General News.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19691, 7 August 1929, Page 10

General News.

Three cases of scarlet fever were reported yesterday. Two were from Waimate borough and one from Levels county. Arrangements have been completed by tlie tramway authorities for the introduction of the new scale of cash fares and of concession cards which will come into force on Monday, the 19th inst. The South Brighton , Progress League, at a meeting last night m the South Brighton Hall, decided to apply to the Post and Telegraph Department for a slot telephone to be placed at Beatty street. A few schools were closed recently on account of the prevalence of influenza, but they are all open again now, sick teachers having been replaced by relieving ones, who, in some cases, have been brought from Ashburton and Timaru.

On August 22nd two contingents of school children will reach Christchuroh in order to attend th« Winter Show. "These are from Ashburton and the West Coast, and arrangements are now being made for the accommodation of the West Coast children during their stay in Christchurch. On August 20th, nine hundred school children nro coming from Timaru for the an me purpose. From the Hon. Mr Wilford, Minister for Defence, Mr P. R. Climie, secretary of the Canterbury Aero Club, yesterday received the following telegram: "Hearty congratulations to your club and Captain Mercer on the successful passing of tests by Miss Clifford and Mr Norman. I shall be if you will convey my congratulations to Miss Clifford and Mr Norman with my best wishes for their future success as pilots/'

A collision occurred in Stan more road, Richmond, last evening, which might easily have resulted in serious injury to the driver of ono of the vehicles concerned. A light delivery car, owned by Baunton's Bakeries and driven by J. Hobbs, was struck at an intersection, near th« Working Men's Club, bv a two-ton lorry owned by the State Coal Company. The smaller vehicle was hit on the front right-hand side, the wheel, mudguard and running board being torn completely off. The chassis was twisted and cracked in many places. No one sustained any serious injury. The Eloctricity Committee of the City Council is considering the question of reductions in rates to consumers, the ideal before it* members being to make tlie charges in Christrhurch the lowest in any part of Aus tralia or New Zealand. Tt is probable thnt, in order that the reductions may relieve the burden on the individual the maximum demand rate will remain nt 6d per unit but that the charge for current used in excess shall be reduced from Id to fd per unit. One effect of this would be to make the cost of current for heating and cooking much lower than at present, and thus encourage the pxeater tj«e of ranges and radiators. The letters "N.D.H. (N.Z.)" indicate the diploma of horticulture issued by the New Zealand Institute of Horticulture, Incorporated, and there are several residents of Canterbury who are entitled to add these letters after their names. They include most of the leading horticulturists. It is interesting to record that the first oral examination in the South Island for the diploma was held in Christchnrch on Monday, and was continued yesterday. The candidate, Mr D. Combridge, made a good showing after fairly severe tests, and qualified under the fifteen years' practical experience provision. Young people who have not had 15 years' experience have to take a course extending over about Ave years before securing the diploma. The provision for an oral examination of horticulturists of several years' experience expires at the end of the present year. The Christchurch Examining Board consist* of Messrs T. D. Lennie, James Young, A. H. Shrubshail, and C. £. Foweraker,

