GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LVI, Issue 16962, 11 October 1920, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

Two English mails, via Australia, arc duo in Oiiristchurch this week.

In describing the extent of the City .Council's financial and other activities, Mr H. Holland stated at the Canterbury Football Association's "snioko" on Saturday night that the streets of Christchurcii, it placed end to end, would reach from Christdnurch to the liungitata river.

The fruit-growing classes at the Cashmere Military Sanatorium were taken on four tours of instruction last month, fifteen men being taken in motor transport on each occasion. Two private orchards and the Government Fruit Farm at Paoamii were visited. At the Government Fruit Farm the members of the class were able to gain practical experience of the power sprayer using. Bordeaux mixture.

At the Cashmere Military Sanatorium a class has been started for instruction in the manufacture of seagrass furniture, a line that is becoming very popular. This occupation offers y«ry good opportunities to men tvlio wish to embark on work on their own account, and is particularly suitable for T.j". *.ven. At the end of last month n. .nbers of the class had nineteen pieces of furniture under construction.

In the Canterbury district during September 239 in-patients of military hospitals have attended vocational traminer classes, and made a total of 12,594 "hours' attendances. The classes roll number was 336, which included ten civilian patients. The percentage of men in hospital taking educational and vocational training was 81.4. The average for the Dominion is 86 per cent. Of the proceeds from the classes which produce finished articles, the sum of £-44 11s -vas paid to the recreation funds of tho different hospitals for the benefit of the men; and £27 Is 6d was pnid into tho Public Account, to cover cost "of material.

I It is recommended by the Finance Committee o: tho Dunedin City Council that the town clerk's salary be in- ■ creased to £1000 a vcar, and the- city engineer's to £800. A meeting will Ik> held in the Town Hall, Leeston, on Thursday evening, to discuss the sugar beet industry. It is suggested that a refinery lie established in tht- F-llesmere district, and every faimer is invited to attend. Tho Minister 0/, Tourist Resorts is negotiating with the Marine Department for the u«o of the Government steamer Tutnnekai for the Biuff-Stewart IslandSounds sorvice. He 'hones to arrange to have the steamer en the run for three fotir months. A London cable message to the Australian papers states that Mr Knocklar.dp, a well-known gardener, has evolved a cross between the gooseberry and black currant, which has tho size of the former and the flavour of the black cttrrant. The poultry farm, under the auspice* | of the Educational and Vocational j Training Department nt Cashir.ero Mili- I tan . Sanatorium, continues to pro- ! sress. In the last week of September the farm supplied one hundred and twenty dozen of eggs to the military | and civil sanatoria. j

On a station in tvi'e Mohaka (Hawko's B. \vi district, lately, some Miur i sTttbcutters atriir-k because they eould not b> .supplied with -white sugar." B-own s'igor was refused by them, notwithstanding that the owner explained thni ho had to use brown sugar himself. Tlie result was tihat the Maoris wore paid off. The secretary of the General Post Office, AVi'lliimton, has received the following radio message from Chatham Islands:—"Reported from Owenga that for the. pnst fortnight, the sea for a distance of thirty miles off shore and boyond is greitly discoloured black. The cause is unknown." At the Timaru Magistrate's Court on Saturday, Kdjrar E. Vigors, who was recently sentenced at Christohurch to twelve years' imprisonment on various charges, pleaded guilty to three charges of theft of money and clothing, of .1 total value of £1(3. Ho was sentenced to four months' imprisonment, concurrent with his present sentence. I The Marlborough Progress C'omrriti tee has been endeavouring to arrange for a visit of members of Parliament and oil the Canterbury Progress League to Kaikoura. The end of this month was suggested as a suitable date, but a telegram received by Mr "Will Lawson, from Mr G. W. Forbes, M.P. for Hurunui, points out that the proposed date will not suit, as it is too close to tho end of the session, when the rush of business will be on. There arc eight new sawmills being constructed in the Ilokitika district, and one' hardly knows 'where they arc going to get all the inen needed to work them (writes tho Hokitika correspondent of tho -"Grey Ki%-er Argus"). Some of the present mills are working short-handed ns it is, and it is not everybody that cares about mill work. At the present time there is far too much boy labour in tho mills. Somo of tho boys would do far better if they stuck to school a little longer, as they will be broken down before they are 40 years of age. Of course, one knows that t'he high cost of living is pressing hard upon families, and somebody must see to bread-winning, but it is a pity the burden falls upon shoulders so young.

