GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16881, 8 July 1920, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

The cases of American smallpox in the health district of Otago now number 16. and in the Southland district 6, the notifications for June over the whole area being an increase of tliree as compared with the month of May. As showing the scarcity of houses for renting purposes in Ashburton, it may be mentioned that the other day a local body had u cottage to let, owing to the new clerk appointed being a single man, and not requiring a dwell-' ing. The Board had so many applicants for tho house that they decided to select the successful lessee by ballot.

"A very old boy of tho School oarae to visit me the other day at the fcchooi," said Mr C. E. Bevan-Brown, headmaster of the Christehurch Boys' High School at last night's annual re-union of old boys. <'We talked for some time m my study, and then he fW *' he cane was > spying that he thought it was up to hhn to p-e me one. 'Oh, no,' I replied, 'it rLW 'i° 7 19 - So he ]ifte d «P his coat-tails bent over, and I gave him three. (Laughter,) I did not hit linn particularly hard, but at the finish he remarked, 'That last one hurt, sir. . e o d hand hath not lost its cunning. (Laughter.) "Mr H D. Acland has proved one of ine best friends the Boys' High School has had m spite of the fact, or bv fvfiu n °n. ,e T> laC h th ? t hc is a Christ's Co'legc Old Boy, said Mr A. T. I)onwv , T> ann 'J al re " lm,on Of High School Oxd Boys last night, when the i coast of the Board of Governors of Canterbury College was about, to be honoured "We were all delimited," Mr Donnelly continued, "at the School's success this afternoon, J,ut we were also del ighted at tho very gal'ant losing fiiht put uo b.v Christ's College, one of the finest losing efforts I remember seeing in my experfence." At Mr Donnelly's call, hearty cheers were given for the College Fifteen, followed' by the sinking of "For They are Jollv Good F.d- . T s ' ■. In tho conrso of his reolv, Mr Acland thanked Mr Donnelly "for his allusions to Christ s College, where, he said, ho was in his second or third yea,- when tho High School was established. The post erected at the intersection Or \\ orooster street and Oxford terrace was briefly discussed at last night's mating of the Automobile Association. Mr F. D. Sargent said that he had heard some very complimentary remarks on the usefulness of the post, and lie suggested that members of the Association might have some opinions on thq extension of the idea to other street crossings. Mr J. S. Hawkes (chairman) said that there was no doubt but that the nost was an education to many drivers" of cars, and if the idea was worlcablo on a bad "corner it would be excellent on a good one. In answer to an objection made by Mr Orbell that the post made the corner a difficult one to take. Mr Hawkes said that he understood that the matter of the post not being placed in the middle of the road would be ventilated in tho Magistrate's Court on Friday, when a large number of cases would be hoard.

This week, Sydney is getting back to normal (writes our correspondent un'der date of Jupe 30th). An army of men is busy removing decorations from the streets and public buildings, and many truckloads and steamer loads of electric wire and globes, and bunting is boing sent off to Brisbane. The streets look gloomy and drab after their gay colours, _ and the drip of the unusual, but thrice-welcome rain, serves to accentuate the feeling of depresssion. Influenza —fortunately of a mild type— is raging in the city, and the breakdown of public services, which is seon in the telephone system, tho transport system, the frequent food shortages, and so on, has now extended to tho electric power system. There is barely enough electric power to keep all the factories going, so one is not permitted to use the electric radiator—the most frequent method of heating rooms in this summer city—between 8 a.m. and •5 p.m. So Sydney, this week, is a j very chcerless placc.

A letter has b&en received from the Director of Education by the Registrar of Canterbury College, confirming the announcement of Cabinet's decision to make certain grants in respect of the School of Engineering. These are: — £15,000 for additional buildings on plans agreed upon between the Superintendent of Technical Education and Professor R. J. Scott; and £10,000 for the necessary additional equipment as may be required from time to time for the extended accommodation now contemplated. The Government is prepared to increase the upccial grant to. the School of Engineering by a reakin able sum , the precise amount of which is at present under consideration, and will be the subject of a further communication. The grants specified above have been made, "on the express condition that the Bnard of Governors of Canterbury College shall at least maintain its present grants to the school: indeed, it is the opinion of the Department that the College should provide a larger proportion of the cost of this branch of itp work."

