GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16164, 19 March 1918, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

The auction announcements of W. E. Simes and Co., and National Mortgage and Agency Co., will be found un page 9 of this issue. Mr J. A. Frostick, National ISfllciencv Commissioner, will take e-i----denoe from educationalists to : day as to the best means of improving the educational system of the Dominion. The Mavor announced yesterday that he had completed arrangements lor holding an Advance Christchurch Conference in tho City Council Chamoer on Thursday morning. A representative attendance from Canterbury and xho West Coast is expected. There was a fair-sized audience < f men in St. Michael's schoolroom lust night, when Dr. A. C. Sandston delivered an address on "Purity." The speaker touched upon the medical, social and economic aspects of this important question, and also dealt with tho legislation which had been passed and suggested to deal it. Rev. C. E. Perry occupied the chair at the meeting, and a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the speaker.

All the Canterbury rivers were re-1 ported clear yesterday. j Entries for the Christchurch Musical I and Elocutionary Competitions close cn Monday next. At the monthly symposium of :i".c Overseas C iub on Thursday evening i tho Rev. S. La wry will speak on "Some After war Industrial Problems, " and Mr C. G. Whitaker on "American Industries and the War." At the meeting of the Lyttelton Bore ugh last night, a lett;>r was received xrom the Prime Minister, acknowledging the receipt of a communication iiom the Council endorsing a resolution supporting the proposal ior the retention of German Samoa after the war. An assurance was giivn that the views of the people of Now Zealand in connexion with this :m----jvirtant question would lie impressed upon the Imperial authorities. \t a brief sitting of the Magis- j Court yesterday, before Mr T. | \ Is. Bailev." S.M., a male, first offender, lor having been found drunk ,-mi Moorhouse avenue, on Sunday, was lined five shillings. The Magistrate expressed .some curiosity as to where the man had got drink on a Sunday, and the offender stated that he had got it at "a friend's place —wine." "It must have been strong -wine, or you drank a great quantity." was Senior-j Sergeant Cummiug's comment. A resident of Kong Kong, writing ] to a friend in Christchurch, says:— "Am sending you a paper with on account of a tragedy—a hold-up. and triple murder, by a band of desperadoes —about half a mile from tho cen- j tre of tho city, and on the way to the golf links. There's no doubt it's a j parlous age, but this part of the world | always appears to be in a state of unrest. Canton, quite near here, sports a 'scrap' of some sort weakly. Europeans sort of take tea and cakes out to tho battlefield, and seldom get hurt." The Canterbury Museum has recently come into possession of an interesting shell. This is the cmbryonio form of the voluta, a spiral shell tound on Now Zealand beaches. The voluta itself is common, but the finding of its embryonic form has never previously been recorded. The shell was found 'at Stewart Island, and is the gift of Mr H. Sutor, of Hereford street. Further recent additions to tho Museum included a collection of fossils from Mataura, presented by Mr Gudex, a steel • helmet worn by • soldiers in France, and presented by Lieutenant 8. G. Sampson, and a concretion found at Hundaleo. near Kaikoura. and *.he gift of Mr G. Ponli'ngton. This concretion is shaped like a largo melon, •and its, uncommon shape and marking were responsible for a false iniDression to the effect that it was a fossil fruit. The Museum authorities intend having it snlit and polished to show its structure. Two beautiful specimens of Bird of Paradise skins-, and a mounted albatross, are among recont purchases by the Musoum. At a meetiug of the Board of Management of the Typographical Association. held on Saturday, the reply of the Minister of Labour to a resolution of the union protesting against ihe Order-in-Council covering the employment of disabled soldiers, was discussed. Tho Minister forwarded a cutting from a Wellington newspaper, which, the Minister stated, he thought replied fully to the various representations that had been made, respecting the Order-in-Council. Tt was decided to _ icply that: "This Board are cf opinion that tho powers conferred '>n the Inspector of Factories are arbitrary and autocratic inasmuch as they do not provide sufficiently for an expression of tho opinions of trade union officials on the value of discharged r.oldiers' labour in cortain industries. Wo are further of opinion that the waies paid to the returned soldiers should be fixed periodically by a committee consisting of a representative of the union concerned, an employer in the industry concerned, and the Conciliation Commissioner."

Two of the cases which came before the Arbitration Court yesterday v. ere applications by the unions concerned for amendments to the agreements previously entered into before the Conciliation Council between employers and employees. With those amendments, it was asked that the agreements should be made into awards. In each instance, the employers objected on the grounds that an agreement had already been reached, and the Court agreed that unless there were special circumstances involved, to alter xlie agreements would bo contrary to the whole scheme of conciliation. At the conclusion of the second case, Mr Broadliead, for the employers, deprecated such action on tho part of unions, and suggested that it would be a good thing wero the Court to give n definite ruling nrohibitimj such applications. His Honour Mr Justice Stringer, however, pointed out to Mr Broadhead that such agreements came from the Council to the Court merely as recommendations, and wero in no way binding on the Court. It vas always open to either party concerned to object to any clause —unions were quite within their rights in doing so.

