LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23034, 11 May 1938, Page 14

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Second Crop of Fruit A cherry plum tree in the garden of Mrs. J. C. Rix, of Walton, was bearing a second crop of fruit last week and some was actually ripening. The same tree was blooming for the third time. It is considered that the extra crop has been->cau§ed by the exceptionally dry season which has been experienced. New'St. Helens Hospital The congregation of St. Andrew's Church, Christchurch, has ratified the decision made previously by its,Coiirt of Deacons to accept the Government's offer of £BOOO for the church property, the grounds of which will provide a site for the new St. Helens Maternity Hospital. All that remains for the sale to be completed now is its further ratification by the Christchurch Presbytery. Scarlet Toadstools While it is unlikely that the large scarlet toadstools which N havo made their appearance in Hamilton this year and which are scarcely distinguishable from mushrooms, would be mistaken for edible fungi, a warning is given that the scarlet toadstool is definitely poisonous and if eaten may produce death. Dr. G. H. Cunningham, director of the plant division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, has stated that the. scarlet toadstools grow only in the vicinity of pine plantations. Gift to Art Gallery

The gift of a statue, in bronze has been accepted from Mr. R. E. McDougall by the committee controlling the Robert McDougall Art Gallery, Christchurch. On the stone base of the figure is the inscription Ex Tenebris Lux —from darkness into light. The sculptor was Mr. Ernest Gillick, A.R.A., and the base was designed by Mr. Edward Armstrong, F.R.1.8.A., who was the architect for the gallery. The statue was. procured in London for Mr. McDougall by Mr. W. G. Constable, of the University of London.

Benefactors as Walters In accordance with a custom observed in Europe, an interesting ceremony will be held in conjunction with the golden jubilee celebrations of the Little Sisters of the Poor at St. Joseph's Home, Heme Bay, to-mor-row. At luncheon the old folk who are cared for at the institution will be waited on by their benefactors —Bishop Listen, members of the clergy and social workers will don aprons and attend to their needs. The custom was observed for the first time in Auckland last year and will be an event.

Loder Cup Presentation The Loder Cup, which was awarded this year to the Auckland War Memorial Museum and to Miss Lucy M. Cranwell,' its botanist, will be formally presented by Mr. J. B. Paterson, chairman of the *" Auckland branch of the Institute of Horticulture, at a meeting of the institute' at the museum next Monday evening. The cup was given by Mr. Gerald W. E. Loder, president of the Royal Eng-/ lish Arboricultural Society, in 1926, to those who had encouraged the protection and cultivation of the flora of the Dominion. This is the first time it has come to Auckland. The Oar that Never Came A commendable, but premature, desire to record their votes in to-day's municipal poll was shown by two Auckland residents yesterday. They were seen standing on the kerb in one of the city streets. They informed a friend that they were waiting for a motorcar to take them to the nearest polling booth. They had waited nearly, an hour. Although the sun shone at intervals, they appeared',by then to be feeling the cold. The car never came. It was the car which to-day will take them from their place of residence to a polling booth if they are still desirous of recording their votes.

Radio Telephoca, Calls The increasing use by New, Zealanders of opportunities to communicate with Australia and Great Britain by radio telephone is shown by the fact that in the last 12 months 1725 calls were made from New Zealand, an increase, over the previous 12 months of more than 57 per cent. Of the calls made 632 were to Australia and 158 to the United Kingdom, while in the same period 885 were made from Australia to New Zealand and 50 from the United Kingdom. The widespread use of the system was shown by the fact that one of the calls to London was from Otautau, one to Glasgow from Invercargill, and another to London from Patumahoe. Blind Man's Achievement Presented to a meeting of the Christchurch committee of the -Pearson Memorial Fund for the Blind wal a 17page balance-sheet dealing with the handling of the committee's Lord Nuffield Trust Fund accounts for the year. The/ document was an itemised list of all the transactions in the account, and it drew the admiration of the chairman, Mr. H. Holland, and others who saw it, because it was the unaided work of the blind secretary to the committee, Mr. T. W. Woods. On most of the typed pages appeared column after column of figures, and in the whole 17 pages there was not a single letter or figuro out of place, nor any sign of a correction. Used Car Guarantees Stating that ho did not know whether to plead guilty or not guilty to a charge of driving a motor vehicle without a warrant of fitness, a defendant in the Dunedin Police Court explained that he had bought a second-hand car about three months ago and had received with it a used car certificate of fitness from the dealers. He had produced this when accosted by an inspector. The magistrate, Mr. H. W. Bundle, said that the mistake was one which might well be made, but it must be clearly understood by the public that these certificates were not recognised as fulfilling the requirements of the law, and a specific warrant had to be obtained from a qualified authority.

Election Day Traffic . . ■ Traffic in city and suburban streets will bo unusually heavy to-day, when the hundreds of motor-cars pressed into service by the organisations sponsoring tickets in the municipal elections will be kept working at high pressure. The Citizens and Ratepayers' Association has devoted special attention to the organisation of its fleet of cars and their voluntary drivers, while the Labour Party, which numbers hundreds,of motor-owners among its members, will see to it that no supporter who can be located will be allowed to refrain from -voting. To many old people election day brings the only motor-car ride of the year, while to many others the joy-ride is hardly second to tho duty of voting.