Although the observance of August Ist as Arbor Day in New Zealand has ceased for many years, it was revived bv the recently-formed Elmwood Bowling Club last Saturday, when members of the committee met and planted a live hedge round the green, and also several memorial trees. The dwelling of Mr A. J. Wood, Phillip street, Palmerston North, was raided by thieves on Monday night. The house was cleaned out of cutlery, mats, eiderdowns, and ornaments, including two clocks. Entrance was gained by a back window which was smashed. The occupants were away at the time. The value of the stolen property is estimated at £loo—Press Association. At last night's meeting of the Council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society Mr C. H. Lawrence, on behalf of the Land Purchase Committee reported that three properties had been inspected with a view to purchase for a fish hatchery and game farm, and there was only one to which they were prepared to give any consideration. That was at Halswell, and it was the best proposition that had come under their notice so far. The Council dec ded to make further enquiries into the suitability of the Halswell property, and to advertise if i* were not suitable. When the Council of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society was discussing the question of taking swans eggs last vening Mr L. A. Shand said that he had been shooting on Lake Ellesmere for thirty years, and swans were as plentiful as when he had begun. There was no shadow of doubt that they did a good deal of harm. A few years ago there was an abundance of ducks on the Chatham Islands, but to-day ducks were a thing of the past. The swans had eaten them out of house and home. A motion by Mr Shand to collect eggs, with certain restrictions, up to November was defeated, and it was decided not to take any eggs this season. The new schooner built by Mr George Niccol for the Canterbury Steam Shipping Company was launched at Auckland last week Some delay was caused in the launching of the vessel, as the grease on the slips had been hardened by the cold weather, and the vessel took some coaxing to run down to the water's edge. After her launching the vessel was towed to Central Wharf, where her masts will be stepped. It is expected that she will be ready for sea in a fortnight. The Foxton is 110 ft in length, and shrf has a 28-foot beam and a capacity of 325 tons, with a draught of 7ft 6in. Twin Fairbanks-Morse Diesel engines of 100 nominal horse-power each are fitted. There are two Fairbanks-Morse oil-driven cargo winches, and electric light is installed, with special provision for cargo operations at night. A speed of about nine knots is expected. The vessel is to be employed in the trade between Lyttelton and Foxton. The dispute between the Auckland Unturned Soldiers' Association and the Auckland War Memorial Museum authorities regarding the absenqe of any war memorial feature in the museum structure has been settled by the decision of the museum authorities to incorporate a cenotaph and court ot honour The court now to be formed will match the building in width- 260 ft —and will be 90ft from front to rear. It will be paved all over with precast concrete slabs 3ft square, and bordered by a kerbing 3ft wide and Ift high, covered with slabs of the same material. From the 40ft driveway in front of the museum colonnade the court will be reached by a broad flight of seven concrete steps, 116 ft wide. A similar flight on the lower side will give access to the motor road, 60ft wide, that has been formed round the site, and below this again will be a third flight The cenotaph, standing in the centre of the court, will be as nearly as possible an exact copy of the famous monument in Whitehall, and of the same dimensions. It is to be of reinforced concrete, 33ft high, and faced with blocks of Portland stone, which forms the outer walls of the museum. Six bronze flagstaffs as in the original, will be fastened three on each side of the pylon. The wreaths hung on the shorter sides will be part of the stone facing, but the third wreath, lying on the sarcophagus, will be of bronze.

Members of the Auckland Racing Club some months ago decided to erect a statue of Sir Edwin Mitchejson, who h'is been president of the club for a number of years, to mark his long association and valuable services to the club over a long period. The statue, a bronze bust, has now arrived in Auckland; and the work of preparing the base has been commenced. The bust, which is the work of Sir Bertram Muckennal, the Australian sculptor, who has gained fame by his work in England, was oast in bronze in England It iff slightly larger than life, jind is designed to stand on a marble pedestal between Bft and 9ft high- A site has been selected for the statue at the Ellerslie racecourse between the winter garden and the tea kiosk, facing the entrance to the course, where it will be seen by all visitors. The design of the pedestal provides for the incorporation of a marble seat. All the materials are on hand, the marble having been imported from Italy, and work has been commenced on preparing the base. It is expected the work of setting up the bust will occupy about two weeks, and that the unveiling ceremony will take place before the end of the month. No definite arrangements have yet been made by the executive of the club for the ceremony, and it is not known who will perform the unveiling. Bridegrooms of to-day are not only compelled to have the gold band wedding ring, but the Bride also insists that the Wedding Taxi must have a Gold Band around it also; tiis wa& oroved last Wednesday, when seven Gold Band Taxis were engaged, so 'Phone 9257 or 9413 and book ahead. —4 John Johnston, Ltd., merchants, established 1863. Direct importers of British and American hardware and machinery. 'Phone 4, P.O. Box 1, Rangiora. J

Hot lunch on Saturdays? Tea, from 12 to 2 p.m. at the Tudor and Cooke's Luncheon Booms, High street. —6 New pattern tractor and horse non chokable Grubber for twitch working and genera! purposes; vll hard steel frames and tines. Anr depth 2in to Bin. Shoes 3iß, 7in, and iOin wide; first-class automatic lift with ample range, made in three widths, five, and a six and a-half, and eight feet Before baying a Grubber or Cultivator see this one—it beats them all. It dealß effec tively with any condition of soil, grass land, stubble, turnip, or ploughed ground. Photo on application. P. and D Duncan, Ltd., 196 Tuara street, Ohristchnrch. —6 Ransome's Tractor Cultivators, fitted with stiff tines —spring mounted, have the penetrative power of the clay grubber, but have considerable resiliency—enabling them to clear themselves of rubbish accumulation in dirty ground. Spring tines may also be fitted—if desired —thus a varied range of work may be done with the one implement. They sell at a remarkably reasonable price. Booth, Maedonald, and Co., Ltd. —6