GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16406, 28 December 1918, Page 8

GENERAL NEWS.

The auction announcements of Tonks, Norton, and Co., National Mortgage and Agency Co., Harman and Stevens, and Claridge and Smith will be found on page 13 of thi s issue.

In all probability a motor carnival will bo held at Canterbury Park in February next, at which motor-cycle racing and other exciting events will take place. The popularity of the former carnivals held during the past two yoars proves that this form of sport has come to stay.

A telegram from Nelson states that a heavy sea encountered by the Kaitoa off Sinclair Head, Cook Strait, on Tuesday morning, swopt an ordinary seaman named James Davey, overboard. Despite the strong south-oast breeze, with heavy soas, Chief Officer Basrgett and A.B.'s Reed, Jamieson, and Samuolson, put off in a boat and effected • a rescue, at considerable risk to thoir own lives.

In the near future hospital ships, as will be a thing of tho past as far as New Zealand is concerned. The Defence Department will still control the vessels, but_ they will be known as ambulance carriers. This re-classifi-cation provides for the "red cross" being removed from the sides of tho ships, and, in addition to the carrying of troops, they will also bo allowed to carry certain classes of cargo.

The building in Madras street South, noar High street, in which tho District Nursing Association is to be housed, is making good progress towards completion. It is oxpected that the work of erection will be.finished in February, or March, and it is hoped that Colonol the Hon. R. Heaton Rhodes, M.P., and Mrs Rhodes, who have both taken a. very keen interest in the building, will bo present on the occasion of tho formal opening.

Prior to his departure for the front tho Bishop of Nelson initiated a movement for the establishment in Marlborough of a Church of England Collego for girls, as a memorial to the lato Arehdpacon Gitaco, who for over thirty years laboured in that province. To assist the scheme he appointed an Advisory Committee, -which for somo months past has been engaged in tho onerous task of selecting a suitable site. The committco, after careful consideration of over twenty properties, recommended the purchase of a portion of tho Ferringham estate, consisting of a rectangular block of 20 acres, containing a sound, well-built nine-roomed house (the residence of tho late Dr. Cleghorn) and othor valuable improvements, and this property, with the sanction of the Bishop, has just recently been acquired (says the Blenheim "Express"). It is understood that tho school to bo primarily a boarding establishment, but with provision for day pupils.

When the question of erecting permanent momorials to the soldiers of the Manawatu district was brought up. at the Patriotic meeting on Tuesday, Mr F. Cooko mentioned that, so far as he could ascertain, only six members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces had boon fortunate enough to secure tho Victoria Cross, which, he believed, -ft-as one of tho most difficult decorations in the world to gain, and, therefore, he thought that their deeds should be perpetuatod in a fitting manner. Ho according'y moved:—"That the Government bo requested to have tablets preparod of uniform design, with the names of all members of the N.Z.E.F. who have won the V.C. inscribod thereon: and that each Patriotic Society have the right, on paying a portion of tho expense, to place and maintain one in a suitable- spot." The motion was carried, Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., suggesting that the best place to put it would be on a permanent monument in Ansae Park, which would probably be orectod there in memory of those who had given their lives fbr their country.

The Australian Army Reserve, the objects of which were outlined by Captain Tiddy at the quarterly meeting of the Sailors' and Soldiers' Fathers' Association in Melbourne ■ a few days ago, is a movement which offers to returned soldiers an opportunity of retaining their identity as fighting men, and at the same time sets out to safeguard Australia in the event of another war. In accordance with the scheme (reports a Melbourne paper), discharged soldiers who have seen active service, either in the A.I.F. or by other means, whether in the war now ending or in previous wars, voluntarily take upon themselves further military obligations, amounting to four days' service per year in peace time, which will ensure their no longer_ drilling in the citizen forces, as Captain Tiddy put it, "alongside the cold-footer." Each man retains his active service ranX, and belongs to his old unit, is furnished with uniform, and may bv passing examinations rise to commissioned rank. Members of the reserve are distinguished by a metal "R" worn in the hat. In the event of war, they will again undertake national defence, but will not be sent out of Australia, nor may they be used for quelling industrial upheavals. A member of the reserve may resign upon fourteen days' notice. Alreadv some 20,000 members have been enlisted in Australia.

