GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16206, 8 May 1918, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

The auction announcements of H. Matson and Co., Harris Bros., Claridgo and Smith, W. E. Simes and Co., ItS. McKenzie and Co., Park, Reynolds an'd Co., Charles Clark, H. B. Sorensen, and P. S. Nicholls and Co. will be found on page 11 of-this issue.

Application for leave to appeal to the Privy Council was made at Auckland yesterday by J. J. Boyd, in connexion with the Onehunga Zoo case, which involves the right of Boyd, as owner of the zoo, to vote as member of the Borough Council on questions affecting his own interests. Mr Justice Hosking stated that he would consult the other judges, and give his decision later.

Of tho reservists missing from t?ho Christchurch draft of the 41st Reinforcements, which left for camp 1 on Monday week, three only are now stated by the Recruiting Offico to be unaccounted for. They are: James Whyto, a Second Division man, ana James Mclntyre and Thomas Campion, members of the First Division. Of the others Kain reported to group 16 (Millton), whilst Arthur Johnson reported to tho reinforcement camp.

St. Dunstan is tho name of an English institution devoted to tho blind, and it has been tho means of assisting many to be able to fend for themselves in spite of their sad affliction. Amongst the number are some who have lost their sight fighting for the Empire. One of them, Mr C. H. Hill, resides at Whangaroa, Kyle street, Arncliffe, Sydney, whore he keeps a largo flock of "\Yliite Wyandottes. Mr Hill learned his poultry-keeping at St. Dunstan. end on returning to Australia took up poultry farming to aid his pension. Ho served with the Australians, and was blinded in action. Judging by tho nnme of his place, Mr Kill is a New Zealancler.

The Salvation Army's decision to j hold their Congress in Christchurch j this year is quite in keeping with the J times. The idea of a Central Con-1 press at Wellington as heretofore was! found too expensive on account of the j increase in fares, etc.. therefore! the Army authorities decided to hold j one in each of the principal centres and thus cover tho whole of the Dominion as economically as possible. .Tonight special interest will contve around the ic-orening eoremonv in connexion with tno citadel in Victoria j street, which now presents a very in- ■ viting and attractive appearance, the inside of the building being complete-1 ly transformed. At 7,15 p.m. Com- 1 missioner Hoddcr will perform the opening ceremony, and at 8 p.m. a special programme of music and song will he<given by the United Young People. The Congress will bo con-1 tinned until Sunday night. I

We have reoeived a subscription of £20 for our Merchant Seamen Fund from Mr Percy H. Johnson, Mount Torlesse.

Those interested in the Feminist Movement should not miss a storv ; n this week's "Weekly Press" entitled "Tho Fourth Wife," and written by V. H. Friedlander. There is another clever story in the issue, "A Baffling Mvstery."

Tho Hon. TV. D. S. Mac Donald, Acting-Postmaster-Creneral, states that although _ parcels for prisoners of war interned in enemy and neutral countries may not be sent from .New Zealand, persons desirous of sending parcels of food, etc., to the prisoners may do so by making arrangements with the High Commissioner. Mr TV. J. Jenkin on behalf of the Canterbury Swoet Pea and Carnation Society, Ims handed to the Mayor, for tho Canterbury Patriotic Fund, the sum of £3 18s lOd, being hnlf the net profits of the Society's Show held la«t December. It is hoped, if the Society obtains a rebate of the amusement tax, to augment this amount by £2 ltis (3d. At tho annual meeting of the Christchurch Savage Club held on Saturday evening, the following officers were elected for the season 1913: President, Savngo TV. J. Hunter; vice-presidents, Savage Rev. J. Paterson and Savage J>r. S. Foster; hon. treasurer, Savage TV. J. Lo Crcn; hon. secretary. Savage F. C. Raphael; committee, Savages J. R. Cuninghalu. H. McD. Vincent, R. TVallwork, 11. E. Marsu, E Xordon, F. N. Meadows, J. TV. Campbell, G.'M. Hall.

Five more pupils of tho Canterbury Aviation Company took their pilot's tickets yesterday afternoon,' before Liout.-Colonel Sleeman, 1.G.5., Director of Military Training. They wore:— A. F. McArthur (Christchurch), M. TV. Curtis (Ashburton), X. L. Vale (Christchurch). W. Pitts-Brown (Nelson), and J. D. Ritchie (Wellington). Tho first pupil commenced his tests at 12.45 p.m., and the last pupil had "ticketed" by 4.30 p.m., tho timo taken in tho tests being exactly an hour and threequarters.

