General News.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20489, 7 March 1932, Page 8

General News.

♦- Tho Gazette announces the establishment of a scenic reserve at Opawa of a total area of 50 acres. . The fact that the valuation rolls in the Westport Borough, the Rangiora County, and the Oxford County will b'e revised as at March 31st, is announced in the 'latest Gazette. The City Council's allocation lor unemployed relief works for the week to end on March 12th is £l3lO, as compared with £I2OO for the week ended 'March sth. A donation of £SO has been received by the Mayor, Mr D. G. Sullivan, M-l*-, from Sir Henry and Lady Wigram, in aid of the Mayor's Relief of Distress Fund. In acknowledging the gift oil Saturday, Mr Sullivan" said that the money came at a time when it was most welcome. Only 13 trampers travelled by rail to Motukarara yesterday to walk to Diamond Harbour. A full booking was expected; bub the threatening weather and a report from Lyttelton that the hills were covered in heavy mist, deterred many from making the trip. The mist lifted 'towards mid-day, but the higher parts of the hills were covered all day. According to Cr J. W. Beanland, chairman of the City Council's Works Committee, it may be two or three years before the work of reconstructing the part of Colombo street from Cathedral square northward to Armagh street can be put in hand, as the tramway rails are estimated to be good .enough to last for that period. Sufficient funds for the work will be earmarked and made available from the £220,000 roading loan for this wijrk. j'he amount collected in City rates on Saturday was £1960, the proportion of rates collected to date to rates levied bein-i; about 32.61 per cent., as compared with 32.68 per cent, on the corresponding date last year. The actual amount collected on Friday was £476U 3s, a.:d the proportion was 32.02 per cent., as compared with 31.88 per cent, last year. There -re still thirteen days to eiapse before the imposition of the penalty. In order to ensure that the street, appeal in aid of the Mayor's Relief of •Distress Fund shall be a success, it is desired'to. obtain the services of as many collectors as possible, Mr S. W. Jameson, the organiser, told a reporter on Saturday .morning. "We are aiming lo get something near to what was'got for the Hawke's Bay Earthquake Fund, about £2OOO, but to be effective, we must liave the collectors. I will be glad if those willing to give their services on the street appeal daj will send i.n their names and addresses to me, <care of the City Council Chambers, Manchester street." In discussing the possibilities of developing trade between New Zealand and the East, in a lecture before the Canterbury Fruitgrowers' Association on Saturday night, Mr J. E. Strachan, who has recentlv returned from a trip in tho East, stated that lack of' attention to marketing details w*as an important factor in marring trade possibilities. In Java, for instance, Australian fruit could not compete witli Californian, for tho latter came scparatelv wrapped attractively packed, and always, sound, while the Australian fruit was sent as if it did not matter at all in what condition it was put on the market —carelessly packed, in bul". and even with Jhe nails of the cases sticking through the fruit. Australian butter, too, was at a disadvantage i n the markets in Java, because of the exporters' persistent refusal to use the Javan weight pound in packing, instead of their own.

