GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17104, 28 March 1921, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

Hie Waita|ci river is now yielding some fine Quinnat salmon—fish scaling from SO tp $4 pounds. » A jpk© thjit is not new, hut neycrIMi&s evoked hearty laughter/ was heard in., the Magistrate's Coiirt at Auckland on Wednesday. A witness said that when ho pake a the tenant of a liouee for the keys he was told to to the devil.", Counsel enquired viluvt the witness did. ''J came to you," was 'ttjie iinexpected reply. ' to tho pandemic of house scarcity, a former resident of Wellington, Mr A. Jirent-Hobl), writing to a friend from Lima, Peru, says: "My wife and I hare.heen lucky in obtaining a. house at 260 Washington, Direqha, one of the test streets hero. Tho scarcity of hpuses ii teiriblo just, now, as I oelieve it ia in post parts of tho world. We were four months househunting heforp we cquld get a decent house, considering the presentday conditions here, wo have been lucky."

Amendments .gazetted to the regulations. governing teachers' salaries include the following: Staffing of public schools, the following is substituted for sub-clause (I) of clause 43: "The position of first femalo assistant in every mixed school of Grade iVa. or a higher 'grade should be that of infant mistress" ; grading of public schools, clause 31, is amende} by adding the following proviso: "Provided that a school'should riot be raised to a higher grade if the. Board is satisfied that the increased average atieJidiince Qualifying the school for a higher grade is not likely to be permanent." That military storos which have become obsolete may be of value to museums is by the J/erenco authorities, and tho following paragraph on the subject appears ln.Gcncflral .Headquarters Instructions: —"From timo to time Boards of Survey are held on obsolete and unserviceable military stores to- determine' their disposal. Some ot theso obsolete and unserviceable stores, although of no further use for 'military purposes, may be considered of interest for exhibition, or other purposes in museums. Accordingly, when a. Board of Survey is being assembled, the memshould bear in mind that, many obsolete stores would be of value to museums, and in cases when such aro discovered a recommendation Should be made that museums should have the opportunity of acquiring curiosities. ' The New Zealand "Journal of Health and Hospitals" quotes an interesting reference to the use of gauze masks as a preventive against infection during mfiuenxa epidemics. It is an extract from & paper contributed by W. H. Kellogg and Miss G. MacMilUin to tile American "Journal of Public Health, I 'on tho resalt of tiheir experiments w-ith masks. They find: (1) Gauze masks exercise a certain, amount of restraining influenco oil the'number of bacteria-laden droplets' possible of inhalation; (2) this influence is modified by the number of layers and fineness of mesh oi the gauze ; (3) when a sufficient degree of density in the mask is used to exercise a useful filtering influence, breathing is difficult, and leakage takes place around the edge ofthe mask; (4) this leakage around tho edge of the mask and the foicible aspiration of droplet-laden air through tne masV is sufficient to make the possible reduction in dosage of infection nob more than 50 per cent, effective. Masks have not been demonstrated to haVo a degreo of efficiency that would warrant their _ compulsory application for ' Dhe checking of epidemics.'

Reginald Matthews, the Timaru murderer, was taken to"the Seacliff Mental Hospital last week. The Ashburton Trotting Club has given 25 guineas and tho Ashburton County Racing Club. 10 guineas towards the Ashburton sports gala.

