NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 13602, 10 December 1909, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

A meeting of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College will be held at the College on December 20th «t 2.30 p.m. Over a thousand persons, including pupils of the llamrxstead. and other district schools, took part in an excursion from Ash burton to Tixnaru yesterday. The fine weather that prevailed contributed largely towards the enjoyment of the picnickers. A series of concerts have been promoted by the choir of St. Stephen's Church, Ashburton, for the purpose of raising sufficient funds with winch to purchase a pipe, organ for the church. The first concert was held on Wednesday night, and was largely attended. The pr>ll in connection with the Beck-enham-Fishorton recreation ground loan resulted in the proposal being carried by 105 votes to 22. The Government has voted £.500 towards the purchase of the. ground, and the City Council £250, leaving £~00 to be raised by the district. It may not be generally known that the organ recital to be given by Dr. Bradshaw on Saturday week, the 18th inst., will be the last before the Christmas vacation. This latter will last some fivo or six weeks. At the conclusion of this the recitals will be resumed until the full total of forty arranged for by the committee has been completed. Mr G. Witty, M.P., has received i» letter from Sir Joseph Ward in reference to the exchange of land at "West Melton for recreation purposes, stating that the Commissioner of Crown Lands. Chrisfcehurch, telegraphed on the 6th inst as follows:—"Exchange West Melton Domain: Crown's title tc area acquired is completed and lodged •with mc ;> warrant for issue of title tc area given will be- forwarded to-mor-row." Sir Joseph Ward adds:—"This, therefore, completes the matter.' , A matter causing somo consideration at the present time among the local bodies in South Canterbury is the growth of willows in the streams running eastward. On Tuesday, at the Temuka Road Board's meeting, the Overseer reported that the Ora-ri crossing was very bad, and he strongly urged the removal of willows from the bed ol the river. The crossings were scouring very much. Tho South Orari Rivei Board, which met the same day, appointed its members a deputation tc wait on tho Geraldine County Council at its next meeting to discuss the question of the growth of willows. At the last meeting of tho Geraldine Borough Council a letter was received fpom the Geraldine Road Board regretting the Council's decision regarding tho Geraldino swing bridge, pointing out that property in the borough hnd increased very much in value since the bridge was erected, and offering to allow the Council to pay in instalments of £20—one when the bridge ivas completed, one on Jauary Ist, 1911, and one on January Ist, , ISI2. If >:he Council did not to these, terms, the bridge would be dismantled. The Council appointed the Mnyor (Mr F. R. Flatmnn) and Cr. Taylor to lay a scheme before the Board for raising: the necessary amount for the construction of the bridge. The annual Anglican Parish Fete at Oxford was held on Wednesday afternoon, in Pearson Park, under the general direction of Messrs R. Gainsford, P. Thompson, P. Fisher. T. Hunter, and R. Henderson, church officers. Mr J. Cross presented a sheep, for «• weightguessing competition. The lady members of the church all gave invaluable assistance at the bazaar and in connection with tho various stalls, and at the afternoon and evening teas. The fete concluded with the dramatic performance, "A Pair of Spectacles," which was given in the Town Hall, East Oxford, the characters being taken by Misses Leahy, Feary, and Bulyer, Messrs S. Weld, J. Cook, R. H. Parish, P. Jones, R. Comyns, and W. Dorm. At the Addincton Methodist school yesterday the Rev. C. H. Garland opened a sale of work and Christmas fair on behalf of the building fund of the Methodist Church at Clarence road, Lower Riccarton. Tho following ladies were in charge of the stalls: —Plain and fancy stall, Mesdames Kingsford and McConnell; flower stall, Mrs Roberts; produce stall, Mesdames Emmerson and Christian; Christmas tree, Miss McConnell ; lollie stall, Misses Haines, Griffith, and Dorm; refreshments, Mrs C. W. Barrell and Miss Ivy Brown, assisted by young ladies from Durham street Methodist Church. During the evening a display of scarf drill 'was given under the leadership of Miss Bertha Cade, who also gave a skilful exhibition with the clubs. The fair will be open again this afternoon and evening. The