A large number of members of the Pioneer Sports Club, with their lady friends, participated in the club's first motor run of the season yesterday. The run was to.Waihora Park, Motukarara, and the string of cars and cycles &et out from the Pioneer garage at 10 in the morning. About 40 motor-cj'clists came up from Ashburton, and were entertained by the Pioneer Club, and when the picnic lunch was being onjoyed, there were altogether about 250 people assembled. A pleasant afternoon was spent in the park, and the return journey was completed by 5.30 p.m. There were no accidents in the trip, but punctures were numerous. Under Mr It. Bannett, as captain, all the arrangements were carried out without a hitch, and Mr J. B. Merrett was a capable marshal. The members of the

committee spared no efforts to make the outing successful, and a pleasure to all. The largest individual cheque for surplus wool profits is not known, but it may .bo safely assumed that tho smallest is the one just received by Mr J. A. Leslie, of Blenheim. The amount is 7d. . The payment, which is in the form of a Government imprest account cheque, was forwarded with the intimation .that it covered "your proportion of the Imperial Government's profits on wool handled through our store during the seasons 1917-18 and 1918-19," fthd with other information of a formal, nature, including the advice that this addition to the recipient's wealth is freo from income tnx. Mr Leslie's wool output consisted of the fleece of a pet lamb, which a friend with a talent for shearing suggested should be turned to account in the interests of the Dominion's staple industry. The clip realised 13s 4d. Tt is Mr 'Leslie's intention to devote the whole of his surplus profits to the seamen's fund.

During his visit to England, Mr W. H. Tisdall, of this city, took the opportunity' of = seeing ■ some of the battlefields in France and Belgium. At Passchendaele, where one of his sons was wounded, Mr Tisdall got his first insight into the 'horrors of war. The fields were still littered with the impedimenta of war—from tanks .and railway engines downwards. . Nature was endeavouring to hide tho wounds inflicted by war by a growth, of coarse grass. He eaw bodies being exhumed and interred in tho cemetery close by. It was provided to contain 2600 bodies, but in April it was already filled, .and another cemetery of equal capacity was being got ready. Some difficulty was experienced in identifying the bodies, as tho classification discs, being made of fibre, "had perished. The bodies are wrapped in canvas before burial. Mr Tisdall says that the cemeteries are beautifully laid out, and anyone who wishes to find the grave of a relative should have no difficulty in doing so by applying to the proper authorities in France, who keep a very careful register. Little crosses are put over each grave, and tho man's name and i rank (if known) are inscribed upon it.

The cemeteries \vc»c being sown with flower seed at the time of Mr Tisdall's visit. Amongst the graves, Mr Tisdall saw a number of those of New Zealandcrs.

"The churches have been badly hit," stated Dt. Gibb, of St. John's Presbyterian Church, Wellington, wiho returned last week after a visit to the Old Country, referring to the aftereffects of tho war. ''Before the war they were having a hard figlit with manifold tendencies inimical to religion and moral ideals. Since tho war evory such tendency has been intensified. I did not meet .i single minister in England, or Scotland, or Canada, who is not absolutely convinced that- the war has becrf a curse to all tho things for which the churches stand. Dr. .lowett, the great London preacher, said to me that he had»never seen religion and the Church at so low an ebb, but he added that he was convinced we had reached the bottom of the downward curve, and that a better day would <?re long dawn. Personally, I am more than over convinced that a strong Church is simply indispensable to a healthful and prosperous commonwealth. In Scotland—to' tako the country which apart from New Zealand I know best—-crime is rampant, drunkenness is swiftly increasing, divorce and all that \tlivorce usually means grows apneo. That is the oneside of the shield: the other is that the churches are half empty—a vast numf ber of them much more than half empty. Happily there are many who -ire coming to see the nexus between these things. Neither Scotland nor the dmrches of Scotland will go down. The better day Dr., Jowett predicts is sure to oome."

