GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16417, 10 January 1919, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

Yesterday's river report was as follows: Waimakiriri North -clear; \\ aimakariri South, clear: Kakaia, dirty; Rangitata, clear; Opihi, clear. Mr W Chrvstall has forwarded a cheque for £3 3s to the recreation fund ofl!he local Fire Brigade m apprecuv tion of services rendered at tho outbreak at his residence on Tuesday. Tho stiff blow experienced on Wednesday brought down one of the fine willow trees on tho river bank near the Barbadoes street bridge, the tree failing across the river. Slight damage to trees and shrubs in the Botanic Gardens was also done by the gale. Wednesday's Greymouth "Star" says: During the war coal-mining was an essential industry, and men so employed were exempt from military service. Ihe war is over, and tho necessity for workins; the coal mines does not remain. Iho consequence is that many have left the State mines and gone to other parts of the Dominion. The despatch of" oversea mails from New Zealand lias been considerably disorganised owing to the trouble, and tho postal officials sometimes *cceivo very short notice of a vessel's sailing. They are therefore often unablo to announce when a mail is leaving. All mail matter is despatched by the tirst available route. "I have never been before a Magistrate before in my life," declared a man who was charged in the Magistrate's Court yesterday with assault. "Indeed," remarked the police prosecutor. "Weren't you fined £5 for a similar offence in Blonheim?'' "Oh, | yes," replied tho accused, "but I was not before the Magistrate. In fact, I did not appear, and I was fined in my absence." "That kind of statement is a bit thin," commented the Magistrate, Mr S. E. McCarthy, in imposing sentence. Tho present fsavs an exchange) is perhaps tho most unseasonable summer experienced in Taranaki. With tho exception of a few days before Christmas' tho weather has never been such as to induce one to leave off winter wearing apparel. This can bo understood when it is mentioned that the average temperature so far has been 11 degrees belo>v normal summer temperature. On iNew Year's Day the maximum temperature was 65 degrees, and the minimum 30 degrees . Last month snow fell on Mount

Egmont on four days—quite an uncom- I mon occurrence ior the time of the year, j Tho position of the fruit market continues unsettled, with no prospects of relief in tho near future (says the Auckland "Star"). The weather has been; very favourable to tho depredations <>f black spot, anl, as a result, a largo quantity of fruit has been rendered useless. This drastic wiping out of fruit has been accounted for in some quarters by lack of extra precautionary spraying measures on the part of fruit farmers. Pears have suffered -Worst, growers < f this fruit finding themselves without any this year in comparison with a good yield last year, despite the spot. It will bo ahother month before fresh bananas are on the market, and, with, tho exception of plums, a few peaches, and green apples, the market is practically bare of fruit. State forestry business lias occupied the attention of the Commissioner of State Forests, Sir Francis Bell, during his visit to Auckland. Prior to his departure ror Rotorua on Sunday, Sir Francis informed the Auckland "Herald" he had arranged for the railway sawmills to be taken over by the Stato Forestry Department. During his visit to Rotorua he will discuss witli the Natives tho question or tho ownership of the bush at the edges of the lakes in the district, and he will also visit the prison plantations. Towards the end of the week he will leave with the Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald for the East Coast, travelling via Whakatane and Opotiki to Gisborne, and visiting tho Stato forests en route.

i A gold and diamond ring, valued at £120, was tho subject of a case heard before Mr F. V. Frazer, S.M,, in the Wellington Magistrate's Court on Wednesday,. when Thoinas Perry was charged with stealing it. The ring belonged to John Collins, of Dunedin, who was a passenger to Wellington by the steamer Maori on November 18rd. fie went into the bathroom, and lefthis ring there. Finding later that he had left it behind he interviewed the stewards, including the accused, and all denied having seen the ring. Later the room occupied by the accused in Wellington was searched, and the ring was found there. although accused, said Detective Carney,, had previously denied that it was in his possession. Accused then said that he had found the ring in the lavatory and taken it to his room. pleaded guilty, and was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence. The return of the rins to Mr Collins was ordered by the Magistrate.