practice of making dogs run after electric cars on long journeys is decidedly cruel, especially in not weather. Speaking to a "Press" representative yesterday, a tram conductor stated he had noticed many bad cases of this nature. Dogs which were manifestly in anything but a suitable condition for a long run, attempted tc keep up with the cars, and although greatly distressed, were coaxed on by their owners at every stopping place. He instanced one case in which a big long-haired pet collie, in a..very soft condition, kept in the wake of a tram journeying to the seaside, arriving about five minutes later than the car, in a terribly distressed condition. Immediately on reaching the terminus the j fatigued animal stretched itself out in the side channel, panting painfully, and a few moments later took a fit, during which it almost died. A meeting of the Board of Governors of the McLean Institute held yesterday afternoor was attended by Mr C Allison (chair man), Bishop Julius, Mrs Wilson, Revß J. Mackenzie and C. H- Garland , , Messrs H. W. Biehop, S.M., J- In gram, W. Dunlop, B. Molineeux, anc H. CotterilL Apologies for the absence of Bishop Grimes and Mrs Morelanc ivere received. Mr G. W. Russell, M.P., intimated that the McLean Institute Bill had passed both Houses o1 Parliament. Votes of thanks were accorded Mr Russell and the Hon. H. F. | Wigram for their efforts in oonnectior with the measure. The matter of giv ing effect to the provisions of the Ad was referred to the Finance Committee The Finance Committee reported thai it had been resolved thet the Riccartor. Road Board be informed , that the Board of Governors had been advised by theii solicitor that the property of 'Quamby' having been used for the purposes oi the institute from th-s commencement of the present financial year, was exempt from the payment of rates. Th« report wae adopted. Accounts amounting to £1375 17s 4d were passed.

A well-known local angler -who makes the mouth of the Selwyn his happy hunting-ground, has 5001b of trout to his credit for the first eight weeks of the fishing season. Mr Leslie H. Reynolds states that work at the Otira tunnel is progressing well, and that all signs of the late friction between masters and men have completely disappeared. The number of taxi-cabs in commission in Christchurch will' shortly be increased, g local company having nine additional on order. It will not bi> . ions before there are close on twenty of these popular vehicles in the city. j On Wednesday evening a concert was j given at tho Tennyson street Congre- i gational schoolroom by the Juvenile, Entertainers, assisted by Missos Duyliso j and Gwendolen Owen. Master R. Ckrk i and Miss Brittenden. The building j was quite filled, a number being unable to obtain admission. Mr A. S. Parker took the chair, end at the close Mr G. U. Hall, the Sunday school superin- 1 tendent. moved a hearty vote of thanks to all who had contributed to the evening's entertainment. The difficulty that arose a few days ago in connection with arranging steamers to take crews and boats round tp Akaroa on tho loth inst.—the night before the regatta—has been overcome by Mr F. D. Kesteven, captain of tho j Union Rowing Club, personally guaran- ; teeing the company against loss in dis- i patching the Cygnet and John Ander- ' son. In the event of there being any j deficiency, the various clubs hovo agreed j to share the loss on a pro raia basis j afterwards. j At a meeting of the Christchurch T&iloresfes" and Pressors' t'nion. held on Tuesdaj" evening, the following resolution was arrivetl at: —"That this meeting approves of the principle of coivpulsory military training as contained in the Defence Bill before the House, but strongly objects to the long list ot exemptions from service in the militia, and considers that the only persons exempt should be: Sheriffs, ccrstables, persons employed in schools, hospitals, prisons, mental hospitals, and those medically unfit, and that a copy of the above resolution be forwarded to the Minister of Defence." A successful garden party in aid of the funds of tho Church of >.he Good Shepherd was held in the grounds of tho Phillipstown vicarage yesterday afternoon. Stalls were supervised by the ladies of the Perish Guild, the Sanctuary Guild. and ; the Sunday school. The children of the Phillipstown infant school gave an interesting display cf physical exercises. Numerous side-shows end other attractions were provided, and the afternoon and evening being particularly fine, the gathering was highly enjoyable. The pleasure of the occasion was