GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LII, Issue 15773, 14 December 1916, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

Tho Bromley electrical current wHI ba cut off from 9 a.m. till 2 p.m. to-uay. All tho Canterbury rivers were reported clear yesterday morning. The Chemists' disputo in the Conciliation Court has resulted in rio agreement being come to, and it has been referred to tho Arbitration Court, sitting in February next. One result of war conditions and prices has been that in respect of one large hotel in Christchurch tho boarding portion of the business has been much curtailed. Consequent upon this the staff has been reduced by dispensing with the services of ten peoplo. The Canterbury fruitgrowers have evidently great faith in the industry. Additions are being made to many orchards, while large fruit cool stores are being erected. One Papanuj grower is adding to his 12,000-caso cool store another of similar capacity, while a Papanui syndicate is putting up one of 35,000 cases capacity.. In order to extend tho usefulness of the St. Helens Hospital to a wider circle than heretofore, it has been decided by the Minister of Public Health (the Hon. G. W. Russell) to open an outdoor department for expectant mothers, where they may obtain advice. It is not intended to confine this advice to those mothers only who Intend to enter St. Helens Hospital. To thosn who saw the 200 children under five at the Art Gallery yesterday afternoon, it will come as a surprise to know that tho majority of them camo from homes where there were also a younger brother or sister and a baby. Mrs T. E. Taylor, the president, stated that mothers would realise from this bare statement the benefit arising from these schools, and how little children, instead of beinii an additional source of worry to their parents, were taken and gently and carefully trained. At the "Play Festival" held in the Art Gallery yesterday. Miss L. Tabart, who has taken a leading part in the institutions connected with tho kindergarten movement in Christchurch, stated that during the five and a half years the kindergartens had been established, no fewer than 1429 pupils had passed through the schools. The schools wore kept up chiefly by voluntary effort, the Government subsidising up to £80 the work in connexion with each school. The three schools were run at a cost of £700 a year. She emphasised the wonderful work done by Miss Hull, the superintendent, and by Miss Inkpen, of the Normal School, who acted as inspector. Besides subsidising tho schools, tho Government lent teachers, and assisted in various ways. If funds were available, they could start six moro schools, for which there was a crying need. She also dwelt on the fact that with so many married men at the war, women could, if they chose, leave their children to be trained, and go out to business. In connexion with the' second Empire Symposium of the Overseas Club at the Chamber of Commerce to-night, the business meeting will open at 7.45 p.m., and at 8 o'clock the Symposium wili begin. A motion will be proposed covering a pledge to facilitate the full utilisation of the Dominion's forces under the Military Service Act, and of congratulation and support to Mr Lloyd George in regard to the conduet of the war to victory. Mr E. D. Hoben is to speak on "The Crisis and tho Peace Proposals." Mr C. H. Hewlett on "The Possibility of Organising our Industries on a War Basis," and Mr O. T. J. Alpers on "War Matters." Mr L. M. I.sitt. M.P., Mr G. T. Booth. Mr P. Trolove, and others are also expected to speak on matters covering our relations to the struggle. In the entertainment section, Miss Lucy Cowan will recite Brunell's "Appeal of the Dead| r —the Anzac dead. Mr Montague Gillmone ("For Love of Thee") and Mr H. Hobbs ("Haere Tonu'"i are to sing two New Zealand compositions. Mr Leslie Fleming will Ing, Mr Vere Buchan-an will give a violin solo. Mr F. C. ! Raphael's horn, violin, and piano trio. Mr R. A. Home will be the accompanist. All interested in matters of Empire moment are invited to attend the Symposium—there will bo no ch&rge for admission and no collection.

The conference of wheat-growers, to be held in the Old Provincial Council Chamber to-day, to discuss the means of encouraging wneat-growing, will bo opened bv the Hon W. D. b. Mac Donald, Minister of Agriculture. Mr F. S. Pope, Secretary of Agriculture, will also be present. The biennial Dominion conference of the New Zealand Federated Boot Trade \ssociation will open in Wellington on the °7th inst. The delegates from the Pbristchurch Boot Employees union are* Miss Warren, Mr J. Ballantme (president), and Mr F. M. Robson (secretary).