The members of the Lyttelton Harbour Board were the guests of the chairman (Mr Albert Kaye) at lunch at the United Service Hotel at the conclusion of the annual meeting yesterday. After the meal, when the Sarty was enjoying coffe.e and a smoke, Ir George Scott (deputy-chairman) proposed a hearty vote of thanks to the chairman, 'and in doing so eulogised the work done by Mr Kaye os chairman. Other members spoke to similar effect, and Mr H. F. Nicoll expressed the hope that they would see Mr Kaye chairman for the coming year. In acknowledging the vote of thanks Mr Kaye said that it had been his intention to visit England this year, but in the present-state of things in connexion with the war ho did not think it right for anyone, unless the reasons were very urgent, to go Home. Therefore, if in their wisdom, kindness, and goodness, they decided to appoint him for another year, he would bo very glad to accept office because he liked the work exceedingly. Mr Kaye proposed a vote of thanks to the Board's staff, and Mr Cyrus J. R. Williams (secretary and engineer) acknowledged the vote

The transport of grain on the Southbridge branch railway last week .vas somewhat hampered by the shortage of Eheets for covering the loaded trucks. As a matter of fact, the Department has a very large number of sheets, moro than enough for all requirements during the greater part of the year, but at the present time grain is being poured into Christchurch as fast as passible from all parts of Canterbury, and if care is not exercised in the distribution of sheets, trucks at some stations may have to stand idle lor want of covering. At present tbe distributing is being done direct from Christchurch, a certain number being apportioned to each • station. This system is not considered the best for the reason that sheeis may be urgently required at certain stations, while at other stations there may be some lying idle, while in tho case of flag stations it is not always easy to ascertain whether the tarpaulins are being used for covering trucks or for keeping ;,he rain out of stacks of grain. on some of the farms. There is a case on >ecord of a large Canterbury farmer borrowing no fewer than 37 sheeis to cover stacks of bags on his farm. When it was found out the farmer received a bill for the use of the sheets for a month at the rate of 3s per sheet ptr day. Undoubtedly this practice is still indulged in to some extent. A better system of distributing, in the opinion of some railway-men of long experience, would be to give the guard a certain number of sheets to distribute each trip to the best advantage. He .would, of course, be in a position to see how many each station required.

Not since 1902, in recent years, has less tonnage passed over the i>yttelton wharves than was the casejn 191 / • Last year tho total was 473,043; in 1902, it was 451,369. A Wellington telegram states that Cabinet yesterday agreed to* make temjjorarv provision for the dependants of men of the mercantile marine who lose their lives by enemy act. The Board of Trade pension is payable when a man's loss is definitely proved. but some time elapses before the payments reach the dependants in New Zealand. Henrv A. Slater, who is represented as having had a unique record of military service, is' working on the Newcnstlo trams. His cse has been brought under the notice of Mr Hughes, Prime Minister of Australia, and if his statements are substantiated, efforts are to be made to secure a more suitable position for him. Slater states that at 10 he saiv service at Abyssinia as a trumpeter with tho Royal Horse Artillery. Afterwards lie was at Afghanistan as a corporal in the Royal Horse Artillery. He s?rved with Lnrd Kitchener through the Egyptian War, and was at Tel-El-KebirT' He went through tho Boer War, and for 13 mouths hs was in the present war, taking part in tho retreatfrom Mens. He was wounded, and recommended for the V.C., but was awarded a D.C.M. instead, and made a King's Corporal. To recover his health he wont 1o Australia, and enlisted later with the A.1.F., but was invalided back after 22 months' service, suffering from the effects of liquid fire. Slater made a furthor effort to enlist again, but was rejected. Want a Truss? Let Loasbv ft yon. Large assortment just landed. Why suffer? Come and "ask Loasby about it." Advice and medicine, 3s 6d ; children, 2s. 1 You can depend upon everything being done promptly _ and well if you only hand your shipping documents to J. M. Heywood and Co., Ltd, They are recognised as experts at this work. Telephones 250, 1241, and 2174. G The delight of thrifty wives! "Golden Rule" soap, "Golden Rule" candles, ■'No Rubbing" laundry help. 'Phono your orders—Wardell Bros, and Co. 2 When you send a soldier a "Steffano Webb" portrait you are sure to please him, for it will.be tho best you can obtain 252 High street. Tel. 1989. 1 Eye Strain. —Persistent headaches are in most cases the result of muscular eye strain. Have your eyesight scientifically testod by Walter J. Watson, D.8.0.A., London, of Watson's "Jewellers" Limited. Glasses aro only recommended when absolutely necessary, and are prepared in neat and becoming rimless designs. 6 A Bazaar in sunport of the Presbyterian Church will be held in the Druids' Hall, Lincoln, on March 21st, to be opened at 2.30 p.m. by the Hon. C. A. C. Hardy, M.L.C. 1 The ''Sturgis" Collapsible Push-car embodies all the latest features in baby carriages. Faces mother or father. Grey, Tan. or Black colours. Prices from £5 15s. Try ''I>raytons," 765 Colombo street. 0 FOR SALE—BUICK SIX-CYLINDEIt FIVE-SEATER. PRICE £350 NET CASH. We have for immediate sale a Buick six-cylinder five-seater (1916 model). This car is in exceptionally good order, having recently been overhauled and repainted. Complete, with electric lamps, horn, and self-starter. Price for quick sale £350. Adams, Ltd., 219 Tuam streot. (>