LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23254, 25 January 1939, Page 12

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Extra Express Train As tlio end of the school vacation approaches, increased demands are being made on the railway passenger services, and to meet this, an extra express for Wellington will be run on Friday night. It will leavo at 7.45.

Auckland's Dry Month An exceptionally dry month is being experienced in Auckland, only ,29in. of rainfall having been recorded for January at the Albert Park gauge op to yesterday morning. The average for the month is 3.01 in. The shortage of rain has been accentuated by strong, drying winds, and gardens have needed frequent drenching from hoses.

Medical Library The establishment of a library of medical periodicals at the Auckland Hospital was approved at the meeting of the board this week. A list of periodicals to form a nucleus for the library was received from Dr. C. R. Burns. Those suggested would represent only "bread and butter" material, he said. The annual cost would be £46 ss.

Health of Zoo Monkeys

Sheets of glass placed some months ago along the front of cages occupied by Gibbon apes and spider monkeys at the Auckland Zoo have resulted in a notable improvement to the health of the animals. These monkeys are very susceptible to pneumonia. Before tlio glass was provided, many of the animals suffered from the complaint, but since they have been protected none of them has been affected.

Beaches Popular Many Auckland beaches which have not been well patronised this summer have proved more popular during the past few days, with the return of seasonable weather. With many holi-day-makers back in the city families are thronging the beaches and, although the water is still colder than it was at this time last season, school children are taking full advantage of the favourable tides and warm sunshine.

Wool Buyers Leave A few of the buyers who attended tho Auckland wool sale yesterday travelled south bj' the limited express last night, but the majority of them were in three extra sleeping cars which were attached to the 7.35 express for New Plymouth. That train was to be divided at Taumarunui, the throe sleeping cars and other carriages going to Wellington, while the other part of tho train proceeded to New Plymouth. Ambulance Station Rates A decision to send a deputation comprising the chairman, Mr. C. J. Tunks, the treasurer, Mr. D. F. Mackay, and the secretary-manager, Mr. S. E. Langstone, to wait on tho Mayor and the chairman of the Finance Committee of the Auckland City Council, in an endeavour to obtain some relief from the rates levied on the ambulance station in Rutland Street, has been made by the executive committee of the St. John Ambulance Association, Auckland. The rates at present paid amount to £IGI.

Noise on Building Site A complaint against tho noise made by the petrol-driven pumps being used to drain seepage water from the excavations for the foundations of the new building at the corner of Queen Street and Vulcan Lane was made yesterday by business people in the vicinity. The water occurs at a few feet below the street level and is drained periodically by means of two pumps. It was pointed out that every effort had been made to eliminate unnecessary noise in recent building construction work in the business area and that quieter electri-cally-operated pumps might be used in this case.

Albatross Disappears The albatross which was found at Hororata recently, and which was taken to Akaroa last week, disappearsd on Monday. Tho Mayor of Akaroa, Mr. F. R. E. Davis, who had tho bird in his keeping, saw it at 9 o'clock in the morning, but a thorough search in the evening failed to locate it. The condition of the bird had steadily improved since it* arrived at Akaroa, and tho damaged wing was practically better. It had been eating with good appetite the fish specially caught for it. The tide flowed into the enclosure where the albtaross was confined, and it was possible for it to get through into the harbour.

Duty on Scouts' Souvenirs Referring to complaints by Boy Scouts who returned to Wellington by the Awatea from the jamboree in Sydney that they had to pay heavy customs duty on souvenirs brought from Australia, customs officers in Auckland said yesterday that very little duty was collected from the 244 members of the New Zealand scout contingent who arrived at Auckland over a week ago. Unless duty amounted to more than 2s (kl for any person no charge was made and the majority of the scouts did not bring souvenirs on which this amount was payable. Most of the duty collected was from senior members of the party —scoutmasters and others who brought back more expensive articles.

Church in Hospital Opposition to chmch services in hospital was expressed by the chairman of the Auckland Hospital Board, Mr. Allan J. Moody, at the board meeting on Monday. Inquiry shows that at tlio Auckland Hospital two religious services are regularly conducted in the wards, one by the Church of England on Sunday mornings and the other hv the Seventh Day Adventists on Saturday afternoons. These .are liold in different wards in rotation from week to week. Representatives of other denominations and shades of religious belief confine their activities to visiting individual patients. A Sunday school is conducted in the children's wards by representatives of the Biblo Training Institute. Struck by Boomerang A Boy Scout from Pahiat.ua was tlio victim of an unusual accident at tho international janiborco in Sydney not long before the Dominion contln'rent sailed by tho Awatea for Wellington. Another scout was demonstrating the throwing of a boomerang and, in the course of the missile's flight, it struck tho boy, Ivan Merrie, on the back of the head. As the boomerang was of tho type used by tho Australian aborigines for killing animals the wound was quite serious, and four stitches wero' inserted in it by a doctor. The boy was admitted to hospital and later was transferred to the hospital 011 tlio Awatea before the vessel sailed. By tho time he arrived home he had made a good recovery.