NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12502, 25 May 1906, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A sharp shock of earthquake was felt at Inglewood at 4.30 yesterday morning. Under the Licensing Aot of two years ago the Governor-in-Council has ordered that liquor shall not bo supplied to Maoris in the Mangonui, Hokiamga, Tokerau, Whangarei, and Wairoa districts. On Wednesday last, through the kindness of Mr Joseph Wright., the conductor of the Christchurch Banjo, Mandoline and Guitar Club, the patients at the Sunnyeide Mental Hospital were able to enjoy a very pleasant concert, which they fully appreciated, judging from the demands,for encores. Several meetings of West Coast sawmilleiß have been held at Greymoutb during the present month, for the purpose of discussing matters in reference to the timber industry, which for some time past has been in an unsatisfactory condition. Matters are still in an unsettled state, says a Press Association telegram, and at a meeting held yesterday it was decided not to raise the price of timber at present. Giving evidence before the Tβ Aute Trust Commission at Napier yesterd!ay, Ihaia Hutana strongly advocated •widening the eoope of Te Aute College by including technical education. Aβ far back as 1877 the Maoris had petitioned against the manner in which the school was conducted, and eskod that the estate be cut up and leased to more tenants. The petition was supported by the Europeans in the district, but no action wae taken. As a result of the interview between a deputation from the Rangiora Borough Council and tihe Hon. Sir J. G. Ward, on June 24th—nearly a year ago—improvements to the Rangiora post office are , to be made. These will include a telephone chamber, so that the whole office and the'outside street will no longer be able to hear persons speaking at the telephone. A re-ar-rangement of the post office and postmaster's room is also to bo made, for which, tenders are invited. The Returned Troopers Ball Committee (says the Timaru "Herald") are displaying the ingenuity which, often stood the New Zealand Contingeratere in good stead in South Africa. The waxing of the floor of the Drill Hall has on previous occasions entailed a lot of hard work, in dragging a sand-bag about the floor to polish it. The committee have arranged to gel the assistance of a motor oar to drag the sand-bag. The ingenuity of the idea deserves that it should be successfully carried out. A correspondent says ho caw a- funny 6ight in Thames Valley the other day. A farmer had two oats, three kittens, and a hawk (the latter by the leg) tethered on different patches of his garden to keep the sparrows away. Each puss had its saucer of milk, and the hawk had meat to dine off. The hawk was the best sentry, as every time he attempted to fly, the noise and sight of him, rising about 10ft or 15ft off the ground, had a wonderful effect, so much co that even the impudent little thief, the sparrow, left the garden, while the hawk remained there. Regarding the question of whether the bidde-bid seed is injurious to wool, on which there has been some looal controversy, a Melbourne merchant who handled 50,000 bales of wool this season, writing to a friend in Gisborne, says:— "I have hnd considerable experience of this seed, both in New Zealand nnd in the mills of England, and it ie injurious in many ways. In the- first place, it detracts from the general appearance of the wool when offered at auction, increases the loss of weight in scouring, nnd the worst of all, when it is put into the scouring machine with the wool it acts as a dye and gives the wool coming into contact with it a brown colour, which is very hatxl to scour out." The Australian Agricultural Department has sent across to New Zealand for samples of wheat for experimental purposes, presumably with a view to utilising t]*e New Zealand product with the Australian for mixing purposes. Three samples have been forwarded from Oamaru—Tuscan, velvet, and red chaff —and the Oamaru "Mail" is assured that it would be difficult to get better quality anywhere. Although the Australian wheat is harder and more economical for milling purposes, the New Zealand article is plumper in the berry and does