GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15309, 19 June 1915, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

Tho Maitai, from San Francisco, has been delayed by bad weather, and will not reach Wellington until to-day. Her English and American mails .hculd reach Christchurch to-morrow.

On Monday a meeting of tho New Zealand Industrial Coipo.ation is to 1,9 held in Wellington, and tho committee which has in band the details in connexion witii the establishment of a New Zealand Board of Trado will also meet.

Tho auction announcements of H. Matson and Co., Harris Bros., Pyne and Co.. W. K. Simes and Co., Charles Clan.. Dalgety and Co., Ltd.. Tonks, Norton and Co., Lid., and R. S. McKenzie and Co. will be found on page 15 of thi_ issue.

Boring for water on the Diamond Harbour Settlement '- pro.reedir-g apace, the pipes being down -SO feet. It i 3 expected to strike water at 160 feet. Our Dunedin ccrresT>nnclent s_ys that it k understood that tne Address-in-l.epiy will bo by Mr C. J. Parr and " -ccondod by Mr W. D.-iivnie' Stewart, who are ox-Mayers of Auckland and Dunedin resvoct.voly.

To-morrow n'ght a patriotic meeting will be l;e!d in His Theatie to advance the "Iv. and K. Pie-g.e" campaign. The speak-s_ will in-<-!u.le the Mr-yor of Ch.ri.tchurch '.Mr 11. fIo!!a::d,. Bishop Julius, Mr G. T. Booth, Canon Burton, and Colonel C'aiaVy. Dr. pradsh.au will p'nv the National Anthem*- of the Allies.

A Press -A'—Watum message states that the award of the Auckland «oatbiild.Ts fixes the bonis at -14 per wee';, and the minimum wages for journeymen and «h>r>wrights at Is od per hour, and boatbuilders at Is 4\d ;-or hour. Employers- are prohibited f'orrs borrowing me-, from each other while there nr- 1 upomp'ore.l shipwrights willing and .be to do the work.

Tho A-tin_-Italian Consular Agent, Mr Jo-*vph Wallace. 171 Cashel street, has received information from the Consul for Italy in Austialnsh, at Melbourne, that instructions from. Rcr.ie states "that .ill Italian rc«e'. vists, or t-:o*-o eligible for military service, are nrt at p-esent required to proceed .lo Ita'y, and present themselves for active service, but they should register in the o; dinary manner in anticipation."

An unusual phenomenon was witnessed in the .south-west "ortion _ of tiio sky on Thuisday evening when thc rare Aurora Austrulis made its appearance. After sunset the *ky in that quarter assumed the brilliant hues and changing colour effects of " - ...*—>-* in whi.h a bright red was nw=t noticeable, wnen darkness set in and the new moon had set there was a very bright illumination of the south-western horizon .as tbou_h the moon wero rising behind tho hills there. This exceptional light effect was noticeable till well after midnight. An Aurora of .such brilliancy is a rare visitor in theso parts.

Ip relating his experiences, Private F. L. Vickers, of the Wellington Infantry Battalion, who is « Hast,ngs boy, and was wounded in ti.o fighting at tho Dardanelles, says ot a friend, also a Hastings man: "Phil Blake had a gruesome exvicrien.ee. He landed on Monday and his section bivouacked on thc beach. They had no particular spot to sleep on and just dossed down anywhere. In looking round for a doss, ho saw two Australians sleeping a few feet apart, so ho laid clown between. Imagine his feelings .when ho awoke next morning to find himself between two men who had been killeo. tho previous day."

New regulations under Clauso 141 of tho Land Act, dealing with the wood pulp industry, aro published in the "Gazette." They lay down tho conditions under which persons or companies may lease forest land from tno State for tho production of wood pulp, and authoriso the Government to remit rents and royalties in connexion with tho first 500 tons of pulp. The Minister of Lands (th- Right Hon. W F. Massey) said yesterday that there was no special significance to bo attached to thc revision of tho regulations at the present juncture. The •Government would like to see tho industry established in the Dominion, and had power to offer fair terms to anyone who would undertako it.

