LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22901, 2 December 1937, Page 12

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Placid Tasman Sea The Tasman Sea was crossed In one of its best moods by the Union Company's cargo steamer Jvairanga, which arrived at Auckland from Sydney yesterday morning. Conditions were described as ideal over the entire crossing and the Kairanga made an excellent voyage. New Railway Overbridge The full length of the new steel overbridge across the 21 railway tracks opposite Davis Street, Thorndon, Wellington, has been placed in position. This bridge was assembled and welded in three sections at the railway workshops at Woburn, and will form an effective footway for many years to come between Thorndon Quay and Waterloo Quay. First Jamaican Oranges The first Jamaican oranges of the season will arrive in Auckland to-mor-row afternoon, a shipment of 8000 cases being due by the Port Hohart, which loaded the fruit at Kingston, Jamaica, on her voyage from New York. With the lifting of the embargo 011 Australian oranges, the shortage of supplies should not be as great as in previous years. Gorse Fire at Farnell A fire, considered to have been caused by a spark from a locomotive, swept an area of gorse and scrub at the Newmarket end of the Pa moll railway tunnel at about 5.30 p.m. yesterday. The Parnell fire brigade was- summoned and although the fire was burning strongly when it arrived, little difficulty was experienced in bringing tho outbreak under control.

Wheat from Geelong Two cargoes of wheat from Geelong for the New Zealand Government will arrive at Auckland next week. Both are being brought by British overseas steamers. The Harmanteh will reach Wellington from Geelong to-day, and is expected at Auckland on Monday and the Harbledown should leave Geelong to-day for Auckland, arriving here next Thursday and completing discharge at Dunedin. Waitakere Scenic Drive The present spell of fine weather has aided progress ;on the Waitakere Scenic Drive and little remains to be done to complete the Titirangi-Waia-tarua section of the new road. The greater part has now been metalled and there is a possibility that this portion of the drive will be open for traffic by Christmas. Work is proceeding steadily on the remainder of the road from Waiatarua to Swanson. Many Marriage Licences A total of 36 marriage licences has been issued during the past two days by the Auckland registrar of births, deaths and marriages. He explained that, as each licence remained valid for three months from the date of issue, there was invariably a large number of applications at the beginning of December, in order to cover, the Christmas and New Year period, when many marriages took place. Level Crossing Elimination

Work is progressing steadily with the realignment and regrading of the railway between New Lynn and Glen Eden, which will eliminate two difficult level crossings, both of which are used by a large amount of traffic. The railway is to be raised above the Titirangi Road at New Lvnn, while at Croydon Road the West Coast Road will pass above the * railway track, which is being lowered considerably at this point. Lunch Hour Bathers The recent spell of warm and sunny weather has resulted in an unusually large number of office workers and others making short trips to the waterfront for a bathe during the luncheon hour. About 20 motor-cars parked near the St. George Rowing Club's skids yesterday gave evidence of the popularity of the sheltered stretch of water there. Point Resolution baths also received their quota of those seeking relief from the city's heat, Maori Chisel FoundWhile working on the side of the main Palm Beach road, near Ostend, yesterday, a Waiheke resident, Mr. C. S. Butler, unearthed a heavy Maori chisel about oft. below the surface of the ground. The chisel is about 7in. long, Sin. wide and 2in. thick, and the blade end is smoothly finished, with a sharp edge. Near by, another workman, Mr. B. Morris, found a small piece of tattooing material, which is very sharp. Both relics were discovered within a few hundreds yards of the place where a number of Maori skeletons were discovered several months ago.

Changing Street Names Proposed changes of street names in the One Tree Hill district were referred to at the meeting of the One Tree Hill Borough Council last night, when a letter from the acting-chief postmaster was under discussion. The letter stated that the matter of avoiding duplication of street names was reaching the final stages and it was thought that Crescent Road should be changed, as there was a street of that name in Birkenhead. It was decided to advise the authorities that several changes were under consideration, but it was not considered that Crescent Road should be changed as there was no risk of confusion with Birkenhead. The Auckland Mayoralty Indications that ihere was a widespread desire that the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, should again be a candidate at the mayoral election in May of next year, were given at a representative meeting of citizens held at the Town Hall yesterday afternoon, when arrangements were made to organise a deputation to wait on Sir Ernest at noon on Tuesday of next week, lhe desire was expressed that every section of the community should be represented in the deputation, which will ask the Mayor to allow himself to bo nominated for a further term. It was decided to request representatives of all sections of the public to attend at the Town Hall when the request is being made. Naval Exercises After three days in the Hauraki Gulf carrying out exercises with all units of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, the cruiser Leander will return to the Devonport Naval Base tin's afternoon. The Leander will enter Calliope Dock on Monday for sixmonthly cleaning and painting. Tho escort vessel Leith will return this morning with the battle-practice targot, and she will be followed in tho afternoon by the escort vessel Wellington. The naval minesweeper Wakakura returned to the base yesterday morning. Exercise programmes of tho two escort vessels are scheduled to conclude on Tuesday, and the flagship, the cruiser Achilles, is expected to return jfroin - the gulf -oil-"JVednesdajs