the cordiality and friendliness of your people and the second the magnificence of your scenery. I do not need to come from Canada to tell you about beauty. This week I had the pleasure of flying over the mountains of Nelson. I have travelled all over the world and never have I seen anything to surpass them in beauty and grandeur." Ancient Oak in Church Probably few persons in Wellington realise that there is a Cross in use in one of the city churches containing wood that was growing in England 700 years or more ago. During an address at the festal evensong, held as part of the golden jubilee celebrations in St. Mark's Church recently, the Rev. N. F. E. Robertshawe said the processional Cross used in the church was made from oak taken from Lincoln Cathedral and was probably 700 years old. The Cross was presented to the church by the Rev. D. C. Bates, formerly Government meteorologist.

Toy Motors In Court A number of toy • motor-cars made their appearance in the Supreme Court at Wanganui last week, the purpose being to illustrate, for the convenience of witnesses and the jury, a busy day in Seddon Street, the main thoroughfare of Raetihi. These toys were placed at the disposal of those giving evidence the better to illustrate the parking of motor vehicles on October 3, when a serious accident occurred and a child was admitted to the Raetihi Hospital. Under examination and cross-examination, witnesses moved the toys and thus gave concrete illustration to the jury of their recollection of what happened. Trout in Otago

With the object of ascertaining whether the depletion of trout in Otago streams was due to the amount of fishing done or to some other cause, the Otago Acclimatisation Society made a request at the commencement of the last fishing season that all anglers should furnish returns of their catches, giving the name of the stream, the number of fish caught, the lure used, and tho weight and size. It was reported at a meeting of the society last week that the number of returns so far received was disappointing. It was decided to make an appeal to anglers to fill in the forms which had been supplied with fishing licences and return them to the society.

Ball Out of Sight A letter from the secretary of the Miramar District Rugby Club concerning the state of No. 2 ground at Quinn's Post caused a laugh at a meeting of the management committee of tho Wellington Rugby Union-- " Tho grass on this ground," the letter stated, "is at least 2ft. high and the ball was out of sight nearly all the game; in fact, when a kick was being taken the players had to ask the referee to notify them when the ball was on the ground. We understand tho referee is reporting tho matter to the Referees' Association; and it is to be hoped no more games are set down for this ground until the grass is cut." It was decided to ask the Upper Hutt Club if the position complained of can be remedied. » Heavy Passenger Traffic As a result of the end of the first term school holidays, and the Waikato Racing Club's Winter Meeting at Te Rapa on Saturday, there was a considerable increase in railway passenger traffic over the week-end. Both inward and outward trains were well filled on Saturday morning, and tho expresses from Wellington were also crowded. Six hundred people travelled to Te Rapa by train, according to the racing authorities, the greatest number for at least eight years, and of theso 390 came from Auckland. Tho limited express last night comprised 17 cars, it being necessary to put on six extra, one being a sleeper. The New Plymouth train carried a large number of passengers, and thoro wero seven cars instead of tho usual threo. Tho train to Hamilton yesterday morning carried 650 people. On its return journey from Hamilton last night, it was delayed by a hot-box, and a carriage was taken off at Mercer. It arrived at 10.34, nearly an hour late.