NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14554, 3 January 1913, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

Tho date for receiving tenders for the supply and delivery "of a twelveton hydraulic crano for railway useon tho Greymouth wharf has been exter.dcd from January 4th to January 18th.

Tho yacht lorangi sailed from Lyttelton last night for Auckland direct, in charge of her new owner, Mr Alexander. Mr D. Wall, tho Into owner v who sailed her at tho regatta on Wednesday, returned to Port Chalmers yoE.tcrd.iy.

A military funorn.l was accorded the late. Lieut-Colonel Walter Buckingham at Timaru yesterday. Amongst those present wore the Officer Commanding Canterbury. Colonel Cooper, representing tho Commandant, Colonel Jowsey, C.M.G., other officers from Christchurch, and a largo number of South Canterbury oflicers of Territorials and Senior Cadets.

A collision between a motor-cycle ridden by a young man and a spring trap driven by a man named Corser took placo last evening between 7 and 8 o'clock, at tho corner of Hereford and Barbadoes street. The motorist was rather badly knocked about, and was attended to by Dr. Borrie. Tho trap was damaged, nnd tho occupants shaken but not hurt.

Tho Auckland agent of tho Press Association telegraphs that tho old man, J. J. Burrows, who disappeared from his lodgings some weeks ago and who left a letter card on tho beach at Devonport on Saturday, stating that ho had been unablo to get work or food, and hoped his body would soon bo found, was discovered alive and well at Takapuua on Wednesday. His manner was quite natural and ho expressed regret at .tho letter. Ho said lie had been greatly worried and felt he could stand it no longer. Provision has been made by friends for his futuro welfare.

A meeting of tlio committee of the Sumner branch of the Royal Life-Sav-ing Society hold last (Thursday) evening, Mr K. Bassott presiding. Mr W. H. Mitchell was elected to fill a vacancy on the committee. It was decided to -writo to the Sumner Borough. Council suggesting conditions to bo drawn up for the regulation of bathers on tho beach, and the safe-guarding of life, there. Tho offer of Mr Veitch to provide a concert in aid of the funds for tho life-saving pavilion was accepted with thanks. Several new members were elected. Plans for a pavilion on the beach arc to bo submitted at a meeting next week.

The Presbyterian Bible Class Conference, now sitting at Tcmuka, on Wednesday morning unanimously passed tho following resolution, after hearing an addross on tho subject by the Hey. R. J. Porter, cf Oamaru: —"That this Conference of Bible Class delegates (thoro being 535 registered members) accepts tho policy of tho Biblo in State Schools League, and the members pledge themselves to earnestly support it by assisting to form branches of the League, and that in the mcantimo they suggest that all interested should take advantage of the facilities already within their reach for giving religious instruction."

The "Taranaki Daily News' views the horizon thus: "Facing tho New Year, wo aro blessed with tho knowledge that the oil industry is in process of proper and exhaustive exploitation. Wo aro exploiting our scenic reserves, we havo exploited our visitors, withiu reason, our tradesmen havo had an excellent Christmas harvest, and, if indications count for anything, wo may faco tho Now Year strong in the confidence that never in the history of tho province has tho outlook been so bright. The voice of tho farmer is heard in the land, crying, "Lord send tho rain," but even if this sweet solace is denied us for a while 1913 bids fair to be a record year in tho annals of Taranaki."/

Tho statement telegraphed from Wellington that the excursion trip of tho Maori to Picton on New Year's Day was abandoned owing to tho firemen demanding thirty shillings payment for the trip, and the Union Company refused to grant their demand', is stated by the officers of the Maori to bo absolutely incorrect. Captain Aldwell informed a "Press" reporter at Lyttelton yesterday that tho Picton excursion trip was cancelled solely on account of bad weather. It was raining very hard in Wellington on Wednesday morning, and as only about 300 people came down to the wharf, it was decided' to abandon the trio. Captain Aldwell stated that his firemen made no demands at all in regard to extra payment for the proposed trip, which was cancelled solely on account of the bad weather and heavy rain.

A custom amono; the Maoris of the old school was to hide away their money in cabbago trees and such liko receptacles, where it was hoped it •would bo safe from the younger and moro extravagant members of the tribe. Evidence of the fact that tho custom still oxists was secured by the manager of a Waverloy Bank tho other day, when a. young native walked in. and deposited a number of notes and a quantity of silver. The notes were issued in is9o, and wero as crisp and clean as the day they were issued, indicating clearly they had been withheld from further circulation by the native originally acquiring them. The silver coins, in a number of instances, wi-ro dated 1852. The bank manager ascertained from the depositor that the. money had actually been hidden away for many year?.

A lady who has just returned to < Auckland after a six years' residence in i 2. suburb of Sydney, says that things are in a very bad way in the capital. ' There is a great number of unemployed, and men arc being discharged whole-sale i from the various public departments. ' Over ,iOO employees have left tae service of the Harbour Trust within the hist few weeks, and the City Council and Electrical Departments have been making drastic retrenchments. It looks as \ if :i commercial crisis were impending, and mercantile circles are said , to be apprehensive of the near future. "Withal ; rente are mounting! iin, and have in- j creased by quite '25 per cent, within tho j last oouple of years. The cost of living j is excessive. As an instance quoted, ; butter is Is 9d per lb, and almost every ; other commodity has similarly advanced : in pi-ice. The" lady sops a great im- j provernent in Auckland since she left, ] and a rood many persons with whom ; she came in contact in Sydney are bit- ; terly regretting having left New Zealand. She quite expects that hun- > dreds of workers will be making their ; wav back to New Zealand within the j next few months, as no one appears to i be able to say with confidence what i 3 ! going to make things better in Sydney, j

The tramways yesterday earned 50 loads of people, to Sockburn. SO to Sumnor, 60 to Brighton. S to Lancaster Park, and about 45 to Cashmere Hills.

