LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23488, 27 October 1939, Page 8

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Delay to Limited Express : The' ii in hod express for Wellington Inst night was delayed by a fault discovered in the Westingliouse brake pipes just as the train was due to leave. Two steam hoses between the engine and the leading carriage were found to be leaking and were replaced. As a result the express left eight minutes behind .schedule.

Doctors' Travelling Fees Recommending to the Cook Hospital Board that it allow '2s 6d a mile, one way, for journeys undertaken by a country doctor at the instance of the board, the chairman, Mr. M. T. Trafford, pointed out that medical practitioners charged 5s a mile to their private patients. "Is that not so, Dr. Collins?'.' he asked. Dr. J. C. Collins' reply was laconic: "Five shillings a mile —when you can get it!"

Municipal Golf Links _ ;i. Since the municipal golf links at Chamberlain Park were opened in July no fewer than 12,122 golfers have played on them, according to a statement made by Mr. L.- J. Coakley, chairman of,the Parks Comfnittee, at a meeting of ftho City Council last night.' Up to the present, he added, £l4Bl 13s had been obtained from playing fees, while from T the lease of lockers' £735 had I 'been received.

Witness Rebuked . . A rebuke was, given to a witness by the-. Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, in the.' Supreme' Court at Hamilton. Addressing■ counsel, witness asked why t-lie occupant adjoining the property in dispute 'si was not called instead of settlers living ;.five or'six miles away. His, Honor asked witness what business that was of -his. His question was pure impudence. .A witness could not expect to conduct himself in that way without receiving a rebuke.

Soldiers' Leave Trains Only soldiers holding tickets will be permitted on the platform when the week-end leave trains return to the military camp at Ngaruawahia on Sundav in future, according to a decision made by the Railway Department at Auckland in the interests of public safety. To prevent unauthorised persons reaching the platform the trains will now leave from the innermost, or No. 1 platform, instead of from No. 7 as formerly. Departure time is 6.20 p.m.

Soldiers' Fishing Licences Fees for fishing and game licences held by members of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society who enlist will be refunded, according to a resolution adopted by the council of the society. The amounts to be returned will be less statutory and society deductions. It was suggested that the unexpired portion of the licences should be refunded, but Mr. C. H. Lawrence said: "If a member of the society goes to the war we do not want to be cheeseparing."

Art Gallery Roof A new root is being provided for the McKelvie workshop associated with the Auckland Art Gallery. The original concrete roof, constructed 35 years ago, has frequently been repaired, but its condition for some time, in allowing rain to penetrate, endangered valuable works of art. On the recommendation of the city engineer, Mr. J. Tvler, a new galvanised roof will be erected, and a sum of £72 was voted for the work by the City Council at its meeting last night.

Mount Everest Impregnable "Everest is one of the marvels of that area and I. do not think it will ever be climbed," said Dr. Murdo Mac-Donald-Bavne in an address on Tibet in Christcluirch. He said that the high winds on the upper slopes prevented climbers from reaching the summit and the period when the weather made attempts possible was very short. The natives believed the peak was unconquerable'. and it seemed that the last few hundred feet would never be climbed. Produce Gifts Banned Under the scheme for the bulk purchase of Dominion produce by the British Government gifts by New Zealanders to friends in the United Kingdom of butter, lamb or other primary produce have been banned. The sending of this type of gift in the past has been very popular at Christmas and large numbers o£ inquiries into the position are being received by the export division of the Primary Products Marketing Department at Auckland. The division has had to point out that the British Ministry of Supply is declining all requests.

A Novel Presentation Members of the council of the Automobile Association who attended the annual meeting of Franklin members on Wednesday evening were the recipients of a rather novel presentation. The district agent, Mr. M. S. Campbell, said that the Franklin members wished to show appreciation of the work of the council by some small —and admittedly inadequate—gift. Ho thereupon handed over the gift, which comprised a parcel of new I'ukekohe potatoes. In acknowledging, Mr. A. A. Dignan, vice-president of the Auckland council, said that potatoes were potatoes, definitely, to-day.

Parnell Road Lighting The hope that it would be possible to include in next year's estimates a sum sufficient to improve the lighting of Parnell Road was expressed by the city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler, in a report to the City Council last night. The need lor better lights in this area was mentioned by Mr. L. .J. Coaklcy, and Mr. Tyler said that tho present system of Parnell Road and part of Gittos Street consisted of 18 lamps ench of 250 watts spaced (iOOft. apart. To bring tho lighting to the British standard specification it would bo necessary to instal 'lB modern lamps of .'3OO watts each spaced at intervals of 100 ft. This scheme would increase the net annual cost by £213. Value of Rat Week

A report on rat week in June was presented to tho City Council last night by tho town clerk, Mr. J. Melling, and it was suggested that rat week should he made an annual effort. It was stated that tho holding of tho campaign was justified by tho co-opera-tion of all sections of tho community. The amount of poison distributed throughout tho combined areas of tho city and suburban local bodies was equivalent to over 4110,000 poison baits and, while no definito information was available of the number of rodents caught, advices received were sufficient to indicate that the campaign was well worth while. In addition the wide publicity undertaken must be regarded as having the cumulative effect of directing the attention of householders and citizens generally to the necessity for taking constant measures for the destruction of rats and to prevent their harbourage.