GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16515, 6 May 1919, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

Four hundred Germans who are being repatriated, leave "Wellington by tho Willochra next week.

A statement received by the Acting-Postmaster-General shows that the total sales of war loan certificates to March, 1919, amount to £4,017,031 2s.

A "Gazotto Extraordinary" revokes all notices by the Attorney-General under the War Regulations declaring cf.rtain companies, firms, and persons to be enemies.

Many people wondered yesterday why the Cathedral grounds wero closed to the public. This is necessary on one day every year (under . the Common Law), in order to retain the title to the land in the hands of the Church of England authorities; otherwise it would: at the end of a given period automatically vest in the Crown.

Messrs J. Farmer and J. Fifield, of Longburn, Manawatu, who were deerstalking on Stewart Island, returned with only one head, but saw a number of fine young stags, which they thought advisable to leave for future years. Tliey also saw a magnificent 20-pointer, which they failed to secure owing to the density of the bush. They consider Stewart Island would be the finest deer park in Australasia.

During last week there were 57 men placed in employment by the Repatriation Office in Christchurch. Ninety-five per cent, of former employers of soldiers returning have signified their intention to the Board to find employment for the men. The main difficulty experienced is to get light work for partially disabled men. There are a number of young men not yet fit to follow their pre-war occupations, who would tako temporary work on sheep stations as cadets or handy men, while there are others with experience waiting for engagement as storomen and commercial travellers. Yesterday morning the Repatriation Office placed 11 returned soldiers in permanent positions.

In a prosecution in tho Police Court at D-unedin-yesterday of a # Territorial, under tho Defence Act, in which a youth was charged with failing _to register for Senior Cadet instruction, the defence raised was that the lad was a statutory alien, his father having gone to the United States in 1913 with his family, ■ and had been compelled when he took up land there to become a naturalised American. Though, ho returned to New Zealand in 1914, he had not taken any measures to revoko this naturalisation. It was claimed under the laws of England that when a father became naturalised in another country his children who were under age by that Act became citizens of that country. The Magistrate reserved his decision.

Convalescent soldiers at the Montecilo Red Cross Military Home wore visited yesterday by Sir James Allen (says a Dunedin telegram). They mado a strong representation regarding being orderod into uniform suits of blue, illfitting and unmilitary, and the subject of comment by people in the streets. The Minister said in effect that he could not hold out any promise that tho blue uniform would be done away with, but he would see that a decent uniform would be given as soon as possible. Objections to the uniform had already disappeared in Auckland, Rotorua, and other places. He asked the men to believe that they would disappear in tho south also when the public understood that it was a higher distinction oven than khaki. Last week tho annual barracks at Christ's College was completed. The demonstrations of physical and other drill on tho final day were photographed by tho "Wooldy Press" staff, and are reproduced in the issuo of the paper coming out to-day. The opportunity being an appropriate one to place on pictorial record the advance of this famous New Zealand school, a number of ongravings are published in tho snme issue showing the school, its environs, some of its interiors, and its staff, and the tw o sets of illustrations should prove highly interesting to tho groat many people who have passed through the school, or are associated with it in some way. An attractive page is that representing th e prizewinners at the Xap : er competitions, and another is composed of snapshots taken on tho first day of the. New Brighton Trotting Club's Mooting. Portraits are given of several celebrities, including tho Big Three at the Peace Conference" th« Prince who married Mr Asquith's daughter, the man whose study of statistics saved millions of B>- : tish bib'es, the man who fed 7,000.000 soldiers a day, and the matron who from 1914 to the end of 191S hnd the handline of over 10,000 trained nursos and 9300 volunteers. Several interesting pictures are given in connexion with aviation, showing Britain's Atlantic and a Hnndley-Paire giant air bus. If the influenza "should return to Nf-w Zealand, it is to be hop-»d we shall not have to resort to the mask prevention as depicted in a couple of photographs taken in Sydney.

Two correspondents have supplied us with the date of the arrival of the ship Gnnanoquo at Lyttelton—May 9th, ISOO.

Seventv lads from the Canterbury military "district, forty from Christchurch,' and the remainder from Nelsnn, will attend the non-oommissioned officers' instruction camp for so?ondary school cadets, to be held at Trentham.

In tho course of his address of welcome to General Hart at Carterton last week the Mavor stated that BrigacTierGonera! Hart'had, by a strange coincidence served as a steward on board the Corinthic on returning from tho Boer war. On this occasion he had returned on the same vessel as BrigadierGeneral, C.M.G., D.S.O.

In the "Works and Traffic Committee's report to the Tramway Board yesterdav it was stated that there have been seve'rnl cases lately where the authority of tho car conductor in carrying out regulations havo been disputed by passengers. In two eases violent assaults on Board's employee took place, and in other indecent and offensive language was used.