Tlio Acting-Consul for Belgium in Christchurch (Mr Cyril J. Ward) has received from the Belgian authoritios a copy of "Tho Reports of tho "Violation of the "flights of Nations and of the Laws and Customs 0 f W'a r in Belgium." which contains a condensation of the evidence collected by the Commission which enquired into the German atrocities. It is illustrated, and one series shows the hand of a soldier which was shot by a German expansive bullet. Thc place where the bullet entered and where it emerged is shown, and there is also an X-ray photooraph of tho shattered bones." Mr Ward has also received copies of "Tho Anglo-Belgian Conventions," written by a prominent Bel-nan lawyer, and of "Tlie "Violation of the Neutrality of Belgium," with a preface by M. Paul Hymans. tho Belgian Minister of State.

At the local bureau of the Department of Labour there are at present on tho unemployment register no fewer than 130 names of men seeking work, and tho number is likely to increase daily. Tho Public Works Department has just now no openings for labourers, anil there is comparatively little woru offering by private employers. _ Practically the only enquiries received oy the Labour Bureau have been for ploughmen, and then only for one or two men. Men who havo enlisted have been applying for work to tide them over till they leavo for Trentham. In at least two cases tho men did not leave their employment to enlist, the work they were engaged on havin_ been completed. Tho secretary of the General Labourers' Union states that thero are only tho names of somo twenty mon on tho Union's unemployment book, but that number does not represent the total out of work, as many being somewhat unfinancial in respect'to their dues to the Union, do not register.

Referonco to freezing works proposals was made by tho chairman of tho Bank of New Zealand in his address at the annual meeting of the Bank yesterday. "As a consequence," ho said, "of tho deficiency and storage facilities, movements have been initiated at various points throughout the Dominion to establish new freezing works and refrigerating stores. In considering all ciicii projects, it should, of course, not bo overlooked that the present i s a timo when exceptional and abnormal conditions prevail, and that, in ordinary circumstances, the existing facilities for dealing with tho frozen products of the country are probably, in most cases, quite adequate. It will thereforo bo politic that the promoters of such schemes should consider carefully whether or not there is.a permanent opening for tho establishment which they havo in contemplation. If what they havo in view is designed simply to meet the present temporary necessity, wisdom would. I should S3y, dictate tho abandonment of tho proposed venture."

Tho peculiarities of tho lioundaries of some of tlie tramway sub-districts ill Christ.inn eh arc causing candidates .and their supporteis much wonderment and speculation regarding the basic , principles (if any) which guided the ! delimination of tbo districts. For install.-, the Biccarton-Sockbum subdistrict obtrudes between the major and the minor portions _f thc Sprey-don-Halswell sub-district; and _ tho minor portion of the last-mentioned j sub-district is sandwiched between tho • major and the minor portion of the : lliccarton-J-*—rkbum sub-district. The smaller portion of the Riccarton-Sock-burn district is in the region of the terminus of the Papanui extension, and it is extremely difficult to imagine what po-s'b'e interest the people in that portion of Papanui can have in the Ricarton Sorktmrn line. A por- : tion of the New Brighton sub-district penetrates and includes the township oi' Papanui and comes as far south as Norman's road. Community of interest does not nnr>ea>- to have been the idea of thoso who fixed the. boundar'r_f snh districts, and it is feared that the residents in these disjointed portions of the districts mentione* will not go to the trouble of recording their j VOt-6, '

Mr Edgar Stead has brought in to town, for sale at the Red C'-oss Depot, a large quantity of all .vind.s of ferns, including a number of. good tree forn.s taken from exposed situations.

A Timaru Press Association message states that hi. Honour M; .Jrsti c -tin has fixed the fourth trial of Itobert Guthrie, for alleged sheep stealing, for August.