Yesterday's river report was as under: —AVaimakariri North, clear; "Waimakariri South, c'.ear; Raka a, fishabie; Opihi. clear; Waitaki. clear; Rangitata, fishabie.

A judgment of some public interest has just been given by Mr Rawson, S.M. The licensee of the Delta Hotel. Ngaruawahia, was charged with selling liquor to two lodgers named "Watson and Burney, between six p.m. and nino a.m., such liquor not being partaken of by the lodgers in the dining-room during the evening meal. His "Worship dismissed the information on the ground that Section 191 of the Licensing Act, 190 S. was not repealed by Section 10 of the Sale of Liquor Restriction Act, 1917.

It was remarked by a speaker at a rorent meeting of business men in Melbourne that Dr. Siegfried, of the French Mission, had been m;icn amused when he was told that officials who. before tho war, had been getting £300 a year had been given charge of new boards or departments at from £1000 to £1500 a year. In France the position had been reversed. A who before tho war had earned £3000 a year had been put into uniform and riven control of a department at £200.

Tho proverbial unhappiness of tho policeman's lot w.as, in the case of tho members of the force stationed at Taranaki street, accentuated on Christmas Day by splintered hopes and vexation of spirit (says Thursday's "Dominion"). According to annual custom, a local brewery firm had sent round to the station a 10-gnllon keg of beer as a. Christmas box. On its arrival a "high authority" ordered its arrest and confinement in tho padded coll. where it remained. It was confidently expected that the Christmas feeling would melt the _ "high authority" to the point of raising the blorkade, but nothing happened. Tho "dangerous prisoner" is still under "close arrest" in tho padded! cell.

Tomatoes, usually so cheap and plentiful at Christmas, have been vying with the rarer fruits in season as far as price is concerned (snys Thursday's Owing to a bleak, boisterous season the plants did not come on po lustily as is their wont, and many growers found that the few which did come on were blackened and shrivelled by the rales of November, which wpre destructive all over the country. The mean result has been that lact week saw tomatoes (the ordinary 221b case) bring 27s 6d and 30s, and the week before £2 r>er case, which accounts for the label, "2s per lb." at a time when the price should be 2d. On Tuesday sound) red tomatoes brought 18s, and green 14s per case, and the day was hailed as the first "cheap fruit day." Tomatoes were being sold at from Is to Is 6di per lb retail.

Although the war is practically over and the big camps have been. cleared, there is still an acute shortage of skilled tradesmen in Wellington, chiefly bricklayers, carpenters, and plasterers. Several big jobs are montns behind time owing to the dearth of bricklayers, among them Scotp College at Miramar and the new Fire Brigade Station at the too of Constable street. In these cases there was not such a. difficulty as formerly in getting unskilled, labour, but in the case of tradesmen there was no improvement. The difficulty was to get a man to stay on at his trade. One contractor informed a "Dominion'' re. presentative that some of his bricklayers had temporarily deserted their trade in order to work at the Ngahauranga meat freezing works, where higher, wage 9 wero offering. The problem would settle itself "when the boys come homo."

An Act of Parliament passed in the reign of King Charles 11. was made use of by the defendant in a case in the District Court at Sydney a few days ago. • Ernest Bailey, a carpenter, of Balgowlah, claimed £12 2s 4d from Doris Selfe, a .married woman, living in the same street as the plaintiff, and among other grounds in the defence it was set out, "That the claim of the plaintiff is (inter alia) for work and labour done on Sundays in the exercise of his ordinarv calling, and that all amounts charged for as for work and labour done on Sundays are illegal and prohibited by statute,' to wit, Sunday Observance Act 1677, 29 Caroltis 2, c. 7, and the claim of the plaintiff to the extent of such work and labour done on Sundays bad in law." After hearing evidence Judge Backhouse found the point fatal, and gave a verdict for the defendant.