The recent controversy as to the portion of the main mountain range of the South Island which constitutes the Southern Alps was referred to by Mr R. Speight, M.A.,' in the course of his paper read at last night's meeting of the Philosophical Institute. One authority, he said, asserted tha't the name should be applied only to the snowy . range at the back, and that it was quite in-orrcct to apply the term to the mountains seen from Cashmere Hills. "Geologically as well as geographically," said Mr Speight, "we must speak of the whole of that elevated region which extends practically from Cook Strait to Foveaux Strait as the Southern Alps. This includes the mountains of Otago. Geologically and physiographically we must call all the mountain region marked by Captain Cook the Southern Alps." Referring to the Mackenzie Country, Mr Speight expressed • the opinion that geologically that region was more closely related to Otago than to Canterbury. He would take the Two Thumb range as the geological boundary between Otago and Canterbury. Abolition of land agents was a suggestion made by the Timber Workers' .fcederatiou when members mot the Minister of Labour at Wellington on Monday. Mr E. Phelan said that in one city it was estimated that there | were 500 such agents, and their work i added greatly to the cost of property. In one case he had heard of a mo- i perty which had been soli four tfm«s | in three months. Mr Phelan argued i that the necessary work could be done j by the Government with such, a Department as the Public Trust. The I agents encouraged speculation. They ! would sell a property which had the borer and when this was discovered would offer to sell it again. "There • must be a lot of greenhorns about," j ■ Commented the Minister of Public I Works (Hon. J. G. Coates). Mr Phelan I said he would go further, and say that i no land agent should bo allowed "to sell a farm. If the owner wished to sell, j! he should offer it first to the Govern- j , ment, which u;ould then decide who 1 should have the right to purchase. Sir , ' I'rancis Bell: "How would you like ' the Government to dictate to vou to } whom you should sell your house?" Mr • Phelan replied that he did not propose < dictation, but that' the Government r should have the right to the first offer i of the property. That was quite a: i different tiling. ! 5

A false alarm, the second in two onnj sccutivc nights, summoned the Citv Fire Brigade last night to Charles anil upborne streets, Limrood. Nominations closed yesterday for the office of a councilor to" represent Sydenham "Ward on the Citv Council, C nu=ed by the resignation of Or. E. Peek Tho«e nominated were Charles Edward Bcon (Independent) and Fred. Ei!cy Croke (Labour). An election trill be held on W-mesday next, the polling booths being given in another column. Thoj-Tauranga branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association, which is backed bv local settlers, has dccided to approacn even- member of Parliament, and made the strongest nrs«ib'p p-ote=t to the Government asrainst the practice Of nfterins lands for onen selection to ail returned soldiers alike and at th«* last minute rc-orving part'for Maori returned men. A case in point is the Hn'k'T-o estate. Bav of Plenty, in j nbich 1/3 acres have been set nnart for i Maoris cnlv. There is keen indicia- I tion throughout the district at this"

! The proposal cf tlio South Invercnr- " pill Bnro'.Lcrh Council to raise a special ; loan of £70000 to erect a hail as a , war memorial, was reiected by the ! ratepayers yesterday, t-Ve voting be : ng: J —For the proposal 164, :;ga;r.s: 312. I It is notified that in virtue of the Treaty of Peace Order. l'J-0, a Xew Zealand clearing of!i"o for oremf. - del its i has been set up, the Public Tru-tee J being r.u pointed as Aiten- : t ; on is directed tn the provisions of the order forbidding the payment or nc~ept- ! An n e of enemy de-t s . e:cccpt hy permission of tlie controller. contravention : rendering the rffemler liable under the Trading with the Enemy Act, 1914. It was announced by the Bishop of Wellington, the Kicht Rev. T. H. Snrott. at the opening of the Anglican Dio-esnn Synod, that the Finance Committee was in a. position to raise all stipends to £300. as through the efforts jof the Rev. R. Franklin, organising ] secretary, the sum of £10.000 had been raised. It was realised, concluded his lordshin. t-hnt with the depreciation in

