General News.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 19816, 2 January 1930, Page 10

General News.

Joseph Harding, the six-year-old boy who was badly burned when the petrol tank of a motor-truck in which he-was sitting caught fire on Monday, is still on the seriously ill list at the Christchurch Hospital. Another Chinese resident of Christchurch, Mr Wong Tvee Sum, a market gardener of Wharenui road, sent £o 5s to the Christchurch Hospital for Christmas comforts. Mr Wong Kee Sum has been so successful in his market gardening that he is about to make a visit to China. It is stated that three boys have confessed to giving a number of false alarms of fire. The Central Brigade has been considerably inconvenienced lately by this malicious practice, from whicli there can seldom b:> obtained any relief. The bovs will be dealt with by the Children's Court. Miss Annie Gibson, residing at Godley House, Diamond Barbour, was admitted to the Christchurch Hospital on Tuesday, with a fractured ankle, which- she suffered at the bay. Her condition is satisfactory. The party of twenty-four young men who have been absent on a walking tour of the West Coast under the auspices of the Y.M.C.A. returned to Christchurch yesterday. They are all at and well, although they had a strenuous trip. Good weather was experienced on the actual walking days, although a fair amount of ram was met with otherwise. Christianity and efficiency must go hand in hand these days, according to one of the speakers at the Saltaire Convention yesterday afternoon. He told the story of the paperhanger and decorator who sang hymns while he worked and spoke so nicely to the lady of the house about her soul. But he did not whitewash the cornices and fell accordingly in the lady's estimation. A copy of the "Taranakian," the magazine of the New Plymouth Boys' Hifh School, is to hand. It is a splendid publication, rich in reading matter, and well illustrated. The magazine includes some really good original contributions, and, of course, the usual collection of notes on the activities of the various branches ot the school during the later half ot 1929. Motor-lorry transport has lately been m keen demand in Hawke's Bay owing to the overlapping of the wool-carrying period and the early weeks of the freezing season, remarks the Napier "Telegraph." Most of the lorry owners were working at top pressure prior to the holidays in the endeavour to meet their wool engagements and pick up what business is offering in deliveries of lamb to the freezing works. Saturday is the popular day in the week for rubbish fires in Christchurch backyards, according to Superintendent C. C. Warner, of the Christchurch FiTe Bigade. To such an extent is this the case that it has been found necessary to instal a second telephone at the principal fire station and to detail one man to do nothing else but attend to calls from householders on Saturdays for permission to burn rubbish. What is believed to be the first trip in an aeroplane by a nurse in New Zealand to attend a patient was made by Nurse Higgins, of Auckland, recently (states a northern paper). The previous evening Dr. J. H. H. Wood, of Remuera, flew to an urgent case at Otaha, near Kawakawa, Bay of Islands, in a Gipsy Moth aeroplane, piloted by Captain J. D. Hewitt. The machine returned the following morning and left the same afternoon to convey Nurse Higgins to the case, the patient residing at an isolated station During his visit to Christchurch, Lord Craigavon, Prime Minister of Ulster, is to be entertained at luncheon by persons of North of Ireland birth or descent, and by others who have business associations with Ulster houses. The luncheon is to be given at Ballantynes on January 10th. Lord Craigavon, who is visiting the Dominion on holiday, is expected to arrive in Christchurch from the north on Saturday next and will proceed the same day to visit the West Coast glacial district, returning *to Christchurch later. Two excursion trains, the first carrying four hundred and the second three hundred passengers, left Christchurch yesterday morning for Otira. Although rain fell shortly after the excursionists arrived at Arthur's Pass, about four hundred and fifty, including visitors from Auckland, Hawke's Bay, and Dunedin, undertook the ten mile walk through the gorge. The heavy rain of the previous night had turned the mountain streams into rushing torrents, and many fine waterfalls added to the picturesque grandeur of the scene. The weather was fine on the western slope and the outing was most enjoyable. May we have the pleasure of showing you the "Bamlett" British made range of mowers and rakes, recognised as the world's best? These machines are now available in single and two speed models, and we have one model with double drive, that is. a drive from each rear wheel for the severest cutting. Please note our prices are very competitive and immediate delivery* can be given. Agents, Messrs Andrews and Beaven, Limited. Moorbouse aver.ue. Christchurch. —6 Taxi fares to BrightOD 5s 6d, Sumner Ss, Governor's Bay 9s, Lyttelton 13s, Mount Pleasant Bs, Kairaki Beach 14s, Woodend Beach 20s, Waikuku Beach 235, Leithfield Beach 275, Sanatorium ss. Only if you engage a Gold Band Taxi. 'Phones 35-572 or 34-075. Thank You. —1 A good Hot Lunch at Cooke's or the Tudor Tea Rooms, High street, will set you up for a hard afternoon's Xmas Shopping. —C