General News.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19164, 22 November 1927, Page 10

General News.

An outbreak of fire occurred in tho Lyttelton School on Sunday morning. The Canterbury Education Board will hold an enquiry into its cause at 10.30 a.m. on Wednesday. The Canterbury Education Board has received 159 applications for 93 positions of probationary teachers. The applicants will be asked to interview Board members and the senior inspector, with a view to selection. They will be expected to teach in schools'nearest their own homes. It is estimated by the Wellington City Council :hat daylight saving will result in a reduction in the consumption of electricity by ten per cent, which will reduce the -revenue of the Department by £SOO or £6OO a week, or over the period of 17 weeks from £BOOO to £IO,OOO. —Press Association. It was reported to yesterday's meeting of tho Tramway Board that the extension of the Lyttelton Harbour Board's lease of the office suite on the top flat of the Board's building required certain structural alterations, and! the tender of Messrs P. Graham and Son, at £263, had been accepted bv the Works and Traffic Committee. The committee's action was approved. During the session of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of New Zealand, yesterday, the floor was held by a layman, and he used the expression, "the only fly in the ointment," and, doing so, apologised for the use of what he termed a vulgarism. The next speaker was not one of the laity, and he corrected the previous member of the Assembly, pointing out that the phrase was a Biblical one. Infectious and other notifiable diseases reported in the Canterbury and West Coast Health Districts during the week ended noon yesterday totalled 35, as follows:—Canterbury—Scarlet fever, 9; diphtheria, 3, tuberculosis, 10; pneumonia, 3; pneumonic influenza, 4; puerperal sepsis, 3; ophthal-' mia neonatorum, 1. West CoastDiphtheria, 1 ; tuberculosis, 1. Deaths: Canterbury—Pneumonic influenza, 2. West Coast—lnfantile paralysis, 1. In pursuance of the authority contained in Section 70 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1920, the Christchurch City Council last night resolved to request the Stipendiary Magistrate to appoint Mr EL Macintosh (Chief Traffic Inspector) and Mr John Bruorton (Assistant Traffic Inspector) to be special inspectors with* jurisdiction within the Doundary of Christchurch, such appointments to be for the period November 22nd, 1927, to November 21st, 1928. The Resident Engineer Public Works Department (Mr F. Langbein) told a reporter yesterday that he has had no advice that the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. Mr will formally open the Selwyn traffic bridge on December 3rd. A formal opening could take place on that date, but the bridge could not be opened for traffic till December 15th or 16th, as a certain period)—twenty-eight days —must elapse to allow tho concrete surface to dry.

The spectacle of the superintendent of police, two representatives of the city traffic department,* and several Auckland business men engaging in >i series of circuits of the statue of Robert Burns in the Auckland Domain absorbed the attention of a number of motorists one evening' last wack. Some wit informed the gathering Ui*t the party was trawling for motor thieves, but the outing was simply an inventor's demonstration of an antidazzle headlight.

Regarding the suggestion that beach patrols should be provided during the coming surfing season at Sumner f nd New Brighton, Mr D. Wilson, secretary of the Surf and Life-Saving Association, mentioned at last night's meeting of that body that a meeting of representatives from the seaside resorts and of the Association had been arranged for Monday evening next, the business being to make arrangements for a deputation to the City CouncilMr Wilson said that he had received a copy of the duties of the beach patrol at Lyall Bay, Wellington. The patrolmen were employed and paid by Ihe Wellington City Council. Some of the privileges enjoyed by local authorities in New Zealand are not approved by the Auckland Cham-; ber of Commerce. At a meeting ofthe council of the Chamber last week, it was decided to represent to the Government that the privileged position of local authorities -in regard to the limitation of time within which actions might be brought against them should be modified and brought into line with private traders. Further, that such anomalies of the local body legislation as those preventing the refund of rates inadvertently twice paid must be removed, and that all local body trading departments be required to bring down annual accounts prepared in accordance with the principles commonly ftdaoted har Drivatelr-ownad concerns.

In reply to a question at last night's meeting of the City Council, Cr. J. W. Beanland said no date had yet been decided on for the opening of the new Concert Hall, as it was not known when the building would be completed.

Owing to the inability of Counaillor Can- to organise "Health Week" this year the Health Committee recommended to the City Council last night that no further steps be taker with regard Ho the matter. The committee also pointed out that the period recommended for the campaign by the Health Week authorities in England had already passed. The report was adopted. The By-laws and Finance Commitee reported to the City Council last night, that in view of the very satisfactory manner in which traffic was controlled in the City during the recent Carnival Week, the committee had expressed its appreciation to the members of the traffic staff for the work carried out by them in this connexion.

