LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Waikato Times, Volume 116, Issue 19459, 26 December 1934, Page 6

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Crowds at Crloket. The ' cricket match between an Auckland eleven and South Auckland at Seddon Park yesterday attracted a large attendance, the banks being lined with people in the afternoon. The spectators were treated to bright and interesting play.

Naval Officer’s Recovery. —The condition of Lieutenant H. R. A. Kidston, who was injured on December 11 when his high-powered sports car crashed into a willow tree near Mercer, has so far improved that he has been discharged from hospital. His companion, Paymaster-Lieutenant J. G. Bennett, who was more seriously Injured, is still in a private hospital.

The Royal Duke’s Visit. —ln connection with the visit of the Duke of Gloucester to Hamilton on Friday it is officially notified that no animal or vehicle will be permitted to cross the railway at road crossings for live minutes before the pilot train is due and until the train is absolutely clear of the crossing.’ Traffic may then be allowed to cross the railway up to five minutes before the emergency train is due.

Relief Camps In America. —In a letter to a friend in Hamilton, a resident of Chicago, 'United States, says:— “ To offset the effects of the depression and of the widespread unemployment our Government has- established camps for- the clearing of forests and the construction of roads. The fellows enlist as for the army, and live in barracks, getting lodging and food and 30 dollars (about £6) a month.”

Substantial Surplus for Charity.— The Mayor of Wellington, Mr T. C. A. Hislop, states that a report has reached him to the effect that while the ball in honour of his Royal Highness the Duke of Gloucester had been a brilliant social success the financial results had not been so satisfactory. “This,” says Mr Ifislop, “is contrary to fact. I have already perused an interim report submitted by the organiser, Mr Nisbet, from which it is clear that after paying all expenses there will still be available a substantial surplus for charity.

Call of the Beaches. —Obviously holiday fashions and vogues change. This summer it is Rotorua and Tauranga that form the Mecca for tourists and fully 50 per cent, of the motorists passing through Hamilton appear to be travelling to one of these two resorts. In contrast with the position of the previous several summers, the Auckland beaches along the North Shore have failed to attract such widespread attention, and during the Christmas week-end such places as Milford and Takapuna were far from being crowded.

Big River Gold Mines. —The following Is the report on -the Big River Gold Mines for November and December: Battery department, 323 tons ore crushed for 259 oz. melted gold. Cyanide department, 300 tons sand treated for 20 oz. bullion. Total estimated value, £1925. In addition, 5 tons 17 cwt 841 h concentrates have been saved, valued at £165. In estimating th*e above values, gold has been taken at 140 s per line ounce. Crushing lias been suspended for Christmas and New Year holidays, also water supplies for driving battery exhausted through phenomenal spell of dry weather.

Bathers Warned.—A warning was given by a Dunedin doctor against the practice followed by some bathers of putting their clothes over a wet bathing costume. “This may seem an admirable way to keep oneself cool in such hot weather as we have been enjoying, but it is dangerous to health," he said. The doctor made It clear that safety-flrst principles In regard to bathing did not stop with taking care while in the water. To put on clothes over a wet bathing costume insulated the body against a return to an even temperature, and the result could quite easily be a chill.

Bathing and Sunburn. —Many city employers in Wellington recently bad reason to wax indignant at the cult of week-end sun bathing, when young members of office staffs moaned dismally as they worked and showed a disinclination for rapid movement. One employer, in a note to the Dominion, expressed his feelings thus: “You would be doing a good turn to a number of half-witted adults by drawing attention to the dangers of sun bathing to excess. Half our staff, male and female, is suffering a recovery loJay. .My children gel a good rubbing of coconnut oil before leaving home, and it seems to have the desired result.”

The Weaker Sex.—From the days of the suffragettes the female Jins been endeavouring to prove Ihal the lerm “Ibe weaker sex" so often applied to her is a misnomer. Thai llieir efforts are meeting with some success was revealed (says the Southland Times) at Urelai Beach last Saturday afternoon, w'hon a party of small girls successfully routed a parly of correspondingly small boys. The boys had been detected pilfering Ibe girls’ lunches, and it. was here that the gentler sex shed llieir genlleness. They chased and cai’ght the boys, and with much shaking and other methods of coercion successfully intimidated- the young pilferers, who humbly apologised.

Native Birds. —“New Zealand has unfortunately gained a reputation for •having lost many of its birds" said Mr Mgar F. Stead in a lecture at Christchurch. “We have a good example of the iruth of Ibis in the woodhen. In Canterbury l i years ago the woodhen was extremely .prolific. They could not fly, the wings being composed of very soft fealhors. About 1920 llt o birds began to die out rapidly, and ,to-day -there are only one or two of them' left. The blocks where they abounded in thousands are now almost empty." Mr Stead- said that the almost. complete extinction' of the birds had been brought about by the attacks of tho stoat and Hie weasel, although at times Ibe birds, although tame by nature, had been known lo take -up the offensive against the stoat.

Mining Report. —A message from Auckland states that the mine manager reports that the Skippers washup No. 2 on December 22 and 23 produced 120 oz. 18dwt. for mine shifts' work. The Golden Sands wash-up on December 22 produced 230 z. lOdwt.

A Pleasant Change. —"We have no complaints, and no requests, but we just want 'to 'congratulate you on the manner in which you carry out your duties." This was the welcome received by the Main Highways Board from the Deputy Mayor, Mr F. Spurdle, at Inglewood recently. “This welcome must be unusual,” lie added.

Train Traffic. —Although the Wellington section of the train was crowded, there was ample accommodation available for passengers in the New Plymouth portion of the southbound Limited Express last evening. The train comprised 11 passenger carriages and two vans, an exceptionally heavy load for the speedy run to Wellington.

Motor-Car Capsizes. —Thrown heavily on to the road when the motorcar driven by his father skidded in loose ..metal, capsized, and hurst into flames on the main road ‘north of Huntly on Sunday, John Kristensen, aged 10 years, son of Mr K. Kristensen, of Wanganui, was admitted to the Huntly Hospital suffering from abrasions and shock. His condition is not serious. The lire was extinguished by the driver of a passing service car.

The Charm of Rural England.— Writing from England to a friend in Hamilton, a former resident of the town says:—“For the last few weeks we have been touring Devon and Cornwall, and visited many places of historic interest, as well as dozens of lovely old villages tucked away in beautiful valleys, and I’ve been charmed with everything. The narrow lanes and thatched-roofed cottages, the greenest fields in the world and lovely roads, all make you very happy somehow. Even at night (the roads, being so narrow) the car lights reveal the most enchanting sights as they shine on to the trees and hedges so vivid with autumn shades, reminding me of the lovely effects you see in those Walt. Disney coloured pictures on the screen. You would love the glory of the trees and hedges and the beautiful colours in England in autumn.”

“ Shaky *’ Fortunes in America. — Writing to a friend in Hamilton, a resident of New York, United States, says:—“lnvestments are shaky, the stock market is taking one head-long dive after another, and everything seems muddled. The way things have been going from bad to.worse, I don’t know where most of us who considered ourselves comfortably off are headed for. The way I have seen people in the last three years lose out completely in 'the financial -shuffle is simply appalling. There seem to be very few “ small fortunes ” in America today. There are only the very rich or the very poor. That is what has been worrying me, beoause although I was never very rich, the thought of being very poor does not appeal to me. As a result, I ‘have been converting every one of my holdings into “ giltedged ” securities and forgoing speculations altogether, in an effort to assure that I can always be independent."