NEWS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14563, 14 January 1913, Page 6

NEWS OF THE DAY.

■' ', V The New Brighton Gala on Thursday last was the most successful gathering yet held at this popular watering place. Thousands of Ohristchuroh residents journeyed to the seaside to witness the sports and otherwise enjoy themselves. A large number of snapshots of the different events, as well as of tho spectators, were secured by the photographers of "Tho Weekly Press," and will appear in the issue published this morning. In the same issuo are many other interesting pictures, including a bit of Christehurch in 1866, which shows the great progress made in the city during the last 50 years, and the building of tho Sanatorium for Incurables, which is to form the Christehurch Memorial of the Coronation of King George. His Excellency tho Governor has shown his interest in games by taking part in a cricket match in Wellington, and the subject is dealt Avith in picture in "The Weekly Press." The recent dislocation of tho Ferry service between Lytteltou and Wellington has directed attention to the travelling accommodation between these ports, and readers will note with pleasure the illustrations of tho launching of tho new fern* steamer Wahine, which is to bo joined with the Maori in the service. The Wool Sales in Wellington, Test Tennis, and other subjects of the week, are all shown, and the progress of the Dominion is marked by huge panoramas of Fcilding, Brunnerton, and the Ruamabanga River,, -and there are other pictures representative of tho life of the Dominion. The literary columns are replete with bright stories and sketches of more than ordinary interest including another of To Pana's bright sketches of "The Far North," and the different departments are full of articles which compel the attention of readers. A really first-class issue, it keeps up the high reputation already established by "Tfle Weekly Press." A branch of the Catholic Federation was formed in Auckland last night, a resolution to that effect being carried enthusiastically. Among the speakers we re Bishop Cleary, the Hon. W. Beehan, M.L.C., and Monsignor GiJan

A list of 949 registered dentists ;s j published in tho last. "Gazetio." Th* | riUT.ber is equal to a deut st to cvevv ! 1020 of tho population. j Mrs H. Davis (Mayoress of Ash-bur-ton) has received from Mrs M. G. utch, of Longbcv.ch, tho sum of £1 Is towards .Mrs Godky's shooting fund for senijr cadrts. Walt r Edmund Harv y. who wa~ arrested in 6ydney and biougbt back in the Mahcno, nopeared in the Auckland Court yesterday charged with hnvii«: committed perjury while giving eviknee as a witm-ss in regard to tho death of Frederick George Evans. Accusod was remanded to appear at Wait). On her outward passage to tho Chatham Islands, the P.tore, on Sunday, the sth inst., picked up a carrier pigeon. The bird, whicli was quite I exhausted, f 11 on the aft t hatch when ; to ship wn.s 250 miles off shore. Tho ; ccok looked after t"'o which is sMll on borrcl. now quite recovered. T % " rinf on its leu is marked N.P. 1907-133: An unusual case was ncard in the Auckland Magistrate's Court when a fat" er was c'arged with l;avin; h.T.boured his daughter, knowing her to fiavo absconded from licensed s>ervi™. The iv.rl wp." under tVo control of the Aiick'and Industrial School, an-1 while in licensed service absconded. A"out three months afterwards she got married, two r.ights prior to the marri"(i" beinc; sornt a'- the place where drfedant was boa:di:ig. A fine of S!B was imposed.

For son-o tmic γ-ast there lias been considerable discussion :n Timaru on tho transport problem—whether the town shall go in for electric tram cars, rniUcss onrs, or motor 'buses. Tho Mayor (Mr Hawkey) has conversed n. srecial meeting of tho Borough Conncil for this evening, at which ho will propose for consideration a loan of £CCOO to improve tho roadways and instal motor buses. A councillor wll move an amendment in favour of railless electric cars.

Last week a Press cnble message from London showed how bookmakers blocked tho telegraph wires to safeguard the odds. The same thing happened in Otaco about 20 years aco (says the Dunedin "Star , "). A bookmaker had a big bot on a horse that was to run at Oamaru, and to prevent his fellow knights of the pencil from unloading on to the totalisator, and thereby shortening the price ho hoped to obtain from that branch of his investment, ho handed in 100 "urgents" at such a well-calculated moment as to block tho wire. Unluckily for him, his horse lost.

Tho advantages of the pension to widows with families was exemplified recently in the caso of a Maori woman who was left destitute by the death of her husband. Although nominally every native adult of the South Island is provided with fifty acres of land, in instances tho acres havo only a tr: fling commercial value, and aro remote from tho homestead allotments of from ono to fourteen acres. The woman, who has five children dependent on her. could scarcely find food for them, and when the matter wa-s under investigation she had nothing but dry crusts to give them. The pension scheme, however, entitles her to 50s per month for their maintenance.