At a meeting of the Wellington Influenza Epidemic Relief Committee held on Tuesday, a number of cases were dealt with. Some, the "Mayor stated afterwards, required merely temporary assistance, and o.thers wore being financed until they got back to normal conditions. Generally speaking, the extraordinary position in regard to many people's affairs brought about bv the epidemic was being remedied, and tho committee is hopeful that within a month there will be no necessity for continuing temporary assistance." "J sincerely hope that will be tho case ; " said Mr Luke, "because tho sooner" the people who hove suffered are enabled by the generosity of the public, to resume their ordinary conditions the better it will bo for the community as a whole." Tho Mayor added that there had been many sad_ cases, and some had given the committee a great deal of trouble, but the public had been extremely generous and tho committee had been able to. carry out its work in a reasonable manner. Tho question of dealing, with the balance of the fund would be considered at a meeting to be held very soon. There would be a substantial amount available, and it would be a niatter for onrnest consideration that it should bo expended in tho direction °f providing permanent relief on linos that would be considered reasonable by tho general body of the public.

In those dnys, when tho subject of | immigration is again topical, the following statement of the Hon. W. D. S. MncDonald has special point:—"l am still of opinion that the men who have been awav four and a-half years have the right to return to the Dominion before any immigration sckemo on a largo scale is carried out," continued tho Minister. • '"'This, of course, is my private opinion. I have not discussed tho matter with my colleagues. In, regard to the futuro policy of the country, no man is more alive than I to the fact that we must fill up the empty spaces and so increase our productive powor. T am of opinion, however, that in the future we must make a more suitable selection of thoso wo bring to our shores The people necessary to the development of the country are thoso with a knowledge of farm and agricultural work, but Britain herself requires men of that description, and every other country ako rea.uires them. Up to tho present, very many of the immigrants. have been/members of trades and professions. In regard to the immigrant question rrenoralh", whatever Government is dealing with tho. matter in the future will require io make tho country attractive to the immierrant, and those in power will expect loyaltv and contentment among the new arrivals brought to our chores. Therefore we must nowsnrilv be prepared to improve the conditions under which our people live, lvnth in the town and the country. These improvements, for instance should be in the direction of more up-to-date housing, and better educational facilities, the last-named matter boinc one of special importance in the back blocks."

Owing to an alteration in the date o'"a ling of the Makura. the English °nd American mail, which was to have left bore to-day, is now postponed until next 'Wednesday, at - On Wednesday evening the Asliburton police received advice J*m hm, o and handedovor tothe military authorities. ]Wd had tam »a»M sinco June last. rpv train a nd coach service i + r, olfristchurcli and Grey mouth, botweenO.rstcln-rcn holid has which was run climuP The traffic thu now been uc - t of j year was not so year. vp t "M.P. for Oamaru, has sent word from'the Mount ermitage that he has been lnfoimed i>} the Hon. T M. Wilford, Minister for Marine, that trout fishing in salmon rivers will' be extended to the end of February.

The Industries Committee of the House of Representatives will sit. in various centres of the Dominion duimg February and March to hear cvicenee. Those desirous of giving evidence bcioi'e the committee are asked to write to the secretary Mr A. E. Briggs, 1 arliamentarv Buildings, Wellington. . The R.M.S. Moana, which is due at Wellington at the end of next weeit from San Francisco, is bringing w'2l sacks of mail matter, of which o(3jJ3 sacks comprise American parcels, Tho balance consists of letters from the United Kingdom and tho United States of America. The attention of parents is directs:! to the new day mid boarding school conducted by the Sisters of Mercy in "\ uli Maria." Upper Riccartnn._ Situated <~ii Yaldhurst rond, and having en t ran cos from Peer street and Wakefield .road, .the school combines the advantages of eountrv life* with easy communication with the city. Both primary and <-.e----ondary courses are included in the syllabus," and, if preferred, a commercial course may be taken bv punils. Music receives much attention, and pupils are prepared for practical and theoretical examinations.

Caledonian sports are to be revived in Wellington, the Scottish Society having decided to hold a gathering there next New Year's Day. Long ago there was a flourishing Caledonian Society in Wellington, and the sports which it oarried out on the Basin Reserve on the first day of each year were most successful. Big prize money was given and competitors were attracted from all parts of the Dominion. On one occasion over 10,000 pooplo were present. Interest in the affaire of the society gradually slackened. and for many years the organisation has been a thing of the past.