not carry so much chaff. Mr Chas. Newell writes to us as follows:— "I am reported as having said at the Hospital Board's meeting on Wednesday, that 'the Premier's scheme for examining school children's teeth was impracticable.' I may have said this; but what I desired to show the Board was that, in the event of a State dental surgeon being appointed in each centre for the examination and subsequent treatment of school children's teeth, the work could not possibly be carried out without thr aid of a district dental ward at each general hospital for the special benefir of the poor, as the work involved, taking, for example, the East ChrietehurcJi school, with over 1000 children in attendance, would demand the greater part of the State dentist's time." j

Mr W. H. Cooper has definitely deaided to become a camadate for • eeat on the Tramway Board. The ordinary meeting of the CMy Council will take place on Monday next, at the usual hour. The Interprovincial cross-oottntry championship teams' race between Otago and Southland took place yesterday at Wingatui, and resulted in an easy win for Otago. Mr R. Neville Renaud, organist of St. Andrew's; gave a recital last evening in the church. The programme comprised items from the works of S. S. Wesley, Hoffman, Dubois, Krebo, Devred, Bach, Smart and Beethoven. It is announced that the Magisterial enquiry into the oapsising of the schooner Ronga will be held in Lyttelton on Wednesday, May 30th. Captains Rennie and McConville, of Lytteiton. will act as nautical assessors. The Dunedin fruit-brokers and auctioneers decided that a deputation wait on the Hon. C. H. Mills in support of the views of Wellington and Christchurch brokers as to the desirability of a direct service to Wellington from R&rotonfia. A speaker at the Amalgamated Friendly iSocieties' banquet to Mr A. W. JRutherford at Amborley Jnst night stated that during the post five years the Oddfellows of the Ashley district had expended £4833 in eick pay, £950 for funerals, and £3500^ for medical fees. At a meeting of the North Island Horse-owners' Association, held at Wanganui last night, Mr C. E. • Major, M.H.R., was elected president. It wee resolved that bookmakers be ineligible for membership of the Association. A committee of the Association meets this morning to discuss matters of importance in connection with racing reforms, A female first offender was fined ss, or in default twenty-four hours' imprieorement for drunkenness by Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., at the Police Court yesterday, and a male firet offender, who Sergeant Norwood said had been suffering from delusions, was remtfnded until Tuesday for medical treatment. The Wellington Harbour Board has decided to grant permanent employees, who have been two years and upwards in the Board's employ, one weeks holiday each year, and thoee who have been ten years and upwards, a fortnight's holiday, in each case on full pay. The Board has approved of the draft of the Harbours Association's Superannuation Bill. Tiie following shows the increase on the valuations of farm land in the districts around Blenheim:—Spring Creek district, total of new valuation on unimproved land, £241,005, an increase of £81,600 on the last valuation iforee years ago; Omaha district, new valuation on unimproved land £417,954, an increase of £153,809 in three years. Captain Fletcher, of the barque Pitoairn Island, which was burnt at eea recently, cabled to Wellington from Port Maulling, Chili, that Messrs Waddilove and Lambert, of Wellington, and Mr Hayward, of Normanby, are cafe. MoKenzie, the other New Zealander, was in the second mate's boat, which, has not yet been reported. The directors of Reuters Telegram Co. have declared the usual dividend for the half-year ended December, 1905, at the rate of 5 per cent, per annum. The total reserves amount to £73,130. The' value of the freehold of the company is £45,899, and the cash in hand, bills receivable, amd investments stand at £92,495. A sanguine delegate at the Farmers , Union Conference yesterday" conjured l up roseate visions of the Utopia, and epoke enthusiastically of the tim* when party politics would be abolished. R ■had been eaid, he ob=erved, "that every boy and