LOCAL & GENERAL

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 36, 26 February 1937, Page 4

LOCAL & GENERAL

Valentino Oay in Sydney, The sending* of valentinea was revived in Sydney this year, thousands of them being forwarded on Valentine Day (February 14). Radio from Remuera. • The New Zealand SMpping Co., has received a radio from jts s.s. Remuera, which left Wellington on February 18, to effect that weather conditions are moderate and that all is well. Arawa's Movements. Redio advice has been received from the R.M.s. Arawa, en route from Southampton, tliat she expects to axrive at Wellington at 7.30 on Monday. Air Maii From London. Due to ai'riv© at Wellington from Sydney on Saturday, the Maunganui has 82 bags of letters and seven bags of parqels for Auckland, This consignment includes air maii which was despatched from London on February 6 and February 10. Earthquake Precautions. • In the exterior renovation of tlie Auckland Chief Post Office, a central feature rismg from the parapet o.f the Queen street facade, and containing a large mas& of stone and hrjckwork, has been reduced coiisiderably in height as a precaution against earthquakes. The lower part, which has been retained, has been strengthened and is at present surrounded by timber boxing. Three Excursions. Three excursion trains will now visit Napier o a Sunday, one from New Plymouth, one from Hawera, and one from Feilding, and it is anticipated that more than 100 visitors will spend the day in Napier. Originally there was to be but one train from Taranaki, but owing to tbe great number of bookings for the trip the Railway Department has decided to run one train from New Plymouth and one from Hawera. Both these trains will travel during the night, and the New Plymouth one is not expected to arrive home until after five o'clock on Monday mcrning. Bookings for the Feilding excursion are also very heavy. "Needy" Pedestrians. An interesting old English custom at Winchester was described by Mr R. Wilson to the New Plymouth Rotary Club. "At the St. Cross Hospital," he said, "some legacy was left dating back to Henry VIII., providing two gallons of beer for needy pedestrians. Ofvcourse we left our c.ar some distance away and arriveid on foct," he added. An Assault on a Shark. A novel form of assault on a large shark discovex;ed in the shallow waters of Manakau Harbour goes to the credit of the occupant of a dinghy, who, however, for a time regretted his aggressive attitude. Commg suddeniy upon the drowsing fish, he seized the anchor and hurled it at tbe shark. So energetic was the throw that the attacker nearly followed the anchor. The 'effect on the shark was electrical. It leaped into the air, snd came down with a resounding splash. Then, frightened or in a fury of pain, it turned and twisted in a flurry of spray and muddy water, its reaction to the attack lasting in this way for some minutes. By the time it had made off, the owner had hauled in his anchor and had removed himself as far from the scen© as was possible. Riflo Under Mattress.

The finding of a .22 calibre rifle and a box o.f cartridges concealed under the mattress of a bed in a Wellington hotel caused the police to think that a serious crime was in process of developjbent. Jhe whole matter was cleared up, however, when a girl mad© a confession to the police later in the day. Apparently she had had a disagrvement with her young man, and wishing to shock him into coming back to her she decided on the purchase of a rifle. She found, however, that a permit could not be obtained, so she stole a rifle from the shop of a sports dealer. The rifle, which she hid under her mattress labelled "Danger, do not touch," wps not necessary to settle the argument, however. The girl appeared in dhe Magistrate's Court charged with the theft o.f the firearm, and was convicted and discharged. Drastic Changes. "What concerns the real-estate business ia particular is the establishment pt the Mortgage Corporation and State Advances with their increased activities, the mortgage adjustment and relief legislation and the Housing Act, hy which" Government houses in large numbers are to be built," comments Mr A. E. Renouf in his annual presidential report to the Hawke's Bay branch of the New; Zealand Real-Estate Institute in dealing with changes brought about by the Labour Government since its advent. "The Government, too, has stated that no goodwill will be allowed when Government tenants are Belling their holdings and interests therein. In business circles generally these and other drastic new forms of legislation are most disturbing, and many who are in a position to give an opinion contend that they will have a most disturbing result. We can only look to the future to solve the many difficulties that loom large on he economic and soeial h'orizons and hope that they will not too drastieally affect the business of the real-estate agency."

Car Blocks Fire-Station Door. A late arrival at the meeting of the Otahuhu Borough Council stated that he had received a complaint from members of the fire brigade that a member of the council had parked his car in such a position that it would be impossible to get the fire engine out if a call were received. When the car was described, those present were highly amused to see the chairman of the fire brigade committee hastily arise and leave the room to shdft his car. Negotlations for Bout. An attempt is to be made by the Hawke's Bay Boxing Associ-ation to stage a professional boxing contest between the rapidly-improving Hastings lightweight, A1 Stock, and the Filipino, Gildo. These two have already . met twice before packed houses at Auckland, and the association is endeavourmg to match them a third time on the percentage basis. It- is suggested that the fight take place' at Hastings on March 12 nextFire Destroys Cowshed. Fire destroyed a cowshed on the property of Miss M. E. Elliott at the corner of Havelock road and St George's road, shortly before four o-'clock yesterday afternoon. A small fire was lit near the building and the wind carried sparks to the cowshed, which was compleitely destroyed, together with milking machines and separator, etc. No stock was harmed, and there was no insurance on the building.