GENERAL NEWS.

Tho Minister of Defence has received, odvico that tho 37th Reinforcements have reached a port of call; all well.

A district court-martial, held at Feathers ton Camp, found 77,921 Private Frederick Guy Herbert, of CI Details, guilty of disobeying a lawful command given by his superior officer, and sentenced him to a year and eleven months' imprisonment, with hard labour.

"We are fighting for our very existence. Tho men of the Second Division have to Jecido whether they are prepared to give up their homes for two or three years or whether they will sacrifice them for all time," said Mr "W. G K. Konriok, S.M.. of Palmerston North, speaking of the pressing need for men.

The Labour Party had somewhat of a field day yesterday. Meetings were held in Victoria square, at which Messrs Armstrong, Manning, and Cooke spoke, and in the evening at the Grand Theatre and the Opera House, the speakers being the Hon. J. T. Paul, M.L.C., Mr A. Walker, and the new member for Grey, Mr H. E. Holland.

Emphasisirtg the lack of interest in technical—which was another name for applied or practical—education in England, the Hon. J. A. Hanan, Minister of Education, speaking at the Technical College, on Saturday, said that prior to 1874 there was not in the whole of the British Isles a single professor of organic chemistry, one of the most beautiful and fruitful of the sciences.

The following is from the Hokitika "Guardian," of Thursday last: "Several pnople, including a member of tho 'Guardian' staff, 6aw in the far roadstead last evening, a number of vessels just before dusk. A pair of field glasses were obtained and nine vessels were counted. It is also that an aeroplane could be seen circling around in near vicinity to the ships. Quito a number gathered on the sea beach to view the interesting sight, but the fast approaching dusk soon hid a further view. It might be noted that it is reported from Grcvmouth an aeroplane vas seen in that vicinity last evening also."

The true dignity of labour was emphasised by the Hon. J. A. Hannn, Minister of Education, in his specch at the Christchurch Technical College, on Saturday. Ho said that it was his earnest desire that through a wise a]>plication of the true principles of education they might remove whatever stigma still remained on manual labour. (Applause.) It was to be deplored that many young people considered it to be below their social standing to engage in manual labour. He asked them to think just for one moment what the effect would bo in this or any other country if this increasing distaste for industrial work became more manifest. I.ct us, continued Mr Hanan, dignify such labour by making it, as it could be made, the medium of a real and advanced education by showing our young people that there was really no* limit to tho development of a skilled industry, and that the application of science to industry was in its infancy. (Ap- I plause.)

I At Wellington to-morrow Mr S. E. McCarthy, S.M., will deliver liis reserved* judgment in what is generally | known as the Upland road case. L There will be a parade of 700 Senior Cadets this evening, for the purpose of drafting them into Territorial units. Tho officers of the various Territorial corps will be in attendance for tho purpose of selecting men for their branches of the service. The Avonside Licensing Committee met on Saturday. Present: Messrs T. A. B. Bailey, S.M. (chairman), H. J. S. Goodman, R. M. Spcirs, and tho Rev. W. ~\Y. Tanj«>r. Mr J. A. Cassidy appeared for Mr M. Edwards, "who applied for a renewal of the license of the New' Brighton Hotel. The application was granted. In the Course of his lecture on "Foods," at tho Workers' Educational Association, on Saturday night, Mr S. Pago said that the chemistry of plant and animal digestion wns still far ahead of tho best work of the best human chemists. A hundred years of study had left chemistry immeasurably behind plant manufacturing chemistry and digestive chemistry.

The demand for tin plate, and its constituents, iron and tin, is said to have caused a decided inferiority to be noticed in the quality of tho modern petrol tin. Tins nowadays aro prone to rust more easily than of yore, and the fact that they often have to be brought to New Zealand in 6low-going sailing schooners does not improve them. The length of time taken on the trip and the effect of the salt air results in a considerable loss through leaky tins, and not all the petrol shipped in San Francisco reaches the Dominion.

"Since food production has ceased to bo the duty of all, and has been relegated to a small section of the community," said Mr S. Page, in his lecture to the W.E.A. on Saturday night, "since man has ceased to bo satisfied with the food products of his own district, and expects the food of all countries at his disposal, wherever ho may be} the problems of conservation and of transportation have developed the ideal of concentration and purification, until they bid fair to become a menace. Man is making a fetish of what he calls purity. Ho purifies tho grain from tho straw, the kernel from tho chaff, the flour from tho bran, the starehv matter from the oily germ, and then wonders that his digestive machine gets dyspeptic."

