AUCKLAND NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2915, 26 January 1910, Page 17

AUCKLAND NOTES.

(From Our Own Correspondent^) AUCKLAND, January 19. An amusing story, which seems to indicate that a good deal of individuality can be shown in interpreting the scale* of railway freights, is forwarded by a correspondent. A farmer made inquiries at the Auckland Station what the charge would be- for the railage from one of the suburban stations of a cattle truck, in which he wished to forward a purebred calf some nine months old. He was told the charge would be 17s 6d. Tie did not order the truck, however, till he reached the suburban station, where he was iris formed that the change for railage would be 7s sd. . On presenting the consignment note to the station master later in the day, the farmer was agreeably surprised to be informed that in quoting the freight a mistake had been made and the correct charge was 5s 7d. Thinking he had been let off too lightly, and being a conscientious person, he consulted another official elsewhere, who said that purebred stock under 12 months old was allowed by the regulations to be carried free, and he advised the farmer to apply for a refund of the amount paid. The Otoko viaduct, tenders for which close on the 31st inst., will doubtless form one of the most interesting engineering features of the railway between Gisborne and Motu. Situated at a point. 31 miles five chains from Gisborne, the structure will span an upper reach of the Walhuka River, which at this point is confined between the hills, and is better described as a ravine. The viaduct is to be a steel structure mounted on great' solid concrete blocks. It will be 370 ft in length, whilst the rails will cross the gulch 100 ft above the stream below. Two trestle piers, similar to those in the nowfamiliar Main Trunk viaducts, will, together with the massive concrete piers and abutments, support the various spans. The viaduct comprises three 66ft and three 36£ft spans, the balance of the length being made up with the neck of two piers which in themselves measure 36fc at the top. The contract provides for both construction and erecting, and requires the work to be completed in 15 months. A curious cricket incident occurred in one of the local matches, between Grafton and North Shore. One of the batsmen (D. Hay), who had as many lives as a cat when making his total of 11. got off on one occasion in a very extraordinary manner. He played a ball straight back towards Hadden, who was waiting to catch it. The ball never reached the bowler, for it was caught while in the air by a ball hit by a batsman .playing in a Fourth Grade match, the pitch of which ran parellel to the senior wickets.Hadden's face was a study when ha straightened up, for the ball was almost in his hands. It was a remarkable occurrence that two balls travelling in the air at right angles should happen to meet in this manner, and even the oldest' cricketers on the ground could not recall a similar incident. The atheltic reporter of the Herald is responsible for the following interesting paragraph : —" In conversation with Gunner Moir on Monday evening, he told me that he was determined to meet Tommy, Burns again. He had Issued a challenge, and had hopes of meeting him at an early date. The ' Gunner ' said that he was not himself when he met Burns in London. He was kept waiting in the ring for a considerable time before the American put in an appearance, and this, coupled with the fact that the world's championship and a lairse running into several thousands of pounds were at stake, unnerved him. He is confident that he could make a better shovfing against Burns now. Moir wouid like to meet heavyweight boxers during his tour of NewZealand, and is also willing to spar with well-known amateur heavy-weights."