Xo positive cases of infantile paralysis were reported on Saturday. The total for the week was three. With colder weather prevailing it should not bo long before the disease, should disappear. ' A quinnat salmon, about five inches long, was caught recently in the Wangamii river, near Taumarunui, by Mr A. Saddler, a local fisherman. The fish was forwarded to tlic Marino I>c•patment, which has certified it as a two-year-old quinnat. This is the first, time that quinnat Has been caught in the "Wangamii river. —Press Association. While exploring a cave back of his station at iVlarakopa Valley, Mr E. Phillips found seven nioa skeletons, almost intact, in the sandy limestoneTho bones were brittle owing to the action of the limestone, and care is being taken in handling; them by experts. The bones were iound twenty mil?s cast of Waitomo.— Press Association. A large crowd witnessed Pilpt Officer J. S. Fraser's exhibition parachute jumps at the Wigram Aerodrome yesterday afternoon. Pilot Officer Eraser jumped twice lrom about 150U feet, on the second occasion falling for quite a distance before opening tho parachute. Each jump was successful, and ho landed near tho aerodrome both times to tho great delight of the crowd. The proceeds of a collection arc to go towards a stone for tho gravo of Lieutenant Qviller, who was killed when Ins parachute failed to open at Oatnaiu last year. "A.n amazing thing about present situation is that both tho Chamber of Commerce financiers (in their bulletins). and tho economists are using the wrong fgures in quoting fixed deposits. These are not tho mam money intl'uetico —it ,is the cash with .which you buy and pay tilings that counts. Tho volume of costs has been reduced, so -is it any wonder that our prices are ■ down. Tho banks have helped to reduco this currenev themselves because of their endeavours to get everything on fixed deposit'' Mr L. C. Walker, in his address on Saturday evening. Many motorists have been unfortunate enough to run over a dog, but it is seldom that three such animals are accounted for at the same time. Such an occurrence took place recently, however, in Colombo street, Sydenham, when a motor-car left a trail of three dogs behind it. One animal was killed outright, and a second one was so badly injured that it had to be destroyed. The third animal picked itself up, but before it could escape from the danger zone was run over- by a second car. The- dog got up on the three sound legs left it and limped away. Mr J. E. Strachan, leader of the delegation from the New Zealand branch to''the recent conference ,in Shanghai of the Institute of Pacific Relations, stated on Saturday evening at a meeting of the Canterbury Fruitgrowers' Association that the' delegates of Australia and other countries to the conference had been also representatives or trade commissioners with official status. Shanghai was a city or three million inhabitants, trading with an area of 180 million population, yet New Zealand had missed the opportunity, which other Pacific countries had been quick to seize, of combining business with intefnational relations. The roll numbers at the beginning of tho first term at the various Anglican Church Schools are much the same as last year's, it is stated in the "Church News." The Cathedral Grammar School has 131 on its roll, 51 in the secondary department, and 80 'in the primary, with 29 boarders. Craig- j head Girls' School, Timaru, has about 77 pupils, the boarding side being full with 40 residents. A preparatory department has been opened for small girls and boys. St. Margaret's holds its own, the main school showing a slight increase and Little St. Margaret's a few less. Christ's College has had an increase in day boys, the number 320, and as was to be expected, a slight decrease in the boarders. The whole position is therefore much better than might have been expected. "Sir Heaton Rhodes has added to the magnificent gift of a completely equipped stone church to Tai Tapu as a memorial of the late Lady Knodes, by presenting a further few acres of land adjoining the church site, as nil endowment lor t|e upkeep of the grounds," states the ".Church News.'' "The vestry already takes some pride in the grounds, and with the new building erected thereon will have a great, incentive to improvement. Sir Hea ton's generous gift will enable them /to make the grounds worthy of their beautiful church., We understand that it is tho intention of the vestry to erect a sundial on the site of the old church as a memorial of it for future generations."

"T!he extraordinary burglary at the Cathedral on the morning of December 28th, in broad daylight, during the temporary absence of the verger, involved the loss of £47 4s, belonging to certain special collections made during the holiday season," states the "Church News." "Tho Chapter at is last meeting resolved that the funds concerned should not suffer, and directed the amounts to be paid out of the general maintenance account of the Cathedral /'lie inonry collected at the Cathedral services is usually always paid in as soon as possible to the Diocesan Office, but it happened that being in the Christmas holidays, both the office and the banks were closed and the money had_to be held in the building. Collections lor St. Anne's Home and the Home Mission Fund were included in the sum stolen. Special precautions have been taken to prevent a repetition of such.a theft.'' - "When a 'mau from Scotland, Patterson, started the Bank of 'England, he 'went to the Government, then hard up, and offered them a loan of £2,000,000. The Government took it, gave Patterson six per cent, for it, and gave him the authority to issue notes to. that amount. Tn our days of enlightenment we laugh at such ideas of economy, and yet here are the economists of our own country suggesting practically the same thing—an issue of treasury bills. And I venture to suggest that the money to back the bills will not come from the deposits on the bank's books. We should give the school-teacher economists :i holidav for this lop-sided finance will probablv weaken the verv banks themselves." Mr L. C. Walker, at the meeting of. tho For New Zealand Societv. on Saturday. Bjides book up early with the Gold Band Taxis for tlieir Bridal Cars, which are the best arid the charges the lowest from 7s 6d per hour. 'Phones 34075 and 35572. Thank you. 1 Wo supply parts for-every sort and size of plough made; wljeels and axles; circular and bar coulters; mouldboards —l6 varieties; bridles; steering rods; racks; riding gear; tractor lifts; beams; legs; drawbars; and frames. Repairs done to any make in quick' time. As prices, are high, get the old ones repaired and made better than when new. P. and p. Duncan, Limited, 196 Tuam street, Christchurch, and at Ashburton. —6 The Tramway Board strongly objects to the existence of the Gold Band Taxis as our fares are lower than the tram fares. Stop any of the Gold Band Taxis returning to the City with the sign "Vacant'' showing, and give what you like. A recent Court proceeding has compelled us to alter our Bign from "Stop Me" to "Vacant," Thank you. ' V-8