NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 12852, 10 July 1907, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

The auction announcements of MoKenzie and Willis, C. A. Lees and Co., North Canterbury Co-op., Ford ami Hadiield, Baker Bros., T. Mundeno Jackson, New Zealand Farmers' Co-op., H. B. Soreusen, Brown, Little and Co., Devereux, King and Co., and J. 11. Davies and Co. will be found on page 11 of this i?sue.

The presentations made by "West Coasters to tin- Hon. A. R. Guinness at Wellington on Monday night included a serviceable gig. a set of harness, and a silver mounted whip, and to Mrs Guinness a diamond, ruby, and sapphire broojh and a handsome purse.

At Inst night's meeting of tho Christchurch Fire Board,, it was reported that the outbreak in High street at an early hour that morning, had cost the authorities responsible for local tire prevention a r ran go mc ins the sum of £0 for turning out the engines aiono.

A sharp shock of earthquake was felt at Napier and Hasting at 1.10 yesterday morning.

Tho Timaru Borough Council have decided to call tor tenders (to be in by August 10th) for the first section of the underground drainage scheme for Timaru

During the absence from the colony of the Hon. W r . Hall-Jonee, the Hon. J. Anftey, M.L.C., and Mr Flatman. M.H.R. for Geraldine, have promised to look after the political requirements of Timaru

Civil Servants in all departments are reminded of the monster meeting to be held in the Land Board room ai half-past seven this evening to deal with superannuation. Mr Bishop, S.M., will take tho chair.

At the Gisborne Magistrate's Court yesterday a charge against a totalisa"tor clerk of supplying a minor with a totalisator ticket was dismissed owing to contradictory evidence. It stated that this was the first case of tho kind in the colony.

Tho Moeraki, which is carrying the outgoing Suez mail this week, will arrive at Ly.ttelton to-morrow morning from the Smith, and will sail for Sydney via Wellington on the arrival of the 2.45 p.m. train from Christchurch in place of tho 4 o'clock train as pro r viously advertised. Passengers unable to catch the 2.4.5 train can connect with the Moeraki at Wellington by the Tvrararoa. which sails on tho arrival of the 5.25 p.m. train.

In returning thanks at last night's meeting of the Christchurch Fire Board, for the vote of condolence with the family of his late father (Sir John Hall). Mr J. I). Hall (the chairman) said that such genuine expressions of sentiment went far to prove that in public life there was something more than mere formal feelings, and indicated also that among those who endeavoured to servo their fellows cordial relations prevailed.

Our correspondent telegraphs :—The Greymouth bur, owing to tho heavy south-west gale, shoaled up 10 feet in twenty-four hours. It soon, however, scoured again, but shipping was delayed for three days. It is understood that the Minister of Marine is Favourable- to the work in tho lagoons. Which will provide extra berthing accommodation, a.nd a greater scour on the bar. It is expected that this work will be commenced within a fortnight.

It is stated that the new evening paper which it us proposed to launoii on to the troubled sea of journalism in Wellington shortly will bo edited by Mr J. D. Sievwright. It is understood that the Hon. C. H. Mills is chairman of directors of the new company. Mr Sievwright ie well known in journalistic circles throughout the colony. He was a member of the literary staff of tho "North Otago Times," Oamaru, for several years, and subsequently occupied the sub-editorial chair of the " New Zealand Times, Wellington, which he vacated to take up the position of editor of the " New Zealand Mail." He retired from tho service of the " New Zealand Times " Company a couple of years ago.

The manner in which football matches and the players are criticised in tho weekly journals was a subject which occupied the attention of >-..« Canterbury Rugby Union last evening. After the ordinary routine business had been concluded Mr E. R. Guthr.e quoted an extract from a weekly contemporary in reference to the LinwoouOld Boys' fixture, which read: "Wneu clube like Linwood and Old Boye have to hanj; about andi pick up anyone who will be willing to fill up a vacancy, it will bo recognised that things have reached a point that requires drastic measures to abolish." . The speaker went on to say that the remarks were getting too strong, and he moved— '"That a letter be written to the editors of the papers, pointing out the unfair way that football was reported and clubs misrepresented." Alter some discussion the motion was withdrawn.

A New Plymouth telegram states: — Prospecting has been going on intermittently lor years for gold on the ranges, at the westerly base of Mount Egmont, and from time, to time indicati. us of promising looking quarte have oceu ouuiiiiod, but no real success uas attended the work until quite recently. Samples of splendid quartz are now being exhibited in town, gold showing freely all through. The find was made by a New Plymouth workman, who has been in the habit of putting in his spare time fossicking. Assays show very Jiigh results, and it is stated that h l;'.:go body of stone is showing. The locality has been kept a close secret, but it is known to be within the Eglnont National Park Reserve. Tho Government hitherto have refused permission to work therein, but it is understood that efforts are now being mado to induce Cabinet to allow further prospecting of the roef to be cairied on, in order to prove the value of the find.

