NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 92, 25 May 1914, Page 10

NEWS IN BRIEF.

A matinee performance of '/The Silver King," at His Majesty's Theatre, London, realised £1691 on behalf of the pension fund for actors and actresses. A meeting of creditors in the bankrupt estate of William Cook, basketmaker, will be held in the Official Assignee's office at 11 a.m. cm Friday.

A deputation from the Ratepayers' Association will wait on the City Coun?:il to-night to ask that an enquiry be held intoi the working of Ahe system of rating on unimproved values. The Mayor has received the following donations for the Coal and Blanket Fund:—Mr Geo. Humphreys £3 3/-, Mr A. E. G. Rhodes £5 5/-, Amico £l, R. H. 10/., Anonymous £lO, Bishop of Christchurch £1 1/-, R. £1 1/-. Cleverley Wilkin, one of the jurymen summoned to appear at the Supreme Court this morning when the civil session was commenced, failed to put in an appearance. He was fined £2, unless he can show cause for his non-appear-ance. I

Miss Millicent Jennings and Mr Alan Tytheridge (pianist) will present a programme of'vocal and pianoforte music by modern composers, including Grieg, Brahms, Debussy, and Moussorgsky. Miss Jennings will also sing Bergerettes and Musettes .from {he Yvette Guilbert collection.

The fifth night's play in the Christchurch Friendly Societies' Card Association's tournament resulted as follows: —Star of St. Albans beat Queen's Own by 20 games to 19; Anchor beat Mistletoe by 30 games to 19; Addington beat Washington by 24 games to 38; Perseverance drew with Ivy of Linwood, 15 games each; City of Christchurch .won by default from Star of. Canterbury; Pioneer, a bye.

The • members of White's Miniature Rifle Club had their return match frith Southbrook in the Rod arid Gun Club's rooms on Saturday, night, White's team winning by 10 points. -The scores were: —White's: Davis 69, Brown 68, Skipworth 67, Burmister 67, Lightfoot 67, Baker 67, Marshall 66, Carter 66., Murin 65, Wyness 64. Southbrook:. W. Hamilton 67, F. Lowe 67, R. Hughes 67, 3). Merthens 66,- Parkin 66, x G. Lowe 66, R. Hamilton- 65, D. Kirk 65, M'Donald 64, Gefken 63.

; "Silence!" Be quiet or leave the court." This was applied'to a woman' who had complained to the police . on Saturday at LytteltOn about her hus-; band being the worse" for liquor, and iio, a fighting frame of mind. The. arrest-, ing constable found accused to be in the state alleged and with some difficulty removed him to-the lock-up. The sequel to the case followed this morning- and shortly after accused who , pleaded guilty, was sentenced, his wife again commenced a rambling" statement arid Was removeid from the court.

A conference convened by the N.Z. Federated Boot Trades' Union will "be held; at the Trades Hall at' 7.30 this evening. All trades : 'affected by importations '•mil be reipresfented, arid discussion will centre round the question of introducing 'a " stamp so that all New Zealand made goods will be 'branded. ' There will also be an endeavour to cieate a xnoveirient in the direction of inducing people to |jive - preference to New Zealand made articles. ;

| . After sittings Of the Lytteltfori Magistrate V Court closed this morning a young man at the rear of „ the Coyrt rose- and asked the bench if he woiild be -committing "contempt of Court'''by asking a question. He was allowed a hearing, and stated that he wished /to give evidence in a case that had already, been heard. Seni&r-Sergt. Ryan informed the man that the accused had pleaded guilty to the informations laid against him, and in that-case no witnesses were required. : The man left the Court muriibliiig inaudible 'things about "jjustis." The deliberations of those grave arid reverend seigneurs, the members of the,. Education Board, were rudely -interrupted on Friday afternoon by an inundation of weirdly-dressed college students, who had cpme with the exboard with a haka, says the Wellington "Times." Tremendous muscles on the legs' and arms of the students were alleged to be the result of "Mr , Royd Garlick's 'physical culture systein. Most of the young fellows favoured the female costume, and on entering the board room, they | formed themselves into a loose line. At the last moment, however, k sudden fit of shyness caused their courage to evaporate, and the haka cairie not. Even the master of ceremonies, a youth in a frock-coat and top hat, obviously made for a giant, was overcome with stagefright, and the deputation incontinently fled." '

