NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 13741, 24 May 1910, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

"The Weekly Press," published this morning, is a number that will find a place in the majority of New Zealand homes, illustrating as it does the large gatherings of peopio in Wellington, Christchurs-h. and Ashburton, who mustered on Friday to show their respect for their late King. Another feature which will appeal to all is the Whitehaven colliery accident illustrations, of which there is a complete page. New Zealand is well represented throughout tho illustration's, both North and South Islands receiving their •-tiota. From .AucklanJ no have the great ostrich farming industry, from Marlborough and Canterbury some .li.igniricent scenery. The Bay of Plenty district always furnishes good pictures, but we doubt whether it has over produced better than thoso of Waipiro Bay and its surroundings which appear in this issue. _ rem end tii end it is a splendid issue of a firstgrade* paper, and the literary contents nio.as up-to-dato and effective as the illustr.-iti.ins. Ethel Turner's' serial "ontinues with remarkable brightness and truth to nature, and of tho complete stories "The Claws of the Tiger," describing "organisation" Methods in New Yurie, has naver been aurpatsed for power and feeling.

'•'Conscience money" has at last come the way of the Christchurch Tramway Board. At yesterday's meeting a postal note for two shillings, pinned to a sheet of white .paper, was received. The only explanation of this donation was the word "Restitution," written in faint lead pencil on tho sheet of paper.

Sir Jnsepli Ward has written to the Mayor in response to an invitation to be present on the occasion of the farewell to iiis Excellency tho Governor on the 31st inst., that at present he is unable te answer definitely. He, however, promises to let the Mayor knew by Friday next.

The Works Committee reported to the City Council last night that the Citizens' Committee,, set up to make arrangements for tho farewell to his Excellency tho Governor, proposed to present him with an address in Cranmer square on Monday, the .30th inst,, and the committee had* instructed the City Surveyor to provide sufficient the occasion.

The Works and Traffic Committee of the Christchurch Tramway Board reported yesterday that the Saturday night traffic on all lines continued to be exceedingly heavy. Woolston was at present in the worst position in regard' to rolling stock in this" respect, and the committee recommended that a ten-minute service bo run between G. 30 and 8 p.m.

The following is a list of Btock slaughtered and carcases condemned afc the City Abattoir for the month of April: —Cattle, 953 slaughtered and 19 condemned; sheep. 10,504 slaughtered and 33 condemned; lambs, 1757 slaughtered and none condemned; pigs, (JBO slaughtered and 3 condemned; calves, 218 slaughtered and none condemned.

Dr. Bradshaw will hold a trial of boys' voices at the Cathedral on Tuesday next, 3lst insti, at 10 a.m., for the purpose ot selecting two or more boys to fill vacant chonsterships. The successful candidates hold scholarships a. Christ's College, and receive a musical training which should .be of value in after life. There is also a vacancy in the Cathedral choir for a bass lay clerk, the salary being £40 per annum.

A meeting in connection with the Young People's Movomont wa_ held in tho Lyttelton Wesleyan Church on Sunday afternoon. Mr H. H. Cook presided, and there wero al.out 300 present. An interesting address was delivered by Mr T. E. Taylor, M.P.. on "Elemental Thought of Elemental Men." A ht-arty vote of thanks, moved by Mr G. Laurenson, 31.P., and secondad by Mr W T. Foster, was passed. Mr H. D. Bedford, of Dunedin, also briefly addressed the meeting.

The Early Colonists' Section of the Museum discussed at some length yesterday the question of joining, as a committee, the Executive „et ur with regard to the Diamond Jubilee. It wa3 decided that it did not come within the scope of the committee a-> such, but that members were, of course, at liberty to join individually The names of 'cv members were handed in to the secretary at the close of the meeting for transmission ,**o the Town Clerk as willing to become members of the Executive.

To-night the Blue Jumpers—-the veterans who banded together in the sixties as tho first volunteers in Canterbury—hold their annual reunion. They aro scattered in almost every part of the Dominion, but on these occasions thero are generally representatives present of those out of Christchurcb. Mr Joseph Piper, of Petone, lias not missed a gathering since the inception of th© movement. The meeting will take place in the rooms of the Caledonian Society, and the chair will be taken by Sir W. J. Steward, formerly captain of No. 6, C.R.V.