Tho last meeting of the Woolston School Committee was attended oy Meed auras Wicks and Douglas, Messrs Smith (chairman), Thomas, Scott, Robertson, Douglas and Henley. A letter was received trom the Education Board notifying the appointment of Miss Woods as assistant mistress. A referendum circular was read and received from tho Citizens' Bible in State Schools Committeo, Wellington, wku voting paper enclosed, and on the motion of Mr Scott, seconded by -Mr Thomas, it was unanimously agreed to vote in favour of uiolo-reading. The committee appointed the Hon. G. v. Smith, M.L.C., and Mr G. Laurenson, M.H.R., to be their delegates in the deputation to wait on the Premier during the sessioni uxesdames Wicks and Douglas were elected a visiting committee for tho ensuing month. It was resolved to write to the representatives of the city and district on the' hardship entailed on the Woolston school by the abolition of Saving Bank receipts. A vote of thanks was passed £o Messrs Binnie and Kennedy tor their kindness in erecting shelves in the library. Mrs Wicks and -»lr Thompson were appointed a gub-com-initteo to help the teachers to choose now books for the library. The quarter's balance-sheet was adopted, showing a credit balance of £10 Gβ Bd.

An interesting and very exhaustive report has been, furnished to Parliament by Dr. Cockayne on his botanical survey at Kapiti Island. Inter alia he says:—"Few incidents are more to he regretted in tho settlement of new countries than tho more or less complete destruction—unavoidable in many the fauna and flora. This is especially to be deplored when the members of these are of a rare or peculiar character. Such destruction has taken place in New Zealand to an extreme degree. In tho neighbourhood of towns, large and small; along most cf tho railway lines; everywhere, indeed, where the land has been specially suitable for gettJenent, ilie native cnimels and plants have been in largemeasure replaced by those of other lards And these animals and plants are one of New Zealand's assets. Not •si f«nv of both classes have their like. rowhero else upon tim giobo; while, it wo consider the plants alone., their manifold combinations end the congregation of so many peculiar biological forms can be met with in no other temperate region of equal on a. These facts have been recognised more or less fully by various New Zealand Governments, while the recent one ir.ore especially ruts shown its interest in this important manner by the passing of the Scenery Preservation Act, which has set apart numerous areas throughout the length and breadth of the colony for the protection of their animal and plant inhabitants."

Eighteen houses in Walker street. Punedin, occupied by Syrians and Chinam-en, have been condemned ac imtit lor habitation, and notices have been served on the owners to have them pulled down.

At a well-attended meeting of Civil Servants at Invercargill last night, it was decided to torm a Southland branch of tho New Zealand Civil Service Association. A delegate was appointed to attend the meeting of the Council in Wellington.

A Press Association message from Oamaru states that the police made a •aid yesterday on one of the closed Hotels* and seized all the liquor in the lockers that were not locked. The case comes on for hearing next Monday, along with two other cases for alleged sly grog selling.

The Timaru Borough Council called tenders for the supply of drain pipes for their underground drainage scheme, the estimated cost being £BUOO. Only three tenders were received—one from Christchurch. one from Auckland, and one from Southland, but the rates 11. each cose were so much abo\-e the prices at which the pipes can be obtained locally, that the Council deferred accepting any tender.

At its monthly meeting on Monday evening the Ashbiirton Borough School Committee discussed the circular which has been sont to all the school committees in the colony by the Wellington Citizens' Bible-in-State-Scbools Committee. After discussion, a motion

"That this school committee is in sym"pathy with the project put before it by the Citizens' Bible-in-State-Sohools League," was carried, only one member dissenting.

Tho manager of the Industrial •School, Burnham, bogs to acknowledge gilts of books and magazines from public librarian, football from Mr Smithson, l>ooks and periodicals from Waltham Old Boys' Football Club, pictures and engravines for mounting nn'l framing from a friend, Wellington, illustrated papers from Mr Donton, and magazines, etc., from Mr \V. Guise Brittain.

Dr. Pell, Director of the Government Department of the Geological Survey, who hus visited Auckland province "in connection with geological survey (tays a Pre6s Association telegram) said he was very much pleased with the possibilities of tho North, particularly with the copper prospects brought under his notice, but his ob solvations were necessirily of 60 casual i nature that ho preferred to leave hiu final opinion until detailed observaticns next summer havo been completed.