•'•or tho holiday t-o-day in celebration I of the anniversary of the birthday of his Majesty King George V., tho Government and other offices and places of business ■will bo closed. The principal attraction is the Canterbury Park Trotting Club's Winter Meeting at Sockburn. There will be ? also, a special field day of the Dominion Boy Scouts at New Brighton, and trams will run at frequent intervals to the seaside resorts and_ to Cashmere Hills. In the evening, in addition to the permanent moving picture entertainments, vaudevillo at the • Opera House, dramatic performance at the Theatre Royal, ancl skating at the Colosseum, a song recital will bo given at the Choral Hall, and tho Canterbury Hockey Association's concert will be given in tho King's Theatre. "Stories of polar explorers, of coolie labourers, slum children, and others who havo no control over their food supply, and no power to satisfy natural cravings for a particular food, have given us pictures of mysterious diseases," said Mr S. Page, in his lecture before the W.E.A., on Saturday night. "These diseases include scurvy, beriberi, rickets, and pellagra. Scurvy comes with lack of fresh food, and is cured by fresh vegetables. Beri-beri often accompanies a diet restricted to polished rice, while pellagra seems to be duo to a diet largely restricted to maize, and rickets to tho use of a too much manipulated food, or an ill-bal-anced ration. All are called deficiency diseases, and are due to the absence of substances lost in the manufacturing treatment."

The control of enemy aliens was one of the subjects which came beforo tho -rtetnrncd Soldiers' Conference at Auckland last week. It was decided to suggest to the Government that those people should be disfranchised for life and that they should ho compelled to work for tho public benefit at a soldier's rato

of pay. It was also decided strongly to urgo the Government to bring down legislation to prevent the sons of enemy aliens not eligiblo for active service on account of nationality adding to their present holding? of laiid or making purchases of land for the duration of tho war and for five years thereafter. It was stated that while somo men of enemy parentage had gone to the front arid fought for tho Empire, there were numbers in itfow Zealand who wero not loyal and who wero not sent to the front. In the coiirsa of an interview on Saturday tho Hon. J. A. Hanan, Minister of Education, stated that considerable difficulty was being experienced in carrying on tho technical sido of tho Education Department's work, owing to tho shortage in the staff. As a result the work had been so strenuous that tliroo officers had had to bo granted leave of absence. Under these circumstances it was impossiblo to give that attention to technical education that was necessary. Tho'day before he had discussed with Dt. Anderson, Director of Education, the desirability of appointing a man of tho nocossary ability and organising capacity to take charge of this b ran ch of the work. Such an appointment, he considered, was warranted by tho expansion of technical education which, he anticipated, would take plr.ee m the Dominion.

Tradesmen should take warning by the experience of tho Cash Tailoring Company, Colombo street, whose premises were burglariously entered on Friday night. Tho burglar showod somo ingenuity in effecting an entrance. He got to the rear of the premises by means of a right-of-way running between Tuam and St. Asaph stroots, and attacked the back door of the premises either with an augur or with a brace and-bit. He bored sufficient holes just below the lock to enable him to put his hand inside and remove the piece of wood, and the healing iron with which it was blocked in the absence of a lock. Exactly what goods the burglar took Mr D. McDonald, the proprietor, is not yet certain, and will not know until customers come to claim the garments left by them. In the small yard at the roar of the premises were found four overcoats, which the burglar removed from the shop, but evidently did not consider worth while taking away. This is the fifth occasion upon which Mr McDonald's premises liavo boon broken into.

A meeting of public accountants was held at the Society's Library on Friday evening, Mr L. L. Cordery chairman of the Canterbury branch of the Society of Accountants, presiding, and there were present: Messrs 0. "\V. B. Anderson, H. R. Best, W. E. Best, H. Bicknell, T. H. Caverhill, H. Crane, S. W Jameson, F. H. Labatt, J. 13. Nealo, "W. S. Newburgh R. T. Tosswill, and W. M.Tyers, public accountants. Apologies for absence were received from seven others. The question of protectj ing tho interests of public accountants called to arms was fully discussed, and it was unanimously resolved that all present would do everything in their power to assist an}' public accountant called upon to help in the Empire's defence, and a small committee was elected for this purpose. It was also decided that a committee composed entirely of public accountants bo formed for the purpose of dealing with questions and other matters directly of interest to public accountants generally. The following committee was formed: Messrs R. Hill-Fisher, H. Crane R T Tosswill, W. E. Best, and F. H. Labatt! Mr R. L. Hicks, as secretarv of the local branch of the New Zealand Society of Accountants, was appointed secretary £o the Convening Committee.

| We have received £1 for our Serbian Fund, £1 for the Red Cross Fund, and £1 for our Canterbury Patriotic Fund from R.L.R. (monthly). The "pom-pom'' which stands in Victoria 6quarc as a relic of the South. African war is slowly fotting away. At least, tho wooden portion of tho carriage and wheels is, for tho spokes of one of the hind wheels are badly broken and rotten, and the timber of both only needs a mild kick or two to scatter it over the landscape. A few shillings' worth of paint early in its life would have probably saved it, but now 7 it needs a wheelwright. The drawing of the Red Cross and Navy League art union of eleven racehorses was conducted on Saturday night in tho presence of the Mayor of Christchurch, the president of the Navy League, representatives of the police, and others. Tho following are the numbers, of tho winning tickets: — First prize, 13,038; second prize, 21,423; third prize, 27,343; • fourth prize, 21,243; fifth prize, 39,133; sixth prize, 42,017; seventh prize, 14,776; eighth prize, 13,229; ninth prize, 2*jx>ol: tenth prizo, 12,751: eleventh prize, 12,231. Speaking to a "Press'' representative or. Saturday, tho manager of a local motor spirit importing firm said that ho believed that all importers of motor spirit were fully in accord with the Board of Trade's suggestion that preference of supply should be given to essential industries. Asked if drapers' motor delivery vans were included, and, in fact, if most tradesmen's motor delivery vans were to be given preference., he said that with regard to heavy goods preference' might be given, but the majority of drapers' pai-cels, and n largo proportion of other ordinary purchases, could bo carricd home by the purchasers, if necessary. The expenses of beekeeping have gono up in England during the war, but so have the profits. A correspondent writes to the London "Times :— The increaso in prices has affected beekeepers, and colonies of bees, swarms,

