LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23048, 27 May 1938, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Undefended Divorce Cases Another long list of undefended petitions for divorce will be heard in the Supreme Court at Auckland to-day. There are more than 40 cases set down on the list and they will all be taken by Mr. Justice Callan. Aged Widow Injured A fracture of the left wrist was suffered bv Mrs. Mary Ann Rodgers, a widow, aged 79, of Pokeno, when she slipped and fell in her home yesterday afternoon. She was taken to the Auckland Hospital by ambulance and her condition last night was reported to be not serious.

Spring Planting in Albert Park Flower beds are now being cleared and replanted in Albert Park for spring, although tho fine season has caused tho blooms to persist with many autumn flowers. Chrysanthemums are still flowering, for example. Tulips for the spring have been planted, and stocks, anemones, pansies, violas and poppies are now being bedded.

Bunting at Naval Base For the second time within a week ships of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy at the Devonport Naval Base were dressed from stem to stern with bunting yesterday. This and the firing of a Royal Salute at noon were in recognition of the 71st birthday of Queen Mary. The other occasion this week when bunting was seen at the base was for Empire Day on Tuesday. Use of Electric Fences A report on the safety and efficiency of electric fencing has been issued by the engineer of the Franklin ElectricPower Board, Mr. L. G. Sharp. "Properly installed the fencing is perfectly safe," states the report. "It must not, however, bo attached to light sockets as faults might result in too high a voltage." The board has decided to permit farmers in the district to use the fences on a flat rato of £1 10s a year. Tug's New Fender A new three and a-half ton fender will be fitted to the Auckland Harbour Board's tug To Awhina at Queen's Wharf- this morning, replacing one worn out with constant friction in handling heavy iships. The Te Awhina has been receiving overhaul at the board's slipway and moved to Queen's Wharf yesterday afternoon to complete refit. The fender, which was completed some months ago by the board's staff, will be made fast to the tug's bows with the assistance of a wharf crane. Railway OverbrLdge

After protracted negotiations concerning the adjoining land and delay in the delivery of the necessary steel, tho erection of the overbridge at the railway crossing at Koutu, near Rotorua, is to be commenced immediately. Tho work will take somo months to complete, and it is probable that at an early date all traffic to and from Rotorua on the main Rotorua-Cam-bridge highway will be diverted to the deviation north of tho present highway, which was formed by the Public Works Department some time ago.

John Wesley's Influence "I should like to draw attention to the material as well as the spiritual transformation which John Wesley worked in people s lives both iu his own time and to-day," stated the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, in a message read at the Wesley bi-centenarv meeting held in tho lown Hall last night. "With his work among the poor, tho sick, tho needy and dispirited people, he was one of the noblest pioneers of social reform. Popular education, orphanages, prison' reform and the_abolition of slavery, were all practical questions to which he dovoted his zeal." Dummy Smashes Window

A revolving dummy was responsible for smashing a large plate glass window in the shop of Alfred Revcgo, Limited, tailors and outfitters, at the corner of Queen Street and Welloslev Street East, shortly after nine o'clock last night. The dummy, which was mounted oil u gramophone turntable, brushed against another figure, which crashed through tho thick glass. It was fortunate that there were no pedestrians passing, as the glass was scattered over tho footpath. A police constable remained in attendance until arrangements to have the glass repaired were completed.

Professor Rutherford's Return News has been received that Professor J. Rutherford, professor of history at Auckland University College, will return for the second term of tlio college year, which commences on Juno 6. Although on sabbatical leave, Professor Rutherford has been engaged in documentary research in England in connection with the early history of New Zealand. Ho has been able to secure several valuable items of sourco material, which are' now in the care of the Department of Internal Affairs. It is expected that, shortly after his return, he will give a public lecture under the auspices of the Auckland Historical Society on the results of his recent research. Observance of Holidays

The suggestion that a list of holidays observed throughout the Dominion indicating the places where each holiday is observed should be prepared was made recently by the secretary of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce, Mr. J. Hov Smith. He said that any attempt to obtain uniformity in public holidays through the Dominion bristled with difficulties, but the pro paratiou of such a list would be the first step and it would bo of considerable use to firms operating in different parts of the country. A business man from Christehurch often arrived in Wellington or Auckland to find that a local holiday was being observed. A list of this kind, which had been prepared in Australia, showed the divergency that existed between the different States. Educational "Snobbery" The existence of a certain amount of "snobbery" in New Zealanders' attitude to education ivns commented on by Dr. P. H. Spencer, formerly chief inspector of schools in London, when interviewed iti Christehurch. I have noticed a certain amount of snobbery here," ho said. "I found that it is not true that everyone goes to the Government schools. People with more money prefer to send their children to a non-aided or non-Government school; and later on to send them to Oxford or Cambridge rather than the New Zealand University. But this is inevitable as tlie population and wealth of the country increase." Giving an example of the decline of this lorm of "snobbery" in England, Dr. Spencer said that :iO years ago, all the Oxford scholarships had been awarded to boys from the public schools. Lately half of these scholarships had been won by municipal secondary school pupils.