A deep knowledge of the Irish laneua<Tc is not necessarily possessed bv even* Irishman absent from the land of his birth, although it will be recalled that the Prime Minister coquetted with the Welsh tongue during his visit to Great Britain (says the Melbourne " Vge"). The fact has just been brought home to Senator Lynch. Minister of Works. With memories, possible- of such euphonious names as BallVbunnion. Ballyboy. Ballymagooly and manv others, the Minister found himself momentarily puzzled recently bv a word in a letter which he received from an admirer. The writer, after expressing his pleasure at Senator Lvneh's elevation to Ministerial rank, concluded with tho word. "Hoo-bally-ray." "Ah," said the senator to himself. "an old Irish word, which I ought to know —possibly a greeting."' It was not- for some time, he confessed last week, that it dawned upon him that iho stran'g«v!ooking word was not Irish, but- comparatively good Australian. "T cannot speak too highly of the London Homeopathic Hospitul, sflicl Captain Peter Swing. late commander of H.M. destroyer Groccl. who returned, to New Zealand bv the Ruahine from London, in the course of a chat with a "Post" reporter. "After T was blown up in the North Sea I was for nearly threc months in a naval hospital, and was finally discharged-as being unfit for further service, and. in tact. I 'was warned no to exert myself in any way. As a last resource. I entered the London Homeopathic Hospital, and in a few weeks I was a different man, and am row as fit as T ever was before in my life." TTie Homeopathic Hospital is a wonderful private institution in London, which has entirely cured hundreds of sailors who have been declared absolutely incurable by the other hospitals. Captain TCwing is an ex-resi-dent of Wellington, and was born in Dunodin. Together with the late Captain Fairchild and Canto in Dawson (now harbourmaster at Wellington), he brought tho Government steamer Tutanckai out to New Zealand. Tho Hotel and Restaurant Employees' Union of Wellington has received from the Attorney-General (Hon. A. L. Herdman) a reply to the request which it placed before the Minister recently that the penalty of disqualification for six months, in addition to a. fine, should not be imposed upon bar-tenders convicted under the anti-shouting regulations. The Minister states: —"After carefully considering the whole of tho circumstances of the matter, I very much regret that I cannot sec my way to recommend the Government to repeal the regulations imposing the penalty referred to." The assistant-secre-tary (Mr E. Kennedy) states that members of the union are much dissatisfied with this reply. They fail to see why the hotel-worker should be tho only person subject to a double penalty for the same offence. One of the clauses in tho regulations recently issued expressly provides that no person shall be punished twice for the same ouence, and bar-tenders fail to see why their case should be an exception. .The question of the monthly grant .by the patriotic societies on behalf of sick and wounded soldiers came before the executive of the Canterbury Patriotic Fund yesterday, when Mr J. J. Dougall, tho Canterbury representative on the Advisory Board, made a statement. The Hon. James Allen, lie said, had made it quite clear to the Advisory Board, and they ought to accept his statement that the soldiers had not suffered in any way, but Mr Allen had again ignored the question whether the steps laid down by tho Advisory Board had been adhered to. It had been suggested that the money bo handed over to the War Contingent Association. It was clear that tho money was paid into a common fund for military purposes of some kind, but it was not ear-marked for the particular purpose it was requested to be. Mr E. Nordon pointed out that the Canterbury Patriotic Fund was losing interest on its share of the £12,000 held in Wellington. They should make application to receive their share back. The Mayor thought it best to leave well alone. They could not tell what money had gone" forward, and the soldiers were receiving attention. The matter then dropped. Soldiers' letters are not infrequently love missives, and these, like the rest, have to pass through the hand of the censor. Sometimes—not often—the censor comes across a written proposal of marriage made bv a soldier who has failed to screw his courage to the sticking place until after he has got aboard the transport. At the session of the National Council of Women in Melbourne last week Mr W. F. Greenwood told an amusing story of an experience ho had on h>s trip to Egypt. Coming across a proposal of marriage in one of the soldiers' letters handed to him for review. he commented on it to the 0.C., who advised him not to pass it. But as there was nothing in the regulations prohibiting such a matter, he decided to let it go. As he went through that day's budget, however, he could not escape that proposal. Ho seemed to c ome across that letter again and again. At last he cried. "This letter is haunting me." Closer investigation proved that that soldier had written twenty proposals of marriage to twenty different girls! "Ladies," urged Mr Greenwood, "don't accept a proposal of marriage from a soldier sent in a letter! Wait until lie returns and does the business on his knees in the orthodox fashion." Loa-sby prescribes for all minor ailments. ]>oa't suffer, come and "Ask Loasby about it." Adults 3s Gd, children 2s. 5 As a Christmas Gift, nothing equais a well-made Photograph of yourself. Make an appointment with Steffano Webb, Petersen's' Buildings, 252 gh street! Telephone 1989 6 Hot Point. Hot Point. Hot Point. —Hot Point Day will be held on December 23rd, 1910. Boudoir Sets and Three Pound Hot Point Irons ordered before, or 6old on that day, will be reduced from 25s to 17s Cd, and 22s 6d to los. What could be better or nicer for a Christmas Gift than either of the above useful articles? See our window. Turnbull and Jones, Ltd., Cashel street West. Hot Point. Hot Point. Hot Point. 6 For washing bowlers' pants, "No Rubbing Laundry Help'' is best. Frank A. Cook, Ltd. 4 General Carrying of all sorts undertaken by J. M. Heywood and Co., Ltd. Their plant of horses and vehicles is one of the largest in New Zealand. 6 Tho array of Mechanical Toys now on exhibit at John R. Procter's, 200 High 6treet. is daily attracting crowds of boys and girls. The toys are certainly unique, and at the reasonsJalc prices are fastly diminishing as Christmas comes nearer. 6 Don't leave it in doubt, say. I'll try Drayton's. Their Ladies' Handbags are quite unique, and so reasonable. Address, 765 Colombo street. 2 A "SWIFT" BICYCLE FOR XMAS. No more acceptable Xmas present could be imagined for anyone than a "Swift"' or "Star" bicycle of the latest model. Every machine fully equipped, ready for the road. Terms from £1 deposit and £1 per month. Adams, Ltd., High street- 6