Dnring the Hon. "W. D. S. MaeDonald's visit to Ashburton some weeks back, a deputation waited on lnm in regard to a dai'v mail sorvice to the Ijowcliffp. Lynnford. Lismoro, and Maronan districts instead of a tri-weeklv service. Mr Morris subsequently paid a visit of inspection to the localities, with a result that a dnilj- sorvico lins been inaugurated, which is proving a great boon.

Enster traffic on tho Christchurch tramways from Good Friday to tho following "Wednesday totalled £4059, an increase of £4-11 over tho tralfic for Easter, 1918. Compared with the previous Easter traffic, the ordinary receipts increasodby £-100, and an additional day's racing at the Metropolitan Trotting Club's grounds meant £123 extra in revenue, but the service to the Riccnrton racecourse resulted in a falling-off in earnings of £183. This was aeconntod for by _ the railway service to th« course being resumed last Easter,

Cabled reports during tho last few weeks have indicated feays the Melbourne "Age") that tho British authorities are no-tv- beginning to dispatch transports oversea at an unusually rapid rate, in some eases ships leaving at the rate of two or three a day. This will mean that in the ve:y near future the quarantine authorities in Australia will find themselves compelled to handle vessels arriving from oversea in abnormally rapid succession, each one containing some hundrods of troops, and thus requiring particularly careful inspection. As the aftermath of tlio wnr, quarantine officers are prepared to deal for the next year or two with outbreaks of varioiig epidemics, altogether apart from pneumonic influenza, and already cases of smallpox and mens'es have boon reported on incoming shins. The rapid succession of vessels arriving will thvow large demands both on the modical staffs and on the quarantine accommodation, particularly in Western Australia. Already quarantine doctors are being worked in two shifts, and prepnrations are being made wherever possible to make provision for increased numbers of, quarantined passengers. Ono suggestion made was that wooden buildings now at the disused internment camn site near the Federal capital 6i"te might be shipped to the various ports for extra accommodation, hut investigation showed that the expense of moving would be too great. Probably it will be necossarv in some cases to erect new accommodation at the quarantine tions.

The Commonwealth Government, through the medium of the Institute | of Science and Industry, is now anticipating further warfare against the prickly pear pest, which is estimated to infest over 20,000,000 acres in Queensland, and 2,208,000 acres in Nev» South Wales, and to spread at the rate of about 1,000,000 acres a year (says the Melbourne "Age"). For the eradication of the pest various methods h"ve been proposed, including destruction by mechanical means, by chemical means, bv utilisation, and by natural enemies. The first three methods have been exhaustively enquired into without encouraging results, but the fourth method has been tried with considerable success, and it is said requires complete investigation. Some time ago a conference with regard to the matter was held between the New South Wales, Queensland, and Commonwealth Governments, when a scheme suggested bv the science and industry experts was put forward, suggesting the establishment of certain special laboraties where insect pests which control the pricklv pear in its own native soil abroad should be experimented with. The suggestion also was made that the sum of £8000 per annum for five years should be made .available for the work, tho. Commonwealth tn supply £4000 and the two States £2000 each. Queensland agreed to the proposal, but New South Wales held back, and the suggestion was not proceeded with. It appears likely to he revived, however, and Dr. Gellatly, Director of the Institute of Science and Indnstrv. is visitSydnev to confer with the New South Wales Government on the matter.

Trusses are always fitted perfectly at Loasby's. The*- have the largest stock of Trusses in the Dominion, and are thus saved the necessity of supplying any but tho proper truss rejuired for perfect comfort. Loasby and Co., chemists (opp. Ballantyne's). ' 6 Every husband who truly cares for his wife's comfort will not begrudge her the trifle to purchase "No Rubbing" Laundry Help and "Golden Rule" Soap —and so say all of us. Christchurch grocers. 012 No me likes moving, but the wort can be made n-uch lighter if competent men are employed. J M. Heywood and Co., Ltd., have them, and three up-to-date pantechnicons. Telephones 250, 1241, and 2174. Q A LIGHT SIX MITCHELL—£3SO. Now on view. Light six-cyl. 5-seater Mitchell car, electric light and electrio self-starter; magneto ignition Stowart vacuum feed, hood and wind shield. Just repainted French grey. Tyres in very fair order. Spare rim. Price £350. Adams, Ltd., 219 Tuam street. 6 FOUR-CYLINDER BRISCOE TOURING CAR—£2ls. Ready for sale, 4-cyl. 5-seater Briscoe car; electric light and self-starter, upholstery good as new, tyros in good order. Hood and wind screen. Handy light car for family use. Finished in dovo grey. Adams, Ltd., 219 Tuam street. 6 LIGHT 4-CYL. MAXWELL CAR— £2-15. Call and inspect, 4-cyl. 5-soater Maxwell touring car; electric light and selfstarter, magneto ignition, hood and wind screen, tyres in good' order. "Will bo repainted to purchaser's order. Pric» £245. Adams, Ltd., 219 Tuam street. 6 - i