and honey cost far more than bofore tho war, when a strong colony of bees conkl commonly he bought for 30s or £2, and a swarm for about 3s a pound. A strong colony now easily fetches £5, and lator will probably be worth £6 or £7; while swarms, so far as can be judged, will fetch from 7s to 8s a pound, this season. Honev costs two or three times as much as before tho war. Very little English honey can now be obtained, but a ready market is found for extracted honey at 2s Cd per pound jar, and for comb honey at 3s per pound section.

All coughs, recent or chronic, in young or old, yield to Loasby's Stop It. Grocers and chemists. 1

The week-end sale of homo-made food supplies at tho Red Cross Sales Depot ■was in charge of the pupils of St. Margaret's and resulted in the sum of £47 bomg addod to the funds. Competitions were won by the following:—Mrs Selig and Mrs Wilson's cushion, E. "Nordon; pair ducks, Mrs Hanifin; ham, R. Ballantyne; first fowl, Miss Thornton: second, Mr Morton. Donations .-—Mrs J. R. Triggs 10s, Cecil Wibon 2s 6d, Miss Ivory 10s, H. Macdonakl 10s. 1

Armstrong's Annual Winter Salo is announced for Wednesday next. 1

Drayton's Specials.—Coal buckets, 2s 3d; cinder sieves, 4s 6d; Thermos flasks, 6s 6d; English-made •wringers, 27s 6d. Guaranteed one year. Try Drayton's, Colombo street (North). 3

"No Ilubbing" Laundry help delights every housewife. Is 3d packet sufficient for seven weekly family washings. Wardcll Bros, and Co. 1

Have us enlarge that old portrait you treasure so highly. We retain the expression of the original. Steffano Webb, 252 High street. Telephone 1989. 5

"Big JBon" still procurable. In spite of difficulty in shipping, Messrs Hastic, Bull, and Pickering, have secured a limited supply of "Big Ben" and "Sleepmeter" Clocks, ■which are on sale at their Cashel streot warehouse. 207

With prices advancing upon all classes of Drapery and Clothing, the announcement that Armstrong's Annual Winter Sale is set for Wednesday next will provo pleasurable news to intending buyers. .'}

Lost- and Found Jewellery.—lt is astonishing tho amount of jewellery f-hafc is lost every week. This lias prompted us to open a lost and found depot. If you lose jewellery or spectacles let us know. We will attend to all details free of charge, thus relieving vou of all worry. Wo will also a'dvertise same for you. Watson's, Jewellers, Ltd. i

Washing I>ay Wants are ono of our special cards. You cannot find higher grade goods anywhere. Wringers, Mangles, Irons, Washboards, Clothes' Baskets, Wire Lines. Good stocks always at Ashby, Bergh and Co., Ltd., High street. 3 Armstrong's Annual Winter Sulo is announced for Wednesday next. '2 COMING—THE GOLDEN STUDEBAKER. The Studebaker Gold Car—the sensation of tho rieat automobile shows of America—will arrive in Christchurch shortly, and wiil be on exhibition for a few d:,ys in the showrooms of Messrs Adams, Ltd., High street, New Zealand importers of Studebaker cars. In everything sava surface finish the Gold Car is a standard pattern Six-evlinder Studebaker touring car ? exactly similar I in design and construction to the scries |18 Studebaker cars, which will be shown alongside it. The Gold Car owes its name and its fame to the imperial magnificence of finish accorded to its mechanical details. Thero is no more carefully designed car in the world than tho Studebaker, and it was as a means to the end of attracting attention to the perfection of detail embodied in every rhaso of Studebaker construction that the idea was conceived of applying to a standard pattern car a gold finish so luxurious and opulent as to oommau.l close inspection. The body of tho Gold Car is finished in white enamel, tho upholstery and hood being covered with the finest whit© kid. What gives tho Gold Car its name is the fact that tho whole of its mechanical details ore plated with 24-carat gold, the car being exhibited on a mirror floor in order to facilitate inspection of its unrler-ge.tr. The Gold Car is the most expensive automobile ever made. It is a real car, and has been run on tho road. As a motor-car it is as good and efficient as any other Studebaker car, neither better nor worse. Its mission on its Draspnt world-tour is to familiarise motorists with tho fact. that Studebaker engineering design is competent to stand the closest scrutiny. Quality •'& tho keynote of Studebaker cars, aud the Gold Car jrives that quality a setting in which its excellencies challenge comparison with the best that the world's automobile engineers can offer. Watch this space for further details of the Gold Car exhibition in this city. 6