An election of members of the North Canterbury _ ihhi—ltion Board to represent the North, Central, and South Wards (one member for ."-aeh), will take place or Monday. Ju'y 2«th. Nominations close at the Education Board".. Office at o p.m. on "Monday, July oth. It's very easy to catch cold this weather, but not so easy to get rid of unless you take •'Step It." the real cure. 5041-2 There is really no need to knit socks for members of our fouvs when heavy ail-wool socks can be obtained at Carey's from Is pen pair.

On Monday morning next Messrs Graham, Wilson, and Smellie"s sale catalogue will be ciiculated through the issue of "The Press."' It is a shortstory of big bargain**, and all those receiving a copy should pet use it carefully. 3

The new "Tone," or curved, lenses greatly enlarge tbe field of vision They have many other advantages, which Walter J \Yat«on. DBO A . laOndon. expert optician. Colcrr'v, street (near Kineaid's,. will be pleased to explain G

That treasured old portrait can bo enlarged to make a handsome picture It will be inexno—sivo if we do it S*>f. far.o We. Petersen's Buildings. Hich street Telephone 1959 W9722-3242

Ycurg Engineers.—"Tow is the timo to get yonr Meccano Sots for the Gieat Meccano Competition. See our windows lurnbuil and Jones. Ltd 6

Get in touch with J M tirywooit and Co., Ltd., directly you decide to nove. They will handle your t'urni—ire carefully, pack it seen re ty, breaK nothing, and deliver it utiaseratched to you* new residence 6

Bird Cages greatly reduced, made of strong wiic, with spring door, removeable tray, perches, feeding bottles, etc. Special "prices os Gd and "s Gd. Mado m New "Zealand, and procurable only at Drayton's Emporium, 7G5 Colombo street. 1

Cold weather comforts. Perfection Kerosene Heaters, smokeless .nd odouiless, 22s 6d to 37 s 6d. Hot-water Bags. 4s 6d to 10s 6d. Foot warmers 2s Gd to "s Gd. Lewis and Anderson, 112 Cashel street. G

Ball-bearing Drop-head Sewing Machines at £S 10s. do all tho work, last as long, and .look as well as those costing double tlr. money. A. J. White, Ltd. W9546—1. "Big Ben" is first and foremost a reliable timekeeper. It is also an attractive, well-finished clock, fit for any position. Further it will call up tho heaviest sleeper on the darkest morning. Price 12s 6d at Hastie, Bull, and Pickering's, Cashel street. 6

Compasses arc used for telling tho different points, such •as north and south of the hemisphere. They make extremely useful and acceptable presents to departing troopers. The prices range from one snilling upwards, at John It. Proctor's, optician, 200 High street, Christchurch, and if they are made luminous can bo read at night. P9350-3559 IT IS EASY TO BUY A "SWIFT" AT THE WINTER SALE. Almost everybody nowadays knows that tho "Swift" is away up in the aristocracy classes amongst bicycles. It i s used by kings and queens and dukes and duchesses, and the general impression thereforo is that it is not only a very luxurious and well-finished monnt, but also more than ordinarily expensive. It is quite tlie most reliable, durable, luxuriously equipped and easy-running bicycle in tho world, but it is not expensive, and not difficult to buy. provided that you buy it at Adams, Ltd.'s Winter Sale. "Believing that the best bicycle in the world is tho best bargain for the working man or business girl, we have reduced the price by £5. and in addition to that are nrenared to sell on exceptionally easy instalment terms. We will accept a deposit of —1, nnd monthly Tiaymonts of £1. for the latest model Swifts. We direct especial attention to these _ beautiful oil-bath roadsters, with their special winter equipment. They make winter cycling a pleasure instead of a penance. Tho equipment of all roadster, includes steel mudguards, free wheel, nnd two rim-brakes. Adam«t, Ltd.. Agent* for Swift Cycles: Headcmnrte.-, High street, Christchurch. (R. M. Adams. Bicycle Department Representative). 6