A court-martial will be held at the King Edward Barracks at 11 a.m. today to hear a charge of being absent without leave against George Deano and one of disobeying lawful commands in refusing to be medically examined, against H. E. Granger. Major A. E. Loach will preside, and with him will be Major Osborne Smith and Lieutenant D. Wood. Captain H. (*. Livingstonewill be prosecutor, and Lieutenant H. J. Sampson waiting member. To-morrow, at 10 a.m. at the same place, a reservist named McLachlan will be tried for failing to parade for camp.

A deputation from the Akaroa Borough Council, consisting of Messrs R. W. Leete and T. Lewitt, waited upon Sir James Allen yesterday afternoon, and asked that Akaroa he listed as a tourist resort. So far, they said, the Tourist Department had not placed the district upon its list of resorts, though it was one of the most attractive in New Zealand. It should bo advertised in the same way as Mount Cook, Taupo, and other places. Sir James Allen promised to refer their representations to the Minister in chargo of tourist resorts.

All arrangements are well forward for the Canterbury Horticultural Society's Sweet Pea Show, which takes place in the Art Gallerv to-day. Tho entry is a large one. The trade will be well represented. His Excellency tho GovernorGeneral will visit the show at 4 p.m., and General Pau and the members of the French Mission between 4.30 and 5 p.m. The show will be open to the public from 2to 10 p.m. Entries for the cottage garden competition have been extended till January 24th at 8 p.m.

When impressing the value of varied study upon a riewly-inducted minister, the Rev. A. Wedderspoon, of the Southland Presbytery, said that a preacher of the Gospel should read the daily papers as many magazines as possible, poetry) novels, and humour from Aristophanes to Stephen Leacock, besides oonsuming deeper- works. "About this time," Mr Wedderspoon declared, "I give myself jp to a few months of desultory readm6-, At others I may concentrate for montlis on any subject which comes into my head, _ borrowing and buying every book bearing on the subject that I can lay my hands' on."

An American trade circular to hand' by tho last mail states: (< The committee appointed to investigate the unsatisfactory aircraft production during the first year of the war, has just made a report. It finds that deplorable conditions, due to incompetence, extravagance, and neglect, existed at that time, but only J n 9 no instance was flagrant dishonesty indicated, and a court-martial is recommendod in that case. Facts and figures recently published have shown that air. craft production is at last on a satisfactory basis, and if the war should go on there is every reason to think that the I'ooord of America's achievements in tho air will be equal to that of any branch of the service."

At a largely attended meeting of tho Returned Soldiers' Association Building Campaign Committee last evening, Mr 0. 1. J. Alpers presiding, steps were taken to initiate a public appeal in connexion with tho proposed Soldiers' Club and Memorial HaJl. It was decided to resort to direct appeal only, and a plan of campaign was drawn up, the city being divided'into blocks, canvassers being allocated to each clock. The meeting approved of a circular being sent out in the course of tho next few days to a number of leading citizens, the circulars being followed up by a personal canvass. It is anticipated that the building campaign will bo under way in earnest in tho course of the _ next week. The Association is aiming at raising from £20,000 to £25,000. of which sum it is proposed to spend from £15,000 to £20,000 on tho site and the erection of-a Hall of Memories, the remainder being used to convert the premises at present on the site into a suitable Soldiers' Club.

The abnormal weather conditions which prevailed during last winter and spring," and which have been a marked feature of the present summer season, were discussed by Mr Clement L. Wraggo at Auckland on Monday. Mr Wragge remarked that probably never before within tho record of present times liad the sun displayed such remarkable activity as had been tho caso during the last few years. Mighty storms from 20,000 to 80, GOO miles iii diameter had been raging with terrifying energy in the sun, with gigantic hydrogen flames from 00,000 to 320,000 miles high playing around it, and with winds on an immense scale of which the average man had not the faintest conception. It was held by astronomers and meteorological observers a.s a sound working hypothesis that the fearful energy let loos© 'by the solar maximum had caused tho icefields in the Antarctic to become broken up. The ice had been carried by currents from the h : gh Pclar latitudes" into the lower latitudes of New Zealand r>nd the Southern hemisphere generally, and, thus distributed further north, hod intensified tho Antarctio low-pressure by tho uprush of latent heat set free. Hence Antarctic winds and gradients, passing towards the moro rarifi.xl atmospijeie of tho tropics, had caused the "cold weather during the last winter and spring andf daring the present summer season.