the value of the sovereign, the increase of stipend did not pla~e the clergy in as £?ood a financial pos-tion as thev were in before the w*r. The announcement of the organising secretary's success was received with applause. The Boys' High School Old Boys' Association intends to erect at the new school to be built in Riccarton a worthy memorial to the Old Boys who fought in the recent war. Speaking at the annual re-union last night, Mr A. T. Donnelly said that the Board of Governors of Canterbury College had intended to give a donation to the fund, but owing to some legal technicality, they had found themselves una'de to do so. However, the chairman, Mr H. D. Acland, was a lawyer, and had managed to "get over the little difficulty" .with a result that tho Board would now contribute a substantial sum to the foundation of the Memorial. (Applause.) The meeting of the Philosophical Tni statute last night was well attended, Mr jL. P. Symes presiding. Mr R. Speight, M.A., rend an interesting papnr, ''Notes ' on a Geological Excursion to- Lake Tekapo," and Professor A. Wall, M A., dealt with "Botanical Work of the Season 1919-20." Professor Wall's address detailed the work done bv him towards the end of last year and beginning of the present year in connexion with securing specimens for the herbarium at Canterbury Museum. Thci localities visited included the Upper Wrjimakariri . find Arthur's P.nss region, Tararua range (Wellington), and"; Central Ota go and Southland. As a result of these collecting tours 320 sheets of specimens will be added to the herbarium. When Professor Wall began his work of collecting some years ago, there were SCO sheets of spo:imeus; now thore are between 2000 andi 3000, and as far as the flora of Canterbury is concerned t>o collcction is practically complete. Professcr Wall stated that he hoped to extend the scope of the herbarium by exhibiting in a frame specimens of every grass that grows in Canterbury. It was, he said, of great importance that farmers and others should know the native grasses. Eulogistic references were made by members to the excellent work being done by Professor Wall, who_ was aworded a vote of thanks for his interesting address. The famous "A.C." Tabs—the ideal cure for constipation—are 'again available from Loasby and Co. direct, or from stores and wholesale houses. People who suffer from constitpation find "A.C." Tabs an ideal remedy—you'll known if you've tried them —try them if you haven't. 6

It cannot bp too strongly impressed upon the people of Cliristchurch that the place to save money is Armstrong's, ant', the time to save it is now, while their Sale is in full swing. For example, Navy Blue English Serge Costumes, belted, -with patch pockets, worth. £5 ss, sale price 39s Gd. 7 Mr A. W. Martin, Rupture Specialis, froin Damedin, lias now arrived, and may be consulted nn to the 10th of July, at the White Hart Hotel. 6 "We are grateful" for the kind things that ladies say about "Ivcep Smiling Boot Polish." They can't say too much, for it merits everv praise. H4984

When you trust your goods to us you are certain that they will bo carefully handled. Shipping—moving—storage; we do them all, and do them well. J. M. Heywood and Co., Ltd. H4943

£2000 STOCK 0F8.5.A.. TRIUMPH, . AND EXCELSIOR SPARES. Messrs Adams, Ltd., have just received from England a very largo and complc-to stock of spare parts for present and former models of B.S.A. and Triumph motor-cycles, and from America. a correspondingly large and complete stock of spare parts for Excelsiors. This means quick repairs and better repairs at a lower charge, since those parts nro of more suitable material than' can bo locally procured, and thoy can be sold here at half the cost of a locally-made part. . There is no long and inconvenient wait now while a part is being made, our reorganised motor-cycle department beinsr staffed with first-class mechanics, backed by a magTiifloent" stock of spares. Among the 8.5.A., Triumph, and v Excelsior parts which we now stock may be mentioned cylinders, pistons, crank-cases, connecting rods, bullies, frudgeon nins, engine benrinirs, belt pullevs, chain wheels, spindles, cuos, cones, head sprinsrs, valves, valve cans, valve springs, rims, snokes. etc. Tbis is a reason rvhv your next machine be a TVS.A., a Triumph, or an Excelsior. Yon are irivitf' l to insne-t the latest mounts of thpep fine mn'-hirtes. tofrp+l'er with rur vari"d selection of secorx-T-'linnd rrio+orcmles. A dims. Ltd.. Mntor-ovclo Department, High street, Christchurcli. G