GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15490, 18 January 1916, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

The Patriotic Gala at New Brighton, the Queen Carnival at Little River, and the' Dominion Patriotic Bowling Tournament at Christchurch, may very well stand for a week's record of work for the Patriotic Fund in any district in New Zealand. The "Weekly Press," published this morning, fully illustrates all these events, each being treated in a manner that does credit alike to the paper and the subject. Noyer has New Brighton shown to bettor advantage, and never has the Awa-iti Domain, at Little River, been more glorilied, than in these pictures of the Fcto. Considerable interest centres in the different pictures of New Zealand wounded, and there will be many who will find a relative or friend among the crowds. The page of views of the Montaza Palace Convalescent Homo gives us some idea of the manner in which our boys are looked after in Egypt, and the series illustrating the visit of the King and Queen to Beaufort Hospital, Bristol, show us how they are looked after in England. The pulses of every Briton will throb at the story of "How Piper Laidlaw won the V.C.," and the picture illustrating the event will be treasured in many homes. There are many other subjects which will attract attention, and which all assist to uphold the already high reputation of the "Weekly Press."

Sonie of the troubles in regard to bathing experienced by better-known watering-places are beginning to make themselves apparent at Diamond Harbour. At last night's meeting of the Lyttelton Borough Council it was stated that the two shelter-sheds recently erected by the Council were occasionally used bv bathers as dressing rooms, and that sometimes swimmers oven went so far as to climb on to the roofs to get a sun-bath. Complaints had also been made with reference to people appearing on the landing jetty in costumes other than the regulation neck-to-knee suit. In order to check such practices, it was decided to take ccrtain steps, and also to displav notices to the effect that bathing would not be allowed about the jetty between the hours of 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Some time ago the infants and children of Standards I. and 11., attending the Somerfield School, made a collection for funds to provide chocolate for the men on active service. The chocolate was sent forward by the local brunch of -lie Lady Liverpool Fund, and as the following letter will ghow, has reached its destination, and was much appreciated by the men : —Lemnos Island, October 22nd. ]!510. —To the children of the Infants' Class and Standai-ds T. and 11.. Somerneld School. Christchurch. X.Z.—Dear Children.—Your parcel of chocolate arrived safely, and in good condition. On behalf of the Ist (Canterbury) Infantry Hegiment, I wish tn thank you for your very generous gift, and to say how much it was appreciated by the men. It show s we are not in the far-away eorner of the world.' Just now we are enjoyinc a short hcliday away from the noise of battle, but expect to be in tho thick of it again shortly.—l a m., yours sincerely. A. E. S." Cookson, Corporal, Acting-Quartermaster for Company.

Tlie Woolston Borough Council last ni"ht ordered that the speed limit m the borough be fixed at 15 miles an hour* One case of scarlet fever, one of diphtheria, two of tuberculosis, and one of ervs-ipolas. were reported in tho Woolston borough during the last fortnight. The Conciliation Council will sit on Februarv 14tli at the Public Buildings in order to consider the dispute in tho bootmaking trade. _ and the Aerated Water Workers' L'nion case will come before the Council on the 16th proximo. \t a final meeting of the Picnic Committee of the Lyttelton Railway Casual Wharf Labourers' Union, it was unanimouslv decided that the balance from tlie picnic, held at Kaiapoi on Boxing Dav viz.. ~-8, be presented to the Wounded Soldiers' Fund per the railway section of the Public Servico Queen of tlie Carnival. At the Palmerston North Magistrate's Court yesterday. Percy McHnrdy and Arthur Bennett- pleaded guiltv to a charge of using a "spinning jenny'" for the disposal of art union tickets for patriotic purposes. Tho Magistrate, Mr J- W. Poynton, said it was 5 jiot a case for a penalty, and convicted and discharged tho defendants. The Works and Traffic Committee reported to the Tramway Board yesterday that tho passes issued to returned, but undischarged, soldiers, continued to be appreciated. The, number of free rides thus given was over 22,000. The passes were issued with tho assistance of the C.D.C. Office, and every caro was taken to prevent misuse.