' uni' a h°ur last night a girl named Mills, residing with her parents at Belinst, was admitted to the Hospital to roceivo attention to injuries resulting f r °m falling off the roof of a house. Sho nau been playing with a ball, and went on to the roof to recover it.

A capital joke, which one.of Oamaru'6 leading doctors gleefully tells against liimself, was recently played uipon him !'? a cann y Scotchman, who accosting -ho doctor, askod him what his fee ■would be to visit a sick man living in a certain oountrv district. "Four guineas, was the reply. Agreeing, tho pair motored out, and on arrival, tho doctor was informed that the was his passenger-inquirer. "Mon," said he, "they taximon bo fair robbers, they asked me five guineas, and I tlioct maybe ye wad come cheaper." Superior perfumery at Loasby's mako splendid gifts. Atkinson and lardley's perfumes in cut glass bottles and presentation caskets. Old English Lavender Water and Eau do Cologne. Best English and French hair brushes for ladies and gentlemen, and manicure 6etj in unexcelled variety and value at Loasby's, Chemists. 1 The Ladies' Committee of the Canterbury Sweet Pea and Carnation Society, have arranged to hold a sale of wot, bedding-out-, vegetable plants, and flowers, to-day (Friday), in the Patriotic Bazaar, Cathedral square. Also the sale of badges, of which 13,000 have been given. The wearer of these badges will bo admitted free to tho Show on l>eeombor 16th, which is to bo held in v ictoria square. Anyone having pot plants, or plants of any description, or flowers to spare, tlio committee would bo grateful if thoy would seud them to tho ll.izaar early this morning Friday. Tho whole of the proceeds will bo d<vvoted to the Royal Horticultural Society's effort to re-stock the gardens that have been destroyed by tho Huns in Franco and Belgium. 1 A great purchase. Ladies' ready-to-wear straw hats, of high class, usually pricod at from 15s 6d to 3os. We are veiling at 4s lid, 5s lid, and 8s lid. Armstrong's, Limited. 1 To havo good eyesight from the very commencement of 1919 should be the aim of everyone, and thoso people who have a suspicion that thoir eyes are not just right should lose no time in calling on Walter J. Watson, D.8.0.A., Loudon, Expert .Optician, who can by the most approved scientific testa, tell them exactly what their requirements are. 695 Colombo street, Christchurch. 4 "No Rubbing" Laundry Help does washing while you rest. Is packet sufficient for seven weekly family washings. Wonderful for labour saving and perfect cleansing qualities. Kincaid's, Ltd. o In bush rugs, camp rugs, and travelling rugs, Armstrong's excel. Largo stocks bought early allow special prices. Bush rugtt 5s lid, 7s lid, to 13s 6d, oxtra largo checked rugs 176 6d, 19s 6d; travelling rugs 29s Od. 425, 55s 6d, 69s 6d. 2 HANI>Y 2-SEATER FORD, £140. Now on view—Two-seater Ford, newly painted dove grejr; electric lights and new tyres. Suitable for commercial man. £140. Adams, Ltd., Garage, 219 Tuam street. 6 LIGHT 4-SEATER TOURING CAR, £235. For sale, a bargain—Neat-looking, light 4 cyl., 4-6 seater touring car, finished in dark blue. Magneto ignition. "Hoodite" seat, covers, and full equipment. £235. - Adams, Ltd., Garage, 219 Tuam streot. 6 HANDSOME 3-SEATER STUDEI BAKER. £275. Ready for delivery—Throe-seater, 4-cyl., Studehaker, beautifully finished in cream. Electric lighting and selfstarter. Five good tyres an 3 usual equipment. Sound investment at £275. Adams, Ltd., Garage, 219 Tuam street. , 6