LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23620, 2 April 1940, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Girl Struck by Vehicle Struck by a motor-vehicle in Balmoral last evening, Nancy Cecile Vear, aged 11, of Marella Flats, Kensington Avenue, Mount Eden, suffered con- ! ■ cussion. She was taken to the Auckland Hospital, and her condition last night was not serious. Postal Boxes Forced Open Two postal boxes in the northern suburbs of the city were forced open either on Sunday night or early yesterday morning. One was situated at the intersection of Great North Road and Alford Street, Avondale, and the other was at the corner of Kitenui Avenue and New North Road, Mount Albert. It is not known what quantity of mail was removed. Eliminating a Crossing Construction of a road traffic bridge over the railway in Helensville is to start almost immediately, the Public Works Department having let a contract for the work to Mr. G. C. Sharp. The crossing to be eliminated has long been regarded as dangerous, and it is not anticipated there will now be any delay in its elimination, work having already been carried out in preparing the new approaches of the northern highway and in regrading the railway tracks. Philatelic Award The president of the Hamilton Philatelic Society, Mr. H. B. Hill, has received the highest award for his twovolume collection of commemorative issues of the British Empire exhibited at the New Zealand Centennial and Ninth Australian Philatelic Exhibition now being held in Wellington. Col- j lectors from all over the world com- j peted. At the request of the New Zealand Philatelic Society, Mr. Hill's collection is to be displayed at that body s . meeting, to be held in Wellington on April 8., Achilles Party for Wellington Twenty officers and 400 men of.' H.M.S. .Achilles left for Wellington by special train yesterday, and at 11.30 this morning will parade from the rail- | way station through the streets of the j capital. The men left in a special train j at 3.30 yesterday afternoon and will arrive in Wellington at 8 a.m. to-day. The men will leave for Auckland again to-morrow night, arriving early on ; Thursday morning. Next Monday a j further 200 men from the Achilles will set out for Wellington and will return on Thursday. Tourists for Dominion The opinion that while the war j lasted increasing numbers of planters, j civil servants and merchants fro\n India, | Ceylon and Malaya would turn to Australia and New Zealand for holiday tours was expressed by Mr. G. Adams, a tea and rubber planter from New Guinea, who passed through Auckland on the Monterey yesterday. The European population ot Ceylon was about 6000, he said, and one-fifth of this number always was on leave. The main pastimes favoured were fishing, shooting and outdoor recreations, for which New Zealand offered a wide scope. Benefit to Charities The extent to which Auckland charities benefited as a result of the operations of the "sunshine box" of the Auckland Rotary Clnb was mentioned by Mr. G. J. Park in an address at a luncheon of the,club yesterday. He said that many of the young men who were guests at the gathering had doubtlessly been somewhat amused by the collection of "fines" from various members. The amounts placed- in the box, varying, perhaps, from a shilling or two to £l, made a substantial sum in 1 the aggregate and, as a result, it was possible to help deserving social work in the city to the extent of £4OO or £SOO every year. I Drill Hall Improvements

The. work of mobilising recruits for the Expeditionary Force who register at tho drill hall in Rutland Street has been greatly facilitated by improvements which have been made to the records office. Formerly one large room, once used as a recreation room for the Territorial Association, it has now been subdivided into several offices. As a result confidential Army and private conversations can be held without fe.ir of being overheard, and the filing work of the staff has been much assisted by the installation of modern equipment. A section has also been set aside as a waiting room for recruits, comfortable chairs and plenty of reading matter being provided. Trams to Infirmary In order to ascertain the amount of patronage that would be given, the Auckland Transport Board has decided to operate a shuttle tramway service in Grene Lane Road between Manukau Road and the Auckland Infirmary on four Sundays in the near future. The decision has been made following a request for transport made on behalf of elderly people who, it is stated, find the walk a tiring one. The trial service will use tho line built to the Epsom Show Grounds and will be operated between approximately 1.30 p.m. and 4.30 p.m. Reporting on the matter, tho engineer and manager, Mr. A. E. Ford, said he did not think that such a service would even meet the cost of wages. White Ant Menace The destruction of hardwood poles in Auckland by white ants was the subject of ft roport presented to a meeting of tho Auckland ElectricPower Board yesterday by the manager, Mr. R. H. Bartley. The bulk of the trouble was at Onehunga, but Epsom, Mount Albert and Remuera also suffered, 13 poles having already been replaced. Many other poles, although not visibly affected might harbour tho pest. In countries where the ant was thoroughly established the use of materials other than timber for poles was the practice. Members of the board oxamined specimens of the ants and it was stated that the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research was investigating tho problem. Stranded In Rumania

Arriving at Bucharest, tho capital of Rumania, a few days before the outbreak of war, Mr. W. J. McLaughlin, of Fendalton, Christchurch, now finds himself marooned. Ho would like to continue a trip round the world which began with his departure from Christchurch several months ago, but between him and the coast, where lie could take a steamer, five different banks are operating and not one will accept the other's currency. A train journey northward is the alternative to a trip to the coast, but that would almost certainly lead to internment, for ho would havo to travel through countries that are at war. The New Zealand Government has been advised of Mr. McLaughlin's dilemma, and inquiries aro being made through the British Minister at Bucharest to ascertain what steps can be taken to facilitate his safe return tQ British soil t