General News.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20171, 25 February 1931, Page 10

General News.

' * ' , ' * J S ' ' ' , ; A brass tayet ott one of'the panels pf the Bowker electric fountain, bears following inscription: "This fountain was donated to the City by Henry Layton Bowker, an early settler. 18401921." The next meeting of the Christchurch branch of the Town Planning Institute of New Zealand will be held on -March sth. Sir D. Parton is to give an adAreas on "Overhead and Underground Structures in the City." The telephone box at the Pier, New prightOa, was broken open by thieves between, 9.30 and 10 p.m. on Monday. They levered the front off the machine and took the money from the container. It is thought that .the- thieves did not benefit much as the,box had been cleared' by officials during the' day. According to Mr James Bobuon, of Poketto, Auckland, it would seem that etciftts were very plentiful- in thafc district -during, the year. At last night's meeting of the Otago Acclimatisation Society, he sent forward two snapshots of stoatß which he jTad trapped, and r-f pheasants which the stoats had killed. One photograph showed stoats killed In December last year, and, it was estimated that 700 pheasants were killed by these stoats before they- were exterminated.- "Mrßob son . stated- that. he had killed stoats on his pheasant field this y® ftr ; hut he added that , they were bard to get when killing young- game.. Another photograph showed a stoat which Md killed thirtyone young, pheasant# 1 in half an hour, and planted thep a,t a.tree,root. Among 4he birds Was a Japanese pheasant. Mr -Dobkoa- also stated that wild ferrets jjg** « tw J ' ' '

The Minister for Hallways, the Hon. W. A. Veitch," made a~ statement yesterday that, recognising that the, cost of food supplies lyra shown a falling tendency, he had'decided to reduce the charge for meals served in railway refreshment room* from 2a 6d to 2s.— Press Association.

The Court of Appeal which, amongst other matters, is to deal with the Christchurch - Tramway Board's application for a declaratory judgment regarding its powers to appoint members of its traffic staff independent of awards of the Court of Arbitration, opens its sittings in Wellington on March Bth.

The annual conference of the New Zealand Institute of Opticians was opened at Wellington yesterday. About 80 delegates are present from all parts of the Dominion, to whom » welcome was extended by the Mayor (Mr G. A. Troup). The presidential address was delivered by Mr E. A. Sargent. —Press Association.

According to the conditions of the contract, the first of the bodies being made in Christchurch for the Tramway Board's trolleybuses should have been delivered yesterday, but some delay has occurred in completing it. The tramway authorities are pressing the contractors ifor delivery as early as possible. *

There appears to be every possibility that all the unemployed eligible will receive their quota of work this week. The Christchurch City Council proposes to absorb 930 men, and the Heathcote County Council's-total will be between 550 and 600, The County haß applied for so many additional-men that it will be only when a tally is taken near the end of the week that the exact number will be known.

The Navy League has adopted a suggestion by a correspondent in the Wellington "Evening Post," that subscriptions be solicited to provide a plate for H.M.S. Veronica, as a mark of the gratitude of the New Zealand people for the help given during the earthquake. The correspondent suggested that it would not be hard to find 1000 personsjwho would be willing to give Is each to provide a plate.—Press Association.

The Air Force Moth in which WingCommander S. Grant Dalton (Director of Air Services) was compelled to make a forced landing on Monday morning near Geraldine, was flown back to Wigram Aerqdrome yesterday l)y Staff-Ser-geant S. Simpson, after repairs had been made. The other Moth, in which Staff-Sergeant Simpson crashed at the same time, was returned to Sockburn yesterday by lorry. Squadron-Leader Findlay stated that the damage was not great and that repairs would occupy only a- few jays.

There were 36 callers at tho Returned Soldiers' Association rooms on Monday in search of employment, but yesterday the number dropped to 19 through several men being absorbed into the No. 5 Scheme. The majority of men cabling at the B.S.A. rooms now are men who have not registered with tho Government Labour Bureau for the past fortnight, or men who have not had employment during that period. Mr E. F. Willcox (secretary of the Returned Soldiers' Association) stated yesterday that it was important that the men should register with the Bureau as well as with the Association.