At the meeting of the Y.M.C.A. Debating Club held, on Thursday evening | twenty-five; new members were elected. jThe subject for -the evening was pre : i pared speeches, ten minutes being allowed for each speech. Mr A. Cade spqke.oh;' 'The Benefits of Trade Unionism to the Workers of New Zealand;'' Mr A. Holdeni:ori.'" Some Incidents -lielating to the Building ofi- the 'Panama Canal,'' Mr *IP. J. Hulston on "The Necessity of Afforestation in New Zealand, " Mr C. M'Dougall on "International Arbitration," and Mr F. Miles on "Homing Pigeons and Pigeon ing,'' the . chairman, Mt J, Caughley, 'awarding Messrs Hulston and M'Pougall 74 points each, "Mr Cade 73, Mr Holden 68, and Mr Miles 66. The subject set for next Saturday's debate was "Should Compulsory Military Training be Abolished in New Zealand?" Messrs P. J. Hulston, G; Burt, and W. T. Connibear being selected to take the affirmative, and Messrs H. E. Plimsoll, A. Holden t and W. J. Wilson for the negative.

At a sitting of the Australian Electoral Commission last week Mr Archibald Parkhill declared that members of certain organisations were being " blackmailed " into paying levies for a Labour newspaper. Recently, Mr Chris. Watson addressed a meeting of the Amalgamated Society of Carpenters, he said,**with a view to inducing them to pay a levy of 5/- per member. By 74 votes to 68 a motion was carried to impose the levy. This affected some 2000 men, who were being blackmailed into paying a levy for a newspaper to advocate principles to which they were totally opposed. Many of these carpenters were supporters of the Liberal Party. Mr Laird Smith: "But vou would not use the word 'blackmail'? You know Mr Watson is an ex-Prime Minister." "I will use any word you like, ' replied Mr Parkhill, "but it still remains the men are being blackmailed. " '' You get your evidence from hearsay? ■'.asked Mr Smith. "Oh, no " replied Mr Parkhill, <'l got it from' a member of the Carpenters' Societv.' ■' "Give us his name," said Mr Smith. ' 1 Oh, no," replied Mr Parkhill. 11 If I did so he would be hounded out of the society, and never get a chance of any more work."

The .Wairoa paper of the. 18th inst. contained the following paragraph:— ''lt is two years come July since a fresh was experienced locally and thousands upon thousands of logs are piled up in the various creeks. -If they are not brought out this winter the loss by deterioration will be heavy. A flood is anxiously looked for every time the clouds gets black." In this instance, the desire for a flood was promptly x complied with by Jupiter Pluvius. It has been estimated that the damage done bv it in the Wairoa district, amounted to £90,000, and it seems probable that floods will not . be "anxiously looked for" in that locality for some time.

Tip to noon to-day the following nominations were received to fill the vacancies on the Canterbury College Board of Governors:—Representing the teachers of Canterbury, Mr J. C. Adams, 8.A.; representing the graduates of Canterbury College, Messrs Wm. Brock, M.A., an/l G. T. Weston, 8.A., LL.B.; representing the Canterbury members of Parliament, Hon. G. J. Smith; representing the School Committees Of Canterbury, Mr C. H. A. T. Opie. -All these gentlemen held office last year, and as there were no further nominations, the returning officer, Mr G. H. Mason, de-, clared them elected. In addition to the above, a representative has vet, to be appointed by the Governor, the present member being Bishop Julius.

The secretary of the Social Democratic Party has forwarded the following communication to Dr Blackinore:— "The District Council'of the Social Democratic Party at its last meeting instructed me to convey "to you" its appreciation of the manner in which you attacked the question of consumption and kindred ills. The Social Democratic Party heartily agree with you that the surest way to check consumption is to safeguard the children.:- One of the foremost-municipal planks of the Social Democratic Party's platform is a pure milk supply, and they hope to have your co-operation in bringing about this much-needed reform. Any man whose aim it is to relieve suffering and distress, and to benefit the human race, can always depend u}>on the hearty sympathy arid co-operaltidn of the Social Democratic Party."

With the exception of the Wellington military ;district, the establishment of the field batteries inNewi Zealand has been completed so far as the officers are; concerned (says the Wellington "Post"): F Battery "(18-pounders) at Napier and J Baittery (4.5 howitzers) at Palmerstori Ntorth so far have not obtained their establishment of officers, F Battery requiring' another. three and J Battery ' another two. The Napier Battery, as a' matter of fact, has only two officers at the present time, and one of these is most of tlie time away from the town—a position which can gearcely be considered as creditable to .Napier. In the opinion of the director of ordnance, a branch of the service like the field.artillery should not suffer fro'in a dearth of candidates for commjisioris, but rather there should be competition to fill up •• the vacancies, especially, when it is remembered that both' the batteries in question are now completely- equipped; as reg&rds guns, periiianent. cadres, and horses. ;