LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23880, 3 February 1941, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Maoris and Music The hope that the younger generation of Maoris at Rotorua would not spend their time in learning "snappy, modern American tunes" merely to please tourists, was expressed by Mr. Noel Coward in an interview on Saturday. -Mr. Coward said he had greatly enjoyed a Maori concert in the town, but he urged the Maoris to concentrate upon their own songs, which were both beautiful and unique. Napier Earthquake Anniversary Tho most disastrous earthquake recorded in New Zealand occurred 10 years ago to-day. On February 3, 1931. just before 11 a.m., Hawke's Bay experienced tho earthquake which caused 283 deaths and injured hundreds. Napier and Hastings were the centres to suffer most, structural damage there being exceptionally heavy, while other districts where damago was caused included Wairoa, Waipukurau and Waipawa. Minor earthquake shocks recurred intermittently until several weeks later. More Serious Accidents The number of serious accidents in Auckland has gradually increased in the past six months, and the total of oO last month was higher than it had 'been for some time, according to returns kept by the St. John Ambulance Association. In addition there were G6 minor accident cases attended by ambulance drivers in the city and suburbs, making a total of 116 accidents for January, against 78 in January of 19-10, when there were 38 serious and 40 minor cases. In August, 1910, there were 38 serious cases, in September 33, in October 37, in November 36 and in December 39. ! Woman in Emergency When a traffic inspector had to leave | his dome at the old clock tower juneI tion of Manchester and High Streets, Christchurch, to investigate a minor collision, a woman dismounted from her cycle, leaned it against a post, and mounted the vacant dome. There she directed the traffic for 10 .minutes, according to Mr. H. Macintosh, a for- ; mcr chief inspector of traffic ill the | city, who happened to bo passing, doing I the work very well. This six-way intersection is not easily controlled, but tho i drivers accepted the woman's authority j during tho prolonged absence of tho j inspector, who was looking into the I rights and wrongs of a collision between I a small car and a cycle. ; Mishaps at Stadium Several crashes were witnessed at the midget car and motor-cycle races I at Western Springs Stadium on SaturI day night. In tho first race of tho evening, a heat for tho Butcher Cup, a midget ear driven by S. Ruffles ! skidded and overturned on the bend. | The driver was taken to hospital in an j ambulance and was treated for injuries !to a hand. Ho received an ovation j from the crowd when he returned to I the stadium later in tho evening. Speeding into tho first bond during the first heat of tho Empire Handicap for motor-cycles, G. Mudgway struck one of tho starting assistants who had been pushing off another competitor whose machine was slow to start. Tho starter was flung high into tho air from tho cinders, landing near the top of the concrete cycle track. The motorcyclist also fell and tho race was stopped. The injured starter, a 17-year-old youth, Richard Dorwcnt Hollingswort hj, an electrician, who lives at the Y.M.C.A. hostel, was taken to hospital suffering from concussion and a fracture of the ankle. His condition last night was not serioua,