LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22616, 2 January 1937, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Playing Cards in Demand Thorn was an tin usual demand for playing cards in Hamilton on Thursday, when cain|K'rs marooned at the Hamilton motorists' camp owing to the rain invaded the stationers' shops in quest of tlie means of filling in the time. Shopkeepers at seaside resorts also had the experience of selling many packs of cards to visitors. Dangerous Trees Picnickers oil the Mission Bay Domain frequently run the risk ol injury liv pitching their camp beneath the historic Norfolk pines, unaware of the fact that these trees have an unpleasant habit of dropping their limbs without warning. Recently a huge branch fell, on a perfectly windless evening, soon after the departuie of a largo party from the vicinity. Divers at Work For some time yesterday divers from H.M.S. Dunedin attempted to recover a motor-boat titling which was lost off the Admiralty steps from one ol the flagship's launches on Wednesday niorniim during a sudden bufleting. Iho dirty water and rough conditions foiled the divers' efforts to find the fitting and another attempt will have to be made when the weather is more favourable. Their activities yesterday attracted much attention from passers by. Ambulance Officers' Keenness The keenness with which officers of the St. John Ambulance Brigade perform their duties at sports gatherings is generally known, but the zeal displnvcd by three young ofliceis .'it, \\ aiheke yesterday must be hard to equal. To attend the New Zealand motorcycle Tourist Trophy race at Ostend two of them walki'd four miles in the rain from Oneroa and another an even longer distance from Ouetangi, only to find on arrival that the event had been postponed until January 2!). Notwithstanding their damp walk, they cheerfully asked to be advised when their services would be required again and commenced the long trek homo.

Continuous Nesting o! Birds A resident, of an eastern suburb reports on tlie continuous nesting of birds in liis garden since early in September, some birds having built us manv as three nests in succession. 1 lie garden, which in addition to several large trees contains a commodious and extremely popular bird-bath, appears to serve the purpose of a bird reserve,, being frequented by a surprising variety of birds, including thrushes, blackbirds, starlings, chaffinches, goldfinches, sparrows, silvereyes, yellowhammers, larks and grev warblers (riro-riro). The last-mentioned have hatched two broods and arc apparently considering a third nesting site.

Early Administrator The anniversary of an event of interest in the early history of Auckland falls to-morrow, for it was on January 1854, that Lieut.-Colonel R. H. Wynyard, "chief officer in command of Her Majesty's military forces within the colony of New Zealand," was proclaimed as having taken the prescribed oaths and assumed the office of administrator of the colony, an office he held until September 6, 1855. The Governor, Sir George Grey, had left for England by the Commodore on the last day of the old year. At the time of his appointment as administrator Lieut.-Colonel Wynyard was also superintendent of the Auckland Province. Horses Blanketed Behind Mist Dense mist completely obliterated a large section of the Epsom race track during the third day's events of the Auckland Trotting Club's Summer Meeting on Thursday afternoon. The pall descended during the third race and became increasingly thicker during the next two events. It was only possible at this time to distinguish the horses as they covered the straight, and then drivers and colours were blotted out with mud. As they entered the back stretch they were gradually lost to sight, emerging half a minute later as they turned into the straight. At most the horses were never more than 300 yards distant, yet they could not be followed with fieldglasscs. Dampness Affects Telephones The fault staff of the telephone branch of the Post and Telegraph Department was kept very busy yesterday attending to subscribers' lines which had become out of order following the recent heavy rain. An official of the department explained last night that weaknesses in installation and wiring often caused trouble following continual rain and dampness, but it had not been necessary to bring on any additional staff to cope with the complaints received yesterday. The heavy fog last night again caused trouble on a number of lines, but it was expected that the repair work would be completed this morning. Duo to the breaking of a wire, caused by recent hi Hi winds, the Takapuna fire alarm system was thrown out of commission yesterday, and repairs were made last night. Holiday Drunkenness New Year festivities were reflected in the Police Court yesterday by a list of ten charges of drunkenness. They constituted the greater proportion of the Court proceedings. A first offender, four statutory first offenders and a second offender within two days, all of whom had spent tlio night in the cells, were convicted and discharged, the magistrate, Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, saying that they had been sufficiently punished. "The occasion was a special one and a temptation to persons used to drinking," he added. Another statutory first offender was fined £l, the amount of his bail, and a blind man, who was bailed for the same amount, was convicted and discharged. A former hotelkeeper, without a previous conviction, denied the charge of drunkenness against him, and, after portion of the evidence was heard, the case was adjourned until to-day. Accident Patients

No improvement was reported at the Auckland Hospital last night in the condition of William Alexander, aged 17, of Exeter Road, Morningsido, and Howard Hallam, aged 19, of Richardson Road, Mount Albert, who were gravely injured 111 a motor-cycle collision in Morningsido 011 Tuesday evening. Both are dangerously ill. A .slight improvement was recorded in the condition of Mr. C. Goldberg, who suifered concussion while practising for the Tourist Trophy motor-cycle race at Waiheke, and of Mr. James Joy, of Islington Street, Ponsonbv, who was admitted with a gunshot wound in the chest, but both are still seriously ill. Mr. Albert Kric Nilscn, of Drown Street, Ponsonby, who was involved in a motor-cycle accident on Tuesday, is seriously ill, while Miss Dorothy Roberts, who fell from a moving motorcar near Drury last Saturday, has s-hown slight improvement, but is not yet out of danger.