A lanroly attended meeting held at Eltham decided to form a branch of the Loyal Citizens' League. :u;d support- the Government to the ful!e;t extent in upholding lav.- and order, and preventing the spread oi" direct action methods.

In order to obtain a correctly fitting Truss, a largo stock must be at hand to select from. By carrying the lar«r--t>st stock of Trusses in the Dominion, Loasby r.nd Co. are always able to provide the correct Truss for each individual requirement. Loasby and Co.. chemists (opp. Ballnntyne>>. 5

The '-Thinkers' Pictorial School Exrreifo Book?, nnd "Golden Hulo Scliool Ruler.v' , are proving a wonderful boon to education. Always in stock. I, M. Isitt. Ltd. 1

The blood gets out of order in t!- lf . .spring- Mv Blood Tablets and Blood Purifier, price 'is (3d, remove, pimnles and boils. E. Cameron Smith, 96 "Worcester street. o

Fanners having over-grown gorso fences on their farms should get one of our improve:! massive gorsc-cutters. Wo lit them 'in traction engines or oil tractors. IVe also make horse machines; tln-io cutters are almost unbreakable. Foners of any age or size can ho cut down without delay at about onp qunrtcr the present cost of hnnrl labour. P. and D Duncan. Ltd., Tuuin' street, Christchureh, P.O. Box 124. ; o

"We recommend our readers to purchase the dust-less mops which are being sold bv Plastic, Bull, and Pickering. 113 Cashel street, at us Cd each. They combine broom and mop, and are just the thing for the daily "run over " H0442-002

Wanted by a local implement manufacturini' firm, sufficient faith in their "oods to' put v.p £100 and accept the challenge of Ivorys, Ltd.. on tho issue of the comparative quality and price value of t'heir implements during the last twelve months. See advertisements for full particulars. Ivorys, Ltd,. 21 Manchester street. 'J

There 13 not the slightest doubt that the women of Christchurch are keen shoppers. Yesterday was an object lesson t<) see the eager buyers streaming to Armstrong's for the bargains at their Money Wanted Sale. Yes, there were plenty of bargains right enough, and evervday during the sale hundreds of wonted lines and new season's goods aro to be heavily reduced. Huge purchases have been, made, and this monev is wanted, so those who have the cash and need household or spring wearing apparel ■ can really buy at a genuino saving at Armstrong's. C

Stainless cutlery, made in Sheffield. Everv knife guaranteed, new stocks. J-Vs 6d half-dozen. Drayton's, Colombo street North. D 2706-1636 Pilkington's Motors are now running Christchurch-Akaroa r.t 30s return. 1 Choice Pictures of every description, Artists' Colours. Brushes, Canvas, Drawing Papers, etc., and Picture Framing, at Gibb's, 105 Cashel street. D WANTED TO SELL—B.S.A. MOTORCYCLE, £45. On view ■ in window —British-built 8.5.A., »i h.p. fixed engine. Tyres in good order. Good appearance. Magneto ignition. Engine just overhauled in our workshops, a.nd in first-Hass condition. Price £-15. Adams, Ltd., 152-154 High street. WANTED TO SELL—TRIUMPH MOTOR-CYCLE, £3G. _ On view in window —British-built Triumph, 3£ h.p. fixed engine; map;-j neto; tyres in good order. Engine just overhauled and in good order. Good appearance. Price £36. Adams, Ltd., 152-154 High street. WANTED TO SELL—TRIUMPH MOTOR-CYCLE, FREE • ENGINE, £SG. On view in window —British-built Triumph, 3i h.p., free engine; new tyre on ba>?k wheel; magneto; enamel and plating in order; engine overj hauled and in splendid order. Enamel and plating good. Price £56. Adams, Ltd., 152-154 High street. 6 MOTOR-CYCLE BARGAINS! 3 J h.p. Douglas, £65; 3-speed Triumph, £45; 4 h.p. counter-shaft Triumph, £90; 4J h.p. "8.5.A.," £&5. All equipped with lamps and horns, and in good order. Simile's, near Theatre Royal. ' 9