LOCAL AND GENERAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25288, 23 August 1945, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL

Albert Park Improvements Since the filling in of the slit trenches at Albert Park the lawns are rapidly assuming their pre-war appearance. It is now difficult to detect where the trenches were, in the area off Princes Street. The appearance of the lower slopes of the park, facing Bowen Avenue, is now being improved, the long grass which for so long proved unsightly having been cut and seats placed in position. Attendance Certificates The suggestion that good attendance certificates should be reinstituted for school children was made by Mr C. S. Morris at a meeting of the Auckland Education Board yesterday. He said that when the certificates were awarded in < the past they were an incentive to children to attend regularly. At present, many parents took their children away from school on odd days, particularly Fridays. The suggestion is to be referred to the Headmasters' Association for its opinion. Many Chimney Fires Smoking in bed was the cause of one of the 29 firas in Auckland during July, according to a report to the Fire Board yesterday. Twenty-four fires were attributed to foul chimneys. "These chimney fires are still with us. but I hope that they will gradually decrease when the finer weather _ comes," said the chairman, Mr B. Brigham. "It is a pity that we could not have a chimney sweep attached to the board," suggested another member. "He would be the busiest man in Auckland." Town Hall Flag With the coming of peace the practice of flying a New Zealand flag: daily from the highest pole of the Town Hall has been discontinued. The practice was first begun in the early days of the war on the direction of the then Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, and it was significant as a gesture of pride and defiance. . Sir Ernest ordered that the flag should not be pulled down until victory had been won. The order lias been observed in spirit, although the original flag has been replaced more than 30 times owing to the' ravages of wind and rain. Camp Near Museum The hope that it would not be necessary to retain the camp in front of the War Memorial Museum much longer was expressed vesterdav by the Mayor, Mr J. A. 0. Allum. "As soon as they are no longer required for service purposes the buildings must coiflte down, he said. "It was only with the greatest reluctance that we agreed to tue erection of the camp, the chief objection being its proximity to the consecrated land around the Cenotaph." Formerly known as Camp Hale, the camp provided accommodation for the United states Army headquarters staff in AucklandIt is at present used as a Royal ISew Zealand Navy depot. Servicemen at Y.M.C.A. Thousands of servicemen have been provided with accommodation and meals at the Auckland Young Men's Christian x Association hostel during the war period. The number of meals served run into ... six figures, the total for the_ four days of victory celebrations following the defeat of Germany and Japan alone totalling 7OCX). Until about three weeks ago, 130 beds were occupied mghtlv. hut the demand has now eased and it has since been possible to .remove those in. the gymnasium on four nights a vr ,™ and use it for its original purpose, ine number of beds occupied by servicemen in 1944 was 33.490. The beds and meats have been provided at moderate charges.