CANTERBURY NEWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 736, 8 April 1910, Page 11

CANTERBURY NEWS.

(By Telegraph,.—Special Correspondent.) Chrlstohurch, April 7. It is proposed to hold a concert at an early date in aid of the fund for the defraying the passages of a trip of gifted young musicians, the Elwoods, to Germany. They exhibit so ■ muoh genius that their .parents have determined at great sacrifice to have them educated at. Leipzig. A disease in the walnut crop has been discovered locally. •;' Soon after the young fruit appeared on the trees, black spots wore seen on the clusters of .fruit." These spots grew as .the. fruit swelled out, till the trees to have received a peppering of shot from a gun, Thenuts were found to contain small red grubs, and the kernel was black arid decayed, right through. The few that have : remained on the trees till ripe seemto bo sound arid good, but there- is no crop left.' Tho disease is not in all the gardens. It seems to attack tho old trees, the foliage of which turns, to a dirty yellow instead of being dark green. The young and vigorous trees appear to have escaped the attack. .'"■..'.."'■'■ Lieutenant-Colonel Sinowj V.D,, of tlie Canterbury Mounted Division, who is about to visit England on a-holiday trip, was "farewelled" by tho members of the Christchuroh Garrison Officers' Club last evening. Colonel Snow,- in replying to the toast of Ilia health; said that he had commenced his 'volunteer career in the D Battery, Wellington, during tho troublous times of the Maori wars of the sixties. Ho had never lost his. military enthusiasm. While,in : England he would attach himself to tho Home forces, arid observe the latest movements, so that lie might disseminate useful information on {lis return, Tho Cliristchurch Rod and Gun Club has decided in favour of a close season for ducks in this district. Mr.. Edgar El; Stead, in moving that the meeting send forward a recommendation to the council of the Acclimatisation Society expressing: tho opinion that it was desirable that for .'(luck's should bo observed,.,stated'• that-the. societyhad, already applied for ah open season for one month, but".the arguments for a close season were so strong that he intended to try to got the application .withdrawn. It was . true that at the present time there' were a tremendous number of ducks on take Ellcsmere, but it was not so, many years ago -that .they had-been:just, aa.nuriiorr ous on North Island lakes, where they ivero now scarce. ■ ■ This was notably the case at Lake Wairarapa, when only one or two days' shooting at the. opening of the season was now obtainable.. One of, the functions of. an acclimatisation society was to turn over their game to posterity in at least as good-a state as when' they took-.it - overhand Jie .iwas' afraid that-if; advantage .was not taken of the opportunity'Lto-. have a close sesson now the samei thing would ■■happen, hence.. ''".."'.":."■■. . -.The seconder--said he .had examined the petitions in favour; of. opening' :the' season, arid came totheConclusion that many of the signature's .'were those of lads and schoolboys. He pointed .out .the effect which indiscriininate' slaughter of birds.had had. in-the past, and as a Tesult there were probably hot more than 100 brace of pheasants in Canterbury. . .It was eventually decided to recommend the council to reconsider the' whole question. ..'■'