GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16259, 9 July 1918, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

A largo English, American, and New Zealand Expeditionary Force mail, per the Moana, will reach Christchurch this morning. A twenty-year-old recruit, C. Wend, letter-carrier, G.P.0., enlisted in Christchurch yesterday for the 45th Reinforcements.

The vestibule of the City Council Chambers presented a rather warlike appearance yesterday. The contents of a case containing a captured enemy machine-gun were on view. This is one of the war trophies allocated to Christchurch. Another one, a 77 m.m. field gun, was landed yesterday at Lyttelton.

There was a largo oongregation at Trinity Congregational Church on Sunday evening, when the choir, under the leadership of Mr J. Hayes, gave a musical service, the following taking part: — Messrs H. Blakoloy, F. Woodham, Miss Pounsford, and Mcsdames Mogridge and Smith. The Rev. G. E. Moore gave throe sermonottes at intervals between the musical items.

With every other class of stock at abnormally high level of values, the condition of the horse market is an anomaly (says_ tho "Otautau Standard"). Tho horse is one of the greatest factors in increased agricultural production; in fact, is indispensablo if production is to be maintained, and yet horses are a drug on the market. A good fourhorse team can be purchased at less money than the pre-war value of one decent gelding. Is it the shortage of suitablo trained farm labourers that accounts for this position?

There was only a small attendance at tho meotinor called yesterday by tho Mayor, Mr H. Holland, in connexion with the proposed tribute to Fiance. •Mr Holland asked for suggestions regarding the best method of raising funds for the tribute. All present agreed tiiat it would bo inopportune to hold a street collection, especially as the timo until July 14th, tho linal dato for tho receiving of subscriptions, was too short to work out a plan of campaign. Eventually it was decided to advertise tho appeal, tho mffking of arrangements in connexion with advertising to bo left in the hands of tho Mayor.

A burglar has been at work in Dunedin during tho past few weeks, quite a numbor of householders having been awakoned at night by a man going through tho rooms and_ disappearing quickly, when challenged, by an open window. Yesterday morning (telegraphs our correspondent) a Serbian named George Slavicli Milan called at the Police Station for a permit to leave tho Dominion. He was under suspicion, and on being questioned by Dotoctivp Cameron, who knew him :n Wellington, he admitted entering a houso. at night and leaving his boots, hat, and torch behind when, chased by the occupant, who was suddenly awakened by a man in the houso.

In tho sporting pages of this week's "Weekly Press':—Wellington Acceptances, by Looker On; Business for tho Racing Conference, by Wayfarer; Mr Rowe's Address to the Trotting Conferonce; Wisdom from the Ran go, by Antisthenes; Spectator's Notebook; Saratehings, by The Rook; Things Seen, by Searchlight; the Kentucky Derby won by an outsider; Roarers as Sires; the Totalisator in Victoria; How a Racing Man Struck Oil; Trotting Records: Bark to 1839; Harvester's Dam; tho Motor-cyclist _ as Aviator; La Blanche and the Pivot Blow; a Famous Refereo; a Reno Incident; Bob Fitzsimmons's Yam of his Knock-out; Wildo beats Headman; Hindenburg takes up Golf; Veteran Cricketers; Peate, a Famous Bowler.

A notice of motion by Cr. D. Mcßae was brought forward at last night's meeting of the * Woolston Boiough Council:—"That tho necessary steps Do taken to rcscind tho resolution passed by this Council on November 20th, and confirmed on December 18th, '11)16, adopting the provisions of the Lo;al Elections (Proportional Representation) Act, 1914, with respect to all general eloctions of councillors." Cr. Mcßae stated that since framing the motion hp had spoken to advocates of proportional representation, and they had said that another election was necessary before a reliable opinion could bo formed upon the subject. Ho had given the matter consideration and wished, with tho consent of the Council, to withdraw the motion for the time bomg. This course was agreed upon.

