GENERAL NEWS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17983, 29 January 1924, Page 6

GENERAL NEWS.

City Council employees have been granted a holiday next Saturday for the annual picnic. Twenty returned men left for Wellington last night for work on the Mangahao construction operations. The men were engaged by Mr W. E. Leadley, secretary of the Returned soldiers' Association on Behalf of tho Public Works Department. "There is nothing new to report," said Air D. J. Shea, manager of the Canterbury Frozen Meat "Company, Ltd., to a "Press" reporter yesterday, when asked if any fresh developments had taken place with respect to the freezing workers' dispute at the Belfast works.

The City Council last night took the first step towards adopting a special order authorising the raising of a loan of £IO,OOO for the erection of workers' dwellings. The money will he borrowed from the State Advances Department, and will be repaid to the City Council by tho owners of tho properties provided by the advances. Enquiry was made by Cr. J. K. Archer at the meeting of the City Council last night as to whether anything had been done regarding the inscription to be plaeed on the Bridge of Remembrance: The Mayor said that a communcation was sent to the Bridge of Remembrance Committee two months ago, but no reply had been received. The Council decided on the motion of Or. TV. 13. Leadley to communicate with the Bridge of Remembrance Committee again.

A poplar tree which was for years been a landmark in Christchurch, is about to bfe removed. It stands on the property of Mr H. F. TVigram, at the corner of Armagh street and Park terrace, and it is believed was planted by Miss Bowen, sister of the late Sir Charles Bowen in the early sixties. The tree is one of the tallest poplars in the city, and has a girth of nearly 18 feet. It is being removed in the interest of public safety, as it has been condemned by experts as being hollow. "And I might add that the takings at the gate since January Ist exceed £2OOO. There have been wonderful attendances," said the Mayor (Mr J. H. Gunson), in presenting a report from the Parks Committee of the Auckland City Council touching the Zoological Gardens for the nine months ended December 31st. The report showeel that the record attendance was on Boxing Day. when the takings were £lB2 14s 6d. From December 20tli to January 20th inclusive, the receipts at the Zoo were £2005, and the attendances 35,767 adults and .17,353 children.

"What comprises an amateur in cricket?" was a query received from Mr Douglas Hay, an ex-New Zealand' representative, at the meeting of the New Zealand Cricket Cduncil last night. Mr Hay said he was interested in a body whiicQi was granting leases to amateur bodies and it was desired to insert a clause embodying a definition of "amateur," as accepted by the leading amateur bodies in New Zealand. Tho secretary of the Council replied as follows:—"I would inform you that so far as New Zealand cricket is con-' ocrned, my Council recognises an amateur as one who does not receive remuneration other than that from loss of wages }ind actual travelling expenses." "Well, at that rate, the Australians are professionals," said the chairman, Mr J. S. Barrett.

Defendants in by-law cases frequently send letters to the Court pleading guilty or otherwise, and giving their version of the breach. Several such letters came before Mr Maunsell, S.M., at Nelson (telegraphs our correspondent) and drew some comment from the Bench. "The impression seems to be gaining ground," remarked his Worship, "that when people are summoned to attend Court they have a license to write to the Court stating what their offence is. It is to be understood that this is absolutely irregular, and in England the course is to treat such cases with more severity. That is not my course, but it must be understood that I do not take these letters to be of the earn© value as sworn testimony." Some years ago a defendant in a water prosecution case successfully pleaded that a tap in a paddock had been turned on by a cow winch was so well educated that it knew what to do when thirsty. In ' a case before the Court yesterday (telegraphs our Nelson correspondent) a defence of a somewhat similar nature was made. Defendant pleaded guilty, but explained that the tan in a paddock had been turned on by a cow. "We have watched the animal do so to prove, it,'' ho informed the Bench. Counsel for the prosecution said he believed the explanation was correct and that th© cow ' butted the tap with her horns." Mr T. E. Maunsell, S.M.: "Well, I cannot punish the cow. Pay the costs of th© prosecution." A straying cat was the cause of another defendant appearing to answer a further charge. He informed the Beifch that one of his family had turned the hose on to a straying "pussy." Just at the psychological moment that the water inspector hove in sight. "I think the cat will get the best of th© joke in the end," remarked a smiling Bench in inflicting a fine. ! At yesterday's meeting of the Selwyn Plantations Board the report of th© Superintendent (Mr G. R. Robinson) contained the following remarks on fires caused by carelessness on the part of fire-lighters in the districts under the Board's control:—As might be expected, the highly inflammable condition of vegetation during the latter part of December and daily occurring nor'-westers, a good deal of anxiety in fire prevention, particularly where plantations formed the margins of railway reserves. A popular though _ extremely unsafe device for billy-boiling was often seen, in which a wire fence was used to support the cross sticks from which the billy was suspended. Both fires occurring this season evidently originated from indiscretion in fire lighting on hot days within a few feet of plantations, and it almost appeared that a judgment in court against" such indifferent or careless persons was neoessary to make the gravity of the position more generally understood. It was pointed out that the Board had already passed a. resolution for the prosecution of such offenders.

