NEWS IN BRIEF.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 226, 28 October 1914, Page 10

NEWS IN BRIEF.

According to promises made in the House of Representatives yesterday by the Minister of Marine (Hon. F. M. B. Fisher) and Sir Walter Buchanan respectively, the reports of Professor Prince on the fisheries of the Dominion, and of the select committee of the House on Freights and Commerce, will be laid before the House this week. i A private meeting of creditors in the estate of Walter Shaw was held in Timaru on Saturday (says the "Post"). The meeting had been called with a view to ascertaining what was being done by the official assignee in connection with the estate, it being 16 months since the last meeting of creditors was held. A discussion lasting an hour took place, when the following motion was carried unanimously: —"That this meeting of creditors in the estate of Walter Shaw is of opinion that the official assignee shall be asked to call another meeting of creditors without delay, and place before the creditors everything that has been done in connection with the estate during the past 16 months.'' After the meeting two of the creditors waited on the deputy official assignee, who agreed to call a meeting of all the creditors immediately. At a meetings of the Riccarton Borough Council last evening the Mayor stated that it had been decided to obtain interest on money raised for the Relief Fund, and the council had consequently taken it over as a temporary loan. It had also been decided to approach the Government with r. view to obtaining a £ for £ subsidy on the amount raised. The dilapidated premises at the corner of Fitzgerald Avenue and Lower High Street were the subject of several speeches at the meeting of the City Council last evening, and Or Hayward asked whether any further steps had been taken to have the remains removed, and was informed that the Health Department, whose aid had been invoked, had not responded yet. Cr Hunter said that he knew of a similar place, which had been partly burned down, and had be.corne a nuisance, though it was not a menace to health. It was now frequented by bad characters, who annoyed people living in the locality. Cr Taylor said that what was wanted was a really up-to-date system of local government. The council was constantly meeting similar obstacles to that which now confronted it.'lnstead of all the councils in the country having to go to the Government cap in hand for local Bills, they should have a comprehensive general Bill, covering all their powers and functions.

A reproof, more in sorrow than in anger, was voiced by Cr Sorensen at the meeting of the City Council last evening. There had been some acrimonious discussions earlier in the evening, and towards the end Cr Taylor had suggested that a certain motion which had been giveA notice of by Cr Loasby contained more than met the eye. Cr Taylor took the opportunity of assuring the council thatj though rumour was busy with the names of certain gentlemen as probable applicants for the position of city electrical engineer, thu3e gentlemen would not be applicants, and he appealed to councillors not to encourage or countenance such rumours. The Electrical Committee, he said, had no candidate in its mind at all. Cr Sorensen then rose and expressed the hope that the; council would endeavour to conduct its-busi-ness in future in a more gentlemanly manner than. it had done that night. There had been several insinuations and broad innuendos, which sounded most unpleasant to one who was an old He hoped that at future meetings councillors would give one another credit for honest intention, and cease to impute motives which were not entirely creditable.

Our Parliamentary correspondent wires that in the House of Representatives last night the first item (legislative) of the Public Works Estimates was passed without debate, and progress was reported, the House'rising at 1.25 a.m. At the Rangiora Police Court this morning, before Messrs E. R. Good and C. I. Jennings, J.P.'s, W. M., McMillan, convicted of drunkenness, was discharged, but was prohibited for 12 months. James Shaw, convicted of having been drunk while in charge of a horse and cart, was fined 5/-. Some criticisms of the treatment of dairy companies by the Railway Department were voiced at the meeting of the Central Dairy Company tO;day. The factory manager (Mr Middleton) said that the dairy companies had substantial cause for complaint, and he hoped that there would be an improvement. Home separation was increasing, and when it came in everywhere cream would have to be picked up at every station in Canterbury. He impressed 5 " On the shareholders the necessity for writing down their creameries, as fully half the cream the company dealt with was home separators. He also impresesd on suppliers that cleanliness was the great thing if the standard of New Zealand dairy produce was to be maintained. The chairman (Mr J. Barnett) said that the directors intended to interview the Minister of Railways as soon as they possibly could, and try , and get more consideration t„han they were now receiving. At last night's meeting of the Lyttelton Borough Council the treasurer submitted the half-yearly statement of receipts and expenditure. The report gave general satisfaction to the council, it being pointed out that very adverse and unexpected circumstances had been encountered during the period. Tho waterworks account showed a falling away in revenurr* ; >vhich was directly attributable to the t'Mbreak of war, this having caused a coiisiderable decrease in the amount of shipping visiting the port. Other items of expenditure were entirely unlooked for, as the donations towards the Summit Road improvement, and the Empire Defence Fundi The main concern was the Diamond Harbour account, one or two councillors ing that the scheme was not being carried out in a, proper business-like man- , ner, aiid they urged that a tight reip. should be kept over the expenditure in the future. The general tone of. the meeting, however, with regard to. the project was Optimistic, it being conceded that, once it-was out pf the woods, so/ to speak, the results achieved would amply repay the expenditure already incurred. •'...-.•