GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15603, 30 May 1916, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

The European and American mails by the Niagara arc expected to reach Christchurcli to-morrow morning.

The statement that Captain Thorpe, Harbourmaster at Lytteiton, had been appointed as one of the assessors for the magisterial enquiry in connexion with the recent mishap to the steamer Opouri, turned out to be incorrect. Captain Marciel, Government Superintendent of .Mercantile Marine at Lyttelton, informed a representative of "The Props'' yesterday that tnc assessors would be Captain Hutchinson, of the Blackball Coal Company, and Captain Murray, master of tho stoamer Cygnet. No date has yet been iixed for the ■enquiry, but it is expected that it will take place about Monday next.

A "Wellington telegram states that I tho Government has decided to take a I census next October. Tho work will J be carried out by the Postal 3>epartment.

Two of the best stories the war has yet inspired are in the "Weekly Press" to appear to-day. "The Vision of the Blind" has as hero a French officer. "The Spy" tells of a . German who had lived in America before ho came to grips with an American on French soil.

The North Auckland dairymen resolved at a conference held yesterday to ask tho Government to give every assistance in the training of substitutes to carry on the dairying industry, in view of tho probable withdrawal of expert employees for active service.

The iMuseum authorities have effected a very a'vantageous deal with the Museums of Melbourne a nd Svdnev. In exchange for casts of the Ha'iwaiuui idol, the local Muaum has obtained a wholo -set .of tho marsupial animals of Australia, including a platypus, an echidna, and several rare specimens of opossums, with an exceedingly rare marsupial rat.

Iwo disputes have been set down for hearing by tho Conciliation Council at Tinuiru on June 22nd and 23rd nest Tho cases are both brought by the Canterbury General Labourers' Union, one being against the South Canterbury Builders' and Contractors' Union .nd others, and the other against the British Imperial Oil Companv nu<l others.

Our Dunedin correspondent telegraphs:—The stocks of coal in New Zealand are running short. Locally there is a shortage of miners, therefore a reduced output. One company alono now produce 600 tons per day less than usual, and all the mines arc in a similar fix, tho explanation being that many of the best coal hewers liavo gone to the war.

At_a meeting of the committee of t.he New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club held yesterday afternoon a statement was submitted showing that tho from tho November, February, and April Meetings, which it was resolved should be sot aside for patriotic purposes, amounted to £3915 8s 7d. This sum will bo handed over to the Patriotic Fund for tho benefit of sick and wounded soldiers.

Tho whale that was stranded at Moeraki and caught by Messrs Edmonston and Hanipstead, has unfortunately returned its captors no profit (says tho Oamaru '"Mail"). After buying material and paying wages, thev had spent in the neighbourhood of £150, while their gains were only five barrels of oil valued at £3 a barrel, and S cwt. of whalebone, valued at £40 a ton. The carcase is to be towod out to sea.

Tho annual report of tho Board of Governors of Canterbury College shows t.iat the Boys' High School for the vcar made a profit of £1007. which has been applied to tho reduction of the .overdraft. The School is heavily endowed, the roceints from endowments fir no reaching £5209. Tho Girls' High School, which is very poorly endowed, only £528 coming in yearly, returned a profit of £770.

Tho drawing of the various art unions conduct-od by the Public Services Section of the recent Queen Carnival took placo Last evening, in tho nresence of the Deputy-Mayor (Mr George Scott), the town clerk (Mr H. R. Smith), and Sergeant Dwan. Twenty-six art unions, carrying 102 prizes, were drawn in one hour twenty-five minutes. The principal prize—a motor-car valued at £300 —wont to Mr Leslie McGuire, of 3o Clarendon street, Dnrodin. Tickets of the value of about £1300 were sold in the motor-ear art union. The winning numbers in the various art unions aro advertised in this morning's issue.

The chairman of tho Board of Governors of Canterbury College, in his annual report to tho Board, commenting on the increased attendance at the Boys' High School, makes the following pertinent remarks:—"Tho roll for tho year shows a large increase, which may be accounted for partly for the reasons assigned by tho headmaster (who had attributed it. to the circulars sent out by tho College to all candidates for freo places and also to the fact that this year no holder of a proficiency certificate was refused a place), but also to the fact that the war has brought home to a number of people the fact that in the future inernational sruggles, eiher tho future international struggles, either in war or peace, education must be an important factor."

A curious sequel is reported to have followed upon the publication, in Saturday's issue of "The Press," of a paragraph giving some details regarding a method of bomb-throwing devised by Mr J. iS. Wearn, of this city. On Saturday night, while Mr Wearn was absent from his homo for an hour or so. some person, or persons, effected an. entrance and made a fairly thorough search of tho promises. The fact that no money or valuables were taken, and that sealed envelopes were opened, seem to lend colour to tho theory that the interloper wag searching for plans, or information regarding tho bomb-throwiilg device. As _thc information regarding Mr Wearn's system had been forwarded by post to Wellington, the search of his House proved fruitless.