Th© annual conference of the N<*w Zealand Church of_ England Men's Society and tho meeting of the General Syncd will be hold at Nelson this week. A number of members and delegates left for the North by tho Mararoa last night to attend, amongst them being tho Primate of New Zealand, Bishop-. Nevill, of Dunedin, Bishop Julius> Archdoaoon Neild, Archdeacon Gossct, Canon Scdgwick, Rev. J. D. Russell (New Zealand Secretary of the Church of England Men's Society), Rev. J. R. Burgin, Messrs J. C. Adams (Diocesan Secretary), H. A. Bannchr, A. R. Colo, W.'Hall, T. C. Field, and F. H. Thorpe (Christchurch), G. " Joachim (T>unedin), R. W. Simpson. (Timaru), W. G. Rus-'oll (Waimate), and H. J. l>. Sheldon (Tinwald).

In an interview at Auckland regarding the great increase in the number of telephones used, the Hon. R. H. Rhodes stated that the Auckland city exchange now operated 3811 connections, 1149 extensions, and 96 bureaux ; a tota! of 5055 telephones. There are now\3B exchanges in tho Auckland districv and worked by them are 5861 connections, 1297 extensions, and 588 bureaux, a total of 7746 telephones in use. The increaso in four years is equivalent to nearly 90 per cent. The Minister again referred to the installation of automatic systems. ' Ho remnrked that simultaneously with the work of installing tho new telephone system, arrangements will be mado for placing the load cables underground as fay as possible, a<3 there are top many cables strung overhead,,■•

At a meeting of the Timaru A. and P. Association on Saturday last ; the secretary reported having had an interview with Mr Masscy on the subject of- an experimental farm for South •Canterbury. The Premier said the Government had .promised to provide on«. experimental farm of from 50 to 100 acres in Canterbury, but they had not oromised to establish three farms in Canterbury; nor would they do so. The proposal for three farms of about 250 acres each was quite" new to him. The Premier said that he would be. in South Canterbury in March next, and he would bo pleased to discuss the pronosnl for one farm in 'Canterbury then. Mr M ssey ad : el that the experimental farms in the . North Island had not been a, success, but he thought that as farmers in the South Tslnnd were moro expert in agriculture they might be a BUvcess hero.

In reply to representations maae by the secretary of tho General Labourers' Union regarding matters connected with the tunnel contract at Lake Coleridge, Mr H. J. H. Blow, Undcr-Secretary of Pnblio. Works, has written as follows:—"I am directed bf the Minister of Public Works to state that careful 'enquiries have been made in the matter with the result that it is found that there is considerable room for dissatisfaction with, the action, or want of action, of the contractor. Tho Minister has consequently directed that a formal legal notice is to be served on Mr McWilliams, requiring him to mako better progress _ with his work, and to carry same out in a more satisfactory manner, and failing duo compliance with these requirements tho contract will bo determined, and the work taken entirely out of Mr McWilliams's hands."

The annual meeting of the Norta Canterbury Laoour Representation Committee was held at tho Traces' Hail last night, Mr H. Hunter, president, in the chair. Tiio balance-sheet, which showed that the operations of the Committee had become very extensive, and that good progress had been made, was received and adopted. The election of officers for the ensuing year resulted as follows:—President, Mr H. Hunter; vice-presidents, Messrs J. C Ralph and W. Eniom; secretary, Mr E. F. Shadbolt; assistant secretary, Mr C. F. Meyer; reasurer, Mr J. Lyness; committee. Messrs E. Peck, R. Hoppy, D. G. Sullivan, W. Roche, J. Nind. G. Hyde, and J. W. Kay. - It was resolved that a combined meeting of members of all local branches of the Labour Party and the L.R.C., bo bo held shortly for the purpose of arranging the municipal campaign. The Committee set up to bring down a report with reference to a - c chemo for tho definition of an extended metronolitan area, with cne elective controlling body governing the whole, reported that it was gathering information from Amerca and elsewhere, and would report at an early date. The Committee resolved that en active canvass should be undertaken to enrol electors nn the rr.\inlcirr\ ro". nnd to further p-irmlarise tho platform of tho Labour Party.

At tho Wellington Magistrate's Court vestcrday. Mary Baker, a boarding-house-keeper, was fined £"20 for sly-grog sellinjr.

All tho Canterbury trout streams wcro reported clear yesterday, except tho*Rangitata, which was reported fishable. ,

■Vt a sitting of tlio Juvenile Court yesterday a iad, fifteen years of ago, was cautioned by Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M.. and discharged for theft from a dwelling.

Representatives from tho Christchurch Tramway Board will meet the Simmer Borough Council at tho Council Cnambers, Sumner. to-morrow evening, to further consider the desirableness of widening the road in front of tho cliffs between Shag Rock and the Tramway Viaduct.

The Linwood Brass Band will play tht> following programme on St. Albans Park rotunda this ovenins, commencing at 8 o'clock: — March. -'0.11.M.5."; selection. "Satane la" ; waltz, "The Druds" Prayer"; comet duet, "'lda and D t"; scUct;on, '"Halcvy" ; song. '"Arleep in the Deep , ';' wnltz, "Prayer and Passion" j march, "W< ntworth."

