THE OPOTIKI NEWS Monday, June 27, 1938. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Opotiki News, Volume I, Issue 49, 27 June 1938, Page 2

THE OPOTIKI NEWS Monday, June 27, 1938. LOCAL AND GENERAL

Motor Registrations. The total of" motor- vehicles registered in May last,- SlOo, represents the highest point ever reached in that month- ,since the inception of .the national licensing system, although AEay of last year came close with its total of 3001. These figures are composed almost entirely of new vehicles placed on the roads, and they include only 119 motor-cycles. Changes of ownership registered in May reached the large total of 14,520. The “Smith” Family. There were 10 persons named “Smith” in the Wellington Public Hospital on one day last week. This is not a record ; a week or two ago there were 19 “Smiths” in hospital on one day. Expectation of Life. “The normal expectation of life of persons, in New Zealand is increasing,” said an expert witness when giving evidence in a civil case before JVIV Justice Callan in the Auckland Supreme Court. From calculations he had made from information, contained in the new Year Bock, witness estimated that the approximate expectation of life of a man of 38 years was 34 years. “Which makes a total of 72, the age at which judges retire,” remarked His Honour. Insurance Claims. “The day has gone when an endeavour can be made to conceal from juries the fact that it is an insurance company that is going to pay and not the defendant.” said Air Justice Reed in the Auckland Supreme Court, ilis Honour was addressing jury in a ease in which a claim for damages was brought against- a motorist, and lie warned them that they should entirely disregard the fact that it was an insurance company that had to pay and not let it- weigh vitli them in any way.

Big Highway Repair. A permanent camp to house 40 men has been erected by -the Public Works Department at the Devil’s Elbow on the Napicr-Wairoa road in readiness for a start on the big highway repair job to be undertaken there. The camp contains a c-ookhcusc. a dining hall and 20 tents.

The Weather. The following weather forecast for the 24 limns commencing at 9 a.m. to-day was issued by the meteorological office :—The indications are for moderate to strong north-easterly winds, later rising to gale iorce in some exposed positions. W eather becoming unsettled with rain' developing. Temperatures milder. Seas rough on East Coast, moderate butrising on West- 'General situation: An intense anti-cyclone is now centred cost of East Coast. Conditions are disturbed over the Tasman Sea. depressions being centred south of Norfolk Island and over the south Tasman Sea respectively.