The Marlborough Land Board yesterday (soys n I , - telegram) idod to notify twenty-three holder ■ of email swiiuiis near a township on Flaxbonrne settlement that they must reside according to the Act or forfeit It is hoped locally that this derision will help the cause of the IJk-nheim-Flaxbourne railway. There- is not th* least doubt that the settlors, when they took up ecrtiorm two years ago, believ<xl the Government intended to extend tho railway at once. Work oh the line has not averaged a milo par year during the last four years.

Palmerston furnishes a singular instance of local rates totally overwhelming the rental value of land. Across the road from the hospital (says the "Manawatu Standard") is an education reserve, splendidly situated, comprising four acres, the rates on which, once it is let, would amount to £16 per year. Recently it was offered for lease at auotion. but failed to find a bidder at £4, or £1 p&r acre. The Schoo. Commissioners have now let it as a cow paddock at 4s per week. The person rei ting it must pay tho rates, which amount to just four times the rent.

"I could not see the beauty of Naples in comparison with other places; end as for the people! I think it is the most horrible place I was ever in." The quotation from some remarks ir.ade by Sir William Lyne in the course of an interview at Sydney last week, served as a preface to his opinion of Italian emigrants. When he wae at Naples on his homeward journey, there were three German steamers there loading emigrants for America. The Australian Minister and those with him had to squeeze their way through an immenso room, where the emigrants were booking their passages, fbere wero hundreds of them, "and, added Sir William, "a nice crowd they were. So far as I am concerned, America may have the whole lot of them. Wβ do r.ot want any such people here.

Lovers of art (eaye a Wellington coi respondent) aro pleased at the intimation that the committee acting in London on behalf of the Wellington Art Gallery, have- purchased an oilpainting, by Mr F. Brangwyn, A.R.A., of Venice. This, is one of the best of Mr Brangwyn's works, and was secured at a cost of £250. There are eleven other pictures, all examples ot work of rising artists. They have iKJen chosen with very great care, though necessarily they are small works. The committee, which consists of Messrs Norman, Garstin, Morloy, Fletcher, Devitt (a well-known art collector), and Miss F. Hodgkins, has stilJ a few purchases to make before abeorbing the whole amount of £800 remitted to it for that purpose. Ihe pictures already purchased are expected to arrive in Wellington in the coureo of a month or two.

Each, year the stud sheep salo9 are held in Sydney a substantial contribution is made towards the Sydney hospitals, which derive the benefit of the charge of half a crown made oy the auctioneers conducting the sales for admission to their auction rooms. The tax is not severe on buyere ana euch of the public as attend the sales as sightseers, because the purchaser of a half-crown ticket becomes entitled to admiesion to the whole series of sales, lasting a clear Aveek, with a free lunch thrown in at each. This year's receipts promise to be eminently satisfactory (says the 'iSydnoy Daily Teiegraph' of 2nd inst.), n tho takings at the two sales alreaoy held are to be accepted as a criterion. That helu last Friday produced £'63 10s. while that of yesterday netted an additional £b3 os, making a, total of £12(3 los tor th« two days.

Some months ago there was published in the New Zealund papers an interesting story of a lady who lived tho lno ot a recluse in the early part of last century on one of tho Campbell iil-uncis. It was- hinted that she was a descendant of the house of iStuart, a daughter of Meg Wilkinshaw. The Auckland "Star" states In at Mr J. Eαiniston sent a copy of tlio article to the •Glasgow Weekly Herald, " and Hiat paper discounts the possibility of the lonely woman being a .Stuart. The "iieg' Wilkinehaw is rather suspicious, writes the paptr. 'llio prince iueL thai woman in Glasgow in 1745, not in Holy rood as staled in the story. According to history, Charles had one dauguter, and this daughter he created Duchess of Albany; her name was Caroline, born 1703, di**l 178 D. As the Captain totewart of" the Jieiv Zealand (.vtory died in 1851 at tho age of Ho, ho must have been born in 176 G. Ho could not have l>e«n in command of a whaler before 11'jQ, or a year atter Caroline is said to have- died, and in any case he could not have kidnapped Caroline from Dundee, as the probably never saw that city. Assuming her to have been kidnapped she must have been an old woman in the early yea re of the 19th century, when whaiers Degan to visit New Zealand. Tho story has tho appearance- cf being a hoax perpetrated, by mjhio one with just a little knowledge of iStuart history, tartan, Glengarry bonnets, Highlano heather, and the other essential* to give the story an air of romantic interest likely to make it palatable in New Zealand.

Tho first meeting of creditore in the bankrupt retate of Geo. McDonald, stationer, Christchurch, is to bo held on tiio loth iiiet.

