GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14985, 4 June 1914, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

We havo to acknowledge receipt of ._ i;ubsci ip'.ion of £1 Is from B.K. to tho Fr<\.h Air Fund.

Ti:c annual meeting of the Licensing Committee for the district of Lyttelton, set down for yesterday, was postoonod till Wednesday next.

A quick-step band contest was held nt yesterday and attracted a

hvs*_re attendance of tho public. Fiv? hands competed, and places were filled as follow: —"Westport Garrison 1. Inangahua 2, Westport Federals 3.

Tho ranidity with which motorinc: has developed in Australia is indicated by a return presented in the House of Reprosontr.tives recently by the Minister of Customs It shows that the importations of motor-car and motor-wn-tcron bedie-s increased in value from £62.G42 in IPO9 to £220 038 in 1912.

and of chassis from £-_50.514 in IPO?) to C 1.451.495 in 1912. Last yer.r there was a slight fr-Hine: off in both bcdKs

and chassis, the importations being C2.fi :_">r in the case of tho former, and £1.33.-),721 of the latter. It is stated that a viticultimYt at Henderson has introduced a bird-lim. for the purpose of orotectintr grapes etc., f-rom small birds. This has been tested nt the Wnerenca Experiment Farm, with satisfactory results. A small tree was covered with sticks of the bird-lime, and tied to a post in the vineyard. In two hours seventy'■■evon wh'te-eyes, which are so destructive to the grapes, wero caught. There wero eighteen birds on one flick. Tlio bird-lime held blackbirds and thrushes equally well. Once they touch it thero is no hope of their trotting away. A largo platcglnss window in X.tidl.rook's drapery store at Wonthaegt was smashed in a remarkable mann.r (say. a Melbourne nsocr). Tn the window in an iron ease wn.s a half-grown fox. whi-h. ii*. an .advertising medium attracted considerable attention. A greyhound, in pas.ii.ir the window, noticed' the. fox, and without the slights hesitation made a leap for it. Tlio remit was that the class window was smashed, and the foottjath strewn with broken glnis. The dot, realising, his mistake, at onco made off. little, if any. the worse for his leap through the window.

Tn reply to a -niesfion from the chair-

man of the We'liiUTton Licensing committee (Mr W. G. KiddeU. S.M.)'Superintondont Ellison said that he was satisfied that the fire-escane facilities in the city hotels were as efficient as possible. "Every- bedroom," said the superintendent, ''''should, in ray opinion. hj>y_ access to a balcony. This, however, cannot be done in the cases of many old houses. The newer hotels, however. aro fitted out wi.h fire-escapes in first-clnr»* rtyie. It is impossible to ; r^vent all lass of life, even --vhen all tho bedrooms aro on the ground floor, and a boarder could ymw out of i window. I am satisfied with the present fire-escape facilities in Wellington."

The e.ctivities of ortranked Labour in

Au-Trali'j were chysely observed by Mr J. H. Gun son (chairman of the Anckbnd Harbour Board) dnrine. his recei.t. visit. "I found that the I.W.W. section is by no means Powerful in New 'Wales " said* Mr Gunson. "a-id the saner Labor.r element, as represented by the Holman Government, will not for a moment tolerate this syndicalist faction. Desperate effort, are. however, being made by this section to strengthen its'rw.tion, and the recent conference in Sydney, with its nt-tempt to en'i«f further co-oppratio. nr New Zeoland Fy pending a doWnfe +0 the Labour Conference to be h P l<. ,'-, Wel'i'mrton in Jn'y. are matters wb'>b should not be treated li-'htly. Th. recent striko -riivp-t New* «v prominence which it formerly did not "we. and thero is no doubt that tha effective manner in which the strike has lartre'v Australian Labour cir" for tb» *irn_ hein<r :<< any rate. Though Condi,ions nre much more Fettled than w-><- th*> <?•»«> n year arco. emp'over. of In hour thretirrbont New -honld n«+ h« rr>ii"-bt nnnninn.'- Mr "nn«on -vide- 1 . "Tnridiens forces nre .til' n i work, and sooner or Int r "*" t.hr— Trill a<*nir> hav> t> be d<v>Jt, w-'th in the interest of good government."' *

The Whangarei Hnrbonr Board last week discussed a. proposal to borrow £100,000 to carry out harbour works necessary to enable Home steamers to trade to tho port, and constal steamers to reach the town wharf at any stage of the tide. As the Board's borrowing powers are limited to £10,000, it was decided to present an enabling Bill to Parliament during the next session, with a view to increasing: tho amount to £100.000 and a poll will be taken to obt.nin authority for expenditure of that sum of money. The Board has approved of a scheme submitted by the engineer (Mr J. S. McAven), involving an outlay of £69,000.