Speaking of tho numerous fires that have recently occurred in Ly.ttelton. Mr J. T. Norton, at last night's meeting of the Borough Council, drew attention to tlie unsatisfactory means employed to enable the brigade to reach the .scene of a fire. Tlie conveyance used, a trap, was too slow for an up-to-date brigade to have to make use of, and lie trusted that at an early date it would be possible to procure a motor for its brigade. At the request of a number of petitioners the Leinster road car, which formerly assisted, the 12.30 p.m. to Papanui on Sundays, was delayed five minutes, commencing December sth. It was found that the car was used only by a few people, averaging sis per trip over a period of five weeks, commencing December 19th, and it had been necessary to use a trailer on tho 12.36 car. Tho extra car will accordingly bo withdrawn on January 23rd. Tho Works and Traffic Committee reported to the Tramway Board yesterday that no serious accident occurred during December, due in a large measure to the carefulness of the operating staff. Five persons c'amo to grief when alighting from moving cars. Seven collisions took place between motor and road vehicles and tram-cars. The evidence in all cases showed that the Board's employees were not to blame.

Mr J. Roberts, secretary of the Waterside Federation, went north on Saturday evening. During his stay in the South Island he visited Timani, Oariiaru, Port Chalmers, Diinedin, and Bluff, and conferred with the representatives of the Watersiders' Union at those ports. It is stated that tho "Unions are unanimous in refusing to accept anything other than a national agreement in connexion "vvith -wages. In connexion with the recent fire which destroyed the New Zealand Ship, ping Company's woolshed and the Harbour Board's kerosene store at Lyttelton, a statement was made bv Superintendent AY. Carson, of the Volunteer Fire Brigade, that as a result of the time lost bv ah employee in assisting to subdue the outbreak, tho latter had been dismissed from his employment. At last night's meeting of the Lyttelton Borough Council, Superintendent Carson forwarded a letter withdrawing the allegation, and Btating that lie had been misinformed when he made the charge. ''If no land is available in any district when such is required for returned soldiers I am prepared to purchase suitable blocks for the purpose," remarked the Rt. Hon. W. F. Massey, Prime Minister, to a "Press" representative last evening. "We have not had many applications, but the position at present is good for returned soldiers. Wo have made it impossible for single men of military age who have not volunteered for service to go to a ballot at all. On the other hand, special provision has been made for the relatives of men at the front to ballot on their behalf."

At the Conciliation Court yesterday, the Commissioner, Mr J. R. Triggs, paid a glowing tribute to the power of organised unionism in assistng employers who wished to be fair to their emEloyees. He stated that there had een a great improvement in the position of the "fair" employers as against the tricks and. methods of the "unfair" employers, which could be attributed to the manner in which unionism had assisted the legitimate business man. He felt sure that all "fair" employers were so far from bearing ill-will to the unions that they would gladly strengthen the unions as far as was possible.

In connection with excavations which are being carried out for drainage work at tlia east end of Sumner, an old sea bed or beach has been struck at a depth of 13ft. The distance from high-water mark is about 15 chains, and this apparently goes to sh'ow that at one time the whole of . the Sumner Flat was under water. During the course of the excavations layers of driftwood, pipi beds, and large and small water-worn stones have been uncovered. A striking feature of the pipi shells is _ that they are much larger than the ordinary shells found on the beach and in the estuary.

One of the incidents on board the hospital ship Maheno as narrated by Corporal-Dispenser Donaldson, who is visiting Gore, was the spectacle of a Gurkha and a Maori seated on the deck endeavouring to teach each other their respective languages. The method adopted was to touch different parts of the body and pronounce the name thereof, the mispronunciations of ' the Maori creating much amusement on the part of the Gurkhas, while similar slips of the Gurkha elicited cgual merriment from the Maoris. A striking similarity of the languages was noticeable. Both men took keen interest in this selfimposed task, and were induccd to leave it with difficulty, even to partake of food.

