LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23129, 30 August 1938, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Rimu at Titirangi Removed A cause of considerable controversy recently, the large rimu tree bordering on Atkinson Road, Titirangi, has now been removed with the object of providing motorists with better conditions at this point. Visitors to the spot during the week-end found no trace of the tree beyond one or two scattered branches and a muddy patch in the road.

Hedges at State Houses Work on the planting of hedges around State houses in Auckland was commenced a week ago, and it is hoped that by the end of the planting season, in throe or four weeks' time, 400 or 500 of the hedges will havo been planted. These figures represent only a third of the hedges to be grown, and the remainder of the work, together with the planting of shrubs and trees in the grounds, will bo carried out next year. Fast Air Mail One of the fastest despatches for letters under the Empire air mail scheme will be offered by the connection given by the Monterey, which will leave Auckland for Sydney on Friday night. The mail will arrive in London on September 15, l.'i days after leaving Auckland. Mail by the Wanganella, leaving Wellington for Sydney on Thursday, will travel by the same flying-boats. The fastest time taken by letters from England to New Zealand is 12 days. Storm Damage on Beaches Following the high tides and rough seas of the past few days, tho North Shore beaches presented an altered appearance at low tide yesterday. Hundreds of furrows several inches deep have been cut in the sand on Takapuna beach, while many large stones havo been washed above the usual high-tide mark by the waves. Exceptionally high tides have been experienced lately and the waves were again washing the bases of the stone retaining walls yesterday morning.

Selling Rented Houses "Owing to the operation of tenancy legislation, tho selling of rented houses has become increasingly difficult, and until the Act is modified, will continue to harass property owners," states the seventh annual report of the Auckland branch of the Real Estate Institute of New Zealand. "Owing to this, building for lotting purposes by private enterprise is almost a dead letter, and although Government building is proceeding, the supply has not overtaken the demand," tho report adds. Prayers for Jews Arrangements have been made by the Auckland Council of Christian Congregations for next Sunday to be sot apart as a day of intercession to be observed by all churches for the saying of prayers for the relief of Jews from the oppression they aro suffering in many lands. A service for prayer and intercession combining all tho churches will be held in St. Matthew's Church on Thursday, September 8, at 7.45 p.m. The Rev. G. V. Gerard, assisted by ministers of other churches, will conduct the service, and the Rev. P. Gladstone Hughes will give the address.

Millord Sound Motor-cycles The arrival of three motor-cycles at the camp at Milford Sound was the cause of much interest and a good deal of excitement recently. The machines were shipped from Bluff and ridden from the boat to the camp, a distance of about eight miles. On the day of their arrival the road was lined on both sides by tho residents of the camp and the riders were cheered to the echo as they approached. There was some conjecture as to the life of a motorcycle on the rough roads about the camp, but as the machines are heavyduty models, it is probable that they will bo in use for a considerable period. They are the first motor-cycles seen in the district. Newspaper Cable News A tribute to tho excellence of the cable news in Dominion newspapers was paid yesterday by Sir Alfred Zimmern, professor of international relations at Oxford University and a delegate to the British Commonwealth Relations Conference in Australia, when speaking at the luncheon meeting of tho Auckland Rotary Club. Tho reports wero much fuller than those contained in papers in many other countries, and it appeared that the people responsible for them woro giving accurate information. New Zealanders should, therefore, bo able to follow international affairs much better than many people closer to tho scene of various happenings. *

Shore to Ship Radio The efficiency of the New Zealand short-wave radio stations was recently illustrated when a telegram handed in to tho Wellington Post Office for the liner Queen Mary reached its destination in mid-Atlantic in 26 minutes. Tho telegram was presented at Wellington at 7.40 p.m., and the Awarua radio station, having obtained the liner's responso to its call at 8.2 p.m., completed tho transmission at 5.6 p.m. This was ono of the ordinary events in connection with the radio service conducted by tho New Zealand Post Office with ships at sea. Approximately 2000 messages aro exchanged every month between ships and New Zealand radio stations, about two-thirds of tho traffic originating on shipboard.

Plenty of Work Available "Plenty of work is availablo for every able-bodied man in New Zealand, and quito a number of jobs aro being worked short-handed," said the Minister of Labour, tho Hon. 11. T. Armstrong, when asked at Christchurch if further schemes for tho absorption of tho unemployed were being formulated, Mr. Armstrong said the statement that work was available for all did not apply to the cities alone, and it might bo necessary for some of tho men to go from their homes. However, tho Government had had time to arrange decent living conditions for workers in the camps. For young men, openings for employment wore presented in tho forestry plantations, where camps wero ready for occupation. Orakei Road Damage

A troublesome part of Ngapipi Road, on tho western side of the Orakei Block, overlooking Hobson Bay, wliero a subsidence lias been occurring over tho past lew years, is now receiving attention that should prevent further trouble. At a point near the junction with Ngaiwi Street, tho high bank supporting tho roadway lias been- undermined, possibly by the action of water seeping from tho hill above, and a portion of tho outer footpath has settled down. City Council workmen are now putting in concrete drain pipes to carry off the surplus water and it is expected that this will completely remove tho trouble. Sinco the main subsidence tho affected portion of tho road has been roped off, necessitating caution on tho part of motorists at this increasingly busy point.