A Martinborough sheepfarmer obtained £3 damages from one of his hands for leaving the farm without jiotiee, which seriously affected the sowing of rape for his sheep. The Magistrate (Mr Free) indicated that the man]s conduct was petty and perverse, his complaints were not justified, and that lie had left without due notice because his employer had upbraided 'him for bis go-slow tactics. The' Magistrate refused defendant lbave to sppeal to 'ha Supreme Court. At the aerodrome, Soekbiirn, yesterday afternoon, an accident occurred which wns no - , attended by serious results. Cantain Cr.awfcrd was about to make a tfight with twit wpll-knotvn horsemen—H. Gray and W. Bush—as passengers, when a heavy {.mst of wind, caught the machine and capsized it. Nofte of the occupants was inurt, but tlic machine was somewhat damaged. Another move made by the investigating body is to require boot repairers in Aucklaiid to furnish Within seven days a statement setting out the amount and quality of leather necessary for the repair of men's, women's, and children's boots and shoes, ana also the cost of labour, material, and other charges, together with the price the customer pays for the repairs. Ten firemen employed on board tho, Federal Line steamer Suffolk, which left Wellington on December 10tl>, ai:d, which is now lying in the Victoria. Docks, were charged this week (says our London correspondent, writing or. February 10th), with being concerned in stealing and •receiving 52 quart bottles of cider, 9G pint bottles of cider, seven bottles of lemonade,, two bottle? of tonic water, 7011) of sugar, 31b or tea. 37 tins of. fruit, and 110 tins of miik. Lord Erieigh, who prosecuted, paid that when «the vessel was one.day out from Wellington the second steward found that the padlock of the storeroom had been broken and ti'ie place entored. A search of the firemen's quarters resulted in the discovery of a- large num-« of empty ljottles and quantities of sugar, tinned fruit, and milk. Later, the prisoners signed a >-T.i.temen| admitting that they had taken" the states. The men were each fined £o.

An enterprising drover named Thomas Wentworth Martin is in the hands of the Napier police. He first stole 30 head of builocks from Hunanui station, near Te Karaka, about 20 miles from Gisborne, on February 25th last. He drove these towards the coast, qnd from Fakarae station, about 20 miles north of Gisborne, ho relieved the owner of another 36 head; With the aid of two horses and four or five dogs he commenced his long drive towards Wairoa and Napier with 66 head. At Parakajiapa, about 20 miles from Tiniroto, a further 18 head were stolen from Messrs Sisterson and Mcßae's Rep, station. Martin throughout his drive of ab®tft 220 miles, occupying about four weeks, hnd onlv his dpgs to help him,manage ljis stoclc. When he arrived at Stortford Lodge he entered them for the sale, which took place on Friday. Then Detective-Sergeant Butler arrived on the scene and arrested Martin, who niade a clean -breast of the whole affair. bullocks are valued'at about £BOO.

A rather romantic interest attaches to a. recent* gift to the old colonists' museum, New Plymouth. • In March, 1860, during the Taranaki wgr, when many settlors were forced to leave their homes, Mr Arthur Atkinson was one of those in this plight. Before leaving his homestead, ''Hunyorth," on the Carrington road, he buried. all his family china and crockery ware, and in after years several hunts were mnde <to find this store, but, owing to the. altered configuration of h'ush, scrub, and the country generally, the searches were baffled. The place (says the "News") was recently located by the side of a road, but unfortunately many of the dishes were found to be broken. The collection was divided between members pf the family, viz.. Mrs C. Y. Fell, Misseß It. and M. Atkinson, _ and Mr A. R. Atkinson, and, in recognition of the connexion of the matter with the early stirring hhtory of this province, Mrß Fell, on behalf of the'family, has presented a basin and a plate to the old colonists' museum.

Mr James V, JBryson, tho representative }n ; Australasia pf the Universal Film Company, in the course of an interview m tljo "Theatre* Magazine" (Sydney), remarks: "I was very much surprised at the high-cla'ss theatres to be found in New Zealand. For a cointry of its size and population the motion, picture business as a whole is repreeented by tho finest theatres in tho world. Particularly, must I refer to the Greater Crystal Palace, Christchurch. This was bijilt some three years ago by V. M. Beebe, who will be remembered in Australia' for his daring balloon exploits. To-day he is conducting a theatre the equal of which js only to be found on Broadway. His Symphony orchestra comprises twenty-two musir ciana. And—it is a real Symphony orchestra! New Zealand is supposed to have a population 'of 1,200,000. If that is bo, it is the biggest little country on earth. Certainly I am not able-to cite any .similar number of people in America who could po out arid do w.hat New Zealand has done.''

