General News.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20097, 28 November 1930, Page 12

General News.

* "If the mountain will not come to Mahomet, Mahoinet must go to the mountain." remarked his Honour, Mr ..usticf Adams, in the course of the hearing of the trade mark case in the Supreme Court yesterday, when he leit tho Bench to inspect a large plough exhibited on the floor of the Court. At a meeting last evening of the committee of the Port Christcliui cli League, a draft copy of the constitution and rules of the League was approved, prior to making application to the Registrar of Incorporated Societies, Wellington, for registration as an incorporated body. The North Canterbury Electric I'ower Board announces that, weothej permitting, power will be cut off the following portion of the Board's area "<o-inorrow, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sunday, from 9 a.m. to C p.m. Fernsido, Springbanlc, Cust, West Eyreton, Summerhill, and Oxford County.

The D.H. HO aeroplane of Air Travel .Services made a further trip to Dunedin and back yesterday. No passengers were carried by the aeroplane on the out journey, but one was brought back. The pilot, Mr M. C. McGregor, told a reporter that although a southerly gale was blowing most of the day, both journeys were quite uneventful. The times wore: Out, two hours 10 minutes; return, two hours.

The War Pensions Appeal Board will hold sittings in Christcliurch this morning and Monday morning. The Board in Canterbury, Wcstland, Nelson, and 'Marlborough, consists of Sir Walter •Stringer (chairman), Dr. P. A. Ardagh (reprenenting the Government), and I)r. A. J. Orchard (the Returned Soldiers'. Association). Monday's sitting will conclude the present session, and the Board 77U1 adjourn until next March.

The closing down of the Hell Hill find Uii-Ru sawmills lias thrown 100 riien out, of work, says the "Grey River Argus," arid the management of these ir<i!ls do not anticipate that any cutting will be done for a period of three months. Some single men have already left Bell Hill to seek work, but enquiries lead to the belief that their quest will be hopeless. Mr J. O'Brien, S».P.. is making an effort to have some giants on the Public Works Estimates expended to give temporary relief to th<» unemployed sawmill workers.

Two of the Defence Department's Moth aeroplanes left Wigram Aerodrome vesterday morning for Wellington. One. piloted b.v Sqnadron-Leader J. L. Findlay, carried as passenger Mr R. J. Gibhs, the radio expert at Wigram ; the other was piloted b.v the Director of Air Services (Wing-Corn-rriandor S. Grant Dalton). The machine flown bv Squndron-Leader Findlav is intended for the use of the Weßtern Federated (North Island) Flying Club, and he will return to Christchurnh in the aeroplane taken bv Wing-Commander Grant Dalton. Mr Gihbs is proceeding directly to Auckland, where ho will stay for about a week.

If black rabbits are as lucky as black cats are supposed to be, Auckland's cricket representatives should defeat Wellington when the Plunlcet Shield match is played at Eden Park in. the New Year, says the Auckland "Star." For two years a black rabbit lias made its home at the cricket and Rugby headquarters, and it was never more lively than it is this "summer." Every morning when Mr George Mills, the veteran representative player and groundkeeper, goes on to the field to commence his day's work, he is met by the rabbit, which has a sweet tooth for biscuits. The rabbit follows Mr Mills about like a dog, and even on Saturdays, when the ground .ie alive with cricketers, it pbow« not th« clight•oi i«r.

As tho completion of the loan works undertaken by the Drainage Board approaches considerable reductions in tho Board's engineering staff are being made The services of three assist-ant-engineers will bo dispensed with between tjm end of the year and tho end of February next.

Lenpl proceedings will be taken in a few days against some propertyowners with premises on Ferry road, who have failed to comply with notices from the Drainage Hoard calling upon thorn to connect tlieir premises with the sewers.

The last four of the 13 second-class carriages, which have been built at the •Vddinpton Railway Workshops, were completed yesterday, and will at once be put into oomraission with the others on the south express service. Still in course of construction at the workshops are 50 XA waggons, design?d for tho carriage of butter and cheese

For some reason so far unexplained, r-odwit.s had not been seen in the Gisborne district of recent years, although their presence was known in the summertime some years ago. Recently, however, these migratory birds have teen seen in small numbers at Gisborne and around the beaches in the vicinity of the town. A Gisborne resident reports that he saw a flight of about 20 near his homo on the banks of the Waimata river.