enhanced by a programme of music provided by the Elite Band. The Papanui School Committee held its monthly meeting on the 6th inst., Mr Livingston presiding. The headmaster reported that the roll number was 391, and the average attendance for the past month 353; that the inspector's examination would be held on the loth inst. It was decided to close the school for Christmas holidays from the 23rd inst.. and , to present the school prizes and Mr Weston's 'dux" medal on that <lay. The secretary reported that tho amount to hand from the recent concert was £15 lfts. Hearty votes of thanks were accorded all who had assisted at the concert. The Board wrote offering a £ for £ subsidy up to £25 for the purpose of erecting shelter sheds. It was decided to accept the Board's offer, and to have the work started' without delay. It was decided to hold the annual picnic early in February next. The meeting of the Woolston Borough Council, held on Monday,, was attended by the Mayor (Mr J. Hayes), Crs. Round, Radcliffe, Woods, Taylor. Coupland, Graham, Thomas, Bell and Wright. The Finance Committee reported:—Receipts since previous meeting £137 Is Id, uank balance, Dr., £081 8s 7d, temporary loans, £1780, and Loan account, Cr., £741 8s 7d, and the committee recommended for payment accounts amounting to £55 6s on the District fund account, and £194 9s 8d on the Loan account. Tenders for dismantling tho Heathcote bridge were opened, and that of Messrs May and Lyon was accepted. An expenditure of £30 on repairs to asphalt, Dampier street, was authorised. Cr. Round gave notice of motion to set up a committee to go into ways and means of reducing the overdraft. A letter on the subject of drainage of Matlock street was re- , ferrod to the Works Committee for report. The Council resolved to object t-> the extended drainage area of the Woolston district. A special committee was set up to collect data on the subject of municipal lighting. Reporting on his organising tour in the Marlborough district, Mr P. F. Darcy, general secretary of the Shearers' and Other Pastoral Employees' Union, remer&e that at Waipana station (twenty-five miles from Keikoura) he encountered four local shearers. "This was," he continues, "my first experience in dealing with purely local mcn —'cocky shearers,' as they ere popularly called—and I was not by any means confident of success. In a few minutes' conversation I learned that none* of them had ever been in the union previously. This was not because of any objection they had to it, but simply that no one had ever asked them to join. Wo talked some more, and in less than an hour I was on my bicycle bound for Woodbank with the names of those four shearers and the three shed , bands in the union's books. Glorious!" That the organiser's lot is not always a happy one seems borne out by Mr Darcy's experiences at Richmond Brook. After having received permission to interview the men, the organiser set about his task full of confidence. "But once again I found I had struck a enag," he reports. "A couple of the ehearers already had tickets, but tho rest would not come to light. Argument, reason, even .w?ading, all were of no avail, and I left the place, feeling that that -was the worst experience I had ever had , the misfortune to encounter in the work." A meeting of New Brighton residents was held in the Council Chambers on Monday night, the* Mayor (Mr James Glanville) presiding. It was decided to hold the annual Gala on Thursday, January 20th, and on the following Saturday to hold a Marathon race on the beach, for which the sum of £35 was allotted for prizes. The following officials were appointed:—Patron, Sir Joseph Ward; president, the Mayor of New Brighton: vice-presidents, the Mxiyors of Woolston. Sumner, Lyttelton, and Cbristehurch, Messrs G. W. Russell, M.P., A. E. G. Rhodes, John Connal, A. W. McKinney, C. H. Agar, C. J. Marshall, L. C. Williams, C. H. Franks. George Humphreys, W. F. Gaarder, A. H. Wyatt, George Hawker, Walter Hill, t. Bullock, W. J. Shearman, A. W. Owles, J. A. Flesher, H. F. Stevens. M. Pattriek, George Mclntyre. G. W. Bishop. H. E. HarSreaves, J. Bates. C. H. Winny, G. T>. Macfarlane. J. A. Cooke. F. Sincock, E. Jones; honorary treasurer, Mr C. H. Winny ; secretary, Mr A. P. Hopkins; director of sports, Mr L. S. Williams. The secretary reported donations of £0 each from Mo-srs A. W. Owles and W. J Shearman towards the prizes for the Marathon race. It was decided that the net surplus should be handed over to the New Brighton Municipal Band. Mr A. W. Owles -was appointed chairman, of the executive.