While Mr H. D. Skinner, the assist-ant-curator of Otago Museum, was stationed at Southampton, with tho Expeditionary Fcrces (writes our London correspondent), he gave some assistance in cataloguing a part of the ethnographical section ot the llose Hill collection at Tudor House Museum. This collection, which belongs to Lord Northesk, is made up of an arcbfeologifcal section comprising specimens from many. parts of Europe, and. a valuable ethnographical section of Pacific Island specimen's, Maori curios being strongly represented. Owing to representations made by Mr Skinner, the authorities of Otago University have mado overtures through the High Commissioner to obtain this collection for tho Otago Museum, and Sir James Allen has lie en discussing the matter with Lord Northesk. Captain T. E. Donne and Mr W. H. Montgomery will niako an inspection of the collection, after which Sir James hopes that he will be able to come to some arrangement with, the owner, who is desirous of meeting him as generously as possible, f

The uncertainties and humours—sometimes rather prim humours—of deer-stalking where amateurs are concorned were illustrated by a story told to a "New Zealand Times" representative last week bv Mr C. I. Dasent (secretary to the Wellington Acclimatisation Society). "Often," remarked Mr Dasent, "they shoot what they think is a twenty-pointer stag, and find that it is only a six-pointer. That is to say, the horns have only six points, instead of 20. And it-is not often deer that you Bhoot. In the Hawke's Bay district some time ago a party of sportsmen rose early to find their camp and the surrounding hills shrouded in mist. They set out on a stalking expedition, and almost at once walked into what they took to be a stag with a specially fine spread of horns. They fired a volley and it fell, struggling vigorously—so vigorously that the? dare not approach it for some time, lest it should wot up and rush them. Eventually, however, the struggles ceased, and the stalkers then found, much to their chagrin, that they had shot their packhorse, the saddle'on which, with two lone arms standing out on cither side of the animal's head, had in the mist made it look like a deer. They kept the story as dark as they could; but not so the liveryman from whom they had hired the horse. He was very angry, and made them pay some £f6 for the animal and it was a verv long time before they heard the fast of the exploit."

The Prime Minister stated yesterday that he would leave for the Old Country in the middle of April, in order to attend thp Imperial Conference. Definite arrangements, he ?said, had been made.

While practising at the nets on 'he Basin Reserve (Wellington 1 ! on Thursday, one of the New* Zealand eleven lifted a ball over the fence and road, clean into a grocer's shop window m Ellice street.

A meeting of friends and suporters of the Woolston Band will be held in the bandioom, Dampier street, on Wednesday, at 7.30 p.m., to take steps to mark the borough's appreciation of the band's successes at Nelson. The Commission set up to report upon questions of subsidy for the Amendment of the Hospitals and Charitable Institutions Act has been reconstituted by the appointment of Mr Vernon H. Reed, M.P., and the Hon. A. F. Hawke as members in place of tho Hon. W. Downie Stewart, M.P., and Mr A. D. McLeod, M.P., who resigned. Mr Reed will be chairman of the Commission.

"The names will not be suppressed unless the offender is under 21 veils, and is a lirst offender," declared Mr J. W. Poynton, S.M., at Auckland, in reply to an application for an order to prohibit the publication of the iiame of a youth who had committed a theft. His Worship stated that a rule had to bo made to guide the Court in this matter of t)!ie suppression of names, and what he had stated was the rule ho had decided oh.

