LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22981, 8 March 1938, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Searchlight Display Great interest was aroused when the 18th Anti-Aircraft Battery gave a searchlight display at Mission Bay last night. The operation of the powerful light itself was closely watched by spectators at the bay, but the powerful beam sweeping across the sky must have been visible for many miles in every direction. The absence of a moon and the slight haze made the beam stand out particularly clearly. American Oapt&lns' Respects A formality customarily carried out whenever a Matson liner's visit to a foreign port coincides with that of a unit of the United States Navy was performed in Auckland yesterday. An officer from the cruiser Louisville carried the respects of Captain R. W. Mathewson to tho commander of the Mariposa, Captain W. Meyer, upon her arrival here. Captain Meyer later visited tho Louisville to return the call. Rough Weather at Sea Rough weather at sea off the New Zealand coast is delaying the arrival ! of ships entering Auckland. The Union j Company's steamer Omana, which ar- j rived from Adelaide late yesterday afternoon, was delayed several hours by boisterous conditions. Similar weather was met by coastal vessels. The German steamer Dessau, from New Orleans, which was expected here yesterday afternoon, advised that she would not arrive until this afternoon. Work lor Unemployed A suggestion that for the purpose of staffing the following places in the city during the coming municipal election men for duty as deputy-returning officers and poll clerks should be drawn through the Placement Office, was made by the deputy-mayor, the Hon. B. Martin, M.L.C., at the meeting of the City Council last night. This was approved by the council on the understanding that men competent to carry out the duties could bo provided by the Placement Office. Delay in Berthing Ship Owing to recently imposed health precautions against the spread of infantile paralysis much delay was experienced yesterday in berthing the Mariposa with 700 passengers from Melbourne and Sydney. The vessel arrived in the stream at about 6.30 a.m., but it was not until nine o'clock that she was brought alongside Prince's Wharf. Dr. G. Graham Russell, the port health officer, accompanied by Dr. E. Vivian, boarded tho vessel in the stream to grant pratique. Taxi Services Suitable notice showing the correct scale of taxi fares, and containing also information for passengers regarding the setting in operation of the taxi meter and a request for all complaints to bo made to the traffic department of tho City Council, will be displayed inside each licensed taxi in Auckland, according to a decision reached at "a meeting of the council last night. The superintendent of traffic, Mr. C. Bland, considered this the most suitable method of drawing the attention of the public to the various matters. Auckland's Public Debt A statement concerning the total loan liability of the city was made to the City Council last night by the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, when the report of the City Sinking Fund Commissioners was presented. Sir Ernest said that on March 31, 1937, the total loan liability of the city itself, exclusive of agency loans such as tramway and electricity indebtedness now the concern of other authorities, was £5,053,488. Against this there were accumulated sinking funds of £917,153, leaving a net indebtedness of the city of £4,136,335. Mild Oases of Measles No cases of measles in a serious form had come to his notice in Auckland, said Dr. T. J. Hughes, medical officer of health, when the report of the Herald correspondent at Whangarei stating that measles was prevalent in the North, particularly among the Maoris, was referred to him. The only cases of the disease which had come to Dr. Hughes' notice were mild forms of German measles and these had been rather more numerous than usual. Dr. Hughes added that measles was an endemic disease and was never entirely absent from the community. Heavy Rail Traffic Traffic at the Auckland railway station was again heavy yesterday, the trains for Wellington carrying full complements of passengers. Visitors returning homo from the Catholic centenary celebrations, and passengers from the two liners which arrived yesterdav comprised tho majority of the travellers. Two extra sleeping cars and an extra second-class car were attached to the limited express, which was fully booked before it left, while the three o'clock express, and the extra train, comprising 13 cars, which left at 7.45 p.m., were also well filled. Large Jellyfish In Harbour During the past 10 days, reports have been received of lajjge jellyfish, measuring from one foot to 18in. in diameter, which have been seen floating in the Waitemata or washed up on beaches. "Those largo jellyfish are not common in the Hauraki Gulf," said Mr. A. W. B. Powell, assistant director of tho War Memorial Museum yesterdav, "and their appearance is probably due to the prolonged northerlies which have brought them from the coastal waters in the north." Mr. Powell added that bathers would be wise to give the jellyfish a wide berth, as they could inflict painful stings. Practical Support "Tho Hon. F. Jones has spoken of receiving the co-operation of Catholic and other religious bodies in social work," said Bishop Liston during the addresses at the ceremony of blessing the foundation-stone of St. Vincent's Home of Compassion, Trinity Street, yesterday. "Wo are glad indeed to cooperate in any way for the good and welfare of our country, as we do give it in many ways, but might I suggest to tho Minister that he would submit to his colleagues our suggestion, or wishes, that we in turn should receive from tho Government for such work as this practical support—financially." Modern Hospitals Instead of erecting massive hospital buildings, which could not be altered without the spending of considerable sums of money, the present method is to build establishments of substantial framework and supports, and to make the interior divisions of material that will admit of flexibility and adjustment in the future, said Dr. A. B. Lilley, general superintendent of the Royal Prince Albert Hospital at Sydney, in an interview yesterday. "Hospitals should, metaphorically speaking, bo built around the patients, and be rapablo of alterations as science advances and needs arise," he said. "Vision is necessary to those who contemplate the building of hospitals."