A special service will be heldevening at St. John's, Latimer sqnaw *• * ■ on the- occasion of the re-opening $- ~]f" the organ. An address will be gww, '" " by Archdeacon Averill. A floral fete which was held at Jjjj. tings on Wednesday in aid of tie So. ' eiety for the Healt'n of Women uj • Children, was most successful, the gnw takings amounting to £250. Tho sewage works in the Richmondsnd East St. Albans districts are pr*e. tically completed. The syphon in \k» river should be completed* within three weeks or a month, and the j-ystem will tlvn be set to work. * There aro 256 passengers due to «s. rive by the steamer longariro, froa. London and Capetown., on Tuesd» v next. Of this number 30 art* travelliqi - in the first saloon, 44 in the second and IS2 in tho third-class. "" The constable at Little River reports - in connection with the recent drowning fatahty at tho mouth of the RakaiJ river, that niter searching tho bweb north of the river, no traco of the bodies were found. A correspondent writes stating thafcthe present dry weather is senoisly »f. fectisig the decking of thf> Kaiapoi traffic bridge, which is very unevta through the >pikes which should hold the planks becoming loose. Mr G. Laureuson. M.P., has bee tt a-.lv:>,yl by tho Prime Minuter ttit a letter has been received from toe Admiral on the Australian Station in. timatnig that H.M S. Challenger 'irill visit Lyrtilton to be, present dunnain* regatta on New Year's day. The 'Outlook," in'-jts Methodist tec tun. states that the %nod vote on the question of :ui independent Conference t.--r New /oalanri has been counted and it totals 1c.6 Icr and 72 against, 'rJJ oi;t o> the six .Synods cast a maiorirt in favour. The question will now con* botore Conference and be remitted thence to the General Conference. A noteworthy fact in connection ■with thi'. Canterbury branch of th<* National Defence League is that though the • steps for its formation were only Ukea " about four or five months ago, it, membership now totals 2400, and itji now, as regards numbers, the strongest branch in the Dominion. • - Hr.s Worship the Mavpr, in coepfi. - anee with a request made to him, «j} , af.ord an official welcome to Dr. ftfc. riss. wlio conies here on a visit, in fa. r , thorance of his scheme of Impend mimical reciprocity. The reception *jjl take place on Monday nest at nook ~ when it is expected "there will be * gfcdly gathering of musicians and those intt rested in music. K. Arnst. tho champion scalier jj putting in some solid work on the Nfcl* son harbour, preparing for his rate against Whelch at Akaroa. He speaks in high terme of the local conditions for 1 rowing purposes. The large stretch of I water available provides a good rowing I course, and the chance of obtaining I both rough and smooth water give* tl» . oarsman an opportunity to become Mil* ■ lei in all branches. One of tho arrivals by the At&eaie ■ last week tasted somewhat unexptetedly "the milk of human, kindnett" \ during the latter portion of the trip. He joined the vessel at Hobart— u * stowaway. The saloon passengers paid , ' his passage, while some of the second M saloon passengers subscribed sufficient jl' money to enable him to land in tin - * Dominion with more\than a couple of "■' pounds in his pocket. - B The Horticultural Socieiv have tet W up a committee to confer with tin .1 members of the Executive Committee' - of the Domain Fete as to the prospects - of holding a flower show in connection, with the fete. The committees wiH. meet in conference to-day. Bβ headmasters of the city and eubnrban schools have been invited to confer a> to the best means of assisting the fete' < as far as displays by school chUdrea t are concerned. ' ~'' Mr Belcher, secretary of the See- ", men's Union, writing to the" "Ot«m -* Daily Times" on the finding of tat -' Court on the loss of the Duod. eaye;. " "Such an important finding ac not very well be ignored, and one a right to expect that swiit mary punishments meted out toeejWi* , for derelictions of duty, trill akojWi&v plied to those who are responsiMe ft* tho deaths of so many of those mm gd ■ down to the sea in ships." \ ■ XMr Broadbent, the mineralogisli,«[l>e l r was in charge of the Canadian mnjeTM' ■=■ exhibits at the International Exhiv* m tiiin, has been for some time at Mβ . Scuttle Exhibition in the same capadtt. A post-card by the last mail receifes from him states that the , ju«t closing. Mr Broadbent iae sot by any means forgotten his Mjournw'; Ciiristehurch, and sends hie greetings to. the many friends here of the CanadiW Contingent. Mr A. H. Shury writes:—A serioat omission was made in your notwe I***-' garding half-season licenses, ion onrtl : to inform anglers that half-seasonJj« ■, censes are only available in the a"*'** mt, where issued, and holiday angler* « »J Christmas 1 and New Year can only M&B; on the Bide of the Rakaia or BangitTO -mm tho district where the «i license is issued. If they wish to W *; on both sides a wnole tcason licen« necessary, ans beeidee the fin* « »W a conviction wyuld entail «» ioee «;.