When sailing off Diamond Harbour on Saturday morning the yacht Alpha, qf Redcliffs, was capsized in a nor'-west sfjuall. The two occupants, who are members'of the Bible class camp being held at Purau, managed to keep hold of the upturned boat until pickedam by Mr A. Arneson, of the Diamond Hajbour launch Ruahine. No ill-effects were experienced by the young men as a result of their ten minutes' impiersion. The Ruahine later towed the yacht in. v An impoverished .condition of the blood- is generally responsible for unexplainable lack of energy, lassitude, etc. The remedy is to strengthen your blood with Loasby's Nerve Tonic and Blood Enricher—it makes rich, red blood. 3s 6d and 6s 6d a bottle, all chemists, or from Lonsby and Co., Clk mists (opp._ Bflllantyne's). tj

One never tires of th« rich beauty and graceful lines of Doultqn wara, particularly the new designs which have just reached Hastie, Bull, ond Picketing, 113 Cashel street. Eminently suitable for wedding gifts. Call and inspect. ■ 9

for the best in Face Powders, Per-, fumes, Bath Salts, and Corsage Sachots —products of Moray From?—enll on 12. Cameron Smith, Chemist, 90 Worcester street. 3

The Prince of Diggers •is doing a great work in helping potato growers through the pj'eaeat difficult season, 'ih'e Aspinwall potato digger cuts the cost of harvesting by two-thirds, and saves sufficient hard cash to pay for itself in digging 10 acres or potatoes. The Aspjnwall will dig under any conditio!) of soil and it gets all the potatoes. prices, and terms from Ivorys, Ltd., 21 Manchester street. • 6 Mason's Fruit Jars can bo - delivered at once, quart size 13s (3d dozen, lib Jam Jars 6s fid dozen. King 'phone 2004. Drayton's, Colombo street (north). 1

In addition to making a full line of high-class Agricultural Implements, Machines and Vehicles, also attachments and accessories fqr same, we do repairs of -all sorts, from Lawn Mowers to Traction Engines. P. and D. Duncan, Ltd., Tuam street, Chrigtchureh. P.O. Bo* 124. D 0992-9395 Every woman, lovqp a real, bargain, and. no woman has vet been disappointed in the remarkable bargains always procurable at Armstrong's two shops. Here they will find the latest ideas 'in seasonable clothing, and the finest selection of household drapery and furnishings, all marked at the lowest prices in towtt# There are always one or two extra special Bargain Days at Armstrong's every week. Make a note of these special davs, and do all your shopping then. . ' ' 1

Fop artistic, pictures and pictureframing, patronise (Jibb's Art Depot, 105 Cashel street, bpp. Ballantyne'g. Big stocks of "artists' colours, brushes, ana materials. 9

Pilkington's motors' run twice daily between Cfaristchurch and Akaraa) 9

BUY A LATEST MODEL. STUDIOBAKER LIGHT FOUR FOB £SOO, AND LEARN TO DRIVE DTJR-

INQ THE HOLIDAYS.

The Easter holidays offer an admirable opportunity for the business man, who has not ordinarily much time to spare, to learn to drive a car. We have a proposition which should appeal' to business men. Some months ago Mr F. Armstrong, of the well-known drap-» ery firm, bought from us a Studebaker Light Four, the very latest 4-cylinder model turned out by the Studebaker Corporation. Recently he purchased a Studebaker Light Six, and we allowed him on the Light Four, which has onlyrun 10,000 miles, £SOO. _ The Light Four is in Bplendid condition—so good that we are prepared to give the same guarantee as with a new .car. It has electric 'light and self-starter, magneto ignition, five detachable rims and (including four new covers), apd sideflaps to wind-shield. In our opinion the car is as good as new. We will give any trial on hill or flat; we will lend the car to any experienced motor-*" ist for a trial on his own account, asd if purchased by a novice we will teach him or her to drive free of change, apd ensure that a driver's certificate is gamed. Fot further information regarding this car we refer you to Mr Armstrong. \Ve offer this car for what we allowed on it, £6OO, and the lucky purchaser gets it at trade price. Adams, Ltd. Garage, 219 Tuam Btreet, Christchurch.

DEPENDABLE BICYCLE TYRES. Sftrille and Co., direct importers ol highest quality bicycle tyres—British manufacture. 12 months' guarantee, 17g fid. Micbelin and Dunlop tyres also obtainable at. Savillo's, pear Theatre Renal. r 88838—463