A meeting of the committee of the Canterbury branch of the Navy League was held iast night. Present—Major Hobday (in the chair), Mesdames Robinson and Blunt, Miss Sanders, the Rev. E. Eliot Chambers, Mr C R. Clark, and the Secretary (Mr C. J. Treleaven). The annual meeting was fixed for Tuesday, May 31st. Captain Gathorne Hardy, A.D.C. to Lord Plunket, a vice-president of the League, wrote acknowledging receipt of a communication giving particulars of the Srogress of the branch. Captain fatnornc Hardy stated that his Excellency desired to express gratification at the progress of the branch, and the energetic maner in which the objects of the League wero being kept before the district. Sir Joseph Ward, who is also a vice-president of the League, in acknowledging receipt of a -amiiar communication, said he was very pleased indeed to learn tbat the League was making such satisfactory progress in Canterbury. A quantity of routine business was also transacted.

A Chinese named Jim Kee was fined £2-5 in the S.M. Court at Wellington yesterday for being found in of opium suitable for smoking.

To-day used to be kept as a holiday for Empire Day, but in view of new conditions and tho nearness of the new King's' Birthday on June 3rd, no.,p*«*"*'«" holiday will be observed.

The manager of West's Pictures. Ltd., received a cable message yesterday from London that a s-.w-cial messenger had left there with the Australasian copies of the late Kin.'s funeral, and that the copy for Christchurch would arrive here on June 29 - h.

In the Divorce Court at Auckland yesterday a decree r.isi was granted in Vh" ca.'-e of Edward'Bowles v Agnes Jane Bowles and Daniel Stewart, corespondent, in which the jury found that misconduct had taken place but that the petitioner had not been guilty of cruelty to respondent.

' Lord Kilbracken, tho only son of tho late Mr John Robert Godley. who as a child was in-Canterbury with his parents, wrote yesterday to the committee of the Early Colonists' section ot the Museum exnlainin:. that he was no longer Sir Arthur Godley. That titlehad been merged when he was raised to the peera_e under his present title, which is derived from ono of his Irish estates.

Cr. Hyde enquired st the meeting of the City Council last night whether tho Council could collect any rates from the Gas Company for the use of the streets to-- laving the mains. The Mayor replied "that- the Gas Company was in existence before the City Council, and what the coro.nany did they did under statutory authority. As the Council rated only on unimproved value, no rates could bo levied on the mains.

Speaking of Government land ballots, at a meeting of farmers in Timaru recently, Mr John Talbot said ho was 6iiro tlio Farmers' Union was in accord with tho generally expressed desire that the acquiring of land for subdivision should be energetically proceeded with. They must recognise, however, that to do so meant still further increasing their borrowing, unless tho option were given to the present leaseholders of buying the freehold as they became in a position to do so. This, ho thought, might bo done with advantago to the State anel parties concerned.

Speaking at the meeting of the City Council last night, Or. Thacker said about a year ago instructions had been pven that owners of unsightly sections should fence, hut it seemed to him the instruction had not been carried out, for ho could name at least a dozen unsightly sections in the city. Cr. Otley said that instructions had been given in several cases, and as far as he knew had been carried out. There were, however, legal difficulties involvctl in the matter of oompollinq: owners to fence. The Council decided to refer tho matter to the By-laws Committee.

A very' excellent scheme of ornamental iighting of the platform in Cranmer square on the occasion of the farewell to his Excellency the Governor on the 31st inst., has been prepared by the city biirveyor. In addition several arc electric lamps'will be installed in various portions of the Square, and a scheme of illuminating the iirees with a number of small electric bulbs has been been arranged for. An address'will bo presented _y the Mayor, together with a souvenir book of Maori carvings, to the Governor, and a jewel-bos for Lady Plunket. Two or three short speeches have also-been arranged for.

The story of a collision between a tram and a" motor-car on Papanui road came out at the meeting of the Tramway Board yesterday. Mr Walter Hill stated that a motor-car driven by a well-known doctor had come into collision with an electric tram, with the result that the motor-car had been knocked into the side-channel. The doctor had spoken of the incident in no unfriendly spirit, his object being that the raotc-rman should bo commended for making a very smart stop. It turned out that tho collision had not been reported, and the traffic superintendent was requested to make enquiries.

A No-license meeting, presided over by Mr W. Dobbs, president of the Lyttelton No-license Council, was held in the Opawa Methodist Church lost evening. Interesting addresses oh the temperance question were given by Messrs T. E. Taylor, M.P., L. M. Isitt, and the Rev. A. Peters, and were very attentively listened to by thoso present. During tho evening the chairman explained that the Lyttelton Council had an indebtedness to the Alliance of some £41, and that tho Opawa portion, of the electorate had not done as much in the way of finance as had been done on '"the other side of tho hill." A collection was taken up on behalf of tbo funds.