Tho farm labourers' dispute, winch ha o ju*,imw »o iiiiicii stir in oil parts ot Canterbury, is to l>o hoard by the Arbitration Court at Christchurch on August sth.

A conference of the chief officers of th« hemp division of the Agriculture. Department opened in Wellington yesterday morning. The object of the conference is to; arrive at a uniform eystom of grading, and it will het uiK>ut three days.

Tho Mayor has received £1 Iβ from W. H. for tho Coal and Blanket Fund. The committee are receiving a largo niiuber of applications, and tho iuuds at their disposal aro inadequate to meet all tho demands. '

Tho committee in connection with the scheme for tho advancement of Canterbury luive drafted a proposal to otuablieh an iissociition for the purpose. This will bo laid before a pub■ic meeting to be called at an early date.

Mr T. E. Crosse, ■who was injured in the motor car train collision at Hastings on S.iturday, is dodng as well as can bo expected, but it will be four or five weeks before ho ie about again. Miss Sehmidzer, tho other injured is doing splendidly, and will l>o out of the doctor's hands at the end of the week.

Tho N«picr Education Board (cays a Press Association telegram) on Monday night resolved—"That tlic attention oi tho Department bo called to the present unsatisfactory system of staffing, ■>rd that the Department bo asked to consider the advisability of s-tafiing on tho average highc&t weekly attendaiuf. and that Education Hoards bo authorised to send temporary assistance to bchools that require it."

A correspondent of the "Post" , who if in business, writes stating that he loses about -twenty pounds a year through jw>tty thieving, lv Sydney, ho says, at nulo tinnts private deU*cliv«? are engaged by the business firms, and ho suggests that employers should combine and adopt the eenio course in New Zealand citiw, and also employ a female detective. Ho thinks a lady detective ehotild bo added to tho police staff in the chief cities.

A remarkable manifestation of the public appreciation of inir trading ie afforded by and Co.'c big sale, where the gcniiinenees of the reductions line resulted in record business being ..one ever since the sale started. Owing to its immense trading capacity, tin , firm \voi<« leoently enabled to secure, at much lk'low usual coet, a splendid line of 797 d ikircls of beautiful Japanese silks, which are now in the windows, and go on sale at Is per yard only. 9

Fashionable and reliable drapery at annual clearing sale prices. BlacK, Bcattie and Co. are making a clean sweep at this stile. Their usual value is always considered above the average. Now the sale values are genuine and something extraordinary, see that you do not miss tho opportunity of paying this firm's salo a visit. b

The Great End of Season Sale at the D.I.C. continues to-dny, when epecial sale concessions will bo offered in all departments. Attractive lines in Drees GoixU and Blousings, Costwimea and Jackets, Millinery and Neckwear can be secured at positively bedrock prices. The large stocks of Furniture, Furnishings, and Crockery now on hand at the DLLC. are marked at genuine sale prinea. 6

Some fresheners among the bargains at Armstrong's Annual Sale:: — Wadded Quilts, 48 x 60, worth 11s 6d, for 5s lid; Big Hearth Rugs, Is lid and 2e lid; Single Bed Quilts, 3s 3d. 1

Trimmed Hats, 3s lid, Ladies' Corsets 2e lid, Blouses Is lid, Torchon Lace 6d dozen, Llama Braid 3 dozen for 6d, Ladies' Singlete -Md are prices that keep T. Armstrong and Co. busy. 2

J. Diokeon Clarke, D.8.0.A., F.S.M.C, F. 1.0. (London), Opdthalmic Optician, having lately returned after undergoing special study at the Northampton Institute, London, may now be consulted by thono having defective eyesight. Lateit methods and instruments only employed. Charges strictly moderate. Oculists' prescriptions prepared. Telephone 2321. Sight-testing rooms, 148 Colombo street (opposite E. lteece and Sons). 10

Mr Ernest M. Sandetein, F.fi.M.C, D.S.O.A. (London), Opthelmic Optician, may be consulted on all cases of Defective Eyesight remediable by glasses. Consulting rooms, Caehel street W. (next , Ballantyne'e). Hours, 0.30 to 5.30. Telephone 397. Specialty, rimlose invisible glasses. 6 To those requiring drapery, keep your attention on T. Armstrong and Co.'a window. Annual Winter Sale in full swing and bargains as genuine as the first day of the sale. 3 Patents, Tradeemarks, Designs.-— Henry Hughes, Patent Agents, 183 Hereford etroet, Christchurch t obtains patents in all countries. Reliable idvice on application. Telephono 254. 9 Better have no watch than on* continually wrong. Consult Kennett, th« people's watchmaker. His timekeep* ers are good, correct and cheap. Kennett will also test your eyesight and fit you with spectacles. High street, next Excelsior Hotel. 9