LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24216, 6 March 1942, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Historic Bricks A gift to the old colonists' museum has been made by Mr. G. N. Fowids of bricks collected from a pathway to the Domain from Stanley Street, near to the site of the former cottage built for King Tawhiao and used also by Te Rauparaha. The gift was accepted with thanks by the Auckland City Council last evening. More Grass Fires Nine more grass fires occurred in Auckland yesterday. The largest fire wa3 in a section at the back of Wallace Street, Heme Bay, when a shed and a garage were scorched and some property was endangered by the flames, which were assisted by a strong wind. Four calls to scrub fires have been received by the Birkenhead fire brigade since Sunday, making this the brigade's busiest week for some time. A Modern Amenity Although the new offices for the University of New Zealand in Wellington have been completed a further contract has been let for a substantial addition to the building. This will be a three-storeyed structure in reinforced concrete. A feature of the addition will be the provision of an airraid shelter, underneath the ground floor, sufficiently commodious to shelter the whole of the staffs employed in the university office block. Anzac Day Ceremonies In anticipation of the usual request from the Auckland Returned Services' Association for authority to conduct a commemorative service at the Cenotaph 011 Anzac Day, the City Council last night set up a small committee of councillors to make the necessary arrangements, the town clerk having ascertained that the request would be forwarded. It was also decided to give permission for a dawn service if the Australian Imperial Force Ex-service-men's Association desired to hold one. City Rate Collections Figures of rate collections up to the end of January were presented to the City Council last night by the City Treasurer, Mr. T, W. M. Ashby. The return showed the following totals, those of 12 months ago being given in parentheses: —Municipal rates, 1941-42, £573,984 (£555,217); arrears of preceding vear, £9138 (£18,884); arrears of earlier vears, £2967 (£5162); 10 per cent penalty, £966 (£1731); water rates, £97,847 (£93,915); arrears, £3087 (£5571); total collections, £688,187 (£680.906); water by meter, £66,421 (£63,207) Old Name Regained A decision to change the name of Pompallier Avenue, at Orakei, back to Ngaio Street was made by the Auckland City Council last evening. The Orakei State Residents' Association had complained of the similarity to Pompallier Terrace, Ponsonby, and cited serious consequences from this confusion. The city engineer reported that Ngaio Street was an old name. The new one had been adopted only with some hesitation after a suggestion by the Director of Housing at the request of the Provincial Centennial Council. Helmets for Home Guard An offer to pay for 500 steel helmets for members of the Home Guard and an appeal to the Auckland public to subscribe sufficient money for at least 5000 helmets in No. 1 area, were made yesterday by Mr. H. J. Butcher, who is deputy-chairman of the Auckland City Home Guard. If the money is forthcoming, it is his intention to ask the Chief Warden, Mr. J. A. C. Allum, to release that number from helmets at present being made for the E.P.S. Mr. Butcher's offer is the outcome of correspondence between himself and the Minister of Defence, the Hon. F. Jones. The Minister "stated that lars;e numbers were in the process of delivery and that the Home Guard should be supplied in four or five weeks, in which case Mr. Butcher's suggestions appeared unnecessary. "The Minister's reply is a refusal of my proposal," said Mr. Butcher, "and f have no faith that the helmets will be delivered in four or five weeks."