« r j, their license for two years. J B^. Our own aeroplane men, ih«ogo w» jBleriots or Wrigbte, arewm«-J; little. At the \Pahnerston SW - Grounds on Tuesday afternoon JUjg Barnard Brothers, formerly of A* . land and Dunedin,. made tn **,if' tempts to ascend in their- aerojl* . At the third attempt tfw »* chl i ten feet from the ground, and P«W«» -j ed about thirty yards, when «»*«"I 3 . wont wrong with one of the wingj ** the trial had to cease-. *A hone »» i usrd to give the aeroplane, a it was found that sufficient? B JE* e<l .*S not be got up in that ' " tors (says the "Dominion s dent) nevertheless expressed «£««WjJ as satisfied with the trial as far «?» • went. ' \ '»' - ' At the distribution of P"«»lfe2J"- *~ nection with the Sacred - Auckland, last night, the edwWJ; j svstetn was subjected- to some e«ffi[;. *> • ffom tie Roman Cathohc nfWgr* ;, (states, a Press Association _ tejegne*. - 1 Brother Qement, the *™ n *!hJyL ' ferring to the disadvantages; tD« wjs .- tutions laboured under, said be tßffrej- ,• .1 protest should be made «««*£ * injustice Catholics had to ™}™P%' f recard to scholarships. Ca * hol /*S" -• dren attending Catholic """JJg' * not eligible for these State tggZfe f which were paid for in P?«J'S; - heavily-taxed parents. $?}%*s*-i ". han. who followed, said that > were treated shamefully in re*s«?T. .-, educational matters. { The conversation among 6 ; who attend the wool sales, and «* , , hind the buyers, is a constant ?« , y ■ of trouble. - be stopped till either the ?«***l£ wine of the buyers c.n \ l - the audience the necessity for <P&*£ •, Then by and bye the again. Matters got so ' tnat even likening the chattering school girls fa»W *»"L any offMtT A stalwart buyer, mission from tho auctioneer, the rostrum, went down »*»** fa. epwtatore. irith the object of «"»3 a prominent conversationalist «" . the P room. and though not found necessary, it had • of maintaining better order for m , rest of the afternoon. The ; goes on among the SP*^ 10 "',.;, tl* J J, the buyers' bidding, pre«nta distinguishing of the bids, ana growers who are among tee a quents. should eee-that it r - own interests to allow the bosiwg rf -. proceed with as little interruption 5 possible. t.

'**' ™bers of the Opawa Bowling jj. e numbers/" weloome home on • Mr Bruce, «ho have just returned Old Country. fcee (*ay» the "Hawko's »&8P) tiut the two recent wool B» v -fvapier will result in an in- «*** a Juarter of a million to che «2£ O o f fHa q wke' S Bay. *?L various fbxmUls i? the Horowu* and Oroua counties are stated double shifts at present, • * tf ke advantage of the pret,A satisfactory prices. ■ Tt is probable that at Easter a JLnV visit w.ll be paid to some of Lodges in fcydnev by ■fiJOiZn members of Lodge Civic ffr The arrangements are not yet «nlete but it is almost certain that ..SffitVill take place. TCe-have- been requested to remind 'readers that the sale of oil paintf« and water colours dy Menzies Gibb. Sthe late John Gibb. takes place in jf Charles Clark's rooms, at 2 o clock {o-dav. As" the years go by each Christmas delight to the hearts of a new of little ones, and the D.I.C is leavs a big centre of attraction for JJrtn This year will be no exception, Rather Christmas is to be formally ■Scorned here on Saturday, the llth *tt He leaves the Railway fetation at fl'jj in a beautiful carriage, and Tfter driving round the town trill ar£at the D.I.C. at 3 p.m. All good Aildren are invited to come and welS£ him to his Christchurch head- • quarters. Who can name the New Zealand Dreadnought? Well, the Cabinet can Sri will name it, but there is a five »oDd note awaiting the man, woman, „ child who first anticipates the Cabi'Si's choice. This stimulus to intellect k offered by our enterprising contemW»ry "The" Weekly Press," which pubghee full details of the competition in jie current issue. 6 Messrs Fountain Bros., Dentists, have removed from Colombo etreet to over Warden's, Caehel street. Painless ;sSSstry in all its branches; fees mode--»te; all work guaranteed. ° Merchants and Importers realise that expert knowledge is essential in all ffiesses. J- M. Heywood and Co., ltd -as Customs and Forwarding Aaente are qualified to place such knowledge at their disposal. 4 i Q B. and C. The quickest, best, «J cheapest medium for sending CTrietmae'and New W mementos to friends across the sea is the New ZeaS Express Co.'s service. Reduced ttriS for door to door service. *