LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23259, 31 January 1939, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Pishing at Lake Okareka An excellently conditioned trout Okareka, Rotorua, recently by nn Auckland angler, Mr. L. Bates, of Takapuna. Another visiting angler, Mr. W. Moore, during the week-end took two 51b. fish on the fly in the same lake. State Game Farm

There are 1100 pheasant chirks and some 300 eggs in process of hatching at the State game farm at Ngongotaha. About 400 young mallard ducks are thriving at the farm, and many of these birds will be liberated when they have grown sufficiently to enable them to fend for themselves. Scouring ol Beaches

During the long period of westerly weather many of the east coast beaches have been well scoured by tide action. At Lady's Bay, for example, it has been possible to dive from the beach at high tide into deep water. Now that easterly weather has set in sand will soon bank up again and the beaches will be restored to their normal condition. Many Week-end Arrests No fewer than 30 arrests for varying offences were made by the Auckland police during the week-end, and as a result the Police Court yesterday morning was a busy place, in spite of the holiday. On the charge sheet were the names of 23 persons who had been arrested on Saturday for drunkenness, and their total fines amounted to approximately £ls. School Holidays Ending After six weeks and two days' holiday children attending State primary schools will resume work to-morrow when the first term of the new year will commence. Pupils in the secondary departments of district high schools under the control of the Auckland Education Board will also start work tomorrow, but other secondary schools in the city and province will not reopen until next week. New Coastal Ship On her maiden voyage from Immingham, in the North of England, the Anchor Line's motor-ship Puriri will reach Auckland to-day or to-morrow to discharge a cargo of basic slag. Tho Puriri, a twin-screw ship, has been specially designed for the New Zealand coastal service, trading out of Nelson. Having recorded 11.5 knots on her trials, the Puriri has made good time on her outward voyage, via Panama. Air Liners in the Rain An easterly wind rising at times to gale force, and extremely heavy rain, caused a minimum of interference yesterday with the air service between Auckland and Wellington. Tho usual schedules were maintained, with minor variations in arrival times. Pilots reported that south of the city tho area of unfavourable weather did not extend a great distance, the day at New Plymouth being wet but not marked by exceptionally heavy rain.

Cars Aflected by Rain One of the chief inconveniences suffered by campers at Auckland beaches during Sunday night and Monday morning was the effect of the rain on motor-cars. Vehicles left with little protection fared badly and some garages in the North Shore district were busily engaged yesterday in towing cars from eastern beaches. Two of the cars at Western Springs camp were also affected by the rain and they could not be started yesterday morning.

Freedom from Traffic Accidents An unusual feature of the Anniversary Day holiday yesterday was tho fact that not a single person Was admitted to the Auckland Hospital as the result of a traffic accident. Although on Saturday and Sunday there was a large number of accidents, no traffic mishaps yesterday caused injury to people, in spite of the bad visibility for drivers. Yesterday was the first public holiday for some time in which no traffic accident victims ended the day in hospital. Protection of Forest

The vigorous campaign to protect the areas of native bush is reflected in the widespread use of notices warning visitors against the hazard of fire. Throughout the Waipoua State Forest, North Auckland, and in many parts of the Waitakcre Ranges posters have been erected pointing out that the careless throwing of a match or a cigarette butt may result in the destruction of thousands of acres of forest which have required hundreds of years to reach majestic maturity.

Expresses Heavily Booked Although the heavy rain yesterday caused the cancellation of the excursion train which was to have run to Hamilton, the various expresses were heavily booked. The expresses to and from the north and Rotorua carried a large number of passengers and accommodation was particularly heavily taxed on the Wellington trains. The afternoon and limited expresses were filled to capacity and there was a considerable overflow on the relief express, which left for the south half an hour after the limited. Records of Bird Songs Several attempts have been made by the Forest and Bird Protection Society to record the bellbird chorus, but luck has been against" it. Members of tho executive believe that this task should be undertaken by the Government, which has better facilities to assure success. It is felt that records of that chorus and the tui's song should be in the programme for national centennial celebrations and that Australia's success with the lyre-bird, which is claimed to be the world's best mimic, should stimulate the New Zealand Government to persevere in the effort to catch and hold the music of bellbirds and tuis.

Delay* Ho Shipping Shipping movements have been seriously affected by the easterly gale ruling yesterday off the New Zealand coast. In addition to the HuddartParker motor-liner Wanganella, now due from Sydney to-morrow morning, a day behind schedule, the Union Company's cargo steamer Waipori has also encountered tho gale in the Tasinan. She will arrive from Sydney to-morrow afternoon instead of to-day. As a result of tho poor visibility the British steamer Beatus did not enter tho liauraki Gulf last night on her voyage flam Texas to Auckland. The steamer advised by wireless that she was proceeding toward Burgess Island, in the Moko Hinan Group. Tho mcssago stated that her time of arrival here' was uncertain. No report had been received lost night from the Anchor Lino's motor-ship Puriri, due to-day from Immingham on her maiden voyage. She has probably been delayed by the weather.