Moving picturo shows aro evidently regarded as a profitable venture, says the Dunedin J'Star." Although the negotiations_w.iich wero opened somo months ago with a view to securing the erection of a picture theatre in the Stock Exchange Buildings fell through, owing to some difficulty with a tenant, the chairman of directors (Mr E. R. Smith) stated at the annual meeting of the proprietary that the directors had recently been apnroached by sevoral other parties. Mr S. Solomon (another inc'or' ...'.'•.wed tlrs rework up hy stating rather humorously thit the apr'icali "is h. d hop;. *o nu nerons t.hn* '■- wn.s seriously thinking of giving public notice thnt the directors meet on Mondays, Wed'.esdpys, and Fridnys, to receive anullcitioris from intending picture theatre proprietors.

The following remits h*ve been received to date by the Executive Council of the Railway Officers''lnstitute for the forthcoming meetmcr of the Executive Council:—North Canterbury: (I) Tat the hours of the ?; tationmnsters on tho Christr.hu.ch-Lyttel.on line be considered with a view to obtriininer some relief for the staff. f2) That the Suncrannitntion Art should bo amended in the direction cf mnkino. it compulsory fc* members to rcti*-e on completion of -10 year.;' Eervi.-e.. W.sil-'rid:' fl). That tho conference coiv-ider the advisable ..firs of the general _.rcret.".ry visit.i-'g c."c.. branch onco a year. (2) That the manage _!oni be asked to appoint qu;tl;.i.Ti relieving officers for maintenance, loco. aM stores branches respectively. (3) That isolated officers bo given the option after five years, of transferring to centres. (4) Thnt district, officers be allowed to issue passes over other th:m their own sections. (5) lhat the conference endeavour to have the maximum salary for members, of tho engineering staff who have not passed tho A.M.I.C.E. examinatiou raised from £2<50 to £315 per annum.

A lioness is renorted to have made its appearan-e at 'Watson's creek, noir Manilla, New South Wales. A miner working on a n- '<-de at the foot -if the hills at Giant's den, states that he lias upon different ui.'-f'ts heard a peculiar cry different from any mado by animals "or birds of the district. lie describe-", the - "• vri.v.tly -tar*ling to "raise his hair." One morning at daybreak he rose to ascertain the cause, and was sur- > *-:~ r -'' '" ' oft a htrg.. animal resembling a lioness some distance away. It had no mane, but had the long, "smooth, tufted tail common to those'beasts. The miner had a shot gun, but he did not risk shooting al the animal. Tracks of a large anima, were found at the water close by. Several watches have since been kept through the night at the water which is the only spring f« r £ome distance round, but although' the cry is supposed to have hern heard rince, The animal ha. not been seen. An armed party of thirty mc" soured the country for miles, "but without success, and n large party to search the more isolated parts 'was. "™r..ni!._-d. The footprints of the animal have been seen by a number of pooplo.

Tho Government have sanctioned an "-x.op-_ : Jnre of £3000 on additions to ■Vac!iff Mental Hosrital, enys a I-nine-din Press Association message.

- Yesterday afternoon tne inmates of a number "of the Christchurch Homes attended a matinee of "Uncle Toms Cabin." at the invitation of tho management of the Willoughby Mow Dramatic Company, whose kindness was very much appreciated.

A Pre??, Association message says that at a .nr-ctiug of tV South Island Dairy Association at Dunedin yesterday morning the votij.g for two directors resulted:—Mr Pnrkei (Stirling- 61 Mr Bolt (Taieri Peninsula) 51, Sheat (Morton Mains) 2S.

