LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1657, 25 January 1913, Page 4

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Railway officials state that the train arraneoments during tho recent holiday period. worked vory smoothly and satisfactorily, nnd thtit the liumMr.of oomplalnts, taking all seotionstfnto consideration, was about the lowest on record.

Councillor Barber has given notice to move nt tho next meeting of the City Council: "That the building' by-laws be amended so as to provido that in future all verandahs to be crected within the brick area be suspended from tho building, and no vertical supports from the footpaths bo allowed."

It is not often that a cheque for an amount running into four figures is to bo found lying,in tho street, to be contemptuously trodden on by numbers of passers-by. This was tho fate in Auckland this week of a cheque for £2i15, which was sent out by one legal firm and made payable to another firm carrying on legal 1 business in the city. Tho cheque in question was apparently lost on tho journey between tho two offices. A crlpplcd hawker named Harry Mason saw a crumpled piece of paper lying at his feet in Queen Street. Picking it up, ho disbovered that it was a cheque, and he was astonished to note its value. Losing no time, he,promptly handed bis find to tho i police, and the cheque was Eoon afterwards delivered to the rightful owners. ThO prompt action of t'pe hawker is to be commended, for, although the cheque was not negotiable, its speedy delivery probably saved some anxiety- aul expense. i *

It is not intended, at present, to make another appointment to the position just vncated by Mr. Robert Williams, tho soft goods expert to the Customs Department. Experience has shown that the debatable points in connection with, the, 1907 tariff, upon which the advice of an expert was required, have been very , few.

The Railway Department employees will hold their annual picnic and sports gathering at Day's Bay on Thursday next. As on. previous occasions the function is being organised on a considerable scale, and a largo attendance is expeoted.

A splendid catch with two rods was obtained at Russell recently by Messrs. A. D. Campbell and B. H. Wymaii, They landed 27 kingflsh, weighing GGilb., averaging 21 Jib., on Friday last week, and tho next day caught 23 more kingflsh, making 50 for the two days. Tho two days' best fish Weighed 431b. and 4VIU. respectively, and fought most gamely. Whilo Wirth'e Circus horses were load-' ing at Blenheim, "Orloff," their beautiful croani horse, slipped between ft truck and a bank, injuring nis hind leg. On arriving at Picton the leg was found to bo broken, and the horse had to bo destroy* ed. Orloff was an old performer, and, part from sentimental considerations, the accident means a serious loss to his owner, Monsieut Bastioi.

"TRIUMPH" ESTABLISHES CHRIST-

OHUKCH-KAIKOURA RECORD. The motor cycling record from Christ churoh to Kaikoura and back, which was established on Thursday by Mr. G. B, Brown on a latest model "Triumph," and whioh constitutes, o,no of tho finest crosEcountry performances OTer put up by d motor cyclist in New Zealand, lids a eomowhat curious history. Some three tnonths ago Mr. Brown challenged all and sundry to a straight-out hill-climbing contest, on Sutuher Hill dr Paekflkatlkl Hill—the "Triumph" agninat any other machine. Thoro were no acceptances, but one firin said in effeoti "Wo know thft Triumph can lick our. machine on tho hills proposed, but come out on a long run across really bad country—Christchurch to Kaikoura and back, for ihetanco—and we'll show you a point or two." Well, of course, wo didn't refuse that proposition. But wo thought it fair to givo them all a chance, and challenged any motor cyclist in New Zealand, not riding a "Triumph," to meet Q, B. Brown and his ''Triumph" on that very course. There wore ten thousand excuses, but we couldn't jet one matqh. So, baulked in our good intentions, wo decided to establish a record over tho ,courso, and let tho other fellows havo a peck at it at thoir leisure. You all know what happened, /Mr. Brown covered the 2GO miles of rough Country, half of it on an unknown road, in under 12 hours. The rivers and river-beds were difficult to negotiate, but tho "Triumph" stood the racket in tho regular Triumph" way, and thoro was not (v break-down, not even a punoturo, to mar the record. Not knowing tho road, Mr. Brown made a few deviations and detours lie would not otherwise lmve had to make. So if aityono lowers tho present record of II hours SGJ mimlteS, he Mill bo prepared to go eut again, and knock A little morfl off the time. New stock of Triumphs just arrived. Fixed engine, .£7O) freo encine, iC80; tlireo speed, .£B7 10s. Adams, Ltd., Christchurch. Branches at Palmcrston North and Wanennuii agents, Sutherland and flanklno, Wellington; Tourist Motor L Co., Easting*,

