LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22670, 6 March 1937, Page 14

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Unseasonable Weather After a long period of sultry weather accompanied by northerly winds, temperatures have been somewhat cooler in Auckland during the last two days. A southerly wind set in again last evening and tho night was clear and cool. The barometer registered 30.25 inches at midnight, the highest reading for some time. More Stolen Motor-cycles There has been a recurrence of motorcycle thefts in various parts of the city. Last night a machine was stolen from Fort Street Lane. The owner left it there at six o'clock, and when ho returned shortly after nine o'clock the motor-cycle was gone. Several similar cases have been reported to the police this week. Unlicensed Radios Proceedings were taken against nine persons in the Police Court yesterday for operating unlicensed radio sets. In tho majority of cases no defence was offered, in fact, few of those charged appeared, and varied excuses were offered by those who did attend tho Court. Fines ranged from 5s to 15s, with costs in most instances of 10s. Woolbuyers Leave Woolbuyers who attended the final Auckland sale yesterday despatched subsequent business in quick time and left by tho limited express last night. Their destination is Christchurch, where tho next wool sale will bo held on March 12. Four additional sleeping cars were required to accommodate them on the express, which was an exceptionally large train oi 14 carriages. Many Ships Expected After a week of comparative quietness the port of Auckland will be taxed to capacity early' next week. No lower than 12 large overseas ships will arrive within the next few days. There will be 10 overseas cargo ships, including two tankers, in addition to the Royal Mail liner Niagara, due from Vancouver on Monday morning and the Matson liner Monterey due on Monday morning from Sydney. Roads in New Zealand Tho remarkable improvement th,%t has been made in roads in New Zealand, particularly in tho North Island, since 1920, was the subject of comment yesterday by Major J. W. Blunt, of Capetown, who has completed a four months' tour of the Dominion after being away for 16 years. He said the main roads were particularly good for motoring, and he had found them generally both comfortable and safe. Regulating Pedestrian Traffic The traffic department of the City Council is continuing experiments in regulating traffic by a loud speaker in tho late afternoon at the pedestrian crossing in Queen Street between Fort and Customs Streets. Unfortunately it is almost impossible to hear the traffic officer giving instructions through the loud speaker when alongside the car in which he sits, although his instructions can bo clearly heard on the opposite side of the road. Legacy for Crippled Children Provision for a legacy at a later date to the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Crippled Children's Society is contained in the will of Mr. H, F. Housler, of Netherton, whose death occurred at Thames on December 8. 'The estate has been valued for purposes of probate at under £2500, and after certain private bequests and a life interest in the residue have been satisfied the whole of the residue is to go upon trust to the society mentioned. Maori Unknown Warrior A proposal that'the remains of an unknown Maori soldier should be brought home from Flanders to his native land has been submitted to the Cabinet by the Auckland Maori Returned Soldiers' Club, acting in cooperation with representatives of the Arawa and other leading tribes. The suggestion is that the warrior should be brought home by tho Maori members of the contingent which is about to represent New Zealand at the Coronation. Boys Leaving School • A decline in tho number of boys in the upper forms of secondary schools, caused by the better opportunities for employment now offering, is reported by tho headmasters of six Christchurch secondary schools. Four of tho head masters claimed that there were many definite cases of boys leaving school boj fore they would normally do so —some after only one year's secondary education —because of the fear that the basic wage legislation might make it difficult to obtain positions if they remained longer at school. Country Social Centres That tho consolidation of country schools would not necessarily mean the loss of the school buildings as social centres was stressed by tho Minister of Education, the Hon. P. Eraser, speaking in Hamilton yesterday. Ho pointed out that in remote districts tho school buildings wcro often used for church services and other functions and, if consolidation took place, tho Government was quite prepared to leave the premises, administered by a reliable trust committee, for the reasonable use of tho residents. Blood Transfusion Service Since the institution of a blood transfusion service by the St. John Ambulance Association at tho beginning of October, 111 donors have been typed and classified, and 06 transfusions given. This service was organised at tho request of tho medical superintendent of the Auckland Hospital, Dr. J. W. Craven, and is capable of furnishing a donor of any type within 15 minutes of a call. Calls are made direct to tho association headquarters in Rutland Street, where, if necessary, transport is provided. "Tho association is proud of this service," said tho secretary-manager, Mr. S. E. La n gsto ne, yes to rdav. Link With H.M.S. Orpheus One of those who were present at tho launching of H.M.S. Orpheus, which was lost on tho Manukau Bar in 1803, was Sir Frederic Lang, whose death occurred at Hillsborough yesterday. Sir Frederic's father, Mr. Oliver Lang, ot Blaekhcath, was a naval architect, and supervised tho building of tho vessel on tho River Medway, a tributary of tho "Thames. His son, who wan a small boy at the time, little suspected that for the last 32 years of a lortg life his homo would bo not maiiy miles from the spot where the Orpheus met her fate. Sir Frederic was not in New Zealand when the disaster occurred, but arrived nine years later,,