Efforts to locate an extensive rookery of shags in the Pirongin district (Auckland) have been made for a long time. A few days ago a party searched several gullies in the ranges, and found tho rookery in a cliff face of sandstone formation. There wcro scores of nests. A bombardment with shotguns routed the birds and destroyed many nests. It was estimated that, sixty birds were killed and several dozen eggs destroyed.

The annual celebration of the "coronation" of Kinß Te Rata Mahuta. was observed on Monday last at Waahi Pa, Huntly West, Auckland. There was a largo gathering of natives from tho King Country, Taranaki, and Waikato districts. '1 he celebration proved awkward for Pukekohe potato growers, as a large number of the natives engaged in digging decided to observe the day tf n holiday. Growers were thus unable to meet requests for supplies, and merchants found difficulty in filling orders.

In connexion with the proposals in the Education Committee's report, tho following resolution was carried by the Nelson College Board of Governors: "That the Minister for Education l>o asked to arrange for the Director o! Education, or one of his senior officers, and the Superintendent of Technical Education to meet the College Governors as early as possible to consider the question of the college undertaking technical education in Nelson and also to consider representation on the Board of technical interests necessary to meet the change in control." The Minister states that tho conference will be held about the middle of next month.—Press Association.

In reply to a communication sent to t'.ie Chief Postmaster at Dunedin, suggesting that provision should be mado roi the carriage ot m. ~T, by the air service between Dune and Christchurch. tho Dunedin vT.'uuber of (. ontmtrce has been informed that the Postal Department regrets that it cannot agree to mails being carried by air between Dunedin and Christchurch and vice versa by the service at present in operation. The Postmaster also states that it is not intended to dispatch mails by air until a regular service is arrunged for. Tenders for such a service were invited recently If, in tho meantime, any letters are posted to Ixj dispatched by air they will be sent by the ordinary services.

Last week's Gazette contained a notico utriking a security rate for tlio Ohathair Islands County Qouncil'a ioan of £IO.OOO to meet the county's portion of the cost of the erection of a wharf at Waitnrmi. The loan carries interest at 6 per cent., nml has a currency of 2-5 yenrs. Enquiries already have been received in respect of one-half the amount. Mr J. H. MeAuliffe. County Clerk, states that the Public Works Department will be asked to call tenders as soon as possible. as the oounty desires to complete the work Ivefore the winter storms period. The total cost will be between £IB.OOO and £20,000.

A lantern lecture on "Some New Zealand Mountains, Mountaineering Craft, and Mountain Flora" was given bv .Mr \V A. Kennedy to members of the Horticultural Society and of the Christcliurch Tranming Club yesterday evening. Mr Kennedy showed a really remarkable series of slides, the finst section of which was devoted to views of the Alpine region taken from every conceivable position, from below on the glaciers, and even from the summit of Mt. Cook itself. In the second portion he showed various a."vpects of actual climbing, involving both ico and rock work, while the final part was devoted to pictures of mountain flora. The slides had been made from negatives secured by Mr Kennedy himself, and by other notable climbers, and formed a collection of unique interest.

The installation of tho automatic alarm system in connexion with tho Drainage Board's pumping stations is nearin" oompletion. When in working ordor, the system will show on an indicator at tho principal pumping station, in Tuain street, tho number of any particular station thjjt is out of action, either as tho result of power failure, or from any other cause. Under the old conditions, when a pumping station failed to function properly, the patrolman had to visit each station until he came to tho one affected : under the new system he will be able to go direct to tho particular pumping station affected. He will carry a portable telephone, which will enable lnm to pet into touch with the principal pumping station and report that matters have beon remedied, and ascertain if any other stations require his attention.

At the annual meeting of the Society for tho Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, recently held in Auckland, the French Consul, M\ Paul Serre, presented medals given by tho French organisation, and, in so doing, told ono or two interesting stories of humanitarian work ir different parts of the world. In Havana, ho said, honour had been bestowed 011 an American woman who had for years attended the c-arly morning markets and watched for eases of ill treatment of animals —a type of of fence that, unfortunately, was only too common in .Latin countries. On one occasion she saw a kitten being cruellv ill-treated by somp tjmal' Ooys, who were pelting it with stones. She rescued it. and found that both of tts forcpaws were broken. Veterinaryservico was obtained, and the damaged foot were amputated. Later tho Kit ten was able to get about quite well by means of emergency "feet," con trived out of little rubber pads of the typo used as n ferrule for wallcingstickc.

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