GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14919, 18 March 1914, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

The auction announcements of the New Zealand Farmers' Co-op.. Dalgety and Co., P. S. Nicholls and Co., New Zealand Loan and M.A. Co., H. Matson and Co., National Mortgage and Agency Co., Conway Matson ana Sons, W. E, Simes and Co., .Charles Clark, Tonks, Norton and Co., and Harris Bros, will be found on pages 15 and 14 of this isfcue. The Napier Harbour Board has decided to purchase a dredge for the purpose of constructing an embankment across the inner harbour, and expects to make a start with the work, which is to carry the East Coast railway line, within three months.

The dismissal of the wharf hands who had not joined the Wharf Labourers' Union caused considerable agitation among tr.e men concerneo (says a nesu Association telegram from Wellington), and a* a result or" the decision arrived at by the executive on Monday eveniug to allow them to recommence when they joined the union and paid up arrears from the time they had been working, between twenty and thirty of them signed on yesterday, some having as much as two months' back subscriptions to pay.

Speaking at a banquet at Ngaruwalua. tho Hon. F. M. B. Fisher referred to the great benefits likely to accrue to the Dominion by reason of the new American tariff, which he said would mean millions of pounds to New Zealand. People little realised that it would open the market for New Zealand produce to rir.oty millions of people. The Minister also made reference to the negotiations with the Union Steam Ship Company, and said he hoped soon to announce that a more efficient and better service bad been arranged.

"The lad is acutely homesick." Such was the statement made by Commander Hcoper to an "Otago Daily Times" reporter on Thursday, by way of explanation of the conduct of the cadet who tried to desert the Amokura by swimming ashore on Saturday whilst the vessel lay at anchor at Port Chalmers. It appears that the lad received some unduly alarming information regarding his mother's illness, and he apparently conceived the notion that the best way to get back to- Auckland wa« to slip over the side and swim ashore. Commander Hooper, being averse to keeping the lad in custody on the shrn against his will, and still being responsible for his safe keeping, simply handed him over te the police to look after him until such time as arrangements could be made to send the boy back to Auckland on leave of absence, and he will accordingly be sent north to-day at the expense of the Government, this course being considered to be the best solution of a somewhat difficult problem-