A, conference of delegates from South Canterbury local bodies was held in Timaru on Saturday for the purpose of dismissing a proposal to hand over to the local Hospital Board the duties devolving on 'local bodies under the Health Act. Dr. Finch. District Health Officer, was present, and ho explained the position and spoke in support of the Hosoital Board having control of health" matters generally, throughout South Canterbury. The Hospital Board agreed to take oyer tho work, it being explained that one body coii'd attend to it better than several, and the expense would not be great— about £250 a year for an inspector, half of which sum would be met by a Government subsidy. Tho conference agreed to the principle, but no definite decision was arrived at. as the delegates had first to report to the several local bodies which they represented.

Amongst the donations received yesterday at tho meeting of the committee of the Early Colonists' section of the Museum, were several of a most interesting character. Tho principal of those was a couple of very fino photographic reproductions from oil-paintings of the late Mr John Deans, sen., tho founder of Riecarton, and Mrs John Deans, sen. Tbe paintings, were executed from Daguorrotype pictures taken in London in 1852. Mrs Deans, sen., has taken the most lively interest in the work of the committee, and a large number of valuable donations have been received from her. Two quaintly original donations were a copy of the National Anthem as suns "in Christchurch on the occasion of rejoicings at the late Duke Alfred of Coburg having escaped from assassination at Clontarf Sydney, and a home-maele flag hoisted at Christchurch Quay to denote when Divine service was to be held. The former contained an original verse added for the occasion which very nearly approached to bathos.

It is a too little recognised fact, in connection with tho Christchurch tramway system, that peopio do not desire to know merely where a car is going to. but also where it is coming from. This was emphasised at yesterday's meeting of the Tramway' Board by Mt <C. M 7 Gray. Ho pointed out that people waiting in the Square for friends arriving by cars had some difficulty in locating the cars from the different suburbs. The destination signals v-ere displayed, but thero was no indication given as to where a car had come from. The difficulty was a very olvious ono in connection with the Woolston and Sumner trams, both of which finished in tho Square. Mr Gray suggested that they should continue to show their "Sumner" and ''Woolston" destination signals, instead cf substituting "Square." Several of the members of tho Board agreed that the trouble was a real one. and it was suggested that a system of numbers had previously been mooted io deal with the difficulty. It was found that a tentative allocation of numbers had been made' to the different lines as follows: —P-panui 1. Cashmere ,2, Sumner 3, Woolston.4, New Brighton 5. Linwood G, Addington 7, Riccarton 8, Fendalton 9. Tho chairman said that it had not been intended to issue the numbers until the extensions were completed. It was considered, however, that something should be done, and the matter was Teferred to the Works and Traffic Committee.

A motion expressing sorrow at the death of the late Kins Edward, and sympathy with the bereaved Royal Family, was passed at the annual meeting of tho Christchurch Bowling Club last evc*nin*_.

At Duiu-din yesterday Annie Outs', on was fined £. for a breach of th? Mi*hvjx*os Act by practising without ,bci*tt*_ registered, The case arcse out of the inquest on. a girl, who died after prematurely giving birth to twins a;, defendant's house.

A Press Association telegram from Wellington states that an enquiry into the charges against Mr Peter Hayes in connection with the administration of the L.iud and Income- Tax Department commenced yesterday. The proceedings are not open to the Press.

During April the following building permits have been issued by the City "surveyor's : —Central ward. 8, value C 4300: inner area .">„ value .t'2109; St. Albans ward, 10, value . "S.*i.i , Sydenham ward, 10, valiie £34.">0: Lmwood ward, 4. value £520: total. 42, value £13,220. Tho fees Muountcd to £51 10s.

Dr. Henry's mission will open on Saturday next at His Majesty's Theatre, under the auspices of the Christchurch Ministers' Association. There will be a eombincel mass meeting at 3 p.m.. followed by an after-church rally at 8.30 p.m. The singing will be in charge of Mr C. A. Potts, assisted by a large united choir.

The Mayor informed the City Council at thy meeting last night that at the next mooring ho intended to propose a remit to tho Municipal Conference that provision should he made to enable voter.-* at municipal elections to record their votes by post. Tho proposal, he felt, sure", would cost less money than the present system, and would enable mora people to take part in "the elections.

Thero is at present on view at the Christchurch Tourist Bureau a very (o.e head of a stag. This handsome trophy of the chase, a twelve-pointer, even on both sides, and known ns a Royal, belongs to Mr C. P. MnrrayAynsley, of Methven. who shot the stag in the Rakaia Gorge. The head is noticeable for symmetry and length.

In the Avon, just a.bout 101) yards al-ovo the footbridge leading from tho Domain to the South Park, is a largo branch of a tree, which proves .1 very nasty obstruction for those boating on the "river. As is only natural, tho ebstruction daily grows larger, other floating matter being stopped by it, and it is quite time that it/ was removed.

