General News.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18636, 10 March 1926, Page 8

General News.

The auction announcements of Wallace, Wade Co., Ltd., Hutchinson, White and Co., H. G. Livingstone and Co W E. Sdmes and Co., Tonks, Norton and Co., Ltd., P.' S. Nicholls and Co., Ltd., Charles Clark. Canterbury Co-op. Poultry Producers', Ltd., N.Z. Farmers' Co-op. Asan., Ltd., and McKenzie and Willis appear on page 15 of this issue. ' Of a total, in round figures, of £270,000, representing the total amount of rates to be paid to the City Council, the sum of £133,267 has been paid in to date. This means that in the next fifteen, or twenty days, more than one-half of the total will have to be paid, if ratepayers wish to escape the ten per cent, imposed on overdue rates. At present the rate at which payment is being made indicates that a considerable number of ratepayers are leaving this important duty to the latest minute. Objection has been taken by the drapery trade to Salvation Army competition in business. The New Zealand Federation of Drapers, Clothiers, and Boot Eetailers, approached the Head Office of the Salvation Army, and protested against Army travellers canvassing for business in retail drapery. As a result of the representations assurance was received from the Salvation Army Headquarters that drapery samples would be withdrawn from Salvation Army travellers throughout the Dominion, and their retail trading m drapery shall cease. , Included in the Deputy-Superinten-dent'* report to last night's meeting of the Christchurch Fire Board, were the accounts of two accidents to'firemen. On February 24th Fireman G. Cadman slipped and fell on the stairs of the social room and struck himself on an old wound in the back, the result of an operation. He was ordered into the public hospital, and is at present! convalescing. On March 3rd Fireman R. Parker, whilst drilling with the Shand Mason extension ladder, was struck on the face by the elevation winding handle and severely injured. He was sent' to the hospital, where it was found that his injuries consisted of a broken nose, dislocated, jaw, and a severe cut over the right eye. He would probably be an in-patient for about three weeks. Writing to the Waipa County Council, the New Zealand Farmers' Union at Cambridge urged the Council to support representations to have ragwort declared a first schedule noxious weed, and also to have all Crown lands cleared _ of this weed, which is fast becoming a worse menace in the Waikato than blackberry. Local bodies were urged to employ the services of their inspectors in having this weed pulled and burned. The chairman, Mr D. S. Reed, said that this was a very serious question. It was being kept quiet, but it was pretty well certain that sheep were dying by hundreds. It would be well to recognise the danger of this weed, which 1 was making such an alarming spread. He did not know about Crown lands, but on the general principle the representations of the Farmers' Union should be supported. This the Coilncil decided to do.—Auckland correspondent. The present system of enrolling people for juries was criticised by Mr J. J. Sullivan at the last meeting of the Auckland District Law Society. Mr Sullivan said that the roll of jurors, as it reached the Magistrate, may not contain all the qualified and eligible people to sit on the jury. "I have substantial reasons for making this statement, but I dp not attribute any ulterior motive to anybody," added Mr Sullivan. "But if, through any reason whatever, eligible and qualified persons that should be on the jury roll are not there, then the society should investigate the matter, and find out the reason why. This point was previously raised in 1915, when Mr Kettle was Magistrate. It was then made public in his Court that the Police Department at the time deemed it advisable to strike,many persons off the jury roll whom it deemed ineligible." Mr Sullivan submitted that that was contrary to the spirit of the Act, and, in his opinion, was a matter entirely for'the Magistrate and not for the police. He then moved, "That the incoming council investigate this matter, and see that the jury roll is compiled in accordance with tho Act." The motion was carried. The hope that the Navy League would always recognise that its mission was educative, and nothing more, was expressed by His Excellency the Governor-General, when addressing a Navy League gathering at Auckland. Sir Charles Fergusson said that it would be unfortunate if the League endeavoured to extend beyond that. He thought its influence would be greater and that it would obtain greater support if it kept clear of politics—"a pin to prick or a flail to flog Governments." Its mission was educative and to mould public opinion to the proper conception of duty to the Empire. The great fact of civilisation was stability in the British Empire, and it came only by the maintenance of the freedom of the seas. They did not desire war, but the freedom and liberty of civilisation, anfl the only force that kept that up was the Navy, and it carried that into every corner of the world. It stood for justice, peace, progress, and law, and, although it was the instrument and the symbol of the might and majesty of the Imperial State, it was alao the living embodiment of service and sacrifice in the cause of the Empire. It was the duty of the Navy League to bring home the necessity of loyalty and unswerv* ing loyalty to the Empire. If that | were done it would be doing its duty.