That it is not wise to be careless :n little things, a Weal residont found co his cost a few days ajgo (writes -ho "Mataura Ensign")- Some three months ago he left on a holiday to the North Island, and in the natural course of things gave the local Defence Office his future address. • Some weeks ago he returned to his hom 0 in Gore, but overlooked the necessity of informing tho Defence authorities at the town at which ho had been staying that ho intended to return homo. In the meantime ho was called up for medical examination, did not appear, and could no>, bo found. Warrants for hia arrest were issued and after some little time reached Gore, whero he was arrested and escorted to the police station to explain. A visit to the Defence Office at Invercar/rill and medical examination classifying him C 2 saved him from an awkward situation.

At last night's meeting of the Woolston Borough Council Cr. D. Mcßao complained, with reference to the night on which the tram services were curtailed on account of tho shortage of electricity, that some 39 or 40 Woolston people got on one cf the trams for Sumner, but just before it started the- conductor "chased all the Woolston people out of tho tram," and that they had to wait for about an hour before they could catch a car to their borough. Cr. G. S. White mado a statement similar to Cr. Mcßae's and said that on a night like the one in question he thought the least tho tramway people could do was to let the Woolstonites ride in tho Sumner tram. "Why should tho Sumner people be privileged to havo a car to themselves?" he asked. Ho moved that tho Tramway Board should bo written to on tho subject. In reply to a question, Cr. White mentioned "that the car which ho referred to was a stoam oiio, with trailers. Cr. White's motion was carried.

The allocation of the reward of £500, offered bv the Crown for evidence that would lead to the conviction of the murderer of tho lad • Coulthard, and of Jlr Hall, -the second victim in the West Coast shooting case, has not yet been finally determined by the Justice Department (says yesterday's "Otago Daily Times"). It is supposed that some nine persons will participate in the distribution. Tho official opinion is said to bo that if Mr M. O'Brien, th c licensee of tho Empire Hotel, in Christchurch, had not had a doubt cast, on his suspicions when he first met Eggers in his hotel, ho would have secured the full reward. When Egeers went to the hotel he deposited a portmanteau ' in the office. The licensee having occasion to po to his safe, lifted the portmanteau out of the way'. The weight of it and the fact + v fit tho man had iust arrived from the West canned a su<?nicion to flash through Mr O'Brien's mind. His suspicions were rot cT>arod by those to whom he confidentially mentioned them, and lie did not communicate with the police tint oveninsr. Subsoquentlv it wa-> Mr O'Brien \vho very materially clinched the suspicions, which at the time of the arrest were suspicions only, that had been formed regarding Eggers.

A meeting of the shareholders of the Canterbury Hall Company is to be held shortly to discuss matters oonnocted with the restoration of the building.

Meetings have been held in various parts of the Dominion in connexion with a campaign to urge Parliament to pass legislation to give the electors an opportunity of voting upon the liquor question. A convention is to be hell on Thursday in this city, and in the evening a public meeting will be held in the Choral Hall, at which addresses upon th e Efficiency Board's recommendations will be delivered by Mr James Keir, Mr A. S. Adams (of Dunedin), tho Rev. R. S. Gray, and others.

A pioce of land in Gloucester street, next to the Masonic Hall, has been purchased by the Returned Soldiers* Association as a site for new club rooms. The _ new building will be of handsome design, and will contain an office, billiard room, lounge, readinjroom, writing-room, card-room, library, etc., and a memorial hall. The present club rooms have been found much too email and quite inadequate for their purpose, and the new- building should prove as comfortable as those of its kind in the other centres. There is at present a boardinghouse on the new site, but this will be pulled down, and it is hoped that the Association will be housed in its new rooms early in the spring.

The breadwinner of a family of nine, whose ages range from three months to 14 years, appeared before Mr J. R. Bartholomew, S.M., at Oamaru, last week, in response to a judgment summons for a sum of about £12. Defendant (says tho "Mail") explained his position to tho Magistrate, stating that his weekly earnings averaged £2 10s. Mr Bartholomew remarked, that according to law full enquiry should be mado before a judgment summons was issued, but apparently no enquiry had been made in the case being dealt with. The man should never have been brought before the Court, so he would refuse order, and allow him 12s expenses fo" the time lost attending the Court. Mr Ongley asked if there was no way of making sure that the man actually would receive the expenses allowed, as plaintiff would not pny tho money, but would simply set it off against the judgment. The Magistrate pointed out that thero was no provision in the Act to prevent tho latter course.

