LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22820, 30 August 1937, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Weather at Chateau After several days of rather unsatisfactory weather a gloriously fine weekend was experienced at the Chateau. More than 300 people took part in skiing and racing on the mountainside, and a number of ski clubs took advantage of the clear spell to continue their annual championships.

Mishap in Steel Factory A fracture of the ankle was suffered by Mr. Vivian Bernard Watt, aged 32, married, of 5 Hanlon Street, Devon port, when a load of steel fell on his leg while ho was at work at the Vulcan Steel Construction Company's works in Nelson Street on Saturday. Mr. Watt was admitted to the Auckland Hospital, but. his condition is not serious.

Footballer Injured Injuries to the jaw were suffered by a secondary school boy. Alexander John Horton, aged 14, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Horton, of 39 Sylvia Road, St. Heliers Bay, while playing Rugby football for the Tamaki fifth grade team against St. George's at the Epsom Show Grounds on Saturday afternoon. He was admitted to the Auckland Hospital.

Naval Base Telephones Among recent improvements made at the Devonport Naval Base has been one which has introduced women to the base for continuous employment for the first time. In place of the separate telephone numbers which have hitherto been used for the different ships and various base offices, a central switchboard has been installed and two girls are employed as operators.

Air Mails Arriving Air mails despatched from London on August 11 and August 14 are on board the Awatca, which will arrive from Sydney this afternoon. She also has 176 bags of Australian mail for Auckland and a total of G7l bags for New Zealand. The Mariposa, which will arrive from Los Angeles on Friday morning, lias 560 bags of mail for Auckland, her total for New Zealand being 2011 bags.

Plate for Wilson Home In order to commemorate the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Wilson in giving their home at Takapuna for use as a crippled children's home the Mayor of Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis, lias decided to present the Auckland Hospital Board with a plate to bo placed on the wall inside the main entrance of. the house. This gift was announced on Saturday afternoon during the official opening ceremony. Star and Planet

The planet Mars at present lies close to the star Antares, in the constellation Scorpio, being nearly overhead at nightfall. Both are distinctly reddish and of similar brightness, and their proximity gives prominence to the meaning of the star's name—the rival of Mars. The planet and star set shortly after midnight, and about that time are more noticeable than earlier, being then at equal heights above the horizon. Yachts on the Harbour

Many yachts were to be seen on the harbour during the week-end, their owners, after the fine spell of weather, having refitted their boats earlier than usual. The yachts were for the most part of the small kinds and, owing to the shortness of the daylight hours, their occupants were satisfied with short cruises. Their appearance on the harbour, with Saturday's blue skies, gave an indication that summer is approaching.

Catholic Centenary Bursary Established "to commemorate "the Roman Catholic' centennial which will' be celebrated in February of next'year, the Bishop Pompallier Centenary Bursary for. the education of candidates for the priesthood is meeting with a ready response. Already over £3OO has been subscribed. Prior to his departure for Australia last Aveek Bishop Liston announced that the thanksgiving appeal on the first Sunday of July for funds for the centenary celebrations had resulted in £IBOO being subscribed in the Auckland diocese.

Great South Road Traffic Some indication of. the large volume of motor traffic using the Great South Road may be gained from figures taken by Public Works Department tallymen conducting the periodical winter census of traffic, which was commenced throughout the Dominion yesterday morning. At the tally station at the Tamaki Bridge, south of Otahuhu, the check showed that more than 800 private motor-cars passed along the Great South Road at this point between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. yesterday.

Skaters Practice on Wharf Roller skating on a wharf might not appeal to anyone but the thoroughly initiated skater, yet several youths utilised the approaches to King's Wharf yesterday afternoon on which to practice trick . skating. Many breathless moments were provided for a number of passers-by as skaters whirled and sped forward and backward along the wharf, sometimes perilously close to the edge, but fortunately no false move was mado. The concrete arrival platform at the railway station is also frequently used at week-ends by skaters, being free most" of the day from traffic.

Long Church Record One of the best records in New Zealand for continuous attendance at a particular church must be held by Mrs. M. A. Elliott, of Grand View Road, Remuora, who received a special welcome at yesterday morning's service at St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church from the Rev. l.\ Gladstone Hughes. Mrs. Elliott arrived at Auckland at the ago of 12 in 1859 and attended her first service at St. Andrew's on August 22 of the same year. Since then she has been a regular member of the congregation and has missed comparatively few services in the last 78 years. Hers is easily the best record of attendance at St. Andrew's, although several other members of tho congregation have been attending the church for very many vears.

Tho English Public School "Jn New Zealand* the English public school is often regarded as something of a joke, an institution turning out what is termed the Vlude,' but this is generally incorrect," said Mr. A. L. M. Perry, of the staff of the Christchurch Boys' High School, who has been abroad for two years on leave of absence studying education. He taught at Winchester College, tho oldest English public school, for a month. Winchester had a very high standard of scholarship, higher than that of Eton; There were 470 boys at Winchester, with a staff of 50, and tho school would not exceed that roll .number. At lOton there were about 1100. Air. Perry found secondary 'education in England similar to that in New Zealand, hut with a much higher standard. But only about 7 per cent of tho children took tho traditional type of education, as compared with about 55 per cent in New Zealand.