LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22490, 6 August 1936, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

First Spring Lambs Sold Spring lambs, born in April, made an early nppearance for the current season at the weekly fat stock sales at Westfield yesterday. Only four were offered and they were of sturdy breed and satisfactory quality. Attracting spirited bidding, they were sold up to 35s each. Popular Rail Excursion Although the Railway Department's excursion to the National Park, arranged for August 29 aiid 30 was first advertised as recently as Saturday morning, 230 of the 300 available seats had been booked by closing time yesterday. This is the first excursion of this nature to National Park.

Early Rate Payments Nearly 50 per cent of the current year's rates of the Palmerston North City Council have been paid within one month of the demands being issued. The demands aggregate £76,000, ol which £36,400 had been paid by July 31. The council offered a rebate of 2} per cent for payment before that date. Fitness To Drive "You are not physically fit to drive a Car," said Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., to a man who pleaded that he had a war disability, when he was charged .in the Magistrate's Court yesterday with a minor motoring offence. One has tn fit, to nr-f. instantaneously, but I have not power to take away your licence." Defendant was fined 5s and costs. "Sporty" Traffic Officers "Tlicy are a really 'sporty' lot on the whole, and 1 think we should regard them as a kindred organisation," said Mr. George Campbell, speaking of the City Council traffic officers when replyjng to the toast of kindred clubs at the smoke concert held last night by the New Zealand Motor Racing Drivers' Association. Two traffic officers were present at the function as guests of the association.

Work on School Grounds To keep the grounds of schools in order, representations were made recently to the Government suggesting that the assistance of relief workers should be obtained. Yesterday the Auckland Education Board received advice from the Education Department that consideration was being given to the possibility of subsidising the wages of one man for each school whoso committee was willing to make some contribution toward the wages. A New Trades Hall The proposal to improve the accommodation in the Auckland Trades Hall was taken a further step yesterday, when the trustees held a meeting to discuss the matter, preparatory to calling a meeting of union delegates next week. At the present time there are about 60 unions with offices in the city, and the proposal is that if the trustees aro able to suggest a suitable scheme union representatives will be asked to discuss with their unions the proportion of cost they will bo asked to contribute toward the erection of a new building.

Jury's Prolonged Retirement Anything beyond the regulation period of four hours is a lengthy retirement for a jury, although occasionally one is absent for as long as five hours. Something in the nature of a record for the Court for many years past was set last night by the jury in the compensation claim arising out of the death of a schoolboy at Otahuhu, when it remained out from 4.7 p.m. until 10.45. six hours and 38 minutes. Even then they had to be sent back again to answer a question, and it was five minutes to 11 when they finally returned. Their decision was to award the plaintiffs £SO.

Miliord Swimming Pool The view that the open swimming pool at Milford Beach was as safe as similar pools in other parts of the, world was expressed in a letter received from the Devon port Steam Ferry Company at last night's meeting of tho Takapuna Borough Council, which has control over the pool. A parapet had been erected, it was stated, and it was proposed to erect a fence around a pumping plant, shortly to be installed, and the penstocks. The company sought the council's opinion on the matter in view of recent complaints that the pool was unsafe in its present unienced condition. The matter was referred back to tho company to act on its discretion. Teachers' Hostel Expenses Care in the administration of the Teachers' Training College Hostel is to be recommended by the Auckland Education Board as a result of a statement of income and expenditure which was given to members at a meeting yesterday. This showed that tho account for stores was £Bl for the halfyear ended June 30, and the bill for fuel £25. The debit was about £72. It was stated that there were 54 students at the hostel paying 19s a week. Members thought rising prices were possibly responsible for the increased expenditure, and it was suggested that the board would have to ask the students to pay more for their lodging,.

North Shore Conference The value of a forthcoming North Shore conference to discuss local body amalgamation was questioned by a section of the Devon port Borough Council Inst night when an invitation to send delegates was received. Mr. E. Aldridge said too many similar conferences had been held on the North Shore in recent years when only minor matters were discussed without any consideration to finance and other questions. In his contention that that type of conference was simply a waste of time he was supported by the Mayor, Mr. H. F. W, M.eikle, nnd Mr. H. J. Hutchings. Messrs. G. D. Hardy and S. S. Green considered that the council should do everything possible to promote amalgamation on the North Shore, for a single body would be effective in solving many problems which had been attacked unsuccessfully by tho individual councils. A motion that only the Mayor and Mr. Aldridge should represent Devonport at the conference was defeated and it was decided that any member who desired to should attend. Unified Labour Before the end of August there will probably be n conference of representatives of tho Trades and Labour Federation and the Alliance of Labour to discuss a merger of the two bodies. For some time it has been felt that there was an overlapping in the work of the two, bringing differences of opinion in the ranks of tho Labour movement. Now that the session of the Arbitration Court in Wellington is drawing to a close, there is a lessening of work for officials of tho alliance and the federation, and with the opening of the Auckland session of tho Court next Monday the Wellington officials of the two Labour sections will be able to confer in the near future.