GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16271, 23 July 1918, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

Wo regret very much that, to the heavy snowfall, it was absolutely impossible for oUr carriers to deliver "The Press" yesterday morning to subscribers in some parts of tho city and suburbs. As far as is humanly possible, papers will b Q delivered this morning, and when conditions are anywhere near normal, wo hope the carriers will be able to resumo the full service. To give an idea of the scarcity of British-made pianos, at a Gisbotne sale a second-hand fjiano realised £100. This is considered a record price for tiie Dominion. K Our Dunedin correspondent telegraphs : —lnformations have* been laid against an officer m charge of one of tu-o Otago military districts- charging him with misappropriating Govern mono funds. Entries closed on Saturday for the Trinity College of Music examinations to bo held/ next December, l'or the teacher's. diploma ("paper work") 26 entries were received; and 28 for the local theory examinations as follows: —. 2 senior, 10 intermediate, 3 advanced junior, 8 junior, atfd 5 preparatory. A case of considerable interest to municipal authorities, bearing on tho question as to whether a gas company is liable for rates in respect to gnsometeis, mains, and pipes »aid in puolic streets, was heard at the Supreme Court at Auckland yesterday, before Mr Justico Cooper (6ays a Press Association message). Tho Auckland City Council sought to recover from the Auckland Gas Company £1680 13s Bd, rates alleged to be due for tho year ended May 31st last.- The facts agreed upon were that up to May 31st properties, including gasometers and governors, were continuously rated, and the amounts paid by the company. In the valuation in 1917 the value of the gasometers was included, but the company contended that gasometers, mains, and pipes were machmory, and thereforo not "ratable. In respect to the amount paid, tho company asserted that this was due to a mistake of la<w.

In the sporting oolumns of this week's ""Weekly Press : —South Canterbury Hunt Meeting Prospects; Grand National Weights Reviewod, by Looker On; The Pedigree of Master Strowan, by The Rook; Condition of a Stallion, by E. Luttrell; Some Famous Steeplechasers; VaR.C. Grand National Hurdles Winner; Taxing Stallions—The Limit; The Breeding of Gainsborough; Head of "Tattersall's"; Reminiscences of Splap: How he met the Prince of Wales; Knutsford's Ancient Bawling Green; Pijjeon Shooting Chamnionship of Australia; Golf Handicapping and its Difficulties; On What Surface is the Best Tennis Played?; Disadvantages of Tall Players; Coursing: Australasian Union formed: Waterloo Cup'put on a Sound Basis; Healthy Exercise and tho Perfo:t Billiard Room; Recent Boxing Contests in America; Willard's Age Handicap: Champions Beaten by Anno Domini; Physical Development and Sport j A Famous o—

I The "Red Triangles" will give a | concert in the Theatre Royal on ; S?tur'lpy night. i The ferry steamer Mararoa left Lyt- ' telton at about the usual time last \ evening, steaming at reduced speed, in order to arrive in Cook Strait at dayi break. I "That tho Tramway Board brf re- ! quested to ext?nd the twopenny secI tion to Radley Bridge," was a motion i put forward by Cr. T. Champ at Inst night's meeting of the Wcolstor Borough Council. The Christchurch Tramway Board's policy as regards the Wcolston time-tablo was vigorous.v assailed! by councillors, and the motion was unanimously carried,. The resumption of the hearing of the appeal by the Drapery Importing Company against the Inspector of Factories' requisition respecting alterations to tho heating appliances on the company's premises, which was to' have taken place to-day before Mr T. A. B. Bailey, S.M., , has been' postponed ,owing to counsel for the appellant company (Mr 0. T. J. Alpers) being weather-oound on the West Coast. Speaking at last night's mooting of the Woolston Borough Council, Cr. L. Hart said that he thought the first S'imner express tram should stop at Bamford street, and moved that the Christchurch Tramway Board should be written to_ on the subject. Cr. J. C. Hobson vigorously protested against the non-stop express. "I think it is a disgrace that a particular express tram should be run exclusively for fit of the Sumner people," ho concluded. Cr. T. Radcliffe suggested that tho express should stop at the end of each section on tho journc-y. Eventually Cr. Hart agreed to include the' last-men-tioned suggestion in his motion, which was carried. There was an impressive scene at the Christchurch Railway Station yesterday at the departure of the express for the South, when members of the Railway Officers' Institute, together with tho staff of the goods office and representatives of other branches of tho Railway Department, including members from Lyttclton, assembled to pay their last tribute to the late Mr J. P. Matheson, ]ate goods agent at Christchurch, who died on Saturday morning. The assemblage stood uncovered as the mortuary van, containing the body of the deceased, moved out of the station. The funeral will take place at Dunedin to-day. At last night's meeting of the Woolston Borough Council, the general manager of the Christchurch Tramways, in a letter in reply to a protest from, the Woolston Borough Council concerning the mannor in which Woolston passengers had been treated on the occasion of a disorganisation in the tram timetable, stated that the statements of the conductor and driver of tho car concerning which tho complaint was presumably made did not bear out the allegations, and he suggested that a misunderstanding had arisen. Crß. G. S. White and D. Mcßae and the Mayor (Mr McGregor Wright) made explanations regarding the matter, and it was agreed that a misunderstanding had existed.