every gal that's born into £Sis world alive, is either a.little Liber-al or else a small Conserva-tive," but that was- not the ideal to aim at. •" The time was coming when the „ Elective Executive would abolish party politics. At yesterday's meeting of the South Canterbury Acclimatisation Society, the Chairmen stated that it was.absolutely necessary, in the interest of the eocietiee and of humanity, that gun licenses should be instituted in the near future. So many irresponsible persons were now carrying firearms that game was ruth-' lessly slaughtered, and imported game suffered in this way. . One member present stated that to hie own knowledge six beautiful white swans hao been shot on the local streams in a. wanton manner. A remit affirming the deeirabiKtT of paying the Leader of the Opposition in the House a salary of £1000 a year wae before the Provincial Conference of the Farmers' Union yesterday. It wae rejected with much emphasis, however, the remarking that when the proposal was before the ket Colonial Conference it met with scant eympatihy. Apart from other objecmany delegates thought the Opposition Leader might' find the position too comfortable and weft-paid>, and therefore hob-nob with the Rremieir with a view to avoiding trouble. The following additional' private prizes have been presented for the .Exhibition A. and P. Show:—Messrs W. Macfarlane, £20; W. J. Parkinson, £2 2e; R. Parry, £3 3s j j. Stringfellow, £3 3s; W. F. Hamilton, £2 2s; Dirk Phel, £2 2s; J. McArthur, £5; Alick Orr, £5; E. Kelland, £3 3s; J. N. Bartnell, £1; H. A. Knight, £3 3s- N. M. Orbell, £1 Iβ; Hon. Sir Jonn Hall, £5 ss; John Boag, £5 se; F. R. H. Gardiner, £2 2s; W. 0. lvutherford, ats ss; Bealey Bros., £5; R. Jts. Luacombe, £1 Is; D. D. Macfarlane, £21; P. J. Andrew, £1 Is. Whenever two or three farmers 1 are gathered together the email birds' nuisance gives r;»e to much heated lattguage end dUreful threats. At the Farmers' Union Conference yesterday the inevitable grievance cropped up, and Kh-Giro was a great deal of talk about poison and sudden death. One member deplored the fecundity of the mischievous little pests, and remarked sorrowfully that when one was killed half a dozen came to see the funeral. He did not think it wae much use spreading poison at irregular intervals; the birds got wary aifter a few of their chums had been sent to the feathered paradise, and refused to make a meal of the "doped" wheat. The best plan Avaa to organise a ".poisonj-ne bee," eyeiry f airaner in the district to rise at a given foour and scatter death and disaster broadcast. Talking of poison-, ed -wheat, another delegate did not think much of that supplied By county councils and road boards. A friend of his, he declared, with the ring of sincerity in his rodoe, carted away loads of it to fec-d 'his fowls. Tho annual report of the Resident Commissioner of the Cook Islands shows that the revenue of tiie Island Government for the year ended March 31st, including the balance in hand at the beginning of tho year, was considerably over £10,000. The expenditure amounted to about £5450, leaving c surplus of nearly £4800, in addition to which there is an amount of nearly £1000 owing to the Government in respect of Survey and Land Titles Court foes. The value of exports for the year 1905 was £34,900, and the imports amounted to £37,000, an increase of £3600 on the previous year's figures. The exports to New Zealand included 46,358 cases and 10,768 bunches of bananas, 76,080 cases of oranges, and 4378 cases of pineapples. In the Estimates of the L&md Government for the year 1906-7 a sum of close on £3000 is inclnded for expenditure on public works. During the pact six years the Island Government has spent over £6000 on public works. The report, which is a lengthy one, con'ains a groat deal of interesting information, <md will be printed in tho annual Cook and Other Islands paper for { presentation to Parliament.

