LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22618, 5 January 1937, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

American Training Ship Punctual!? at three o'clock yesterday afternoon the American trainine ship California State sailed from the Western Wharf for Melbourne. The steamer will go from Melbourne to Sydney and then returns to her base at San Francisco, via Sura, Samoa and Honolulu.

Speedboat la Cargo Included in the genera! carco brought to Auckland from the Islands by the Matua yesterday tras a speedboat. Taken to the islands some time ago. the boat rcas found by the owner to be unsuitable for use of? Pacific Island beaches and is has novr been sent to Auckland to be sold.

Dog and Jelly Pish "Blue-bottle"' jellr-fish have been prevalent at Raglan this summer, and several swimmers have suffered painful stings. One visitor threvr a stick from the shore and sent his terrier to fetch it. The dog left the stick and grasped a jelly-fish instead. The dog lost consciousness, but internal applications of fealt water and brandy saved its life. Early Mushroom Crops One effect of the recent continued rain has be*?n to bring on early mushroom crops in several country districts. This has been particularly noticeable on the hilly country of the Whangaparaoa Peninssiia. Holiday makers at some of the seaside resorts there have been able to gather large supplies of excellent mushrooms to augment their usual camping fare.

Fallen by Wayside More than a dozen bales of wool lay on tbe roadside near the corner of St. Stephen's Avenue and Parnell Road for over an hour yesterday afternoon. They had fallen from a high-piled motor-lorry as it turned the bend on its way to the wool stores in Mechanics' Bay. Children spent a happy time climbing over the bales until a second lorry was requisitioned and took them away.

Southland Tourist Eesorts The attractions of Southland tourist resorts have received full recognition during the holidays. The fine weather experienced in Invercargiil has been fairly general, and the beauties of bush, lake and mountain have been seen at their be&t. Milford Sound, the Eglinton Valley, Queenstown, Lakes Te Anau and Manapouri. and all the recognised resorts, have been besieged by holidaymakers.

Courtesy Appreciated So pleased was a woman from Western Australia with the courtesy extended to her by the tramwaymen during a recent visit to Auckland that she went out of her way to write to the board expressing her keen appreciation of the ready assistance she had received from them. She asked that she might- have a map of Auckland as a reminder of a very pleasant visit to the city. Air Mail Tor London Air mail despatch to London by the Australia-Singapore route left Auckland by the Wanganella yesterday afternoon, and also will leave Wellington to-day for Sydney by the Awatea. Both these consignments are due at London on January 21. The departure of the Kairanga from "Wellington to Sydney to-morrow will enable further air mail to be despatched from Auckland by train to-night. This mail is due at London on January 25. Levels of Rotorua Lakes The recent rains raised the level of the lakes in the Rotorua district. The small crater lake, Rotokawau. near Tikitere, which was very low for some years, is again right up to ihe bush line. Lake Okataina, which fell very considerably, has now risen again. Lake Rotoma, which fell so low two years ago that palisading of an old sunken Maori pa reappeared above its surface, has also risen considerably, and the palisading is no longer visible.

Cargo From Islands The wide range of articles exported from Samoa, Fiji, the Cook Islands and Tonga to New Zealand markets was indicated by the nature of the general cargo which reached Auckland yesterday by the Matua. It included bananas, kumaras, pineapples, melons, pumpkins, cocoa beans, and a large consignment of orange juice, a product which has found a good market in Xew Zealand. But the staple product of the Islands is copra, and the opinion was expressed by passengers yesterday that for some time at least the prosperity of planters would stand or fall by the price of copra. Telephones Busy

One feature of the return to the ordinary routine of business in the city yesterday after the Christmas and New Year holidays was the remarkable volume of shopping orders given over the telephone. Apparently housewives and others with such responsibilities were so tired after the combined shopping and holiday rush that they found it far more comfortable to remain at home and send their orders for fresh supplies over the telephone. At holiday resorts, too, especially those places where people are camping near telephones, the same system of shopping was adopted.

Glare from Oar Headlights With the phenomenally heavy motor traffic at present on the roads, the clanger arising from glaring headlights on ears has become even more marked than usual. On practically every night for the past week, dazzling beams from powerful lamps on cars have constituted a menace to driving on the Great South Road and several drivers have reported being temporarily blinded by the lights of approaching cars, especially on bends in the road. The general impression is that the more brilliant a motorist's lights the less he is inclined to dim them for the convenience and safety of approaching traffic.

Scenes on Highway Twenty-five patrolmen make daily written reports of their operations to the Automobile Association (Auckland). These often contain information beyond that of comment on the condition of roads and signs and the conduct of motorists. One piece of information submitted by a patrol was: "Saw a onewheel trailer and also a baby car with a still more baby-ish trailer—a soap box on wheels!" The same patrol in his next report stated that he had suggested to a party in a car that the driver should be changed, as the course he was pursuing was very erratic. The occupants complied with the request with alacrity, apparently being of the same opinion as the patrol that a change was desirable^