Statistlos regarding tho building operaHone in Sydney last year discloso higher totnls, both as to number of buildings and cost, than for any previous, year. The' number of buildings brought to ' completion and luppliicd with water during 1912 was 8862, compared with G752. in 1811, tho former highest total. In tho city, where sites liavo become scarce, taller buildings had boon the rule. The total expenditure amounted to .£5,432.73*, compared with X 3.825.182 in 1911. Notwithstanding .the increased buildings, house agenfa in the suburbs are still unable to meet the demand.

Thirty-seven applications for tho position of medical superintendent at the Auckland Hospital have been received by tho Hospital and Charitablo Aid Board. It has boon decided that the names will not be published, but will bo forwarded on to the selection coinmittco, consisting of tho Prime Minister (Hon. W. P. Massey), Minister for Public Health (Hon. R. H. Rhodes), and the ex-Minis-ter for Public Health (Mr. G. W. Russell, M.P. for Avon). If they so desiro, inembors of the board aro to bo allowed to inspect tho names of applicants.

Twentv-threo teaohers from various parts of tho Auckland provinoe aro Attending olasses of instruction in agriculture, whioh opened at Auckland on January 13, and will bo ooncluded on January 31. The instruction, which is intended to assist tho teachers in giving lessons in elementary agriculture in their schools, deals specially with plant life, grasses, weeds, clovcrs, fodder crops, Boils, manures. Inilk-testinp, fruit culture; insent pests, and remedies'. Tho classes aro being conducted by Mr, J. P. Kalaugher, •instructor in agriculture under tho Auckland Education Board.

Amending regulations governing tho grading aiia export of New Zealand hemp are' gazetted.

Hospital Saturday and Hospital Sunday aro to bo, observed in Wellington on February 15 and 10. Ordinarily the collections are made about October, butt this summer the Hospital Committee gave way to the Ambulance Association, who wished to take up a collection about that time. It is tho. intention of the Hospital Committee to devote a considerable portion of t'lie funds raised to erect a verandah and balcony adjacent to Wards 5 and 0, tho two newest wards in the'"institution. The verandahs would be of immense advantage, in that tlioy would provido practically new convalescent wara9, and would relieve th<S congestion in the hospjtal, which has been crowded foi some years.. Mrs. Trevor and Mre, Godber, wives of the chairman of the Hospital Board, and of tho chairman of the Hospital Committee respectively, are inviting ladies of Wellington to attend ft- mooting in No. 1 Committee Room of tho. Town. Hall on Monday at 3 o'clock to make preliminary arrangements for the collections.

Accent warm rains on the West Coast' brought down a big flood in' tho Hokitika River. Between nine and cloven o'clock (reports tho Groymoutli "Star"), a tremendous body of water was flowing; in fact, tho river'was then higher than it has been for the past eight or nine years. Huge trees were brought down by the flood, and they oould be heard bumping into the railway bridge works with terrific forco. The river divided into streams, and only the highest parts of the island on the river bed wero not under water. The low-lying parts of Hokitika were under water, and it was with some difficulty, pedestrians managed to wond their way home. Tho floods have been general throughout Westland, and reports from tho southern district 6tato that the rivers were all in high flood, the north 1 and south mails being blocked at the Mahatahi, and Waiho Rivers respectively. ' .

Announcements regarding Sunday sorview will bo found on Page 2 of this issuo.