broke down off Dockyard just after 4 p.m. on Thursday.

The boat -- in the North Rock area -- was towed to shore by another fishing vessel, Tamalorne 11 .

"It all went very smoothly, and nobody was harmed,'' a Harbour Radio spokesman said yesterday.

RARE NATURAL PHENOMENON DISCOVERED ENV A Government specialist has identified a rare natural phenomenon that has destroyed the painted surfaces of a home.

Ms Roberta Dow, assistant director of Agriculture and Fisheries, was called to the home to investigate "strange growths inside their house under the paint.'' When Ms Dow went to the house she saw that inside and outside the house were Fig family tree roots.

After hunting down the source of the roots she found that they were coming from a tree that was about 35 feet away from the house.

Ms. Dow said: "It was like something out of the movies, the patterns of the roots looked like fingers.

"The roots made their way into the house through the Bermuda stone with which the house was built. It was not ceiled and therefore the stone was moist allowing the roots to grow through.'' She added that roots burrowing through house walls was not a common occurrence.

LIBERALS ARE THE FUTURE, SAYS NLP PTL The landslide victory this week by the Canadian liberal party and the inroads being made by liberals in the United Kingdom are a positive signal for the National Liberal Party, according to party chairman Mr. Geoff Parker.

The NLP, which lost its only seat in Parliament in the election, said the Canadian election outcome clearly showed "moderate views and common sense decision was now finally being accepted''.

Mr. Parker made the statement in announcing it was "business for usual'' for the NLP.

Its regular Monday night meetings would continue, he said.

"This Monday evening the focus will be on the recent general election, its outcome and the future role the National Liberal Party will play in the local political arena. All NLP members are welcome to attend and participate.'' Venues are to be announced.

MAN HANDS IN CD PLAYER TO POLICE CRM A man has handed into Police a CD player -- one of a number of items stolen from homes in St. George's and Pembroke on Tuesday night.

Police had released a list of the items on Wednesday, urging the public to look out for them.

The items consisted mainly of jewellery and electronic equipment. They included a Sony Walkman and headphones, 20-inch and 16-inch gold rope chains, and a gold nugget pendant.

"We would like to publicly thank the gentleman who turned in the item,'' said Police spokeswoman Sgt. Roseanda Jones yesterday.

"And we would encourage others to do the same. Keep up the good work Bermuda.'' Sgt. Jones said people with information about the items could ring Police anonymously on 295-1140.

MEN CHARGED WITH STEALING TREES CTS Two men have been charged with stealing cedar trees from the nature reserve off Vesey Street, Devonshire.

The 37-year-old from Sandys and the 38-year-old from Hamilton Parish are likely to appear at Magistrates' Court shortly.

They were arrested after being allegedly caught cutting down the trees by Department of Agriculture staff at about 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

"Although the trees have been recovered, it will be years before seedlings will reach the maturity of the trees that were cut down,'' said Police spokeswoman Sgt. Roseanda Jones.

FORMER GAZETTE EMPLOYEE ADMITS THEFT CTS A former employee of The Royal Gazette , who admitted stealing $86 worth of cable television guides and "Bermuda Sun'' newspapers, was fined $150 this week.

Police were watching the Hamilton MarketPlace supermarket as a result of complaints that newspapers were going missing from outside the store, prosecutor Insp. Peter Duffy said.

Shortly after 4.30 p.m. on October 8, they saw 37-year-old Keith William Brangman, of Khyber Heights, Warwick, take two bundles of "Bermuda Sun'' newspapers and cable guides and place them in his van.

Brangman, who drove and delivered papers for The Royal Gazette , was later arrested and taken to Hamilton Police Station.

Insp. Duffy said Brangman told Police he stole the guides and papers to sell them and make extra money.

The offence was out of character for Brangman who before this incident never appeared at court, Insp. Duffy added.

GIVING FALSE NAME PROVES COSTLY CTS A Southampton youth this week learned that riding while disqualified and giving a false name to cover up the offence can be costly.

Mark DeCoute, 17, of Middle Road, pleaded guilty to the offences in Magistrates' Court.

Police were carrying out a radar check just after 7.30 p.m. on October 22 at the Middle Road in Southampton when they stopped DeCoute.

Prosecutor Insp. Peter Duffy said DeCoute gave a false name. But he later returned to the Police traffic department and told Police he had given a false name.

Further inquiries showed that he was supposed to be off the road until May, next year.

DeCoute was fined $400 and taken off the road for a year for the offence. He was also fined $200 for making a false statement to Police.

CARPENTER TAKEN OFF THE ROAD FOR YEAR CTS A 21-year-old carpenter was this week taken off the road for a year and ordered to pay fines totalling $620.

Corey David Madeiros, of Euclid Avenue, Pembroke, pleaded guilty in Magistrates' Court to driving while disqualified and speeding at 59 kph.

Police were conducting radar checks near the Tennis Stadium in Pembroke shortly before 4 p.m. on October 21.

Prosecutor Insp. Peter Duffy said Madeiros, who was travelling west, was stopped and told that he was travelling at the excessive speed.

Inquiries further revealed that he was supposed to be off the road until May, 1994.

Madeiros was banned again from driving for a year and fined $400 for driving while disqualified and $220 for speeding at 59 kph.

TRAFFIC OFFENCES COST MAN $850 CTS Riding an unlicensed vehicle while disqualified and without insurance cost a 25-year-old Somerset man $850 in fines this week.

Ronald Butterfield, of Hog Bay Level, pleaded guilty to the offences in Magistrates' Court.

Butterfield was clocked at 52 kph by a Police radar shortly after 1 p.m. on October 3, prosecutor Insp. Peter Duffy said.

He was stopped and given a ticket.

But Police later discovered that Butterfield was disqualified from driving all motor vehicles until January, 1995 and that the vehicle he was riding was unlicensed and uninsured.

Butterfield, who had no similar convictions, was banned from driving all motor vehicles for a year.

He also fined $400 for driving while disqualified, $300 for having no insurance, and $150 for driving an unlicensed vehicle.