General News.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18802, 21 September 1926, Page 8

General News.

The meeting of the creditors of Harold Edwin George, farmer, Bangiora, has been set down for the -Sth iast The New Zealand Rotary Conference will be held in Auckland from March 2nd to 6th next. Delegates are expected from all parts of the world. —Press Association.

The death occurred yesterday of John Pavill, aged 79 year?, a farmer of Yaldhurst? Mr Savill had been treated for some time for a disease of the nervous system, and it is understood that an inquest will not be necessary. "The committee is paying full compensation, £750, plus medical and funeral expenses, to the mother of the conductor who receutly lost his life on Moorhouse avenue," stated the Tramways Works and Traffic Committee in its"rcport to the Board yesterday.

Ou Saturday tho Akaroa Borough Council will celebrate it? fiftieth anniversary. At last night's meeting of tho Riecarton Borough Council it was decided to extend congratulations to the Akaroa Council ou having attained its jubilee. A. Laird, the youth who was accidentally shot when shooting rabbits at New Brighton on Sunday is still an inmate of the Christehurch Hospital. Last evening the authorities reported that his condition was still serious, but that he had improved slightly. While cycling along Colombo street yesterday, J. D. Biggs, aged 17, of 142 Antigua street, collided with a motor-car. He received several cuts on the face and also concussion. He was admitted to the Christehurch Hospital, where it is reported his condition is satisfactory. Last night, at the Y.W.C.A., Mr Lockwood delivered an address to the members of the Ladies' Amateur Athletic Club. There was a fair attendance. He advised them how a club should be formed, and as to the costumes that we being worn throughout the Dominion at the present time. He dealt shortly with professionalism in sport, and offered the club every assistance he could render them.

A message from our special Auckland Correspondent states that an octopus was caught among the rocks at the north end of Takapuna Beach recently. When line-fishing for scknapper at low tide, a resident noticed a moving object nearby. It proved to be an octopus,' and it was landed with the aid of a long pole. The octopus was killed and was found to be 7ft 6in from tip to tip. "No sooner is one excursion to Otira over," remarked Mr H. Chapman, District Traffic Manager, N.Z.R., to a reporter yesterday, "than we are kept busy answering telephone enquiries as to when the next is to take place." It has been decided by the railway authorities that the next oxcursion to Otira will be on October 10th. Satisfactory as were the arrangements in respect of last Sunday's excursion, it is hopod to make those for the next one even more complete.

At a meeting of tho Board of Management of the Christchurch Printing Trades' Union, held on Saturday last, the following resolution was passed:— "That this Union strongly protests against tho Arbitration Court's basic wage of Is lOd per hour for labourers in Now Zealand despite the irrefutable evidence that such wage only brings a return to the best labourers of less than £3 10s per week after deduction for lost time, etc." A copy of the resolution was forwarded to the acting-Prime Minister and the Minister for Labour. Infectious and other notifiable diseases reported in the Canterbury and West Coast Health Districts during the week ended noon yesterday totalled 25, as follows:—Canterbury: Scarlet fever, 7; diphtheria, 3; tuberculosis, 3; pneumonia, 6; puerperal sepsis, 2; cerebrospinal meningitis, 1; infantile paralysis, 1; hydatids, 1. West Coast: Hydatids, 1. Deaths in tho Canterbury district were five: Enteric fever, 1; tuberculosis, 1; pneumonia, 2; cerebrospinal meningitis, 1.

"Trackless trolleys are mentioned from time to time as being an improved mode of transport," stated the Works and Traffic Committee in its re.port to yesterday's meeting of the Tramway Board. "Leeds was one of the first to use these, and they run fourteen vehicles, but they now run twentv-three motor buses in addition. They lose heavily on both of these newer methods, but continue to do well with electric trams. Their faith in the older type of vehicle is evidenced by the decision to build 200 new electric tramcars. 1 '

Two representatives of the Sumner Borough Council recently interviewee tho general manager of the Christchurch Tramway Board (Mr F. Thompson) with respect to the alleged excessive speed of the Sumner trams, which are run in competition with private buses. The Council representa- ' tivos were asked to taJce similar action with respect to the buses, and this they,promised to do. Reporting on the matter to the Board yesterday, the Works and Traffic Committee stated (Tiat a test had been made over tho piece of track mentioned by tho deputation, but tho maximum speed attained was a good deal below that given by the Sunnier representatives. The report was adopted. A distressing case was mentioned at yesterday's meeting of the executive of the Citizens' Unemployment Commitrte© by M-r R. B. Owen, who stated that a family consisting of a man and his wife and four young, children had been visited, and the wife had been found ill in bed. The husband had been found work on several occasions, but had given up the jobs because he "felt crook." The woman and the children had scarcely enough clothes to cover them. Mr Owen reported that he was bringing the case under the notice of the Rev. F. Rule, and was suggesting that something should be done for the children, who must bo in need of bettor surroundings than those they are now placed in. Mr Owen's action in tho matter was endorsed by the executive.

Laughter was created at last night's meeting of the Riccarton Borough Council when the Town Clerk read a letter from an energetic and enterprising salesman in the employ of a well-known City firm of piano agents. In the epistle the salesman described the piano in the Riccarton Town Hall as being all right for "jazzy music," but that it was "unsuitable for concert work." Therefor© he suggested that the Council should purchase a good English piano. "Anyhow, gentlemen, while we're on this question I might say that I would like to see it referred to the Hall Committee. ..." "I understand that the

piano's pretty bad," said Mr H. S. S. Kyle. M.P., the Mayor, when the laughter had subsided. "Those who play it say it's bad," added Ct. H. Manhire. As the Mayor had suggested, the letter was referred to the Hall Committee to bring down a report on the matter.