It would seem from the following contribution by the Mokau correspondent of the "Taranaki Daily News" that not only are there leviathan cherry trees in that locality, but that eomo of the Maoris residing there live to ah age which put in the shade the Patriarchs of the Psalmist's day. Tho paragraph is as follows:—"Rather a sad story from up the river is ju£t to hand. An aged Maori named Wi Pat, 126 years old, was up on a cherry tree tho other day gnthoring what little fruit the birds had left. Suddenly, without warning, a branch broke, and Wi Pat, who tnrned tho scalo at eighteen stone, vafi precipitated to the ground, a distance of 20 foet.. When picked up life was found to be extinct, and all efforts to _ resuscitate him failed. His father, -with whom ho resided, has received numerous expressions of sympathy from both Natives and Europeans since the sad event."

Prior to the election • of Alderman English as Lord ' Mayor of Sydney a few days ago, the City Council fixed the Lord Mayor's allowance for 1919 at £1000. This recommendation came from the Labour Party. Alderman Hagon moved that the amount bo £2000, saying that a small city like Adelaide allowed £1500. Alderman Meagher supported the £2000 proposition, saying that during his two terms of office at £1500 a year his books showed a loss of £1500 a year. He did not beiieve in greasing the fat pig, but a city like Sydney, with a revenue of £1,000,000 a year, should be able to make a proper allowance to its Lord Mavor. He did not -want to make the £2000 a year a precedent, but the year 1919 would tax the resources of the Lord Mayor. Alderman O'Connor said that £1000 a year would be sufficient. The other £1000 could be spent in necessary work instead of in Ernzzling. Ho contended that the Lord Mavor should not be asked to give elaborate functions. They wanted plain living. Eventually the allowance was fixed at £1000.

An account of an expedition by Australian destroyers up the river Sepiij., in New Guinea, has just been released by the Commonwealth Navy Department. The expedition took place in tho very early days of the war, and was commanded by Commander C. Cumberledge. It was undertaken partly for survey purposes, although the primary object was to round up any German forces that might have escaped into the jungle. With the assistance of native guides a shore party succeeded in tracking down and capturing a Gorman officer. They then proceeded in small vessels into only partly surveyed waters. Landings were effected along the river and several native villages wero visited. The party found the natives very distrustful at first, but soon established friendly relations with them. At one village which was visited by the expedition it was observed that the natives nearly all wore armlets constructed of the threaded vertebras of a human being. The people apparently had never seen a white man, and the members of thc_ expedition had a somewhat uneasy feeling when the natives crowded round them and touched them on the arms and face with evident interest, not unmixed with curiosity. The villagers all carried long spears and bows and arrows', but they did not attempt to use their weapons. In fact they became quite friendly in time and parted on the best of terms with the visiting expedition.

The daily service between Christchurch and Greymouth will be continued until Janusry 9tli. and the railway authorities advise travellers to take advantage of the extra sen-ice so as not to tax the limited coach accommodation on the regular days.

A report in the Sydney "Sun" mentions that one object of the visit of Mr D. C. Bates (the New Zealand Government Meteorologist) to Australia is to try to arrange for the manufacture there of the observation balloons used in making meteorological tests.

A collision between a tram-car and a motor-car occurred at tho cornor of Bealey avenue and Papanui road at about 1.53 yesterday afternoon. Tho motor-car, containing several passengers, was emerging on to Papanui read from tho north side of Bealey avenue just as a tram-car from Papanui was nearing the corner on the way to town. The brakes of both vehicles were quickly applied, and the driver of the motorcar apparently turned towards the south in order to avoid a collision, which, however, occurred. No great damage was done, but the front wheels of .the motor-car were wrenched out of alignment with the body.

