LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23411, 29 July 1939, Page 12

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Native Trees in Cemetery Between 200 and 300 native forest trees and shrubs,from the City Council's nurseries in' the Domain have just been planted in ..the extended area of the soldiers' burial section at the Waikumete Cemetery; It is hoped to have good growing shelter before this section is brought into use. Workmen from Australia Ten Australian -workmen arrived by the Awatea' yesterday seeking positions in New Zealand. They comprised three carpenters, a cabinetmaker, a welder, a boot factory operative, two motordrivers, a grocer and a labourer. Particulars of their (qualifications were taken, by the State placement officer, Mr. J. R. Elsbur.v. . Deaf and Dumb Children A party of children from the school for the deaf and dumb at Sumner, who have been spending their holidays in and about Auckland with parents and relatives, left for the south by train yesterday afternoon. Other children from the school were to have joined the train between Auckland and Taihape. The party, which numbered 35 children, was in charge of a teacher. Light Court List Friday is usually regarded as the busiest day of the week in the Police Court. This proved a most unusual exception yesterday, when an extremely light list of cases was called before Mr. J. Morling, S.M. A few offenders for i drunkenness were dealt with, in addition to two minor licensing matters, but the criminal list consisted of only three cases. The Court rose less than an hour after the sitting began. Objection to Term Objection to the word "degraded," which is used on stickers applied to cases of fruit not up to the standard of the grade marked on the case, was made by several delegates at the provincial conference of the New Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation, Ijimited, yesterday. A remit from the Albany FruifcGrowers' Association, that the word "regraded" should be used will be forwarded to the Dominion conference. Weather and Vegetables The effect of the recent winter weather on the supply of vegetables from th© province was apparent at the city markets yesterday. Very short offerings of lettuce came forward and made high prices. The supply of potatoes from Ohakune also was affected, and it was stated that' snow in the fields in some cases had made digging impossible. The shortage was not apparent in the quantity of new potatoes, which was fully up to that of last week. Recruiting Progress Since ' the Prime Minister, Mr. Savage, appealed on May 22 for more recruits for New Zealand's Territorial Forces, the Auckland military district has enrolled 10S9 young men. Of these, 518 have been enlisted this month. It still remains very noticeable that the country areas are responding to the appeal better than the city, for of the number so far recruited only 107 have come from the Auckland area, 197 from Hamilton, '285 from Paeroa, and 500 from the Wliangarei area. Sharks Attack Whale One of the most interesting incidents witnessed by passengers on the liner Maunganui, "which returned to Auckland yesterday from an Islands cruise, was a thrilling fight between a whale and several thresher sharks. A great churning of the sea on the starboard bow just before Noumea was reached last Saturday drew the attention of passengers and sharks were seen attacking a whale. They were pursuing their attack relentlessly as the Maunganui drew away from the scene. Record Ambulance Week The past week has been the busiest ever experienced by the St. John Ambulance Association in Auckland, and seldom have»the drivers been called upon to work at such pressure. The total number of cases handled between last Saturday and last night was 267, the majority non-accident cases, including numerous medical patients for the Auckland Hospital. On Tuesday morning ambulances were called for five visits to the North Shore, and by the end of the day the transport staff had made 50 runs, one of them to Helensville, accounting for 67 patients. School Class in Court Interested spectators of the proceedings at a bankruptcy sitting in the Supreme Court yesterday were boys of the sixth commercial .'form of the Auckland Grammar School. They listened while Mr. Justice Fair granted a discharge to a bankrupt who had paid all his debts, and heard His Honor make an order for the winding up of a company which had not begun to function five years after .its incorporation. After other matters had been dealt with the Court adjourned, and the class remained behind while the master in charge discussed and explained to them the legal papers relating to the day's business. Better Baths Approach . The provision of better access to the Parnoll Baths from the waterfront road is contemplated bv the Auckland City Council. At present patrons of the baths, after crossing the railway overhead bridge, have to, climb up steep steps over" a high, pinnacle of papa rock, remnant of the old cliff face, and then descend by steps to the level of the entrance to the baths. It> is proposed to improve this approach by constructing a timber walk < at the level of the railway bridge along the western side of the hill, thus avoiding the climb ? over the pinnacle. The sum of £36s,has been provided in this year's estimates- for this work, which will be put in hand in the near future. The new approach will be ready for use before the baths open for the season in October. Overhead Wires and Trees "Tlio pruning back of roadside or overhanging trees by line authorities nearly always is crude in the extreme, unnecessarily severe and frequently, liable to encotirago insect , attack writes Mr. M. R. Skipworth, a qualified forester, in an Institute of Horticulture bulletin on roadside-beautificii-tion in New Zealand. "Where trees overhang from adjoining property, the lino authorities may retort that the property owner should not allow them to do so, and also that he is served with notice prior to the linesman trimming them/and thus could trim them himself. Very many polo line authorities, however, including the Post and Telegraph Department, definitely fail to serve this notice. A certain amount of trimming is undoubtedly necessary, but there is no justification, and frequently no legal right, for the excessive slaughter^'so often practised."