General News.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18896, 11 January 1927, Page 8

General News.

I -—♦- Already the Railway Department has made arrangement* fop fifty Excursions in February. Several will have two train.s, and the. tot*) number of ordered &Q f*r 18 471. Two members of the railway clerical staff are working on the arrangements fcr special trains in connexion with the visit of the Duke and Duchess of York. The time-table will' not be cerupleted for several weeks. There has been added to the exhibits at the Christehurch Museum a collection of inseets introduced to New Zealand to counteract certain pests. A white starling has been presented by Mr S. Wellsman, of Masterton. The nest refresher course for pilots wij] commence at the Wigram Ae'rodrorne on February Ist, when fifty men will undergo training in batches ef ten each. Wireless conversation experiments will be among the tests to be carried out. Wielders of the rod spent a very disappointing week-end at all the nearby fishing rivers, bags being few and few between. The scarcity can be ascribed to no particular reason escept varying weather conditions which cause tjie fish to move rapidly from plaee to place. For some time past work has been carried on in the Christehurch Public Hospital in renovating the corridors. All the wa|ls havs been sandpapered, and repainted. Instead of the orthodox white, a light blue-green colour has been used, and the change is most effective,

Word has been received at tho Wigram Aerodrome that some of the new aeroplanes recently ordered are now on their way to New Zealand. One of these is a fighter, the gift of Sir Henry Wigram. The machine will be capable of attaining a speed of 180 miles per hour—the fastest in New Zealand.

No further advance has been made in the scheme for giving territorials, with the necessary qualifications an opportunity to undergo a eourse ef airtraining at the Wigram Aerodrome. In fact, the dave for the putting into operation of the new scheme has been postponed for six months, and will now probably commence in November of this year. During their long Christmas vacation it has become the habit of many pupil teachers to supplement their rather meagre salaries by undertaking harvesting work, This practice is not regarded kindly by the General Labourers' Union, however, the secretary having made a statement that he considers it unfair for men in employment to accept such work. The popular sport of joy-riding by aeroplane has been occupying much of the time of Wigram Aerodrome pilots this summer, an average number of half a dozen people making tripß over the city per day. Most of the joyriders are visitors to Christehurch, who are making the most of +he many advantages tho City has to, offer. They are being taken up chiefly by Captain Buckley, who is in charge of the aerodrome during the absence of Captain J. L. Findlay, who is at present on leave. No one can get better service than that given by J. Hevwood and Co., Ltd., either as furniture removers, Custom House Agents, or General Carriers. —G

Westland affords a splendid holiday for motorists. Good roads to all tho popular resorts. Magnificent scenery by the way. Good accommodation. Tour the Coast. —l2