America is dealing firmly with the question of German iniluenco in civil life. The following resolutions were recently passed by the New- York Atli.letic Club: —"That the use of the German language for any purpose by members or their guests in either the city club-house or the club-house at Travers Island or on tho grounds thereof is prohibited during the period of the war. Violation of thig rule by a member or his guest will be deemed sufficient reafifpi or expulsion of the member." That any member who introduces an enemy alien, whethfer man or woman, i. e privileges of tho city club-house or tpe club-house at Travers Island during the period of tho war shall bo expelled from the club."

"These fellows are all mad. I think." s ? l f* W. Bishop, at yesterdny's sitting of the Second Canterbury Military Service Board, when the case r{ a. conscientious objector was under rev'cw - "If the world was composed of them, I don't know what w'o should be liko." • Tho appellant was a member of tho Society of Friends, and in the course of his written statement set out various statements as to why -t.e could not serve, several Quaker documents accompanying his appeal, showing divers reasons why members of tho Society should not take up arms. All those wero characterised by Mr Bishop as "all rubbish." Eventually it transpired that the appellant had not yet attended tho medical examination, and he was givon ten days in which to do so.

A deputation, consisting of Messrs D. Stillivnn and C. T. Aschman, waited on the Woolston Borough Council last night on behalf of the Canterbury Progress Laigtie. An apo'.opy for absence was received from Mr P. R. Climie, who also was to havo been «a member of the deputation. Mr Aschman explained the aims and composition 0 f the League, and appealed for financial aid, stating that the amount payable by the district was £11 10s. Mr Sullivan stressed tlio unanimity with which the League movement had been taken up. ana seconded Mr Aschman's. appeal for supp'ort. Sneakinrr on behalf of thq Council, the Mayor (Mr McGregor Wright) thanked the deputation for attending, and oulogistic remarks concerning tho League. After the deputation ha:l withdrawn, it was decided to refer the <mattor of making a grant td the funds of the League to the Financd Committee. All kinds ( of trusses nt Loasby's. Stocks getting short, and no supplies arriving. Purchase how. Loasby. 2 Stewart Robinson announces to-day a special sale of goloshes and gum boots, and hundreds of pairs, are now available at rcduccd prices. 6 There are a good rrtany photographic obligations you have never paid. Call on Stcfl'ano Webb at once, 252 High street, Christchurch. Telephone 1989. 6 What are Toric Lenses? They are lenses which arc ground scientifically tD fit the curvature of the eyes. They gi7o wearers a larger field of vision, and are most becoming. . We fit To.ic Lenses for all sights. .Walter J. Walsou, D.8.0.A. (London), Expert Optician. 2 "Thinker's" favourite and "Golden Rule" Writing Tablets'. Splendid value. Is each. Whitcombc and Tombs, Ltd. 2 You can depend up n everything being done promptly and well if you only hand your shipping documents to J. iVI. Hey wood and Co., L.d,_ The* are recognised as experts at this work. Telephones 250, 1241, and 2174. 6

STUDEBAKER MAKES SNOW TRACK FOR OTHER CARS. In the week following the recent big snowstorm, tue Waima.ri County Council's electrical department placed its 4-cylindor Siudebaker van at the disposal or the i-üblic Works and Post and Telegraph Departments. Mr I>. Debbie, the Council's electrical engineer and Mr J. W. Butcher, driver of the car, kindly gave a reporter a few facta about the car's performance. The Studebaker car, with four passengers and 3icwt of gear, went out on the Tuesday, foil -wing the storm, and was emplovod to force its way through the snow and form a track for other cars between Hororata and Coalgate. Although at some places the snow was radiator high, the Studebaker battled through, accomplishing a job which other cars had found impossible. This particular Studebaker has been 21 months in the service of the Cjjwncil, and has run 25,000 miles, being kept so busy that there has not yet been an rpportunity to clean out the engine. The big reserve power of the Studebaker was of enormous value in the recent emergency. 5309