All the Canterbury trout streams wore reported clear yesterday morning, except the Rangitata, which, was reported dirty.

Influenza is very prevalent in some parts of the Ellesmero district at present. In sonio ca>es wjiole tannine have suffered from the malady.

Our Soft on corespondent says that a number of thefts were reported about Christmas time. Ono resident had six geeso taken, another seven lambs and a third lost some ducks.

A Press Association lucssngo from Ueefton says that the weather on AVednosdav was showery, which somewhat mitigated tlie effects of the. dry weather, but feed is feeling the heat and dryness.

According to tho correspondent of the New Zealand "Herald," the number of Foderationists in Waihi continue to dwindle, and of those remaining, several intend leaving the district early iv tho New Year. As a result of tno exodus there are numerous unoccupied houses in and about tho town, but no doubt some of them will be tenanted when the mining companies start working a second shift, waieh will probably bo about tho end of -March next.

Soft goods retailers especially hayo had a busy timo in Duncdin for the past few weeks (telcpraphs our correspondent) and everyono amongst them comments on the abundance of money and the freedom with which it has been spent. Their whole year's trade has increased, and all previous records for Christmas wveks havo been broken. In some instances record takings for tho year have been established. There is certainly no tightness in tho local money marlret.

At a special mooting of tho Southbridge D;stnct H.gh "School Committee, the K-cv. H. G. Hawkins pasiuing, it was decided that formal application should be made for a Government subsidy on. tho amount raised by the recent concert in aid of tho High School funds, Hearty votes of thanks wore accorded Miss Glanville (mistress of tho becondary department). Miss Taylor (mistress" of the infant room), and other members of tho teaching staff, the scholars who took part, and all who assisted to make tho recent concert a success.

A remarkable example of the cargobroacher's art was exposed by a Duuedin tradesman, when he opened a case of Norwegian sard.ncs. Tho wooden box. securely wired, did not arouso his suspicion, and tho top layer of tins was perfectly regular and neatly packed. Underneath, however, instead ol 25 tins of sardines, thero wero several bricks, carefully wrapped up in brown paper. Apparently, tho thief had had plenty cf time, to deprive the box of a quarter of its contents. The neatness of the job could not but fail to arouse in the shopkeeper's heart some admiration, in addition to his indignation.

A somewhat sensational incident occurred at Lako Ellesmerc, near the artificial outlet, on Sunday, two wellknown residents of Doyleston, accompanied by two lads, having a, narrow escape. Hiring a fisherman's boat, they rowed across the lake, favoured by a. strong breeze and current. On attempting to return, however, they vrere quite unable to make way. They wove driven ashore, broadside on, at tho most exposed part of the beach, the waves breaking; completely owr the little craft. Two fishermen, seeing tho danger, put out, and after a severe struggle effected a rescue. Tho occupants of the boat, when brought a.'hore, were hospitably treated by -Air A. Mageldo, and beyond a severe fright returned little tho worse for their unpleasant experience.

A prominent bce-kerper in the Southbridge district told a representative of this paper the other day that the present season was one of the best honey seasons bee-keepers in that district had ever experienced. This was largely duo to the abundance of white clover, from which tho host honey was obtained. Most of the hives ho had inspected wero already quite full of honey, and tho output would be exceptionally large. To show how plentiful the Rupplv of honey was in the clover and other flowers, he mentioned that the bees would not take- into their hives honey or artificial food of any kind placed within their reach, which was a most unusual thing. The bee-keeper went on to say that he believed tho Ellesmero district could produce a hundred tons of honey if there wero sufficient bees to gather it in. As it w<-\>«, tho output this season would run .somewhere in tho vicinity of fifty tons. Tho industry was, as yet, only* in its infancy, but he considered that it would bo very largo in the near future.

It's holiday tinio and anyone requiring Ready-to-wear Clothes, Overcoats, Hats, Flannels, Travelling Bags, Suit Cases, Hat Boxes, Kit Bags or anything whatsoever for holiday use should pay a visit, to Graham, "Wilson and Smellie's store. High street. Tho wonderful completeness of their stocks, and tho quality and unusual values they aro presenting prompt us to say they can render you incomparable aid in

this matter,

To make the first business days of the New Year memorable, Carey's Readymoney Store announce their 21th Anniversary Sale starting from to-day. Tho bargains, many of them enumerated in our supplement this morning, seem irresistible- and no doubt thero will be a rush of ea.ger buyers. t>

278 High street, Christchurch, December 31, 1912.—We wish to thank our many customers for their liberal support during 1912. It is our intention to enlarge our workrooms, increase our staff, and sell at a price that will enable us to guarantcto best value in Christchurch. No matter how small or largo your requirements you can save money at Jones and Sons, Tho Manufacturing Jewellers. 7

During holiday rush, don't bring your baggage to the station at the last moment. See the New Zealand Express Company the day before, and get them to check it. The com'pa:*/ collects baggage, checks on by rail oi sea, delivers at far end—all for a small fee. f)

New Goods for the New Year. Messrs Hastie. Bull and Pickering aro now opening up some very charming new goods in Pewter, Silverware and Copper. Also tho very latest in Ladies' Hand Bags. Everything fresh and new aft-er tho Christmas rush. 6