John Robertson, son of Mr and Mrs J. M. Eobertson, Westport, winner of the Youths' B flat cornet solo, and runner-up in the senior Championship at Dunedin Exhibition, was entertained and made the recipient of numerous presents on the eve of his departure for Albany, West Australia, to join the Australian Silver Band, states a Press Association message from Westport. At a meeting of the committee controlling the school children's trip to Dunedin, it was reported that word had been received from Dunedin that it was impossible to receive any more children from North Canterbury till ,after Easter. It was resolved to notify all schools concerned of the change made. Advice had been received from" Mr Penlington that the present trip was going very well indeed, and the excursionists were enjoying good weather. New number plates for motors are expected to be placed on issue ivithin the next few days, and motorists may then apply to the Chief Post Office and other such offices for them. It is the duty of owners to pay a license fee of £2 before April Ist, and attach the new plates to their vehicles. The new plates will be black and white, in contradistinction to the present colouring of green and white. The plates are being supplied by a Wellington firm and the cost to the motorist will be 2s 6d a pair as against 2s last year. A feature of the plates is that they will not carry the letters "N.Z." on them as in the past. It will not be possible to obtain duplicate numbers should plates be lost. In such an event it will be necessary to obtain a new Bet of plates. "Long experience has convinced me," said Mr J. H. Howell, in the course of an address on "Technical Education," at Wellington, many cases it is a waste of the finances of the State and a waste of the energies both of the teacher and of the growing boy to allow students under the age of 15, or even 16, to attend evening school." The facilities for education, he thought, should be made available not later than 6 o'clock in the afternoon, and such day-time education should be continued up to the age of 18 for all those who had not reached a satisfactory standard. When the time of greatest stress for the adolescent was past, the student from 18 to 25, could, with much advantage to himself as well as to the country, devote himself to the elevating pursuit of such knowledge and skill as would enable him to find greater pleasure in his daily occupation. "There are many complaints among many of the practitioners that the rule of tlie Supreme Court that no barrister or solicitor can interview the judge in the absence of the clerk on cases coming before the court, is not being observed in the Lower Court," said Mr Hall-Skelton at the annual meeting of the Auckland District Law Society. The rule, it was explained, applied only to interviews dealing with cases coming before the Court. It did not refer to interviews with magistrates in a non-professional way. Mr Hall-Skelton added that the Lower Court should be the training ground in pleading for the Higher Court. There were very many complaints that the ordinary methods of pleading had not been permitted by several of the magistrates. No doubt that was on account of; overwork. It was a great pity that many of the vounger members of the profession were being deprived of the training fitting them for the higher work. He sincerely hoped that _ the council would thoroughly investigate the matter. In response to cable for goods sold out, we have to-day received jthe special hosiery herewith mentioned >- Ladies' SeamL 4-1 Marl Hose, in light,' dark brown, and grey tohings, best English make,. usual price 2s lid per pair, special sale price Is 6d pair. Also Ladies' Celfect Silk Hose, the very, latest marl tones, in thrush, sunburn, nude, and golden-brown, usual price 5s lid,, sale price 2s lid pair. Armstrongs' _ Two Shops, Victoria square and High street. —6 When your grain crops are removed the best implement to put into the stubble is either the P. and D. Duncan disc cultivator, or hooked fcined grubber; both machines are weed exterminators, and leave the soil ready for drilling green crops. With suitable power up to 12 acres a day can be cultivated. P. and D. Duncan, Ltd.' Box 124, Gnristchureh. —5 Tractor Drills, Tractor Cultivators, Tractor Rollers, Tractor Grass Strippers, Tractor Disc Harrows, Tractor Ploughs, and all Tractor Implements from Reid and Gray, Ltd., Ashburton and Dunedin. Christchureh agency, Harry Anderson, 193 Cashel street. All latest Tractor improvements on "Reid and Gray" Farm Implements. —2 J. Johnston and Son, Merchants, Rangiora, Importers of English and American Carpenters' and Engineers' Tools. P.O. Box 1, 'Phone 4. -3