A Wellington tele cram states that two Scout, of tho Krlburno Corps—Corporal J.nsoer Baldwin and Scout is. W. Platts-Mills—were awarded silver crosses, with certificates, for rescuing Scout Donaldson from drowning at Wainni at Easter. The Mayor made the presentation last night before a large gathering of Scouts and friendo.

At the meetins: of the Philosophical Institute last evcninsr, the secretary announced that, in connexion with tho approaching visit of scientist., representative of the British Association, papers upon scientific subjects_ would be accepted from local scientists who would be able to describe local flora and fauna in a manner that would l>e intercstiti;: to tho visitors. All such papers # fcr submission to the srctinn.il meet ma.-' would not be accented forthwith, bur would be criticise.-! by a committee of exports, and would not be [.evented uTilers deemed worthy of acceptance by the committee.

Haydn's oratorio "Tho Creation," will be performed iv the Durham street Church on Saturday. June 13th, under the direction of Mr Ernest Firth, F.K.C.O. Mrs Gower-Burns, Mr L. Bowron, and Mr L. C. Walker ha~> been engaged as principal soloists, with Mr H. t." Whittingham as organist.

A meeting in supi-ort of the Biblt-in-Schools movement will be held at 8 o'clock this evening in St. Paul s Schoolroom, Papanui. -Mr C. E. Salter will preside, and tho speakers will be the Rev. P. N. Knight and the Key. H. Williams.

The Mount Somers Coal Mine Company, which has been struggling for an existence for some time, and for the past eighteen months has been in liquidation, has stopped mining operations. This will be a great loss to the county (writes our .correspondent), as a fairly large quantity of this coal has been used in the Ashburton district. The company, which was formed about twelve years ago, during its existence passed through many phases of commercial life. It started first as a "private" company, and the tramline, which was laid down at a great expense, is being taken up. and the rails and sleepers will be sold.

Designs for tho Parliamentary buildings at Canberra aro to bo invited by the Federal Government early next week (says tho Melbourne "Ago"). The competition is to ho open to the world, and an international board, with an Austraiian architect as chairman, is to bo appointed to make the awards. It is intended that tho Board shall meet for this purpose in London early next year. The Government is desirous that there shall bo unanimity in the selection of tho Australian representative, and with this object in view representatives of tho various institute* 1 of architects have been invited to meet in Melbourne at an early date.

If there were needed in Australia any popular appreciation of the compulsory system, other than that supplied by the practically unanimous support accorded to it by the electorates, we have it from the churches which represent the trreat bulk of the population in the spiritual sense (says the Brisbane "Courier").; The Anglican Church affirms tho principle snecifically, and the Roman Catholic Church may be said to do the same by a silence which gives consent. Presbyterian Assemblies hnve negatived overwhelmingly motions disapproving of it. and the General Conference of the Methodist Church which met in Melbourne in 1913 registered by a lares majority a similar refusal after the question had been strenuously debated. Church people in the mass recognise with Archbishop Donaldson that "national defence is* the duty of every self-respecting State." - .j

A difficulty has presented itself to the Alfred Hospital management in regard to the safe keeping of £600 worth of. radium now in its care, with £{.00' worth more to follow, (says the Melbourne "Age"). The hon. medical staff recommended the, purchaso of a jewel case, fitted with two different keys, re-essitating the presence of both holders at its opening. Dr. Anderson, chairman, of tho staff, mentioned that it would be.. necessary semetirup. to insert tho radium in a tumour, . and leave it thero foi- am long as 36 hours. When it waa withdrawn, perhaps at •nid.ight. who was to tnke charge of it then? In ■ .ren.v to que*.inns, ,-the secretary, Mr Norman, said it would bo unuefe_sary to insure the radium nrrrnnst fire, as it wtiiild be kept in a firenreof sife. also ajpirst btirndarv. »'s z tbi.f would find, '.t impo*rihlo +c depose of it. -A danger lay in the Hrbilitv of the "'Viv YitHo f"»p'j'ii]p"' bring swept rivo'v with nibh.V. - It w. . arrnnfT'd t\\n\ D*\ Ardr>:v.*.r. ard the sfretiry «■ .ou'd "nb wit n re" , '"Ti_Tifprl-j'irtT! on the mutter.

