LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22640, 30 January 1937, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Two Air Mails Due To-day Two consignments of l<ondon air mail will reach Auckland from Wellington by train this morning. The mails were despatched from London on January II and January 13 and they were taken from Sydney to Wellington by the Awatoa. Bitterns Multiplying Bitterns are reported to bo increasing in various swamp areas inland irom Wanganui. These birds, which can be readily recognised by size and by their slow, methodical flight, are protected In the distance they resemble harrier hawks, but arc larger, and their flight is slower. Stone Fruits Mildewed Stone fruit grown in districts about Temuka, Canterbury, was aifected adversely by the heavy rain which fell recently, and the small iruit crops especially late raspberries—have suffered from mildew and disease. Owing to the unusually wet weather throughout the whole season, there has been very little demand for pickers. Accident Victim's Condition The condition of the seven-year-old girl, Hincmoa Andrews, who was admitted to the Auckland Hospital in a serious condition suffering from concussion on Thursday night, was reported to bo unchanged at a lato hour last night. The girl fell downstairs at a house next door to her home at IGS Hobson Street, City.

Large Families There are 40 children at the Public Works camp at Fordell, near Wanganui, where married men employed on the new Turakina-Okoia railway deviation reside. Four families alone have .'55 children between them. Children of school age from the camp will attend the Fordell School, the grading of which will rise when the school opens for the year.

Overseas Ships Delayed Two large overseas vessels, the I'ederal Line motor-ship Durham and the New Zealand Shipping Company's steamer Tekoa were delayed by heavy rain yesterday. The Durham was to have completed discharge of her Liverpool cargo and was to have sailed for Wellington yesterday afternoon, while the Tekoa was to have continued loading for London so as to have sailed finally today. Both ships will now sail on Monday afternoon.

Inspection of Cruiser Auckland people will have their last opportunity for inspection of the cruiser H.M.S. Dunedin when she is berthed at Central Wharf this week-end. The cruiser acted as flagship for the Auckland Anniversary Regatta yesterday and she will move from her anchorage in the stream to the wharf this morning. Hours of inspection will be from two until five o'clock each afternoon. The Dunedin will leave Auckland for England on February 15.

Sailors in Camp About 125 members of the crew of H.M.S. Achilles went into camp at 'J'rentham this week to undergo a fortnight's period of musketry training. When they have finished their course a similar number from the cruiser will take their places, about 250 ratings having to do such training every year. The flagship of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy will remain at Wellington until the training courses have been completed. No Holiday Accidents Usually the St. John Ambulance drivers are fairly busy at holiday periods, but Anniversary Day yesterday was practically a blank for them, except for an occasional caller suffering from abrasions or minor cuts. The brigade office yesterday received calls only for medical cases, but these were few. The generally unpleasant weather forced many people to leave their cars in garages and remain at home, and there were comparatively few people abroad

Tourist Race Spectators To see the last boat for Wniheke moving away from the Northern Wharf after he. had travelled over 100 miles from Dargaville to witness the New Zealand Tourist Trophy motor-cycle race at Waiheke was the unfortunate, experience of a visitor to Auckland yesterday. In spite of the heavy rain excursion boats to the island were well patronised, and there was a good gathering of interested spectators on the course throughout the afternoon. Although many of them were drenched the majority remained until the last of the riders completed the 108-mile ride.

Message in Bottle While walking along the south beach, about four miles south of the Manawatu Heads, on Wednesday, Mrs. Thomas, of Feilding, a visitor to Foxton Beach, picked up a bottle, in which was a message slightly damaged by water. It reads: "S.S. Erica, Capetown. Latitude ;52deg. South, longitude 152.52 Fast December, 11K55. Wind S.F. by S. Hough sea." The bottle is evidently one thrown overboard off the Australian coast with the view to testing the currents. Steps have been taken to communicate with the captain of the vessel, whose name was partly obliterated. Salmon Menace to Trout " There is not tho slightest doubt that the presence of quinnat salmon in the rivers is detrimental to the interests of trout. We do not want salmon in the Opihi Uivor, and we tried one year to keep them out by means ol a trap; but unfortunately it was not satisfactory," said the ranger to the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, Mr. F. W. Pellett, recently. "It is not the parent fish which causes the damage," he said, "though the salmon is voracious, and there is little doubt that it would attack a trout that got in its path. It is a well-known fact, however, that a quinnat salmon yearling, which is much bigger than tho brown trout yearling, will outstrip the trout in fossicking for food and, more than this, it will cat two or three times as much. That is where the real damage lies and where the salmon is a menace, particularly in a river such as the Opihi, which is partly rain-fed." From the time ol hatching, Mr. l'ellctt said, the salmon remained in the river for 12 months. When they migrated another batch would be growing in tho river and trout had no hope of competing favourably for food. It was a case of the survival of the fittest and it was extremely difficult, under the circumstances, to raise brown trout to a good weight.