"What is the definition of a fruitgrowers' association:-'" asked a delegate at last week's conference of tho Sew Zealand Fruitgrowers' Federation at Auckland. "Some are trading concerns and somo merely debating societies." The matter under discussion was whether the delegates to the conferenco should be bona fide fruitgrowers and members of fruitgrowing associations. One representative of a proprietary company declared that such companies wero dopendent- upon tho growers. If growers were successful, so were the companies ; if not, tho companies would not prosper. Tho proposal was rejected bv tho conference.

At the meeting of the Kaikoura County Council on Saturday, Cr. J. Boyd moved, and Cr. G. llenner seconded, "That the Minister of Internal Affairs be requested to institute a searching enquiry by a stipendiaiy magistrate into the manner in which the late David Boyd was treated immediately prior to and after his admission to the Kaikoura Cottage Hospital, and such other matters relating to tho institution as are of public concern; tho enquiry to be open to tho Prees: the county chairman or his deputy to b<* allowed to examine witnesses." The motion was carried.

A clock, which will be part of an interesting electrical system, is about to be installed in tho Mew Zealand Insurance Company's tall new building in Queen street, Auckland. Upon every floor of the great building there will be a small electric timepiece, and each of these, together with tho one upon the street, is to bo worked and controlled master-clock in the board room. This one will have a pendulum, and at each stroke of this pendulum tho hand of every clock controlled by it will be mado to movo forward ono minute. There will be no winding necessary, and all the functions will wo'rk automatically.

, 'Do you think there are too' many Military Serviefi Boards?'' was a question put to Colonel Tate, AdjutantGeneral. at the Delejice Commission at Wellington, on Monday. If so, he was asked, had steps been taken, or were they in contemplation, for the reduction of the number? Tho reply was: Military Service Hoards are not under the Defence Department control. There are not in my opinion, too many of them. According to the numbers drawn in the ballots from time to time, the Boards are reduced or: increased in number. The total cost of Military Service Boards during the year 1917-18 was £16,561 10s 73. v

Thero were about 50 members of the public at the Caledonian Hall last night, when Mr H. J. Yates, ex-secretary of the Christchurch Second Division League, gave a detailed account of the histor3' of the League since its inception until the present time. The speaker also set out his own position, stating that although a conscientious objector, he fully roalised. his responsibilities to tho State, and had offered to serve in the ambulance. He believed that tho chances of a man being killed in the Ambulance Corps wore greater than in the infantry, so ho could not be accused of refusing to do his duty. Tho speaker was accorded a hearty voto of thanks at the conclusion of his speech.

. The war has greatly enhanced tho value of rabbitskins, probably because of tho great use rabbit fur is put to in the manufacture of hats for tho soldiers, and this winter prices bade fair to soar as they did last winter, but apparently a cneck has occurred. The "Clutha I'reo Press" has been informed that there lias been a drop in value of about 60 per cent, within the past few days, consequent on America stopping the import of skins. It is expected that the market will recover before long. Meanwhile sixpence apiece had been the ruling local price for fair average skins, and several contracts had been iixed up on that basis. Tho paper adds that unless America reverses her decision tho dealers seem likely to lose.

With referenco to tho paragraph, "An Old Alpine Adventure," whicft we reprinted from a London paper on Monday, Dr. Gosset, Sumner, writes: — "You have got tho Young family a bit mixed. Albert Stewart Winthrop Young, fourth son of Captain Sir G. Young, H.N., of .Formosa Place, Cookham, must have been 75 or 76 years of age, not 73, as he took his degree, Ist class in Classical Tripos, in 1864, having become a Fellow of Kind's College, Cambridge, by seniority tno year before, 1863. His brother. Bucklev Samuel Young (not James), took a first in mathematical tripos, and second in classical tripos in 1866, and was fourth on the list of selected candidates for the Indian Civil Service, meeting his death in the manner you relate on August 23rd of same year. I was at Eton with both of them, hut did not go up to King's till two months after I>. S. Young's death."

