LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23761, 14 September 1940, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

No Further Measles Oases There were no further cases of measles in the military camps in the Waikato yesterday arid the majority of the 47 cases in the "Waikato Hospital are rapidly recovering. It is expected that several of the patients will be discharged within a few days. Anglican Synod

This year's sittings of the Auckland Diocesan Synod will be opened on Monday, October 14, when an evening service is to be held in St. Mary's Cathedral, the preacher being Dean W. Fancourt. Bishop Simkin will deliver his first charge to the synod the following day.

Building Mishap A loud crash heralded the falling of a large steel hopper filled with concrete from the top of the eightstoreyed State building in Jean Batten Place yesterday morning. The hopper had just been hauled to the top of its shafting when without warning a steel cable snappod, and the hopper hurtled to earth. No one was injured. Tasman Air Traffic Bookings in Tasman Empire Airways' servico to Sydney have been very heavy recently, and 16 or 17 persons have been registered for passages on each of the next four flights. Numerous other reservations have been made for flights at later dates, the most advanced date being Boxing Day. On the return service from Sydney to Auckland bookings are reported to be equally heavy. Brilliant Meteor

A remarkable meteoric display was witnessed in Auckland at 7.34 last night when a meteor fell steeply in the eastern sky. Beginning high in the oast as a Tatar Qf normal brightness without a tail, the meteor rapidly gained in brilliance as it flew. In the four seconds of its luminous career it developed a flickering halo of blue light which brightly Jit the cloud behind which it finally disappeared, a little above the horizon in the south-south-east.

Artillery Training The intensive course of training being carried out by all ranks of the Ist Field Regiment, New Zealand Artillery, has been transferred for two days from the Avondale racecourse to usual training headquarters. The change is a result of the holding of the Avondale race meeting to-day and on Monday, and for these two days regimental headquarters and the Ist Battery will train at the Ponsonby drill hall and the 2nd Battery will go to Onehunga.

Football Excursion Train An excursion train carrying more than 600 enthusiasts to see the annual Rugby match between Auckland 'and Wellington left for the south at 6.10 last evening, being duo at Wellington at nine o'clock this morning. The train, which is the first excursion since the restrictions on the use of coal were lifted some weeks ago, was fully booked. It will leave on the return journey at 2.45 p.m. to-morrow, being scheduled to reach Auckland at 6.38 a.m. The Auckland team will return by this train.

Spring Native Flowers The reputation of the show of native flowers organised each spring by Miss Lucy Cranwell at the Auckland War Memorial Museum has been steadily growing. For the show, which the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, will open next Saturday, entries in the children's section have already been received as far afield as the South Island and Stewart Island. A spread of flowers over such a radius will increase the educational value of a show that has become an annual event among the schools as well as a source of attraction to several thousand adults. American View of War Something of the attitude of the average citizen of the United States of America toward the war is given in a letter to an Aucklander by a motor works employee of Detroit. "We are slowly coming to a realisation of what it is all about," the writer says. "There are many who still do not begin to appreciate the real significance of world events. The whole thing seems so bizarre and impossible that so many people cannot believe what they see. Besides, the German propaganda is enormous, especially with so many Germans and peoplo of German descent living here." Maori in Cablegrams

Representatives of the Auckland Metropolitan Fire Brigade were surprised yesterday to find that the words "Kia ora" would not be accepted as the conclusion of a fraternal message to the London Fire Brigade. In reply to an inquiry at the Chief Post Office yesterday, it was stated that the Imperial censorship recognised only five languages for use in cablegrams, namely, English, French, Spanish, Afrikaans and' Portuguese. However, an arrangement had been made some months ago for the acceptance of messages in Maori to or from members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force abroad. This exception did not apply to other messages. Battle of the Somme An anniversary of high importance to all men of the First New Zealand Expeditionary Force falls to-morrow. Twenty-four years ago their division entered tho Battle of the Sonimo and in 2!3 desperate days fought tho best and most seasoned Gorman troops to a standstill. It was in this battle, too, that the division won its first Victoria Cross in France, the award going to Sergeant D. F. Brown, of the 2nd Battalion, Otago Regiment* who was later killed while sniping the retreating enemy. The Somme operations had an incalculable effect upon the morale of the division and engendered among all units and arms a mutual confidence which was never lost.

Plea lor "Maungakiekie" A suggestion that the nso of the native name of Ono Tree Hill—Maungakiekie—should bo restored was made by Mr. J. E. Green at a meeting of the Auckland Historical Society last evening. He said the tree or trees on tho summit were now fast approaching the last stage of decrepitude and that a suitable opportunity for a reversion to tho native name was afforded by the completion of the obelisk that lias been erected by the Campbell trustees as a monument to the Maori race. The suggestion was favourably received, and the Rev. A. B. Chappell, president of the society, mentioned that Sir John Logan Campbell himself had no liking for tho name by which tho hill, of which ho was so fond, is now known. Another speaker suggested that the views of the Ono Tree Hill Domain Board and the Borough Council should bo ascertained. The subject was referred to the council of the society for consideration.