The Pembroke correspondent of the "Cronwveil Argus" writes: The tourist season is about upon us again, and from what one can gather there will be a largo number of visitors at Wanaka this year. Now that the war is over and the Government are launching out on an extensive public works policy, an effort should be made to induce the Government to do something for our tourist resort. While money has boen liberally spent improving other places, "Wanaka. which is second to none of them in natural attractiveness, has been sadly neglected. The advent of the motor-car has caused an increase in the number of tourists visiting here, as it has enabled them to do "the journey in one day. That the number will continue to increase is beyond doubt, and a sum of money judiciously spent in improvements along the lines adopted at Queenstown would greatly help our district, and would not bo a bad investment for the Government.

Superior perfumery at Loasby's make splendid Xmr.s gifts. Atkinson and Yardley's perfumes in cut glass bottles and presentation caskets. Old English Lavender Water and Eau de Cologne. Best English and French hair brushes for ladies and gentlemen, and manicure sets in unexcelled variety and value at Loasby's, Chemists, 1

Akaroa, healthiest town in Dominion, proven by no deaths of citizens from epidemic. The famous General Pan visits the old French settlement on January 9th. I

If you have the faintest suspicion that your eyesight needs attention you should not hesitate to have an examination mado right away. If you have this done your life throughout 1919 will be happier and brighter. We are qualified opticians, and apply the best scientific tests, which will tell you just what is wrong with your eyos. Watson's, "Jewellers." Limited, Opticians, 695 Colombo street, Christchurch. 1

To herald "Peace Year." Although Messrs Hastie, Bull, and Pickering have had a "bumper" Christmas. Many charming "quality foods'' remain suitable for New Year greetings betwixt friend and friend. 1

Royal Doulton Ware just arrived. Have first choice for Christmas. Plaques 4s 6d, jugs 4s 6d, teapots, salads in Dickens, Shakespeare, coach scenes, etc., on view at Drayton's, 766 Colombo street. 6

Nowadays a sovereign doesn't go far, land one is set a rare task in choosing Christmas gifts. Dainty perfumes, soaps, bath salts, and face powders make pleasihg and inexpensive gifts. See our stocks. E. Cameron Smith, Chemist, 96 Worcester street (just off Square). 58464-513 General Carrying of all sorts undertaken oy J. M. Heywood and Co., Ltd Their plant of horses and vehicles is one of the largest in New Zealand. 6 Santa Claus urges everyone to sing their cheeriest songs now that the war is over and the flu flying quickly away. "No Rubbing" Laundry Help still obtainable from all grocers. Is a packet. 6

WANTED TO BUY—SECOND-HAND TRIUMPH MOTOR-CYCLES. We are prepared to take second-hand Triumph Motor-cycles in part payment for the latest Military Model Triumph, 8.5.A., or Excelsior. We are booking orders for February delivery of the new model Triumph (4 h.p. motor-car gear box) at £125, with lamp and horn. Adams, Ltd., High street. 6 WANTED TO BUY—SECOND-HAND U.S.A. MOTOR-CYCLES. Second-hand B.S.A. Motor-cycles will be taken in part payment for the latest model Triumph, 8.5.A., .or Excelsior. We can give immediate delivery of tho new B.S.A. (4i h.p. motor-car gear box, with strengthened rear construction), price £110, with lamp and horn. Adams, Ltd., High street. 6 WANTED TO BUY—SECOND-HAND EXCELSIOR MOTOR-CYCLES. We will give good prices for secondhand Excelsior Motor-cycles taken in part payment for the latest model Triumph, 8.5.A., or Excelsior. We can give immediate delivery of the new Military Model Excelsior (7-9 h.p. kushion sprocket drive, motor-car gear box, chain on correct side for side-car service). Price, £110, with lamp and horn, idams, Ltd., High street. 6