Speaking at a dinner given by Mr H. D. ulelntosh to the Anzac Day Committee, in Sydney, Mr Holman, Premier of New South Wales, in supporting tho toast of "Tho Press,'' said ho was in a peculiar position, for the Press had consistently opposed him and his party during the fivo and a half years that he had been in power. He had, however, a very high respect and admiration for' the working Pressmen. Tho Dean of Sydney also remarked that such was his confidence in tho Press of Sydney that h 0 was always prepared to stand by anything that the newspaners renorted him as saying, even before reading it. He •added that his experiences in the trenches at Gallipoli had convinced him that tho account of the fighting there given by tho official Australian correspondent was cxact historical truth.

The forty-third annual report of Canterbury College was presented to the Board of Governors yesterday. The voiume includes a roll* of honour of all ; the students from Canterbury College, ; the School of Engineering, and Sic ; Boys' High School, while eight members of the Girls' High School aro entered ! as belonging to the New Zealand Armv | Medical Service Corps, while two past | pupils of the School are specially inenI tioncd as working as doctors in Serbia, j The School of Art. has also its niche in ' the roll of fame, 24 of its students being at ,the front. There is Jittle wonder, recognising the heavy call made I upon the College and subsidiary schools. ! that the chairman of the Professorial ; Board should state: "The most noticeable tiling about College life is the effect of the war as seen in the greatly reduced number of male students. Such students in their later college years are now a v-erv small number indeed." An effort to induce tho Chief Secretary of Victoria to agree to the appointment of representatives of the Spiritualistic Association of Victoria as persons ' competent to celebrate marriages was made a few days ago by the secretary of that organisation, Mr M. J. Bloom- ; field. It was explained that there was a spiritualistic religious denomination, and many of its members wished ■ to be married according to its rites, j <Mr McLeod said the matter had been brought before his predecessors for forty years at intervals, and the Law Departl ; ment had advised that spiritualists : could not be recognised as a religious denomination _ within the meaning of the Act relating to the celebration of marriages. From the State point of view marriage was a civil and tfcore was nothing to prevent spiritualist's being married by registrar, and then having the ceremony repeated according to their belief. The Minister promised to give the matter further consideration, but said lie could not hold out much hope. j,

I Another case of infantile paralysis is I reported from South Canterbury, the patient being a woman, aged 22 years. The platforms at tic railway station will be closed to-day from 6.30 p.m. to 0 p.m.. and to-morrow from 6.30 p.m. to 8 p.m.. and only those holding tickets for « train which is being despatched will be admitted. For the first time for many years, says the annual report of Canterbury College, the public library account shows a profit on the year's working, the receipts exceeding the expenditure by £'104. No cough is too recent or too chronic for Loasby\<» "Stop It.'' Children like it, so does father —Is Od. 2s 6d, 4s &L Chemists and grocers. 3 Armstrong's Annual Winter Sale commences at 10 o'clock this morning. 1 Sooner than put obsolete apparatus ' in the melting pot. we are offering it to Technical College students at less than scrap prices. See window. Turnbull and Jones. Ltd. 6 A photograph of your family now will be greatly treasured in years to come. Let Steffano Webb take it. I Satisfaction guaranteed. 252 High street. 5 Prompt—Efficient—Economical.—This is the kind of service you get in Customs, Shipping, and Work by making use of J M. Hey wood and Co., Ltd., Manchester st-eet, Clock Tower. 1 A very interesting circular accompanies to-day's issue. It sets forth .?omc of the bargains procurable at Armstrong's Annual Winter Sale. The ! Sale is well-timed, and must prove a boon to buyers. * 5 Mr Jolm R. Proctor, optician, of 200 High street, is now manufacturing what have been rightly styled "Proctor's t>ccurity Glasses." Irstcad of boring a hole (which was looked upon as at once weakening the lens) and fastening with a screw, the new glasses are made by cementing the lenses to the frames. This is said to eliminate nine-tenths of breakages. 1 There is a refinement about Buiek Cars that stamps them as motor-car thoroughbreds. They are undoubtedly the most beautiful cars of the season. G £1 DOWN BUYS A "SWIFT" BICYCLE. To offer the best bicycle in the world at a low price, and to make the terms of purchase so easj- that it is within tlie means of one and all to possess it, is a policy that should commend itself to all cyclists. That jDolicy has been adopted by us. in placing the "Royal Superbo Swift"—the top-grade model of Britain's best bicycle—on the New Zealand market at. the phenomenally low price of £12 10s. with provision for terms as low as £1 down and £1 per month. It is a policy of trusting the people, not only in the matter of credit, but in the more important matter of appreciating an exceptionally good business proposition. That trust has been fully justified during the twenty-seven years we have been in business, and the new ' selling policy in regard to "Swifts" has already proved its soundness. Now, in addition to the proposition as stated above, we equip, free of charge, each "Swift" bicycle sold bv us with lamp, bell, inflator, and clips. The roadster equipment has always included steel mudguards, free wheel, and two rim-brakes, so that to-day's offer meat's the world's best bicycle complete with all necossnrv accessories for a first payment of £1. Call and see the latest models. Adorns. Ltd., Headquarters Showrooms, Hicli street Christeburch. (C. S.Orr, Bicycle Department Representative.) 6