At tho Amberley SM. Court Gay, before Messrs "W*. H. Rhodes and F.G. Lcwton, J.P.s, Ti-cs. Ford was charged with having unlawfully converted to his cm \ise a mounted sovereign found by him. Accused, who pleaded not guilty, was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon. On the application of the police, a prohibition, order was granted against aeciued.

Recent weather conditions havo boon extremely favourable for the progress of work in the Christchurch Gardens, and a great improvement :n tho appearanco of tho beds and shrubs is noiceable. Tno men aro now putting everything in good "order for the fete, next month, "'ihe new native section," Mr J. ioung {.tho head gardener) informed a reporter, "has done remarkably well; tho work is not quite finished, and,.in fact, wo will always bo extending. It is hoped to make it cno of tho best collections of native stuff in New Zealand."

The Ellesmcre Lands Drainage Board mob at Tai Tapu on Tuesday last, all tho members beins present. The clerk reported that tho weed-cutter had corno to hand during tho month, and that it would bo set to work as scon as possible As the present leases of several of the reserves run out in June, it was decided to leaso them for a term of ten years, by public a\iction, early in February! "Mr Miller gavo notice to move at next meeting as follows:—"That the Board tako steps to havo tho Lake area, as at present classified, constituted a ward, and that all account moneys be- kept separate, and members elected for that ward."

Amongst tho judgment debtors who appeared at tho Magistrate's Court yesterday was a waiter at one of the large hotels. His wages, he said, were £1 12s 6d pei , week and found, and the amount received in tips was practically negligible when wear and tear on boots, clothes, etc., was counted. Hβ had not received 2s Gd in the past fortnight. November week hnd meant about 30s. Christmas week had been nil, and New Year had been about the same. Thero had been only twentythreo people on tho, books of tho hotel during that time. He had never taken an average, but believed it would not amount to 5s per week. Ho reminded tho solicitor for tho creditor that all who went to thelibtel did not give t ; ps, and it was not tho luck of all to get men who coyild afford to give much away after paying for themselves.

By instructions of the Naval Com-mandor-in-Chief, tho hon. secretary of tho Wellington branch of tho Navy league has been advised as to the* programme of H.M.S. Pyramus, tho New Zealand drillship, as follows:—Left Sydney on January 7th for Lord Howe Island'; arrived on 9th, and left samw day. Arrives Norfolk Island on. 11th, and returns to Sydney on the '14th. LeriVes Sydney mt 21st, arid arrives at Furneaux Group on tho 23rd. Leaves there on 24th, and arrives at Hobart on January 25th. This is published for the information of New Zealand friends and relat'ves of tho men and boys aboard the drillship. The movements of the other ships of tho station are not to bo divulged, "as was formerly the case, tho Admiral's secro-_ tary having explained that in future such details are to be treated as confidential. The wooden building at tho junction of Euston and Colenso streets, Sumner, which has served tho purpose of a temporary Roman Catholic Church tor a good number of years, was used tor the last time for public worship on Sunday morning, when Mass was celebrated thero by tho Reverend iather O , Boyle, of the Christchurch Cathedral, and the old structure is to bo disposed of for removal. The fine new church, built of brick and stone, just completed, is to bo .solemnly dedicated and opened next Sunday afternoon at three o'clock by his Lordship Bishop.Grimes, when, besides tho customary ceremonies, there will be a dedication sermon, followed by Benediction of tho Blessed Sacrament. As tho Diocesan Clergy Annual Retreat and Synod will have concluded on tho previous day, a number of visiting priests are expected to t>o in attendance at tho opening, and the Ohristchurch Cathedral choir will also tako. part in the musical portion. The worry of scraping together enough to .furnish and set up a homo of your own is quito a thing of the past. The system of purchasing furniture on easy terms makes furnishing at once possible for everyone. All you havo to cio is to call and pick out your furnitu/o from a. big high-grade stock. It will be delivered to you at onee —but you can pay for it gradually on terms to suit your purse. Consult at once. A. J. White, Limited, New Zealand's Premier Houso Furnishers, High and Tuain streets, CliristcLurch. 6

'. p.on't miss the economies of Graham, Wilson and Smcllie's Annual Summer Clearanco Sale, which commences today, Tuesday, January lith. In this era of advancing costs of the necessities of life, can you afford to let such opportunities go byp 6

The benefit of sixty years' business •sxperience is at the command of ail importers who employ J. M.'Heywood and Company Ltd., to clear - their goeds through 11 Al. Customs. All the loading firms employ them. Why not you r" ti

1 — Wo have for sale, at less half 1 ' cost, several second-hand Gns by leatli'ig makers, gu:i~anto;.<d in "good * order. Enquiries solicited. Tiirnbull ami Jones, Ltd., Cashel sirect. | ■ During holiday rush, don't brin<» your to the staiiou at the ' l.nst moment. Sco tho Now Zt-.iland Express Company tlio day before, and get them lo check it. The coircpatf ,, collects baggnge, checks on by rail or sea, delivers at far end—all for a small feo. J)- ,