! In the sporting pages of the "Weekly Press" of to-day's date: —Mile and & Half Hurdle Kaccs and Four and Five Furlong Sprints, by Tho Rook: "Tho Sporting Magazine" of 1829, somo extracts by Wayfarer; An Old-Time Memory, A. J. Keith's Great Ride on Levant; Biplane, July, and Ho\'a, by Antisthenes; • Great Mares in Handicaps, by Spectator; Ashburton Prospects, by Looker On; Racecourse Demonstrations ; Shape in tho Horse's Head; Twin Fillies; A Jockey,'s Reputation Spoilt by Unreliable Mare; Top Weights in the National; A Famous Old-Time Jockey; Not Run in a Snowstorm, Viscount Chaplin's Account r.f Hermit's Derby; Class Raccs that Pay, bv Lancer; 'filings Seen,' by >Searchlight; Forbury Park and Ashburton Prospects, by Searchlight; Three Great Breeders, by Masque; The Raid of Kirkosway; Tho Found Again Case; World's Wrestling Championship; Athletics in the American Army; Some Old-Time Fighters, by_ Jack Skelly, ,

Ever-increasing shipping rates of freight have much exorcised tho minds of farmers during recent years, particularly since tho beginning of the war. Leading men of tno Farmers' Union have discussed on several occasions tho advisableness of a great shipping enterSriso as a moans of easing the freight urden. This subject will have another airing at the Wellington conference on a remit from Palmerston North: —'"'That the Farmers' Union take steps to organise tho producers of tho Dominion with a view to owning and controlling their own shipping."

At tho Auckland Police Court yesterday (says a Press Association message), Cecil Barrie, a travelling picture showman, was fined £10, on two informations, for issuing tickets not stamped indicating that tno amusement tax had been paid. TTio police said defendant, when showing at a suburban township, issued ordinary la Gd tickets, and just before the interval ho distributed among the audience war tax tickets, which he tried to collect as tho audience left the building. Tickets dropped on the floor wero picked up and sold again.

'•Men who spend twenty years of service in training themselves ior the highest position in tho Locomotive Department, can leave the service and obtain wages equivalent to that which they had in the railway, and what is more sought than money—conditions of work which are not irksome and bordering upon slavery," states <vn editorial article in the May number of the "New Zealand Locomotive Engineers' Journal.'' "The resignations from the Locomotive Department should, at least, awaken the responsible persons in charge of our railways to tho fact that the conditions under which a locomotive man works are anything but congenial, and should spur them on to make some genuine ( (fort to improve those conditions irrespective of the cost. The first cost is usually found to be either tho cheapest or the dearest. If tho Department makes no effort to bring about a genuine improvement in the men's conditions of work, and onlr tinkers with them, it will be found eventually that tho cost to tli» country and tho travelling public will be great indeed. To man the locomotive department with untrained men will mean that those in charge of our railways are courting a great railwav disaster, and which will mean loss of lifo and groat financial responsibility of the state.

All coughs, recent or chronic, in young or old, yield to Loasby's *top It . Grocers and chemists. 1

Oncc a year at least, say on your birthday, you should be photographed at Steifano Webb's, Petersen's .buildings, High street. Telephone 1980. - 4

The best value in gents' attiro is always to bo found in Armstrong's outfitting departments. Soft shirts, new pattern and good cloths, that wash well, -Is lid, 5s lid, 6s lid. Gents' sanitary fleeced underwear, stout make 3s lid, 4s Od for best, medium weight 2s 6d, 2s lid. Merino underwear, 2s lid, 3s 6d, 4s lid, natural wool 4s lid, 5s lid, fis lid, 3s Gd, tho firm's famous low prices. 1

The delight of thrifty wives! "Golden Rulo" soap, "Golden Rule" candles,t, "No Rubbing" laundry help. 'Phono your orders—Wardoll Bros, and Co. 2

Oculists' Prescriptions.—Having our own machinery and a large stock of 'lenses and spoctaclo fittings, you can safely trust your prescription work to us. Charges moderate. Repairs to frames and broken lenses matched Waltor J. Watson, D.8.0.A., London," Optical Specialist, 695 Colombo street. 1

"Big Bon" still procurable. In spito of difficulty in shipping, Messrs Hastie, Bull, and Pickering, have secured » a limited supply of "Big Ben" and "Sleepmeter" Clocks, which aro on salo at their Cashel streot warchouso. 207

Visit Armstrong's for overcoats of all sorts every timo. Gents' D.B. Ulsters 32s 6d,_45s 6d. 59; 69s 6d. Raincoats 35a, 39s * Gd, with a grand stock to se)eit rr&ra. 2

O'Coder Mops and Dusters nre useful all the year round. They save time and labour, and yet cost vory little. Just the thing for getting into the oorners and other difficult places. There .110 plenty of imitations, but tho genuine article is obtainable at Ashby, Bergli and Co., Ltd., High street. * 6 THREE SECOND-HAND CAR BARGAINS. Now on viow.—Three five.seator touring cars, each newly painted in up-to-date style, and complete with road equipment:—Darracq (French), £126 ; Regal, Siddely-Deasy (British), £250. All in running order. Adams, Ltd., Garago, Tuam street. G