Au incident in which trngedy and comedy were pathetically blendecT was related by Sir C. ii. Rason, chairman of iiovril Australian Estates, Ltd., in his address to shareholders at the annual meeting of the company. Last year, the chairman, who at one time was Premier of "Western Australia, inspected the company's properties, which extend across Northern Australia to Darwin. "Shortly before I arrived at the station," he told his audience, "there had been some murders committed by the natives, and some of the culprits had been' tried at Darwin and sentenced to be hanged. The authorities thought, as they might be excused for thinking, that instead of hanging them all in the capital city of Darwin, it would have a deterrent effect upon tho other natives if they sent one of the culprits to be hanged in his own district, and got together as many of the tribe as possible, with his friends and relatives. Accordingly, one of the culprits was sent down to the neighbourhood of our station, and the police got together as many of his friends and relatives ar.d members of his tribe as they could, and they hanged the man from a tree in their presence, but instead of its having the desired effect, the natives never had such fun in their lives. They looked upon it as a gorgeous pautomime, and implored the police to give them an encore performance, they being quito willing to provide another man."

There are 918 inhabited houses in the Woolston district. Twenty are uninhabited, and there aro 36 stores in which no one sleeps. Mr A. W. Bcavon has given £2 2s to the Band Instrument Fund for the Canterburv Band at the front. Mrs E. S. Vernon has given £1 Is to the same fund. Tho report on the state of the Canterbury rivers showed that, with the exception of tho R-an-gitata, which was dirty, all the other rivers wcro clear. A Wellington telegram states that up to December 31st 19 claims were received under the Miners' Phthsis Act, 1915, whereof S2 were granted pensions representing annual liability of £3859, made up of ol at £52. 28 at £39. one at £50, and two at £32 10s (widows). Four claims were adjourned or rejected, and there aro 10 still in hand. Tho good position which Wellington occupies in the recruiting tables is reflected in the fact that- over seventy men in the traffic .department of the Wellington Tramways have gone to the front, whereas the traffi? department of the C-hristchurch Tramways has contributed nineteen.

Tasmania is an Australian paradise for the angler, says a writer in the '"South Australian Register.'' Beside the magnificent native fishes, the Tasmanians have introduced several sporting fishes, such as trout and salmon. In Northern Tasmania every river teemed with tho beautiful grayling (otherwise called the freshwater herring); and almost every river held blackfish. running up to a weight of 101b. Nearly fifty years ago brown trout were introduced to Tasmania, and. strange to say, the freshwater herring disappeared on a wholesale scale. The diminution was blamed upon the trout, although the ease was not quite proved. Over thirty years ago an epidemic broke out among the graylings, and they floated dead down tho river in countless numbers. In the Dcrwent, tho native mountain trout have to some extent held their own, but in the tributaries they have disappeared. In this instance the destruction has obviously been caused by the imported fish. Blackfish seem to got on protty well alongside tho brown trout, In the Dcrwent it is possible to caoturo a olb trout and next a olb "blackie." Some forty years ago hundreds of thousands of Atlantic salmon ova were imported, and with them came, more or less by accident-, a consignment of brown trout ova The Tasmanian rivers, lakes, and streams, the 'brackish-watcr estuaries, and to some extent the open scu, arc now populated with salmonoids, the results of that and later stockings. The Tasmanian enthusiasts have tried to introduce American salmon also, but without succcss. Fishing with fly in ft Tasmanian- - lake recontlv, a visitor caught GO rainbows averaging olb each. There are also bream of good size in Tasmania, while around the coasts mullet, flathead. rock cod, trevally, perch, trumpeter, barra«onta. colonial salmon, whiting, mackerel, and many others are abundant.

