GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume L, Issue 15138, 30 November 1914, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

9 The Postal authorities advise that .ho Niagara, which sailed from Sydney for Auckland at o p.m. on Thursday 's bringing Australian mails, also an English mail via Suez. Tho Christchur.h portion is due here on Wednesday morning. At the last meeting of the executive of the United Ancient Order of Druids the following motion was passed:— "That the Hon. F. 31. B. Fisher bo thanked for receiving the deputation from the friendly societies in connexion with tho insuring of the members who have gone away with tlie Expeditionary Force, and also that he. and tho Government be thanked for their assistance in offering to pay halt' the insur- I anco iticurred by the -society in insur- I ing the members of this society who { have gone to the front at the Empire's call." The Works Committee reported to the Auckland City Council last -week that the Auckland Tramways Company had forwarded a cheque for £4829 12s Id in payment of the percentage of j profits due to the city for the year j ended 30th June. In accordance with I the agreement between the company and the Council, the latter receives o j per cent, of tho profits up to £50CO, and 10 per cent, cf the profits over that' figure. The Doputy-3layor (3lr J. ] Court) remarked that Auckland received more from the Tramways Company than did any other local body in the Dominion from a similar source (reports the "Herald"). " At Thursday's session of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, | in U unedin, the Rev. Dr. Gibb moved, and it was carried: "That the Assembly, in view of tbe resignations of the Rev. John Mackenzie of the convenership of the Sabbath Schools Committee, and tbe joint convenership of the Youth Committee, through his transference to Melbourne, place on record an expression of its appreciation of the high services rendered to the work of God among the young of the Church during the years of his leadership in this department. To the j furtherance of the work ho gave much I time,- thought, and devotion, and the j discharge of his manifold duties was : ever characterised by a zeal which never outran discretion, and by a discretion which never hindered zeal. Jn parting with him the Church parts with a worker whom it can ill spare, and to whom it owes a debt of gratitude for I much work wisely planned and strenu- \ ously performed. j The Maoris of Temuka (writes our j Temuka correspondent) are not satisfied that the relative importance of Kaiapoi,, Temuka and Puketeraki are properly appreciated by the Native Department. For some years Kaiapoi and Puketeraki have each had a fixed Court and a special gazette. Temuka, however, has not a special gazetie, and tho Court merely "calls in, as it were, on the way (as the 3laoris put it to Judge Gilfedder) "from that wonderful place, known as Kaiapoi, to that other wonderful place known as Puketeraki." The result is that the sitting in Temuka is brief, and the Temuka 3laoris have not an opportunity for tho display of that enduring eloquence and thorough threshing out of details dear to the Maori heart. Once upon a time, when the value of lands in dispute was a mere bagatelle, the Department's small appreciation of Temuka did not matter, but now that the disputes range over sections worth from £40 to j £50 an acre, the Natives think the Department should realise the importance lof the place aud the gravity of the ! stakes in the family gambles that o» !-iteso much interest. Judge Gilfedder [ has promised to represent the views of the local Natives to the Department.

St. Andrew's Day will be celebrated by the Canterbury Caledonian Society this evening, when a social gathering is to be held at the Society's rooms. Today is a bank-holiday. At a meeting of the Christchurch Liedertai'el, held on Friday evening, it vas resolved to give a concert at an early date in aid of the Poor of Brita.n aud Belgium Fund. A Dunedin telegram states that the Hospital Saturday collections realised £13.50 iv ihe city and suburbs, and a further gum of £_o0 will probably come in from tho country district..' Ono fourth of the total will ro to the Belgium Relief Fund. Last year the collections realised i.8.0. The Public Health authorities have not. yet arrived at a conclusion in regard to the true nature of the complaint which has caused a great- deal of suffering to many residents of Onehunga. It cannot, therefore, be said that the complaint has been definitely diagnosed as English cholera. The Department has heard of between I.CO and 300 case-:-, of the trouble, mostly from Onehung... It is thought that thc warm weather, and possibly the eating of .semi-decomposed fruit, may have been responsible. The weather on Saturday, though rather oold for this time oi" the veai, was fine until late in the evening, when rain tell and kept on, more or lea. continuously tiil about midday yesterday. There were a icw hours when the sun struggled out. but about five o'clock the rain set in again and continued throughout the evening. A cold southerly accompanied the rain and mado things uncomfortable and bleak. Although tho rain ha s come rather late for the crops, it will do a large amount oi good in freshening up pastures. Mr H. G. Ell has received the following telegram from the Hon. W. l'Vaser, 31 mister of Public Works, in reply to one he forwarded to him' on 'i_l IU .5 d f y:— "t 1 , lin . d that thc P lans ° f ot. Helens Hospital wero prepared some time ago but owing to alterations required by thc Health Department entirely now plans have to bo made and are nofc likely to be ready before Christmas. -Regarding Christchurch lost Office, sketch plans were made and approved, and working plans-and speciications arc now in hand, and will pro. bably also be ready by Christmas." The lady who has nn to this lime deferred tho purchase of her untrirained str_v. uafc will welcome the present prices at Graham, Wilson, and Snie'Jies. .So great a concession was obtained i„ the purchase of them th.t the_ best shapes and colours are offered rrom ll.d up. When you see them in the window you will ..greo that it is scarcely necessary to suggest a quick -election. q 'Tories," the new wide-angle curved spectacle lenses, have many advantages over the ok! "flat kind. 31 r Walter J. Watson. Colombo street (near Kincaid's), will bo pleased to personally explain them. 3 Your Photo as an Xmas Card will bring pleasuro to the recipient. Our work is artistic and inexpensive. Stoffano Webb, Photographer, Petersen's Buildings, High street. Telephone 1989. 3 Christmas Pudding and Cake-mSlc-mg—We offer the latest and best methods of mixing and cooking. Try the "Grimwado" Cooker for tho Pudding and tho new Cake-mixer. Hastie, Bull, and Pickering, Cashel street. G At tho old prices, -Messrs Armstrong s. Limited, are showing the finest assortment of gentlemen T s underwear in tho city, in all sizes, including special measurement for extra stout people. Fine, natural cotton and gauze einglets and underpants Is od, Is lid, 2s Gd; natural wool goods, various weights, 2s lid, 3s lid, 4s lid, 6s <id; Wolsey, Jason, Viking and other historic brands at from 4s 6d to 12s Gd; athletic singlets, Is to ls lid; knicker drawers, 3s lid, _r lid up; also the "Armstrong" brand in all-wool cashmere half hose, black or fancy, from is to 3s Gd. (j Have your horses got sore shoulders, girth-galls, or sores through chafing of the harness? Keep a tin of Berry's Gall Curfo always in the stable Post free, ls Bd. John Berry, 670 Colombo street. J Tho two best tennis rackets on the market aro undoubtedly Williams' "Driva" and Bussey's "Demon Driver," and wo cordially invite critical inspection. 3Ve also carry fully stocks of "Slazengers,** "Dohorty," "Special," "Stadium," "E.G.3L," "Demon," etc.. Jefferies' "Special Ruby," Sheffield's "A.D.P." Send for list. Lewis and Anderson, 112 Caahol street. 6