LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23489, 28 October 1939, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Strawberries More Plentiful Strawberries are gradually becoming more plentiful, and some good quality fruit f is coming forward. Prices vary according to quality, but the general demand is good. At the city markets yesterday Captain Cook strawberries sold at prices ranging from Is 9d to :?s 5d a chip. On Tuesday they wero quoted at lis 6d to 3s 3d a chip. Unusual Oloud Effect The ranges to the west of Masterton presented an extraordinary sight on a recent afternoon. Borne on a heavy westerly wind, which did not descend to ground level, banks of clouds were pouriiig over the crest of the mountains and down the sides, disappearing at a level slightly above tlie tops of the foothills. The over-and-down movement was very rapid, and the effect Wfvs one of an enormous waterfall. Criminal Sessions Apart from the passing of sentences, and from one case in which a jury disagreement has made a new trial necessary, the criminal sessions of th« Supreme Court which opened on October 17 cumo to a close yesterday. One indictment was rejected by the grand jury, and in another case a plea of guilty is being entered. In the cases that went to trial the Crown secured 12 .verdicts of guilty, and six of the accused were found not guilty and discharged. Metal on Roads

Numerous complaints have been received from the Wairoa "district by the Automobile Association (Hawke's Bay) to the effect that motorists are concerned at the quantity of metal which is scattered on the roads. Recently a patrol visited the area and encountered several punctures on his trip. Representations are being made by the association to the Public Works Department in an endeavour to secure the services of the electric magnet on the roads in question.

Eclipse of Moon When the full moon risos at Auckland to-night at 6.48 it will ho almost totally eclipsed in the earth's shadow, the maximum obscuration, when 99 hundredths of the lunar diameter will bo covered, occurring only 12 minutes before moonrise. Thereafter, as thf moon rises higher in tlie sky, tho shadow will slowly pass off, leaving the lunar disc finally at 8.18 p.m. Tim penumbral' stage, which will persistuntil 9.31 p.m., will be difficult to perceive. Seed Potatoes lor Table

Potatoes are exceptionally scarce on the Ashburton produce market •at present, and considerable difficulty is being experienced in obtaining sufficient to fulfil orders. According to an Ashburton merchant, ■ the North Island crop has begun to appear on the market there, but the prices for new potatoes appear to bo exorbitant. Distributors are clearly endeavouring to obtain as many of the last season's crop as possible and in some cases potatoes which normally would be suitable for seed are now finding a place for table use at reduced rates.

Queen Street Lighting Good progress is being made with the erection of the new lighting standards in Queen Street. They are of steel tubing, bent over in a semicircle at the top and mounted in cast-iron bases of modernistic design. The' lamps, which have not yet been fitted, will apparently be in about the same relative position, as those now in use. The new standards are at much closer intervals than the old, and are being located so as to provide lights at all four corners of the intersecting streets. The old lamps are not interfered with in the meantime.

More Tea Being Sold Grocers report that there have been increased sales of tea in Auckland since the announcement 011 Thursday of the possibility of the price being increased by about 6d a pound. For some weeks grocers have been rationing their sales, and allowing customers only one pound of tea at a time, but in spite of this move there have been many more demands in orders for greater quantities of tea. Care has been taken, it was stated yesterday, to restrict sales, except where customers were known, but it was found that supplies in some lines were becoming limited.

Beds for Sick Soldiers

Arrangements which have been completed by the North Canterbury Hospital Board will ensure that 50 beds are available for soldier patients. The Minister of Health, the Hon. P. Fraser, has approved of the purchase of a large residence, which will be used as quarters for the domestic staff. This staff has been living under a ward in the main building, but arrangements have been made for the transfer elsewhere .of the departments domiciled in this building, and the space thus made available will allow for an additional ward of 25 beds. With accommodation arranged for earlier, soldiers will have 50 beds at their disposal at the hospital. Auckland's Tooley Street In the future dairy produce from tho Auckland Province will be shipped from Tooley Street <0 Tooley Street. The London waterside street of that nmno has long been associated with tlfe Dominion's export tiade. and the Auckland City Council has now decided that the street serving the now export cold store in Mechanics' Bay is to be named Tooley Street, provided the Auckland Harbour Board agrees. The suggestion for the change in name came from the Auckland Farmers' Freezing Company, Limited, which owns the new store. Originally this street, which runs parallel to King's Drive, was known ns Haig Street, but in June last the name was changed to Pershing Street as part of the plan to avoid duplications in street names Boy With Broken Neck Extension for a year of the scholarship held by Geoffrey Bart rum, of Wanganui, has been agreed to by tho New Plymouth High School Board. Geoffrey Bartrum fractured his neck ou October !2I when he slipped and landed on his back 011 the mat during the performance of a difficult exercise 011 the horizontal bar in the school gymnasium. The. board expressed its sympathy with Mrs. Bartrum. The boy was still seriously ill in hospital, said Mr. W. H. Moyes, school principal, and it would be some time before it could be stated whether he would make a recovery. Since entering the school Geoffrey Bartrum had proved to be outstanding in all branches of school activity, Air. Moves stated. He was to have sat for matriculation this year, but would not now be able to do so.