LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23065, 16 June 1938, Page 12

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Shortage of Vegetables

White butterflies, diamond - back moths, and floods are blamed for the considerably increased vegetable accounts being faced by Hastings housewives this winter. All green vegetables are in exceptionally short supply, and root crops have also suffered. Large Shark Seen

A huge shark, estimated at more than 16ft. in length, was seen from the auxiliary ketch Miro when the vessel was sheltering in Hick's Bay during her voyage from Dunedin to Auckland. On the arrival of the Miro at Auckland yesterday her master, Captain Monigan, said the shark was the largest ho had ever seen, being longer than the ketch's life-boat. Visitors to Museum The number of visitors to the Auckland War Memorial Museum for the year up to yesterday was 74,544, according to a report presented by the director, Mr. Gilbert Archey, at yesterday's meeting of the council of the Auckland Institute and Museum. Since the last council meeting the average weekly attendance had been 3621 and the attendance on tho King's Birthday holiday was 2249.

Llangollen Leaves Port After spending three days in port replenishing bunker supplies, the British steamer Llangollen left Auckland yesterday afternoon for Port Kembla, New South Wales. The Llangollen was in distress in a gale off Capo Reinga at the week-end on her way from Auckland to Port Kembla and returned to port for more coal. Sho is making tho voyage in ballast and cleared Auckland in very light trim.

Speed Past Schools A remit requesting the Minister of Transport to amend the regulations in respect of motoring speed past schools outside the city boundaries was adopted at a meeting of the Auckland School Committees' Association last night. Ihe Mangere delegates stated that recently there had been 10 accidents involving injuries to six persons in their district. Several delegates stated that motorists were ignoring the special pedestrian crossings.

Cruiser's Voyage The flagshij* of the I$3W Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, H.M.S. Achilles, is to sail from the Devonport Naval Baso to-morrow on her annual winter cruise to the Pacific Islands. She will be under the command of Commodore I. G. Glennie and will be away from Auckland making her usual round of island calls until August 1. When she returns she is to make a cruise to southern ports before going to England for recommissioning.

Fog on Highway Dense patches of fog have been encountered by motorists travelling on the Great South Road between Papakura and Ramarama on recent evenings, and similar conditions have been reported from the Waikato. The dotted white centre-line on the black surface of the road, always a help to those driving at night, has proved particularly valuable in fog, motorists finding no difficulty in keeping to the road, and on their correct side. Further Cold Weather

For the second time in two days the temperature yesterday fell to 43 degrees, the minimum recorded this year. The unpleasantly cold and gusty wind from the south-east continued and for the greater part of the day Auckland was in the grip of winter. Late in the afternoon, however, the wind changed to the north and conditions moderated a little, although it Continued to bo cold and further showers fell at night, the wind veering to the north-east. Warning to Fishermen

With the principal object of warning the public that the cleaning of fish on Cheltenham Beach was a breach of the by-laws, the Devonport Borough Council prosecuted a young man in the Magistrate's Court yesterday for depositing offensive matter on the beach. Defendant admitted the offence, but pointed out that the gulls ate any portions of fish left after the cleaning. The magistrate, Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, said it was not right that fish should be cleaned on a beach popular with bathers. As a heavy penalty was not asked for the defendant would be ordered to pay costs, £1 lis. Motoring Offences

Prosecuted by the police, the Transport Department, the Auckland City Council or other authorities, over 100 persons appeared in the Magistrate's Court yesterday charged with motoring offences. About 35 actions brought by the police were heard before Mr. C. 11. Orr Walker, S.M., and the most common offence, failure to have a warrant of fitness, was punished by fines of 5s and 10s. Before Mr. J. G. L. Hewitt, S.M., a large number of motorists charged with parking offences or with failing to possess driving licences were fined 10s, while another group, charged with speeding, received penalties rang-*>, ing from £1 10s to £3 10s.

Cows Stampede in Town Pandemonium was caused by cows which broke loose at Fitzroy, a suburb of New Plymouth, and before the animals were finally herded into a near by paddock drovers, motorists, tramwaymen, residents and school children had a very lively time. Ono boy, leaning on his bicycle, refused to move, and a cow charged the cycle and damaged the front wheel. Cars Avould not stop for the cattle, so another cow charged a vehicle, leaving a heavy dent in the radiator. One cow made for a coal and wood merchant's yard. In a few seconds the merchant ran on to the street with the cow close on his heels. Finally the herd was collected from near by properties and front gardens, and left in the paddock to regain composure.

Witness' Travelling Expenses A witness who failed to appear in the Supreme Court on two successive days although subpoenaed to do so and warned of the consequences of disobedience narrowly escaped arrest for contempt of Court yesterday. He escaped because the lawyer issuing the subpoena had failed to guarantee him "conduct money," that is, his travelling expenses to and from Court. "If you had given him conduct money," said Mr. Justice Reed, who presided, "I would have had no hesitation in having him arrested and brought before mo for contempt of Court, but without conduct money, according to the authorities, I can do nothing." Counsel agreed that that was so, and said he would have to go to judgment on the facts as they stood without the evidence of this witness.