CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 256, 22 October 1908, Page 2

CHRISTCHURCH NEWS.

Uy le;egrapli.— l J ress Association. Clinsttiiurcli, Last Kighl. Only Olio application lias ao far aeen acceived by the elwirjiian of the Urn teiibury College' Professorial .Hoard for Mujuuxt iikodcg fr'chuJarghip, Mr, T. O. llussell, appearing for the , -1 case heard at Lytteltoli to-day, ivlien one of the Pioneer's men was charged with evading the revenue. " S rt * ;l 't deal of smuggling hud been going on from tilie warships, ilie men were abl« to procure goods prac ticiilly at cost price, and by bribing them ashore, duty free, could dispose of them at prices considerably to the disadvantage of tradespeople wllo iiad I to pay duly. He intimated that tii. I'ivseiii wise WUH brought on that account as weJ] as on account of <tho inherent breach.

A sailor charged tfliis morning a t Lyttollon with evading the import duty'on a pair of boots, explained to Jlr. Jius s.'l, Crown Prosecutor, tllnt men-of-warsmen are no longer compelled by It he regulations to wear no other clotte than their uniform. That used to lie the ease, he said, but Hie Admiralty regulations imd been changed lately. For years the men had been in the liaibit of changing their clothes ashore and appearing as civilians without any complaints being made by their ollieers, and now the regulation itself bad been altered. It was still impossible for a navy man to wear s-nyt in« lint his uniform 011 board, nnj mat was prescribed throughout, so that it wouhi Ire out of tho question to wear, for in6fance. tan boots. It was, therefore, , customary to bring a civilian kit I aslhore ,and change in some convenient I ulacre.

The i first boxing competition at I ChriH s College took place ou Monday, Hie preliminary rounds being dooiilcd in llie afternoon, and the semi-finals and finals ill the evening, There was a large gatheriiig of scholars and a number of Old Boys were present. Homo of the convpetitiors shaped extremely ■W7\ll„ seeing that the sport lias only recently been taken up by the scholars, and the competitions were so successful that it is to be hoped they will be the forerunner of an annual inter-school championsSiiip,

Tin- Education Board to-day decided to heartily eo-ojierate with the Wanganui Education Hoard hi connection with a teller received from that Hoard covering a resolution that the Minister should he askvd to bring in legislation requiring all young people residing within reasonable distance of a technical sclxmil to attend a course there on two evenings in each week. Mr. A. J). Patvrson, the engineer to the Sidwyn County Council, is making an ap,plication to tiie Council for a public inquiry into the statements made at last meeting, which reflected on'him in his professional capacity, and as a servant of the Council. The letter will be considered at the next meeting of Ule Council. A meeting of the Canterbury executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union was held this afternoon. A letter was received from the Minister of Agriculture in regard to title proposed new dairy regulations, stilting that his Deiparbment had placed the matter in the hands of a competent committee to deal with, and evidence had been taken on which tho new regulations would lie based. It was resolrud to write and point out to the Minister that so far as the country districts were concerned tliey liad not been afforded sufficient time to give evidence before the committee wnen it was collecting evidence in the Canterbury district. It is understood that stops arc to bo - taken to upset the last set of city bylaws, on the ground that they were not properly advertised before being adopted. Tiie by-la-ws provide, among other things, for the.numbering of ail theatre seats.

Tho Public Works Department has a considerable number of men at work at the Piihipit'ui, near Ivaikoura, makirjg a new road into the holdings in thsJt part of the colmtry. Altogether som« £ISOO or more is to be spent on reading there. Shearing has commenced on some of the smaller holdings in the district. Fued is exceedingly plentiful now, and with the recent rain to help it the country is looking at its best. Tenders are being invited for the erection of a exchange at Kiaikoura. Two very old Maoiis passed away at Kaikoura, during the past week, John Beaton and Ilmia Te Awanui. Both were 00 years of age. They were very well-known men, who could tell some interesting la les of the early Maori days. Beaton was intimate with Te Kooti, and was a whaler many years ago.

"What about the duty on boots!" Mr W. Tanner, M.P. was asked last evening at his meeting. "The boot duty has practically wiped out the importation of American lioots into this country," he replied, "lit has saved a prominent New Zealand industry. It was intended as a protective duly, and it was served its purpose." The niackiliall Coal Company's new collier Xgntira arrived at Lyttelton tonight after an uneventful passage of 61' days from Glasgow direct. At a meeting of the Canterbury Acclimatisation Society to-night a member stated that although it was almost imipossihle to get a tuatara lizard in New Zealand vet he had been informed on very good authority that any number preserved in spirits could l>e purchased in London or Hamburg for 10b eadb. It was resolved to report the matter to the Government, The Society has been advised that a consignment of deer from Ilarsliam Park, England, left b» the Fapaniu on October 2nd.