The City Council last night accepted an invitation to be present at the fifth annual meeting of subscribers to the Addington Public Library to be held next month.

The prizes in connexion with Burns Anniversary, given by Mr W. H. Jamieson, Leeston—this year for the best English prose translation oP'Twa Dogs"—wer© won by Dr. H. D. Broadhead, M.A. (Ist), and Miss Anderson, Sedgemoie (2nd). The junior prizo was won by J. B. Nanson, Governor's Bay. Tho Hospital Committee of tho Otago Hospital Board announces "Iliat word has' been received from Messrs Watson and Sons, that the 25 m.g. tube of radium has been forwarded to the Bureau of Standards at Washington for measurement, and that only a very small quantity of the material was lost when tho tube was accidentally broken. For eighteen positions tho Kelson Education Board has received between fifty and sixty applications, mostly from highly qualified beginners desiring to join tho teaching profession. It was stated at yesterday's meeting of the Board that tho positions would all be filled from the best of tho matriculated students.

"Was the twenty minutes limit for speakers moving motions adopted by the Council at the special meeting?" asked Cr. J. K. Archer at the meeting of the City Council last night. "Yes replied the Mayor. "It was moved as a motion." Cr. Archer —and passed? The Mayor: Yes. Cr. Archer: What time is allowed other speakers? The Mayor: Ten minutes. Sixteen bands havo definitely entered for the Palinerston North band contest, to be held from February 11th to 16th, inclusive. Included are the Queen Alexandra Band from Wanganui, .Auckland Battalion, Hawke's Bay Regimental, and other good combinations of the brass band world in New Zealand. Sydney soloists are coming over to compete.

Mr G. Witty, M.P., stated yesterday that he had received a telegram from the Hon. C. J. Parr, Minister of Education, stating that two additional class rooms had been authorised for the TVaimairi school. Mr Witty also said that the opening of a money-order and savings bank branch at the Ricearton post office had been authorised, and that the facilities -would be available when the postmaster took up his duties. At Pleasant Point on Sunday afternoon, a young man, Gordon McGee, residing at 27 Bristol street/ St. Albans, saved a girl aged 10 years, from drowning. The girl fell from a bank into about 12 feet of water and Mcwee, who was about 20 yards from the spot, hearing a splash, dived in, and with the assistance of some people who were in the vicinity, took the girl out of the water. It was proposed by the Mayor at the meeting of the City Council last night that the discussion on the new Standing Orders, interrupted by the lapsing of the previous meeting duo to tho withdrawal of oertain councillors as a protest against the adoption of a. stricter time limit for speakers, should bo resumed. Or. H. T. Armstrong and others protested against the business of the Standing Orders being taken on tho ground that notice had not been given, and councillors wore unprepared to go on with the matter. 'Die Mayor said he did not wish to inflict injustice on anybody and ho would allow the matter to stand over until ( next meeting.

A report was receive'd by the City Council last night from the City Electrical Engineer, intimating that increasing trouble was being experienced with overhanging trees. The neglect of property owners was becoming more pronounced,. and overhanging trees were common in many parts of the city. Such constituted a breach of the City by-laws, to which the Electricity Committee urged that more attention should be given. Cr. O. TV. B. Anderson said the lopping of trees should be left to the City Gardener's Department and not the electricity linesmen. Cr. F. R. Cooke (acting-chairman of the Electricity Committee) said that when the trees interfered with the wires, the cutting had to be done right away, and there was no time to consult another department. In every case, however, notice was given to the owner of overhanging trees. When lecturing on the geology of Southland at the Summer School at Riverton on Friday, Dr. Marshall, in dealing with the coastal features, emphasised the fact that a large tract of unstable sand dune country bordered the southern coast line. Ho explained that these dunes were of very recent formation, and were entirely due to man's introduction of domestic grazing animals and rabbits. He then proceeded to show how neglect of this type of country had caused widespread deserts in other parts of the earth, and stated that it gave him great pleasure to learn that in Southland tho matter was now being taken in hand, and that the establishment of proper vegetative covering for such country—a complete covering of suitable forest trees —was the object of a large scheme now under consideration. The lecturer expressed the opinion that it was time this matter was attended to in many such areas in New Zealand.

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