! "I hear many members an the stated Mr A. W. Hutberfprd at AubligHp ley last night, "complain that thtjjmßf*-' requests on behalf of their ■were not attended to. Well, as a «tf»BKt: , eral rule I have no difficulty in umJ»S^. I respect. I find the Government Tttfjf»'-- r ! reasonable if you make reasonable quests." 'Ilia--The deer imported into South Cm 111 .. terbury were reported at v meeting of the Acclimatisation Soeietpffß - to be thriving remarkably well. It'm 111 also announced that Mr Chirnside' «31§e - Werxibee Park, Victoria, had pioinml«9 > to forward a consignment of young 'ASkJJSm ' to be liberated by the South CanterbuSil Society at an early date. ' T2?mJ Mr A. W. Ruthertord, speaking % '|£J9 Amberiey l«t ntght, let hie heanSill into ihs confidence as to "how & MM I done" when applications for grant* • made to the Government. "What "ant member should do," he said, "if ,S wants anything, and hae a good » to keep pegging away, and nerSa . give the Government a rest. hare a row with the Government.- &$& that is the greatest mistake in ~tfi3s& world. A little judicious flattery tt2t£i A long way. The members of the fleshy vernment are human, after all, -a*?® they all like a little jam, just as iKsr do at times." vjl§i "When I first approached them J&lp| grant for the Waipara bridge," Mz.Usmi W. Rutherford said last night, "the Slf f vernment did not eeem to be *coiiiissjl tomed to giving grants for CanterbwjvS constituencies. AU Cne money ir*rP£ wanted for the West Coast of ttfttf island, and for the Auckland pronnrtJ'Sf and it came as a surprise to them learn -that a Canterbury man had for a. grant. All the applications (S&2t Government bad Shad to deal with, U£~!s the past were, for instance, requesSrJi for a clock in some new township, eJng for an additional policeman." " *$~M A member of the Farmers' Un : onVfffi| a grievanoe to air against tie Cuetcetfvg Departnientat the Conference yestejdtjtigs On making a request for as to the quantity of grain ezsottw'M since the agricultural returns were co&'lf lee ted in, November last, he had bemjj| notified tihat he would have to pay »l|f the rate of Sβ per hour for the eervicfcpi of the clerk who compiled the ' A unanimous cry of "shame" expressed l ! the indignation of the farmttlM < at this treatment. The tor of thel story (Sir LeiMSejOlß added that the information - was 'M ilB length vouchsafed, but he was nob4|||w that further requests of a similar natitt mm > would have to be accompanied MM At the annual meeting of the Soqi ||l Canterbury Acclimatisation Society^'' i|f» satisfactory balance-sheet was PW>*BJ<i|a od. The principal item of receipts diral9 ing the year wae £487 from fishnjnil licenses, and tho chiof expenditure' ttmlfl £312 on rangers, and £350 on a prefiS perty at Temuka for a wild bird ifti|ifl eery. The Society has there nowewrtMe * Canadian geese, pintail ducks, uaHaqlllß " and widgeon. There is a cash. sum»|bß of about £200. The president macrelf|l-. statement in reply to complaints inSi&S some anglers that the rivers pleted and should be restocked, iHgBB' - that the stripping of fish for. partly responsible for this. He eniiß tended that there was no groimdffigaM'' the complaint, and that it wae in>p»i§V sible "to deplete rivers that hav»\jftj|l»" Paorfio ocean as a nursery. The'ftwil|jMf ing Council and the president G. Aepinall) -vera "re-elected. • ■ ' A well-known theatrical- manager a trying time on the railway ."t^l^M '-' last evening. He and hie wmjifculiV' Tv ore eetting out for fresh woods' 'urall pastures new, and the train wae s?!sllß about ready to move off, when thejtjji|ajl tleman in question stepped on platform to speak to a next he knew was that the started without him. Aβ he had •JMgiraß railway and steamer tickets fo&J%jjl|B company in his Docket, he was ly convinced of 'the necessity of hoaitfjHiw that train at any price. But he ed without hie host, for enfokrt rsira|||S officer was equally convinced of for, a rigid observance of the by-laws. Seising the belated firmly, he' drafcged him back, make sure of hie man, ptit him (tyftiffiSM the platform, holding him fast 't'ttaSHß train was oat of ,re«ch, Needleei ! -|j|j»i cay, the subject of this'forcible AjiaMM tion protested with s, good deal ci I WmH phasis, and • very heajbed argument fi|9S , lowed with . officiauyßß There wae nothing for.it, however, biNHI to wait for the next train, and i as' it§9 followed the other within balfwui-hourjM the inconvenience to the company an f&S all concerned was doubtleee much tagHß than