"Js it true that licenses have been refused to sandwich men?" asked Cr. G. Manning, at last night's meeting of the City Council. "The whole question is under consideration," replied the Mayor, who added that the sandwich men and their employers had been invited to meet the By-Laws Committee to consider the matter, but had not yet done so.

Speaking with regard to a proposal to issue licenses to barrowmen to sell fruit on the streets of Christchurch, Cr. G. W. Hunter, at last night's j meeting of the City Council said he ! understood that the president of the Stonefruit and Tomato Growers' Association was being boycotted because cf his action in supporting it. His fruit was being refused in nearly all the markets. What action will the ByLawß Committee take? asked Cr. Hunter. It was decided to refer the matter to the Committee with power to grant the applicant referred to a license if there was authority for so doing. In reference to the proposed introduction of nightingales to Little Barrier Island, the Minister for Internal Affairs states that it is against the policy of the Government to allow imported birds to be liberated in sanctuaries such as Little Barrier , Island, which have been set aside specially as sanctuaries for the preservation of indigenous birds. It is illegal for any person to introduce birds to the Dominion without the consent of the Minister for Internal Affairs, and no such consent has been given in the case of the birds referred to. Instructions have been issued that the birds are not. to be allowed to be landed without the necessary authority.—Press Association.

During last night's session of the Presbyterian Assembly a cable was read from China, but it was worded in an unusual way. Instead of the usual wording Biblical references were given. Tile first was verse five of the twelfth chapter of Eomans, which reads: "So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and everyone members one of another." The second reference was from the ninth chapter of Matthew, verse 37, which is as follows:' "Then saith he unto his disciples; the harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few." The assembly instructed the Eev. Mr MeNeur to frame a suitable reply and appreciation of the message was expressed.

The By-laws and Finance Committee of the City Council reported to last night's meeting that the secretary of the Municipal Association of New Zealand had intimated that the next annual conference of delegates would be held at Nelson, commencing on tho second Wednesday in March, and asked that remits for inclusion in the Order Paper for the conference be in his hands not later than December Ist next. The committee recommended that a number of remits, which were submitted by the Council and carried at the last conference, but have not become law, be again forwarded with a view to their being given effect to by the Government. The report was adopted.

When a small case of gloves imported from Antwerp was opened by John Court, Limited, Auckland, it was found that a considerable portion of the shipment was missing.- The cargo pillagers had removed one of the battens which ran lengthwise round the box, and had then sawn the side from top to bottom, making it easy to open the foil lining. When the batten had been nailed on again it was impossible to tell that- the box had been tampered with, all the seals and metal tapes being intact. So skilfully was the theft carried out that it is believed to have been the work of an organised gang operating at the Continental port of shipment. Altogether 74 dozen gloves were taken, valued at £ls, and as the shipping comnany had given delivery, the loss will fall on the consignees.

Copies of the report recently prepared by the Canterbury Progress League apropos of the present and future electric power requirements of Canterbury and Otago, were received at last night's meeting of the City Council. In a covering letter it was stated that the estimates of future demand for power, which had been carefully computed after consultation with supply authorities and direct consumers, indicated the necessity for immediate steps being taken by the Government for the development of the Waitaki scheme so that a shortage of power might be avoided. It was proposed shortly to call a conference pf all concerned, to impress upon the Government its responsibilities to the power consumers. It was decided to thank the League for the report.

The Western Timber Co., which was recently refused permission to establish a timber-yard and workshop at the corner of Moorhouse and Hagley avenues, has now written to the City Council, asking whether a section under offer to the company, and situated in Carlyle street, Sydenham, would be approved by the ,Town Planning Committee. The section referred to adjoins a monumental works and was recently vacated by a building contractor. At present it contains an old joiner's shop and timber racks .used by tho previous occupier. The committee reported to the City Council last night that it was of opinion that the site in question was in a business area and had accordingly informed the applicants that it had no objection to the carrying on of their business thereat.

"Do we want our surf swimmers to be a legion of German soldiers?" asked Mr C. A. Cooper, chairman of the Canterbury Surf and Life-Saving Association at last night's meeting of the Association, when it was suggested that a parade of life-saving teams should be held when the competitions for interclub trophies are held. _ Mr Cooper's reference was to ceremonial parades -n which the members of the life-saving teams march using the goose-step. While they wanted members to be under discipline and to be generally smart, he added, they did not want to see the fellows turned into tin soldiers. Eventually the chairman remarked that it would be a good idea to have a parade of the teams before the competition, and he did not think that it would be "exceeding the speed limit." Canterbury life-saving teams were well balanced enough not to make it a tin soldier parade.

The Hotel Federal's new and up-to-date dining-room is now completed with accommodation for 200 guests, and specialising in casual luncheons from 12.30 to 2 p.m. Six courses (including grills), 23 6d. 'Phone 1040 to reserve tablee. —6