Cr. Cooper moved at the meeting of the City Council last night that a remit should "bo forwarded to the Municipal Conference, asking tho Government to ifsert in tho next Municipal Corpora■iiems Bill a clause compelling all fish to be sold in municipal markets. Tbe Mayor said that tho conference had al•eadv recommended that such powr-r should bo given to Councils of towns of over 10,000 inhabitants. The motion was carried.

In the Magistrate's Court at Auckland yesterday, during the course of an action to recover £51 damages for injuries resulting from a collision between a tramcar and a horse, Mr Kettle, S.M., directed proceedings to be taken for alleged perjury against a witness named Edwin R. Crawford, who stated that he. was in the vicinity and saw the collision. Other witnesses asserted that Crawford arrived on the scene after the accident, and Crawford ultimately admitted that that was tho truth.

At Wellington yesterday Mr Haselden, S.M., gave judgment in tho cases brought "by tho Labour Department against fifty wharf labourers of being parties to a strike by ceasing work on the Wanaka in February last, when the use of hooks on bags of cement was forbidden. The Magistrate said that tho Arbitration Court, to whom certain points had been referred, was unable to say that there" had been a striko, and lie was of the same opinion. He-entered; judgment for a non-suit in each case.: No costs were allowed.

"This is the first time that many Maoris havo seen anything :n the way of a comet in the sky," said an educated, Southern Maori, "when speaking to a "Press" reporter yesterday. Ho went on to say that they did not regard Halley's comet ~with r any dread, but one of their traditions was that any unusual display in tho sky portended, some remarkablo occurrence. Ther Southern Maoris had, when the comet first made its appearance, believed that it portended the.death.of some prominent. personage, and .they were quit© satisfied that the death of King Edward was a fulfilment of their apprehensions. -

Some timo ago Count Morner,' Danish Consul-General for Australasia, visited tho various districts of New Zealand and Australia, and as a result of his tour forwarded advices homo to Denmark stating that the labour-• market intheso colonies was in a very depressed state, and warning intending ; immigrants against coming here. -A let-' ter has now been received by Mr H. B. Sorensen. Danish Consul for the South Island, from the Danish Minister of Foreign; Affaire, asking if Count Mor-. ner's pessimistic report is justified, and requesting him to forward further information on the matter. Mr Sorensen is at present engaged in collecting the required information, and will in due course forward, it to tho right quarter •' . . ■

Our Dunedin correspondent states that a technical difficulty has arisen in connection with the poll taken at CheNorth East Valley, at which the ratepayers of that borough expressed themselves in favour of a proposal to amalgamate with Dunedin. The Minister of Internal Affairs has advised that since section 3 of the Municipal Corporations Act 1908 provides that the distancd between tho two farthest points o. c the city shall not bo more than six miles, and as there arc seven miles and three-quarters in this case, tho proclamation asked for cannot bo issued unless authorised by special legislation, until such time as fresh legislation can b. introduced and the Municipal Corporations Act amended so as to permit of tho poll being given effect to.

The meeting of the creditors of Louis Peter Chanett, of Cheviot, butcher, called for yesterday, lapsed, there not being a quorum. The unsecured debts in the estate amounted to £249 19s 2d, the following being the principal creditors: —F. Wansborough £5 JZs 4d, C. Johnston £24 16s, R. R. Lockhead £12 6s 6d. F. V?. Hcnn £13 os Gd, H. Crampton £19 17s, E. J. Savage £6 10s Id, Mrs Albert Smith £5 6_ lOd, Berry and Co. (Christchurch) £15 os 4d, G. T. Pulley (Southland), £69 10s, E. Powis £6, Dalgety and Co. £51 13s Id. The book debts amounted to £95 13s, and wero estimated to produce £47 10s. Messrs Berry and Co. were secured for a debt of £15, -the value of the security being estimated at £25. The apparent deficiency was £192 9s 2d.

On Friday next Mr William George Lamb will be prosecuted on his own initiative for selling liquor and keeping it for sale in a no-hcense area of Masterton. The explanation is that Mr Lamb manufactures wine from New Zealandgrown grapes, and in order that a test case may be brought before the next sitting of tho Supreme Court he committed an alleged breach of the Act." The whole point of tho proc-eedings {.says the "Wairarana Dnily Times 0 ) lies in tho fact that the Licensing Act of 1881 provides that that Act shall not apply to wine made from grapes grown in New Zealand In opposition to that the Alcoholic Liquors Control Amendment Act of 1895 provides tbat liquor shall not_be sold in a no-license area, no distinction being made between New Zealand-grown liquors and others. These two Acts have since been consolidated (in the year 1908), embracing tho conflicting clauses.