A few days' trial proves the advnntng<> of using Mrs Roll est o»i'«- Si-ccnl f'-e-r*. for the face instead of 'vater. during the cold weather. It is imported from Enir!and, and is guaranteed not tn promote tbe' growth of hair on the fnce Price 4f» (3d large jar. 2s Od small Dominion Building: Cathedral sauare. 6

On pago 7 of this issue will be found. p.rti_ui:trs- of our hnjjc Samp'q Raie, •ommenring this morning. Four comrlete sets of English samples will t,e offered at one-thirl off usual Ral-cnstein Pros., Limited, New Zealand Clothincr Factory- '"»

Steffano Webb mokes a specia'fy of wedding and family photographs artistically grouped .-.nd exre'.enriv finished. Telephone IEBO, Peterson's Building?;, High street. 1

A great saving in time, worry and expense will bo effected by placing your Customs clearing woi _c m t..e hands of «T. M. Hey wood and Co., Ltd. Importer--, iray rc.h- "i.on careful attention and prompt delivery. 7

In years ..one by Sp.ctac.es hsc. by, one i:_e. They were worn to assist the old folks in reading and r.cw:ng. Mo dern research shews that near sight. far sight, neural.:.,, headache?, etc are all relieved by properly adjusted glasses. Contuit John I<. Plotter. Oculists* Optician, 200 Hi"h street. Chri.tchurch. Repairs to Spectacles done at short notice. 7

Berry's Liver and Kidney Mixture touches up your lazy liver, and makes life worth living. Get a'bottle to day and feel young attain. Price, 2s (id. John Berry. Colombo streot. 4

Walter J. Watson, D.8.0.A.. London, Expert Optician (near Kincaid's). Acrurate Sight-testing and Bpectaclcfitting. Repairs to Frames and broken Lenses matched. Charges moderate. 8 Beware of Free Tickets. Some timo ago a resident in a London suburb received by post two stall tickets for a popular play. ''You will nevor guess who 6ends you these/ ran the anonymous note accompanying them, "but go and have a good time." They obeyed, enjoyed themselves immensely, and (the "Daily Chronicle" says) returned homo' to find their house ransacked. King: or Butcher? A curious description of the King of Saxony is published in the "East Prieguit_ Register and Official Gazette." It says:—"Tho King of Saxony looks in

uniform jiist liko any ordinary captain of an honest l-_iddle<ia&. ■*■'■> family. In mufti there is nothing ___J 1 jesue about mm at all. His heart muT ~<W' not be won by {lattery, on the contnuT - ! he can be downright rude wh en *;**• " tries to blarney him and it is nof §£' common ior King Frederick to fori.* his ba:-k with an oath to a conrticr-B* has tried openly to cn.rv his f»W™? with the aid of falsehood.* OnW Jw, the King was msdng through the __?_ ket m plain clothes a peasant woman" crfrre up to him. mistaking him'for butcher. 'You are mistaken, m T cooi:" woman,' said the King, «I 3 Jq**l"f : ; really a butcher. 1 only look liko ono. " ' Penny-in-the-Slot Peer. The Duke of Norfolk. I aa toW, J« a passion for pcnny-ir.-the-slot macßines ' I ("The Carpentor" writes in the '"Daily __h Express). There is a raw of 1 before the old Black Rabbit 1 house a mile above Arundel Bridge in. 8 the Duke, who often st rolls along' this 1 pleasant way, arms himself wjtfc to ' f pors, and sallies forth to d-gEty rfoaJ" -I.' among tho "t ry-your-grip" __tj___f I the fortune-telling an J t \T_ | cricketers who return your 'penny if 1 you score a bonndary. Tb«v "tiy-wmr ' ■ grip"' machino is tho Diike'B _\xtmr -1 suit. ft

Prehistoric Posters. .„ A lecturer on posters and picUms. advertising in London recently, impelled the illusion that posters aro _ modern invention. Thero is ample oviY dence, he said, from paintings t_s sculptures, that tho Egyptians recog. •. nised the advantages of mural - tisement. More recently the boobo]."" lers of ancient Athens and Rome, lila _. those of our day, advertised 'their • latest productions on the walls of thci!- - shops. Pompeii also had yielded many examples ofv mural advertisement, recent excavations having disclosed tj» fact that even the tombs wero not- - sacred to tho billposter of that period. Thero was also evidence that po6._r_ wero employed in China and Japia at a very remote period.