A bottle of "Stop It" will soon drive that cold away. Get a bottle now. All chemists and stores, and from A. M. Loasby, 679 Colombo street. i Sale of Coombs and Co.'s (Dannevirke) assigned stocks, at Armstrong's, to-day. 1 The memory cannot recall tho gradual changes of childhood. Have your child photographed now and then by Steffano Webb, 252 High street. 3 Every day is a busy day at Celiacs Sale. Tho beauty aud charm of the Parisian goods offered, combined with their remarkably low prices, are making this salo a splendid success. There is still a week of fresh bargain days, but, ladies are invited to call at Salon Celia now,' while the selection of lingerie, blouses, etc., is still attractively complete. Bargains to-day at Armstrong's realisation Dannevirke assigned stocks — drapery and clothing. 2 At all times Carey's well-appointed men's departments are thoroughly stocked with tho newest items of men's wear, and customers will find that the values Carey's give are of the same high standard that have characterised this firm in the past. 1

Prudent people who desire to get more than value for every shilling spent should make a point of .attending Messrs Graham, Wilson, and Kiellie's summer sale of drapery and clothing. Since the opening of the 6ale hundreds of pleased customers have expressed their appreciation of the remarkable bargains obtained. 1 If your Electric Light, Lift, Motor Magnetos, Telephones, Bells, etc., require attention, ring up Turnbull and Jones, Ltd., who will give you the best and prompt attention. 1590 Armstrong's will not open until ten o'clock this morning. * 3 The Buick Valve in the head motoro' superiority is not' a mere claim —it is a scientific, precise, demonstrable, unanswerable engineering fact. 6 Admirers of the lovely iridescent glassware, "Rubigold," ctc., are invited to "Drayton's" China Shop. Big selection of 'fruit-bowls, sugars, crcams, vases, etc., from Is, just opened. Addross, 765 Colombo street. The fortunate acquirement by Annstrong's, Ltd., of Coombs and Co.'s assigned stock at Dannevirke, affords the firm yet another opportunity of supplying bargains, unapproachable otherwise. The sale starts at ten o'clock this morning. 4 Prompt—Efficient—Economical.—This is the kind of service you get in Customs, Shipping, and Fo'-wardirg Work by making use of J. M. Hey wood and Co., Ltd., Manchester street, near Clock Tower. 1 A very useful and unique novelty, consisting of a small model cottage, when a man comes out when it is going to rain, and a woman when it is to be fine weather, is shown at John It. Procter's, Oculists' Optician, 200 High street, Christchurch. and the prices are only 3s Gd, 6s, and 10s each. 11 There will be a rush for those useful •Gd parcels at Armstrong's to-day. 5 BICYCLES AT "HONEST PRICES.

"What is an honest price for a bicycle ? The answer to that question depends upon a number of factors, some of which have nothing to do with the intrinsic value of the bicycle. We can best give guidance on the subject by taking a specific case or t;vo. The "Swift" bicycle is universally regarded as the leadir.g English bicycle, it is under the patronage of royalty, and is one of the most expensively constructed bicycles in the world. it is made in several grades, the best grade, which is the only one imported to >ie\v Zealand, being the ''.Royal Superbe." The "Royal Superbe Swift" u covered by compreheusive guarantees, and its distinctive features are tho patent unbreakable ribbed front forks, and its frictionless three-point bearings. * "We sell the "Royal Superbe Swift," with full roadster equipment (ladies' or men's), or in racing models, for £12 10s. further than this. we sell the 'Ifoval Superbe Swift" on time payments, the terms running as low as £1 deposit and payments of £1 por mouth- To fill the demand for a sturdy, reliable, up-to-date, well-finished bicycle at a price below that fixed for the best bicycle obtainable in the world, we stock the "Superbe Star" at £10 10?, and the standard model "Star" at £7 10s. Below these prices again we have generally a big stock of secondhand bicycles, overhauled and put in good order by us. and just at present we arc conducting a clearing sale of these, the prices ranging from 40s upwards, with an average of 60s. Wo are. therefore, in a position to fill any requirement at honest prices. Call and see the latest models "Swifts" and '13tars." Adams, Ltd., Headquarters Showrooms, High street, Christchurrh. (C. S. Orr, I3icyclc Department Representative.) " G