LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23437, 29 August 1939, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Control of Shipping Keen interest was taken in Auckland shipping circles yesterday in the decision of the Admiralty to take control of British merchant shipping. Agents were advised that ships clearing port for overseas would have to receive .1 clearance from the naval authorities in addition to customs formalities. Overseas Tradesmen Eleven Australian workers seeking employment in New Zealand were met liy the placement officer at Auckland, Mr. J. It. Elsbury, when the Maunganui arrived from Sydney yesterday morning.. The group comprised three general labourers, a glazier, a fitter, two painters, a radio technician, a miner, a ship's fireman and a woman with experience in the millinery trade. No building tradesmen were among the passengers. Electrocution of S.tock

Comment on the in frequency of stock losses through animals coming in contact with high-tension power lines was made at yesterday's meeting of the Auckland Electric-Power Board. The general manager, Mr« 11. H. Bartley, said that during the 16 years he had been with the board, there had been only three animals electrocuted. Considering the heavy gales periodically experienced, this was an excellent record. Lemons More Plentiful Although the lemon crop in New Zealand this year has been well below normal owing to bad weather last autumn and rain and hail during the past few weeks, the fruit is now coming on to the Auckland market in increasing quantities. The bulk of the offering is of good quality and is bringing 5s to 17s 6d a case wholesale, according to grade and count. The average retail price for cured lemons is about six or eight for Is.

Hospital Liquor Bill A statement that the Auckland Hospital's liquor bill was again becoming too high was made by the chairman of the board, Mr. Allan J. Moody, at a meeting last night. Mr. Moody said that after his initial complaint the returns had dropped to practically nothing, but since then they had shown a tendency to creep up, and unless definite steps were taken he thought the board would have to consider the abolition of liquor at the hospital. Fires In State Forests

Fires which endangered State forests during the 1933-39 period numbered 31, states the annual report of the State Forest Service. Twenty fires occurred in State forests and. burned 4548 acres. Seven of the fires occurred in the Auckland region, eighl in Nelson, and three in Wellington. There were no fires in the Rotorua or Westland regions. The major causes of the fires were burning off and settlers' fires. In one case in Canterbury a tractor exhaust was responsible.

Birth of Macaque

An unusual event has occurred at the Auckland Zoo in the birth of a macaque, or pigtailed moakey. The new* arrival, which is of tiny dimensions, is making good progress. Macaques are a type of monkey having a high commercial value in Eastern countries as they are used extensively for collecting nuts and fruit in trees. An elder brother of the new exhibit was born last September, being the first of the species to be born in New Zealand. This animal is still at the zoo, but will shortly be sent to an Australian zoo, to which it has been sold.

Samoa Expedition German Samoa was taken by an advance guard of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force 25 years ago to-day. The detachments concerned were the first body of troops to leave New Zealand to take part in the Great War. The occupation was accomplished without resistance being offered and was probably tho Dominion's easiest military success in the war. In commemoration of the event and the expeditionary force's eight-month stay in Samoa, a special set of stamps was printed this year and will bo on sale to-day. Bus Time-Tables No finality was reached at a sitting of the No. 1 Transport Licensing Authority, Mr. E. J. Phelan, yesterday, when the time-tables and routes in connection with a number of services operated by the Auckland Bus Company were considered. Tho services concerned, running from Auckland to Glen Eden, Titirangi, Laingholm and Oratia, carry workers to the city, and also, in summer, have a prominent part in tho transport of holiday-makers. Sub-com-mitteos wcro appointed .liter tho sitting yesterday to confer on the subject with the bus company. Plant Disease Losses "It was a long time beforo we could convince anyone that plant diseases matter," said Mr. J. D. Atkinson, of tho plant diseases division at Owairaka, when speaking at the Rotary Club gathering yesterday. "Yet," he added, "at a conservative estimate New Zealand loses about £7,000,000 a year through plant diseases. That is as near as we can get to tlio annual losses. That really oxplains our existence, for when a loss is as high as that you can seo that something has to bo done about it." Ho said that apart from insect peste thoro wcro about 450 known plant diseases. Footballers' Departure Tho departure of the Otago representative Rugby team from Auckland for Wanganui yesterday afternoon was fraught with concern. Several members of tho team paid a visit to the waterfront to witness tho arrival of the British ilying-boat, not anticipating tho difficulty they would experience due to traffic congestion, which delayed their arrival on tho station until a few minutes beforo the train left. As it was leaving, and a farewell song was being sung, members of tho team were called upon to assist on to tho platform of tlio last carriage two elderly Maoris who also wero running late.

Fijian Team Entertained The members of tlio Fijian touring Rugby team wore taken for a 200-milo motor trip through North Auckland on Sunday. Included in t'no trip was a "visit to tlio Waipoua Kauri Forest, where a demonstration of treo climbing was given by Maori bushmen. At Dargaville, the members of the team and officials, with Mr. 11. Frost, representing .the Now Zealand Rugby Union, and officials of the North Auckland Rugby Union, were given a wolcomo by Mr. R. Gibson, Mayor of Dargavillo, and members of the Northorn Wairoa Rugby Union. Dinner was served at Opononi, and the cars then roturned to .Whangarei, via Kaikolio and the Bay of Islands,