it might have been. •. '^^■' A meeting of the Chrietchnrch byterian Ohuroh Association ya»'hrij|M«: in St. Paul'e SohoolTOom last the Her. T. Tait preaidLog. Ti» nraal report stated that the > ntembej|aßH' ship had mcreaeed 1 from thirty to flfJaiM' eiigM durins the year. the Association 'had collected towards €ha purohaee of ft eecbu>fetimlKm c . a ohuroh at Monok'e Bay. i^wJ^HH "" oiation bad in view the oomnenoae^mWß. of evening nervioee at, New and Lmwood, and the report ~/W*s§mm : that an effort rfiodld be made i uw&b for the erection of a New Briehton to meet the pmeeei^^^^H;. quirements. The need of, euburb§i|fe church exteneioQ wae referred *°»:..'!^^B V it wae stated that the purchase of *&WsjgM able fltitee in, Spreydon, St. Beokenhftm would be kept in TOW>|gran| that it might be carried into c ff?ss|§SßOT? eoxm M opportunity arose. w«s made to the great lose Bas W l 9m| by the Association bj the death <FjflPH: R. Struthers. The moport was wqjHHM • ed, dRd the foUowine officen; ££•§«■ elected:—PawfiJdent, the Ber. J keneie; Tioe-presidente, the Murray and Mr E. Macrae; Mr H. Wilson; secretary, Mr J. chell; auditor, Mr D. JBatee.. \"?mmMt Dreesmakbg. We have had *P-i i fi|lHf oeptionally busy season in our Dressmaking Department. Mies rence wishes to intimate to her 'oue customers that it will be WMBeejliSjßiMt to book orders well ahead to dieappomtment during the hibition eeaeon. We have ah^eeaygMHM;' number of orders placed which ie dication of the popularity, of in Urn respect. Moderate chaqja™By being our motto we confine the lowest possible estimates, Beattio and Co. - !<>^^»: With this morning's issue (MiJWJHIIIK* and Co. eend out an attractive arw rJa|i!B? descriptive of perhaps the traordjnary lot of bargain-lines $$|§h£ have as yet eubmittod to the The goods embrace all the goveltiey«fra»f the eeaeon. A special 21 days' **» .fjjjga, 6 these very tempting lines comxMßt this mornmg. -'<9i ! ' We would like your order for Corm&ok binder to-morrow. Bassett and C i., Bedford row. • : M£&M Beat'sall Haraew Oil Proa ing. -$f|§|iy: perior to oil. handy and cJeau to ( Try a tin. H. McClelland, 224 CmMM street, Christchurdi, sole agent. Furniture removals are cause of'worry to householders. °*$gmMi\ all trouble by employing the N.Z. press Co., Ltd., who pack and !**gj§||ft furniture or remove by road, rtil''<^^^fcr For the wet weather Messrs Wikon and Smellie are showing correctly cut rainproof ooate of grey, etc., at 21s and 29s 6d ** < T«ijmK also some of the fashionable white kinioshes, now co much worn. ' ' Wanted Known-—Lamps—Bring to be fitted with chimneys, wicks, burners, galleries,, or from table to hanging lamps. stock, a large assortment of table, hall, hanging, and hand' l » n| from Is each. See window \.'\ aU JjBB marked in plain figures, " om P et defied. Fletcher Bros., Lamp topojj*ißaW| ers, Lower High etreet. , - >'-^^^B

pr> _ At the D.I.C there ie always c. staff f of skilled designers constantly produc- | mc the lat«st millinery fashions. Original attractive styles, as shown in their window and showrooms, servo to show the least observant that there is distinction in every bat. *Some of these creations serve a useful purpose, while others are marked by modish effect, extremely appropriate and becoming. A visit to their showrooms is an education j in itself; every lady is invited to pay i c visit. 19 We ere giving the best value in bieyoles ever offered in Chrietchurch. Prices from £11 to £15 16e. Genuine English-built B.S.A. bicycles, £12 10s. Ilepaire unequalled in quality at moderate prices. Boyd and Son, 191 Gloucester street, Christchurch. 6 The Crown Iron Worke Company, Ltd., Manchester and Gloucester etreete. fceve' a very large stock of enamelled bathe, wonderfully cheap, which should be seen by intending purchasers. 6 Improved Suction Gas Plants, 10-h.p. for one penny per hour. To users of i jrae engines this is worth considering. VF A. Kyan and Co., Ltd., 12U Cashol . etreet, Chrietchurch. 6 Mr* Scott. Waitham road, SydeuLam, ' Juts eufferea from asthma for many , years, and tried many so-called cures, '. but Kurasma is the best; it gives relief j et once. Sold by all chemists, 3s per bottle. Prepared by Kirk, chemist, ' Sydenham. 5460 i