LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22992, 21 March 1938, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Northern Maoris' Gift Three acres of land near Totara Point and on the bank of the Hokianga River have been given by the Maoris as a site for a new school. This school will take the placa of the Urungaio School and its excellent situation will give ample room for playing fields. "Government Sheep" "All right, let them go," said the owner, resignedly, when tho auctioneer asked him if ho woidd sell at tho last bid for his rams at last week's Christchurch ram fair. "You ought to be liktt another breeder i know and say: 'Sell them. They belong to the Government, anyway, so why worry,' " replied tho auctioneer, amid laughter.

Boy Scouts' Oamp Fifty-four boys, representing nine Boy Scout troops, wero present at a camp held during the week-end at Collins' Point, Avondale. The camp is held annually for a cup donated by Mr. Ji. Lo Roy, and this year it was won by tho team representing the Mount Albert troop, with St. Aidan's second. Tho standard of camping was very high. Rescues at Fiha

Six rescues were effected by members of the Eastern Suburbs Swimming Club in tho course of the club picnic yesterday at Piha. No races were held, but a life-saving race was run out for a practice. While this was being done six people who were fishing on the northern side of Lion Rock got into difficulties, and were brought ashore by three of the club swimmers. Boy's Shirt in Flames With his shirt bursting into flames when, with two companions, ho was reflecting strong sunlight through a magnifying glass, a small boy was fortunate in escaping serious injury in Victoria Street, Hamilton, on Saturday. The garment burned furiously and it was only the promptitude of a passerby in tearing the shirt off the boy's back that saved him from severe burns. Sydney Wine Shops

"From San Francisco to Port Said, I have never seen anything worse than Sydney's wine shops," declared a traveller who passed through Christchurch recently, in the course of a world tour that has already occupied four years. "Stiffened by an admixture of raw whisky, the so-called 'wine' that they sell is absolute poison. To see regular addicts arriving at the wine shops at opening time is a shocking sight." Seamen's Long Wait

Two seamen from the Finnish barque Penang, who were given shore leave on Friday before the ship's departure the following clay, had an uncomfortable last night in Auckland. They expected to return to the barque off Hobson Bay by a passing launch, but were not successful, and spent an uncomfortable night sleeping in a motor-car. Finally they rejoined the ship on Saturday morning from the tug To Awhina, which towed the Penang outside the port. Pitcairn Islander's Injury

A direct descendant of Fletcher Christian, the leader of the mutiny of the Bounty, who, with his comrades, first settled Pitcairn Island, is at present a patient in the Wellington Hospital. He is Mr. Robert Christian and is suffering from an injury to a knee which he suffered when he fell down a ladder on the Maunganui. He has been suffering from his injury since November and is beginning to despair that he will ever be able to walk again without the aid of crutches.

The Autumn Equinox The first day of the calendar season of autumn falls to-day, when the sun reaches its zero longitude and passes from the southern to the northern celestial hemisphere. Although the equinox is used officially to define the change of the season, the true season does not exactly coincide with this arbitrary fixation, and consequently no one knows at present, until temperature gradients have been examined in various localities, whether summer has already ended or still has a few days to run. Theft from Baths Thieves entered the Mount Eden swimming baths on Saturday night and a small sum of money was taken from the ticket office, entrance to which was gained by breaking a window. The broken glass attracted the attention of the caretaker when ho arrived to open the baths shortly before seven o'clock yesterday morning. He entered the office and found that some money which had been left from the previous evening was missing. The thieves apparently had climbed into the baths over the roof of the surrounding balcony.

Reconstruction of Lighthouse After many years of service, the lighthouse marking the Ponui Passage to' Thames is shortly to be remodelled. Tenders have been called for the work. The lighthouse is of similar design to that on Beacon Rock in the Waitemata Harbour, but it is now showing the ravages of time. Provision is made in the reconstruction plans for a much smaller structure, although the same lantern will be retained. It is considered by the marine authorities that the lower light will adequately serve the reduced volume of shipping now using the passage.

Rail Traffic to Regatta A record number of passengers, 4500, travelled by train to the regatta at Ngaruawahia on Saturday. Four special trains, which left at 7.10 a.m., 7.25 a.m., 8.45 a.m. and 8.55 a.m., wero filled to capacity, but tho increase in the number of passengers compared with last year, over 1000, made it necessary for extra cars to be attached to the Taneatua and Rotorua expresses, which left at 9.8 a.m. and 10.10 a.m. The Railways Department had anticipated an increase in the number of travellers, but in spite of the fact that it was larger than expected, the rush of traffic was handled efficiently.

Epic Battle Anniversary The 20th anniversary of the break through of the German armies in France falls to-day. On March 21, 1918, the British right flank, under General Gotigh, and the French left (lank, under General Petain, were struck shattering blows. After several days of fierce lighting in the south the Germans, following their strategical plan, shifted the battlo to the north in the hope that they had so paralysed the British forces on the right wing that thoy would be able to smash the armies guarding the Channel ports. These attacks were finally stayed in April. About three months later the British launched the attacks which ended the war with victory for the Allies. In all this fighting the New Zealand Division played a notable part.