Donkey-Cart Domesticity. One of tho interesting exhibits at tbe Simple Life Exhibition, receut'y held ia , London, was a littlo covered donkey- 1 cart. Tho young couple to whom it : belongs have had no other home sinco they began their honeymoon in it five . years ago. They found tha lifo so delightful that they have been ho.«s» -, mooning in it ever since. "Contact, with the everyday world of toil an. - mammon," they say, "always destroys ■ lovo. But with our little cart, as it is drawn about tho country, the world '»• ■ not too much with us. and lifo is... _ perpetual honeymoon." At tliis oxhibu -. tion a si.tiiigroom-Tiitchen and a bed-room-bathroom were fitted up, showing,- * how a young married couple can enjqy-. an ideal existence in two "rooms; Lor- -"" tures were given on such subjecls'a. "How to Make Washing Up "a Plea- " sure.'* 'i' - < Lessons for '-Climbers." _ V It is told of a prbminent politician. -. that ho asked at the Windsor Castf. '• luncheon table for "a cut of ham" (bays the "Daily Mail"). If only ho'will . V take advantage of an advertiser Voffer, '■ in a contemporary, he will-know next- ■ time that he must say "a slice." THo j differenco may seem small, bu£ ths dja- - r j tinetion is colossal; Upon such''nice- -'■ ties much depends. Realising this, "a *"' Cambridge man" makes.the following,. "« offer: —Ho is "prepared ■to give instruction in cprrect idiomatic English to thoso_ who, through lack of \wrly opportunity aro at a disadvantage ia society.'' Should ■ one" say napkia .lit serviette,* erb or, herb, girl to rbym» with pearl, or g*el or gay-erl, as many of an older fashion used}' Is "vallcttv._ the "correct" pronunciation of valet",' or ought ono to call it *'vallay" ? _ Is.it .' idiomatic or only fashionable. to drop -' g's as in huntin' and dinin' ? All these ' . terribly difficult problems—difficult, that is, to those who aro not sure j)f s " themselves —tho Cambridge man wjU _ settle in strict privacy and for a fee no -_" doubt reasonable. . - - .

Synthetic Jewels. * S It will be remembored that the late - J_ Sir Julius Wernhor, chairman of De -YS Beer's Company, one of the shrewdest-/ » business men of his day, was swindled • • B in Paris by a man who professed to bo, ' 9 able to manufacture- diamonds (says the - .London correspondent of a Sydney--, paper). A well-kccwn dealer in pre-;'' -ious stonea tells mc that the raauurac- '.■■ tnro of certain kinds is a recognised and profitable .industry. Rubies of tho "V finest quality and of tbe purest "pig-; eon's blood" colour, as well as phires, spinelles, and chrysob<.i}d3, aro; t being turned out in quantity frqtit-., several laboratories in France ana Ger- B m.ny. Not only is the manufactured ' product a real ruby, but it is possible ' to produce rubies of a size and porfe.* '' tion the natural stones ra r ely equal. As. _ regards 6ize, tho average Burmese ruby- ■ weighs only one-eighth of a carat, s By bios of the same colour are easjly made in the size of five or ton carats. " > snd much larger ones have been pro-.',' fluced. A ono-carat Burmese ruby off fine colour would formerly fetch £25 - to £.0j in exceptional cases much more. ." What a similar stone would pro'-yc fi to-day. only aj gem-de.** ler can tell. But, in view of tlio fact that a perfect syn-. f.hpti . ruby of identical size, shape, ami;colour can b. bought for 10-, it «c' r * . hardly probable that the old prices for. natural stones can be maiutnined. Ef*; , for'-s to create diamonds have up t. - .- now attained on?y rnrtial eucre«-s. Tap - . best that has been done is to turn ofit of the electric furnace microscorks '*. though real stones. That was the re- . - rnlt achieved uivV - the expert eyes'of . Sir Julius Wernhor in his dealing w'tfb -__. - tho Paris necromancer. * , •'■