LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23276, 20 February 1939, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Milk Council Election A poll to elect r,ix representatives of local bodies, milk vendors and dairymen as members of the Auckland Metropolitan Milk Council will be held tomorrow. A special meeting of the Auckland City Council will be held tomorrow evening to elect its three representatives on the council.

Hot Weather at Bunodin , The highest temperature in Dunedin was recorded on Saturday, when the thermometer reached 81 degrees. A warm north-west wind, made conditions extremely sultry and until late in the evening temperatures were mild. About 10 p.m., however, a strong southerly gale arose, and damage was caused to trees si,ml gardens.

Driving Stock With Oars The practice of some stock drovers in using motor-cars to drive sheep and cattle was mentioned at a meeting of the Fielding branch of the larmers' Union. It was stated that such drovers had no control over the animals, with the result that on narrow roads serious trouble was likely to occur. It was decided to bring the matter under the notice of tho Automobile Association to be taken up on the score of road safety.

Warships for Sydney The Imperial escort vessels Leith and Wellington left Russell Into yesterday morning for Sydney for a visit of, more than a month. The Leith, commanded by Commander G. R. Waymouth, arrived at Russell on Saturday evening from Auckland, joining the Wellington, commanded by Commander R. E. Hyde-Smith, which had been waiting since the previous day. Both warships will remain at Sydney until March 31.

Wanganui River Access Once more, settlers on the right bank of the Wanganui River are urging the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, to do something in the matter of access to their holdings. Since tho river steamers ceased, and as the road does not run far up the river bank, tho settlers beyond have had a sorry time. One settler devised a cage arrangement to be suspended over the river, but the Public Works Department is not satisfied about its safety, and there the matter has been allowed to rest. The Late Pope Among messages of condolence received by Bishop Liston upon the death of Pope Pius XI. was one from the chairman of the professorial board of Auckland University College, Professor W. A. Sewell, who stated: " During some of the most difficult years in the history not only of the Catholic Church, but also of the civilised world, the late Pope enriched with courage and judgment the highest traditions of that civilisation of which the Catholic Church has been so long a part." Freedom of Speech

The following resolution was passed at a recent meeting of the executive of the Auckland branch of the League of Nations Union:—"That the executive of the League of Nations Union regards the exercise of freedom- of speech on international affairs to be of fundamental importance, and that this should apply to sessions on international affairs over tho air; that for this reason it deplores the recent banning of tho special radio session on international affairs from 1ZB." Harvest Thanksgiving

Harvest festival services were held in many Auckland Anglicaiv Churches yesterday, which was the last Sunday before Lent. Large quantities of fruit, vegetables and other foodstuffs were presented by parishioners for use as decorations, and for distribution later to orphanages and other charities. In St. Matthew's Church a large loaf of bread was placed upon the altar and bunches of grapes were hung from the altar cross, representing tho sacramental use of bread and wine. New School Desks

The fact that the Auckland Education Board required £15,000 to bring tho furniture in the schools in its district up to date, was mentioned by Mr. C. R. Munro, a member of the board, at the opening of the new Titirangi school on Saturday afternoon. Mr. Munro said the board had made an application to the Minister of Education, the Hon P. Eraser, for this amount. In some schools, he added, the oldfashioned long desks wer.e still in use. while much furniture had suffered extensively from schoolboys' pocketknives.

Many Week-end Travellers Heavy express and excursion traffic passed through the Auckland Railway Station during tho week-end. TVe normal services were fully taxed. The limited express for Wellington last night consisted of 10 carriages and a van, the extra accommodation being required by members of southern surf club teams returning south after competing in the New Zealand championships at Milford. About 300 people also travelled to Auckland on a special excursion train from Wellington, arriving ou Saturday morning and leaving on the return journey yesterday afternoon.

Busy Ambulances! All the ambulance drivers at St. John headquarters in Rutland Street were busy during tho week-end. There were 15 accident cases, as well as a number of medical patients, and the runs undertaken by the ambulances covered a, wide territory. One went to Waalii to bring a patient to the Auckland Hospital. Another went to Waiwera, took a patient to tho Waikato Hospital at Hamilton, and while returning to Auckland picked up an injured motor-cyclist and took him back to Hamilton. A third was summoned to another accident at Ramarama, where three persons were injured in a motor collision. Waggon Blown Seven Miles

An empty sheep waggon made the trip of seven miles from Kapuka, 15 miles from Invercargill. to Titiroa on its own account; late one night this week. The fierce isale caught the rear of the waggon while it stood at the siding at Ka]Juka, and kept up the pressure till the truck had raced over the seven miles and been brought to a standstill by a rising grade at Titiroa. Behind it cam© a surfaceman on a jigger, on which ho had started in pursuit of the runaway truck. The waggon was later put in at the Titiroa siding. The gale brought down a large tree across the line between Otautau, -31 miles from Invercargill, and Waikouro, and a goods train from Wairio crashed into it. There was no damage other than the breaking of the glass in th« engine cftlj*