The improvement in exchange rates between New Zealand and Australia announced by* the Associated Banks has . already hod a beneficial effeet upon the -West .Coast to Australia timber trade. The s.s. Kartigi now leading at Greymouth is taking 700,000 super feet to Melbourne and £O.OOO super feet to Adelaide, in addition to 107,000 superfeet loaded at Westport. Had the exchange rate not been adjusted the vessel would not have visited Greymouth. The right given to concede down to & 105 for a genuine trade transaction has had the result of increasing timber sales coming under. this > classification. ,

Members of the Canterbury, Wellington," and Auckland Sanders Oup crews arrived at Lyttelton from Duaedin by the express last evening, and the two North Island crews proceeded by the /Wahine. / All. agree that the contest just finished at Dunedin waa .probably the most interesting yet held, .all t the- boats securing one or more -wins except Eileen (Otago). At times there were ns many as 4000 spectators on the waterfront during the progress of a race. Mr Frank Clobe. wh.p owned the beautifully-finished Auckland 1 boat; Avalon. stated-that the fact that lie had sold AvaJon to a Dunedin , did not necessarily mean that he was retiring from the 14-footer ranks,' but he intended to watch developments for a time, before building another boat.

' In. a :New Zealand Air Force Grebe aeroplane Squadron-Leader J, It. Findlay made ft record flight from Dunedin to Chriatchurch, doing the distance in one hour seven minutes. ' 'lt was due to the following wind,'.' he stated. Tho machine left the North Taieri Aerodrome at 12.8 p.m. and arrived at the 'Wigram Aerodrome at 1,15 p.m. JThua 200 , miles was covered in a little over fin' hour, wbitsh Js a greater speed than that • yet accomplished by anyone else in N?w Zealand, between the two cities. In a Fairey HI., F. machine, Flight-Lieutenant M. W. Buckley left-Dunedin at the same, time, and arrived 13 minutes later than Squadron-Leader,Fiodlay, Thus he also broko the previous record of one hour 28 minutes, put up by Mr M. O. McGregor in a D.H. 50. ,The distance be* tween Dunedin and Timaru was" covered by Findlay in 40 minutes. He was between the Kakaia and Selwyn rivers an hour after leaving Dunedin.

After harvest ploughing, the new British Fordson, hitched to a 3 or 4British Ban Some plough,, is an ' ideal combination. And the outfit costs but little* if any, more than, a decent 4-horse team and harness, and can be secured on'a small deposit. Get particulars. Booth, Macdonald and Co., Ltd. 1 ■ . ■ " ■ 1 I " ■■■■ ■■■Ill" HO. Spoi-ts should always, remember that the Gold Baud Taxis / do not charge any more on race days than any other day. Our prices are always the same,* and the cheapest, so why pay. more? -Keep on 'phoning 34-075 or BW>72 for ! a Gold Band. Taxi and save your money and have .an extra bet.' Thank you. f —2 John Johnston, Ltd., merchants, established 1863. Direct importers of British and American hardware, and ■ machinery. 'Phone 4. P.O. Box 1. Rangiora, —1 Bound the Bays in a Gold Band Taxi will only cost you 15s for- five passengers, This is cheaper shan elsewhere, and it's a lovely trip to tajie your friends. Don't hesitate, but 'phone 34-075 or 86-672 for a Gold 'Band' Taxi. • Lowest fares and best care. Thank you.j ■ • —l- - Farmers intending to top-dxess this season should be sure to see in our yard the latest pattern grid machine,; anJ3ag» lish patent, made in' England; A sub-" stantially built machine, a perfect spreader, which deals effectively with any quantities and all varieties..Demonstrated 'to anyone interested. Only a limited number of machines in stock. We have two'light slag sowers for hire to 'do ~a few acres for those wishing to test their land. P< and D. Duncan, Limited. lW Twuq street; GhrisWhurcb, ; ' •- H* i , r > ' I 1 ' '** t 1 ' ""