During last winter that path through Hagley Park which leads from Armagh ti *"*tlct bridge opposite Rhodes street, was in a very ragged state. During the summer it was thoroughly renovated, and men, horses, and a road roller were occupied in reaming and widening it, with tho result that it was as good as formerly it was bad. This thorough and not inexpensive job was undertaken, it was explained, m order that the people who use tho track might walk or cycle m comfort this wintor. Winter having come, tho new track is being torn UP abolished along thme-qnartcrs of its longth, and the wretched wavfarorß—cyclist or pedestrian—on this particular routo are. now without anv path at all. Th e excellent new road that has thus beon destroyed was apparently a pieno of nerirtilturn] survey work. bem<r constructed in order to tost the capacity of the soil to grow potatoes, for the area it traversed is to Tv> devoted, so tho trorlrmpn cxnlnined yestordny. to +li e cultivation of this invigorating tuber.

The inadequate lighting of the Riccarton railway station has -for somo timo been the subject of very adverse comment at the meetings of tho Riccarton Borough Council. . To light a station properly, it was estimated would cost about £25, and the Council recently wrote to the Government asking that the work be done. At last evening's meeting of the "Council a letter was received from the Minister of Railways, through Mr G. Witty, M.P., stating that owing to the present state_ of the Department's finances nothing, could be done in the nVntter. Considerable unfavourab'e criticism followed the reading of the letter, councillors remarking in particular on the Government being unable to spend such an insignificant sum as £25 on a station on the Main North line. Incidentally, the Town Clerk explained that the original letter from the Government had been mislaid, trit tho letter laid before the Council that evening was tho gist, if not the actual wording, of the original. The Couanl resolved to assume that the Government desired to convey the impression that it could not see its way clear to light the station, and it was decided that the Lighting Committee should again take the matter in hand and wait on the District Engineer.

Mr Robert Scott, well known in dredging circles in Otago Central — he was dredgemaster of tho Hartley and Riley dredge for eight years—returned from Siam last week alter an absenco of over two years. Mr Scott was one of the overseers in a big tin dredging works in Siam—in fact, the concern is one of the biggest of its kind in the world. _ Only a few white men aro engagod in tho work, a fair proportion of whom aro New Zealanders, and there are about 700 coolies—practically all the Eastern races being represented. Mr Scott, whoso health was beginning to give way, travelled part of tho way on hi 3 return to Now Zealand by a big Dutch steamer, which had been commandeered by tho Allies. There were but seven white men in the crow. Tho captain was a naval officer, 84 yeans of ago, the second officer an ex-lighthouse keeper, and the third officer a Spaniard. One of the engineers was a civil engineer, and had never been to sea in a working capacity before. The rest of tlicrew were coolies. Mr Scott, who is in tho mid forties, says he was the oldest white man on the vessel. One ca r . imajrine tho difficulties the engineers had to work under when it is stated that no plans of the engine-room were forthcoming when the vessel was taken over on behalf of the Allies. It is said that £1000 per day is tho amount which the Dutch Government is being paid for the übo of the big 15,000-ton steamer.

All kinds of trusses at Loasby's. Stocks getting short, and no supplies arriving. Purchase now. Loasby. 2

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GOLD CAR TO LEAVE CITY

SHORTLY,

The famous Studebakcr Gold Car will be on view at Adams, Ltd.'s Showrooms, High street, only a few more days. Those who have not seen it should make a visit to-day. It is an automobile well worth seeing—the costliest and most beautiful in the world. 6 WANTED TO SELL, FOUR NEW STL'DEBAKEII CARS. We have ready for sale in our show rooms to-day one 4-cylmder Siudebaker roadster, 2-3 seater, finished in carmine, £465; one 4-cyiinder 5-seater Studebakcr touring car with two auxiliary scats, tinisiied m light brown, £465; one 6-cylinuer Studebakcr roadster, 2-3-seater, finished in lemon yellow, £565; and one ti-cylinder 5-seator Studebaker touring car with two auxiliary seats finished in dove grey. Adams, Ltd., Show Rooms, High street. 6