LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23809, 9 November 1940, Page 10

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Seagulls Fly Inland The recent unsettled weather has driven thousands of gulls -inland from the coast. Farmers iu the Bay of Plenty report that during the height of a storm, some of their paddocks were white with these birds.

First Cherry Supplies The first supplies of the new season's cherries have arrived on the City Markets, a fortnight earlier than last year. The fruit, which came from Greytown, met a ready sale, realising 19s 6d to 24s a 101b. lot, against 15s 6d to 17s 3c3 for tlie first cherries a year ago.

Theft from Drill Hall

About £5 in notes and silver was stolen from a drawer in tlie cafeteria at the Drill Hall, Rutland Street, on Thursday night. The theft was not discovered until yesterday morning, when some of the women workers of the Territorial Association went there. First Milkman It was not generally, known, remarked the chairman, Mr. H. D. Dansey,*at a Botorua meeting of protest against milk zoning, that he had been the first .milk roundsman in Rotorua, 54 years ago. He had milked his parents' house cow, and tlie milk that was not used by the family he had distributed in Botorua —free.

Fruit Crops Escape Gale No major damage has been reported in fruit-growing districts near Auckland as a result of the gale on Wednesday. At this stage most varieties of fruit have already formed, but are as yet too small to be easily blown off. Minor damage has been reported from some orchards, and it is considered that some varieties of fruit, as they ripen, may show signs of the buffeting they received. , •

Building at Howick A report that permits to the value of £3645 had been issued since the last meeting of the board was made by the building inspector, Mr. It. Frost, at a meeting of tjie Howick Town Board on Thursday night. For the half-year ended September 30 the value of permits issued showed an increase of £OOO over the total for the corresponding period last year. Many new houses are being constructed in the district.

Jean Batten Building Work is now proceeding rapidly on the interior of the Jean Batten State building. Four floors as well as the ground floor have been plastered and although shipping difficulties delayed the arrival of some imported materials, most of the particular classes affected are now here. It is expected that scaffolding will be removed by the new year, but the time likely to be taken in the interior finishing work is uncertain.

Engineers Move Out As a result of the Arondale Jockey Club's racing fixture for to-day and Monday, the Ist Field Company, New Zealand Engineers, which has been in training at Avondale Racecourse, vacated the ground yesterday and began field exercises, which will continue until Tuesday. The company's tents have not had to be removed, since they are in portion of the racecourse not used for the meeting. The exercises will be based 0:1 the Manurewa district. Weekly News Popular Appreciation of The Weekly' News is contained irt a letter from a soldier of the First Echelon in Egypt to his parents in Auckland. Among the articles which the soldier stated that he had enjoyed reading was the autobiography of Winston Churchill. The letter added that air mails continued to be received very regularly, and lately they had arrived every Tuesday.. It was wonderful to have a weekly mail, concluded the soldier. Defect in Legislation Although it is essential for owners in registering dogs to buy special hydatid medicine, there is no compulsion that the pills must be administered, according to an interpretation of the Act by Mr. C. Jl. Orr Walker, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday. "Local bodies are bound to supply the medicine, and owners must buy it, but thereafter it is merely assumed that they will give it to their dogs," he said. "A clause is needed to make the duty compulsory."

Christmas Cards Favoured I "I think that this Christmas card | business is overdone," said Mr. C. Morgan Williams, M.P., when the issuing of cards for 1940 was being discussed bv the Lyttelton Harbour Board. The protest failed and the board decided to issue cards, the design to be decided by the chairman. "They are all right if half a dozen cigars come with them," said Mr. W. J. J3cwden, who supported the issuing of the cards, adding that they gave pieasure to a great many people. . Wreck of the Elingamite One of the major shipping disasters on the New Zealand coast occurred 30 years ago to-day, when the HuddartParker steamer Elingamite was wrecked on West Island, in the Three Kings group, with the loss of *ls lives. The vessel struck in a dense fog at 11 a.m. and sank within 20 minutes. Thirtyseven passengers and 15 of the crew reached Houhora in a lifeboat, and the steamer Zealandia picked up 89 more passengers, eight later being found on a raft by H.M.S. Penguin. Bullion valued at £17,320 went down with the ship and has never been recovered. Court Summons Faults Faults in departmental informations against persons alleged to have committed offences under various regulations were responsible for the adjournment of many summons cases called before Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., in tho Magistrate's Court yesterday. Faults in the dates of some informations resulted in these being dismissed by the magistrate, who said it would be impossible for conviction to be entered, and advised that the informations should be withdrawn and fresh sots issued. The charges referred to oil fuel,r social security and dog registrar tion breaches. Ministers' 'Cars .The steadily" rjsirig cost of motor-car . to ministers of the Presbyterian Church is.causing concern to the Church treasurer, Mr, V. G. Chapman, of Wellington. "There are only ]0 more charges than there were 20 years ago," lie reports, "and yet cars are costing , £13,800 more. There has been a 33 per cent increase in members and over 500 per cent increase in car costs. Very nearly 10 per cent of ordinary revenue is going out in meeting transport charges. One wonders if the work is being done any more efficiently. It seems that some examination should be made as to the need for all these cars. What capital is involved in the cars and garages I dread to think about."