Tbe nominations for the eWfZFJN for members of the Gwtrr-hurv Stus_ % Ivoard of Governors close at, reW IT s ** £ Monday. May 30th. Wn ne *_*^' ..?!_•* j*ag »t the .Christchurch &l/I_-< High Schccl w as fiymg at half-mLfg *■ _ terdny, out of respect to tho nwmi*7& V the late Profcss_r C.ook. Jonnerlv \C_ f s * ff-ssor of Mathematics at Ca„._.Tk College, who died at Marton S S_£?H'. oay. *"*„,- Mdlle. Bel Sor.l, the prima dou__,_" " \Vill.amson* 3 Grand Opera Co_S_?.' discovered, on opening her tr_r_,T 7 "' Thursday, that tho hTu-rs of o np\T** been forced and se.oral vaJoffi '' articles ot stage wearing apparel __! "*- ---been stolon. It is impossible -.says ft ■* "Dominion") to say where tho*t_„?_-*' was tamjwrod with, as it hid not b_S ' opened since leaving Sydney ? Hal'evj' comet: known nil over-Ik" globe! So is Dnnnan's Cu.tores, Shrot ■ pina. and Forwarding Acc-scr V-.'' Lichfield st reet. Wo chock ***~ any destination. A cents eveWwh_» < Government cart ace contractori. j'l. Housewives ?i*d youn_ ladies Wi'" • with their wedding trou-.se.nux v. I «_; ' welcome the news of the ininenditi™ 3.* pur cent, rise in the coiton mnrke* _!. announced per Press Association in _£-■. columns last Tuesday It may _»&"'■■ haps, re-assure them to know that _»*■ D.I.C. will continue to -ioll nit-m__-"* stocks at old prices till forced to «_'-' vance them on tho new shipments, ft **' Baggage Lost! What a plight to __ " in! But this is tho risk .ou'run **.ii!_ unchecked baggage. Avoid it by c!in_ "" ! ing through us (rail or sea). Costs W : ;in the end and ensures saictv. Eijq_j™, * * j Tho New Zealand Express* . I Ltd. .."] -. On few subject* arc there so tatsn' popular delusions as in regard to tL»'-' eyesight, and the results are often' serious. Tho defect which is by, St.- ' most general comes with advaucine"'' years Although the sight may rem»i_ perfectly good for distance, yet th_ •*,-- cannot accommodate itselt to near ofe. * jeots. consequently glasses aro needed Consult John R. Pro-.'tor, Ocnl&U'*Optician, 180 High street, Christchurch ""- -' l: - When you contemplate moving, r«i» up or interview J. M. Heywood and ' Coy., Ltd. They will undertake tb»" : work, and as none but competent and* - careful men are employed, -atisfactioa - * is assured. , .4;-, Who can name_ the Now _eatft__.* Dreadnought ? Well, tho Cnbinet h&~. and will name it, but thero is pound note awaiting tho man, wonias,*,. or child who first anticipates the Cabi- 5 ' net's choice. This stimulus to intellect"' is offered by our enterprising coatem* 1 ? porary "Tho Weekly Press," which"-" publishes full details of the coinpotitoon \ in its current issue. '5,"; , Before purchasing elsewhere, call «„.' see the Robey Oil Engine, benzine «"', keroseno* also belting and lubric-tfjjj. ~ oils, at McClelland and AndersoE'*,.! 224 Cashel street, Christchurch. *_fiT<.;u AN OVERCROWDED SCHOOL. . Some striking particulars the Cheltenham State school *tto* given by a deputation to tho Miuup___;-j. for Public Instruction at last week. It wis stated that tlics_f, wore in use two -rooms, ISFt by ISfC.- 1 and 18ft by 24ft in size, ivith* oeilijigi-< about 10ft high. In the smaller .room-, *. forty-nine children were packed, and.-.* in tho larger fifty-six children. Tfc&M ventilation rind lighting were tolaU.-:; inadequate. Teachers and scholars tinually complaiheel. So crowded wer.'"the children that when a child in a ">»'£. wanted to pass out it sometimes bad tft ! fu scramble along the tops of tho dcslgi,"' at which the children _nt sideways order to bo able to see what doing. Tho teachers found it net*es„fk*f to-equip themselves with smelling and fans for the revival of ohildren in the warm weather, T__*.|f~, 7_ihister. promised to. ,pTovide uacrc-setlj;* accommodation. ..'!*yg ;