H.M.S. Philomel will leave Lyttelton on Friday for Dunedin, where she will remain for some days. A special passenger train will leave Christchureh for the sheep pale at Culverden at 7..50 a.m. to-morrow. Particulars aro on page I*2. Writs are being issued by the Customs Department against a well-known Christchureh firm, for the recovery of Customs duties alleged to bo unpaid. All the returns are not yet in of ue receipts :n connexion with the benoht match given by Sims's Australian team last week on behalf of Lancaster Park. but it is anticipated that tho net proceeds will be about £250. A Wellington correspondent tele-! graphs that Mr David McLaren (Trades) l r r.ion) an-1 Mr Holland (Red Fed.), tho Labour candidate, for the Mayoralty, are already actively campaigning. There is likol*. to be great bitterness introduced into the contest. Mr J. P. Luko has not yet announced whether ho will stand for re-election. It is quite possible that he may not do so. Tito Rotorua '•Chronicle" has been informed that a portion of the Maori Mission Choir has been invited by an Australian firm to make a three months' tour of Australia, giving concerts and entertainments in the various contres. The remuneration offered being considered very satisfactory, the offer has been accepted. It is proposed to send "Jo of the younger members, under the management of Mr Mackay. who will exercise the necessary supervision. At yesterday's meotinc of the Ota.go University Council, it was announced that his Excellency the Governor would open the students' building at the University, and tho Oliver wing of Dunedin Hospital, on the morning of April 7th. and would afterwards proceed north by the second express. It wa.s resolved that the hall in the students' buildinc bo called the Allen Hall, in recognition of the services of tho Hon. James Allen. When Mr Jamison's action against Chalmers Church was beforo the Supreme Court at Dunedin last month, counsel for the defence raised n question a**, to whether tho Attorney-General and the trustees of the Foreign Missions Board should not have been joined as parties to tho transaction. In nn interim judgment delivered nt Dunedin yesterday, Mr Justice Sim held that where an action is brought to -emedy any abuse or misapplication of charitable funds, thp Attorney-General is the proper plnint'ff. The' -present suit could not be allowed to proceed until be lad been added as a narty. His Honour said it would ne if the AHorney-General was added as a plaintiff. At the meeting of the Riccarton Borough Council last night, a deputation was received with reference to the grading of tho footpath on the west side of Picton avenue from Riccarton road, to Nelson street. It was stated that the water ran off on to the adjoining sections and the overgrowing grass made the path bad for women and children in wet weather. Tho other side of the street was all gra*;s. and so everyone had to use the west side. The rateable value was eloso on £2000, and it was urged that that should weigh with the Council. The Mayor said they all recognised the matter needed attention, but it was a question of £ s. d. Next year there would be more funds for i such work, and he promised that Picton avenue would bo one of tho first to recoivo attention. A plucky act was performed yesterday evening by a youth eighteen years of age. A horse with a trap containing a boy and girl, proceeding down Durham street, suddenly bolted and went at full gallop towards Oxford terrace. Most of the onlookers speedily got out of the way of the runaway, but the young man referred to, dismounting from his bicycle, sprang to- , wards tho trap. His attempt to stop the horeo failed, however, and ho became caught in some way by the roar portion of the shaft of the trap, and in this position he was carried some hundred" yards, but eventually gaining possession of tho reins, which were j dracging on tho ground, he succeeded ' in bringing the horse to a standstill. i The occupants of the trap received no | injury, but the youne man, whose name was found to be S. Rogers, of the firm of Reeco and Sons, was severely shaken and complained of pain internally. First aid was rendered by a bystander, and Roger's was then able to proceed to his home. His action is described by an eye-witness as having been a remarkably ccol apd courageous one. When in town this week, be sure ard see tho beautiful display of Eiderdow™ Quilts in the windows of A. J. White. Ltd. - 6 Walter J Watson, D.8.0.A., Lon- | don, Expert Optician (near Kincaid's). ! Accurate Sight-testiug and Spectaclefitting. Repairs to Frames and broken Lenses matched. Charges moderate. 8 ! To enable them to give best results, Messrs Armstrong and Co. would lik» intending patrons to place their Easter suit orders at once. The past two j weeks have been prolific in the order department—the firm's prices commanding business. A big purchase of nearly two thou-vind yards of cloth at a low j figure enables them to quote order suits from 39s 6d~-this is about the irreduc- | ible minimum—worsteds and fine suitings will be made up in proportion. 1 I Deerstalkers. —Ensure success on | your next trip by using a Ross Rifle, I unexcelled for accuracy, spaed, strength, simplicity, and safety. Lewis and Anderson, 112 Cashel street, agents. ' 5 In the matter of gentlemen's hats, hard or.soft. Armstrong, Limited, are in the forefront. Prices from 2s lid to 14s (id. They show value at every point t The Cominr; Weddings.—Messrs Hastic. Bull, and Pickering are just now showing some very charming New Geods specially suited for Wedding Gifts They invite inspection Opposite Ballantyne's. 6 Motor Accessories —Lycett Belts, J-inch, 13s; .-inch, 15s: 1-inch, 17s 6d; Hutchinson Heavy Tyres, 37s 6d: Assorted spares kept, also best quality repairs, at J. IT. Suckling and Co.. Garage, 117 Worcester street. 6 Haunted by Threepence. Mr* Roger, daughter of the late Mr Dawson, .i Dudley hairdresser, has J-st received •>. letter l;om a man who tiftv years ago entered the shop and found that he had only threepence when the charge was sivponre. "Mr Dawson graciously accepted the threepence," kays the letter, "but the spectre oi it lias haunted mc. I estimate that if it had been carefully invested in reliable securities it would by now at compound interest have become 2-s Bd. and for this sum 1 beg to enclose stamps." Half Tickets at 30. Professor Hastings nilford. lecturing on '■Intaiitihsm" at tie 'fayil College of Surgeons recently, in-sta-i—*d ;• "'.umber of remarkable case., .if *-ion.._7ped childhood. One dwarf paiised as a child until nearly thirty years of age, having no difficulty in travelling on the railway with a half ticket. Another case was that of a boy of foi'iteen who could pass as a baby in a its ; r.d who in fact, took the leading role in one of the London theatres, ,i<-t i•;. .-'lternauly as a baby and as a dinvn.r •. ■"••> "n<;i*, about town" '.vitli .rto'ligence and ability. Foolishness of ••LeUin*, Things Slide." At the complimentary dinner to himself in Melbourne last week, General Sir lan Hamilton said :— "1 am told that in Australia thero is a bud called the crow, that sits in a tree. When

m ■"' - " ' "' . "' thirsty and hungry sheep get sick and ho drops down and picks their eyes out. Disaster comes, like the crows, after a nation that stops and lets things slide. Then the little dark gentleman will come and pay us a visit. (First slight and then intense applause.) The _," thing is to look in time and j*ot ready." . (Cheers.) Sir lan added that it was most improbable that he would ever return to Australia "Last Post" for a Woman. A military funeral was accorded at Richmond (London) last month to Mrs Elisabeth Evans, who, in ISSI. joined the King's Own Royal I_nnca.stor Regiment with her husband, and went through the ' Crimean War. She was eighty-four years ot age. A special boprer party had Invn sent up from IV.vor. where the regiment i> qtin-toioi! and. ine the regimental pall—inscribed with the names ot all the buttles ie ."hich the regiment ha* fougiit— rovcivd the cotiin. Six hu.'ers from Kneller Hall College of Music sounded the ''l„Tit Post" ovo.- th-> gravo.