General News.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20084, 13 November 1930, Page 10

General News.

Tuesday's receipts on the Christchurch Tramways amounted to £719. compared with £789 for the corresponding day last year. Last Sunday the level of Lake Coleridge was 1660.35 ft above sea level, ao cording to the weekly report issued yesterday by th© Public Works Do partment. This indicates- that the lake is still gradually rising. No othei figures were given.

Repairs are being effected to the old Provincial buildings, facing Armagh street Yesterday men were engaged in removing the timber of the gables which has rotted through Jong exposure to the weather, and replacing it with new red pine.

"This, of course) is only a preliminary canter, if I might use the phria' l at the present Rev T, W, Armour, referring to a statement of the Church's faith, presented by him. at yesterday's meeting of the Christchurch Presbytery. Portable midget golf courses are now being sold in JSngland. For £IBO one can purchase an 18-hqle course, equipped with 48 putters and 48 balls. The terms are 25 per cent, cash 'with order and the balance on delivery. Prices vary from £IOO to £IOOO, the average price for a nine-hole course being £75. Reports qf fishing at Taupo are so far very satisfactory, but few anglers have arrived there vet. On Thursday last Mr and Mrs Whittington, from London, caught 18 fine fish, trolling in Aeacia Bay. Mr Riehard and party, with four rods, got 30 fish, trolling off Whakaipo, from the Sunbeam, The heaviest was Bjib.

One effect of the Cathedral Squure judgment is that the tramway shelter, whioh has to be removed by June 20th, 1931, will now not be painted Since the City Council was willing to contribute a sum, not exceeding na|t the cost, it was decided at a recent meeting of the Tramway Board to repaint the shelter. N

While New Zealand ia known for the number and variety of its native shrul j, Palestine, according to a remark made by Mr J. W. Clapham, in a lantern lecture on the Holy Land last night, holds the world's record for the number of its wild flowers. Of these, he said, there are no fewer than 3000 species.

A deputation representing the St. John Ambulance Association and the 9t. John Amhulnnce Brigade m to wnU on the M«yor 'Mr J K- Archer) at 10 o'clock this morning to enlist the support of the City Council for the Association's proposals in connexion with the free ambulance servioe.

Retail shops will observe late shopping night to-night, and will be closed all day to-morrow.

The old Provincial Government Buildings in Durham street are being painted and the roofing metal is being replaced with new material.

Mr W. Nidd, who cabled congratulations to Mr Oscar Garden on behalt of Southbridge friends l \ as received tiie following reply: ' Thanks for your message. Hope to see you all soon.

It has been decided to plant the gullies in Victoria Park with native shrubs and trees* and the work will be undertaken next planting season. It is hoped that the plantation will have educational value especially for the youth of the City.

"The State will keep going and borrow money so that the unemployed may be employed; that is the principle, isn't it?" said -Mr Justice Herdman'in the-Supreme Court in Auckland the other day. Reference had just been made to the State pushing ahead with a tramway connecting the McDonald mine to the railway station at Glen Afton. "The unfortunate taxpayer is not taken into account," was his Honour's comment

Impressing the speed and convenience of air transit, a copy of yesterday's Dunedin ''Evening Star" was delivered to the Editor oi The Prkss before dinner last evening. While it has been possible to forward Thk Press to Dunedin by rail on the morning of publication, never before the coming ot the ai'r mail has the "Evening •Star" been delivered in Christchureh less than throe hours after it was published.

An indication of how the trend of commodity prices to lower levels is being rellected on the cost of the urcaKfaat table is given in the revised prices tor seasonal foodstuff lines now arriving in New Zealand (says the "Aow Zealand Herald"). varieties of dried trims show considerable reductions. Sew season's prunes, tor instance, which sold retail last Christinas at (id to GJd a lb tor the smaller sizes, will be retailed this year at 4d to 44d a lb.

It may come as a. surprise that h Timaru man now approaching the allotted span ol three score yeaia aad ten, uao not witnessed a or "talkie" picture; attended a theatre of any description, or a concert; has never visited a race meeting, and has attenued no other sports of any kind. Tl,ie "Tiniuru tlerald" remarks: "Surety this is a record nowadays, but the gentleman in question is quite satisfied hi attending to Ins "arden and iollowing his daily avocation."

Though the annual camps for territorials in the different centres have been abandoned, officers and N.C.U. s of the different units will undergo a period of training in Trentham early in the New Year. For these depot camps the following dates have lt.€n fixed :—New Zealand Medical Corps. January 18th to January 23rd; New Zealand Army Service Corps, February Bth to 13th; New Zealand Signal Corps. February 16th to 21st; Corps of New Zealand Engineers. February 23rd to 28th.

The extent of witnesses' experience with people under the influence ot liquor is a question often asked in the law Courts. The answers vary, but one medical witness in a case in the Magistrate's Court in Wellington last week left no doubt as to his qualifications to speak as an expert. Asked it he had had much experience among drunken men, the doctor smilingly replied that he thought he had. seeing he had been for twelve mouths in a London hospital doing outpatient work on Saturday nights. "You would have nearly as much experience among them as a policeman," said tho police officer "Probably more," responded the witness.

Sealed tenders will be received at. the office of the secretary. General Post Office, Wellington, until noon on December 6th. for the conveyance of mails l>y air, daily, each way, between Auckland, Wellington, Christchurdi. and Dunedin, for a period of three years. A special mail was carried by air from .Cbristchnrch to Dunedin on November 6th, and Dunedin sent a special air mail to Christchurcl) on the return journey. Both these mails were arranged largely bv the Air Mail Societv. and most of the senders ox letters were philatelists. The Society has now made a request thai another special mail should be sent to Dunedin next week. In the meantime no regular air mail service is in es istence.

The appeal opened by the Rev. Charles Perry, of St. Michael's Church, for old gold and gold trinkets from which to make a chalice for the church's service has been well answered, more than 13 ounces of gold, as well as many precious stones set in the metal, having been so far received. This is the first time such an appeal has been made in any parish in New Zealand, says Mr Perry, though it has often been done in England.

Interviewed on board the Ilazmak at Wellington yesterday, Mr Stannage, tho wireless operator, paid a great tribute to Kingsford Smith, "the Daddy of the Air." "Have you any more flights fixed up yet?"' asked the reporter. "Well, there's something in the air," Mr Stannage admitted, ''but I can'i Bay more than that at present." "And you will be in it, I suppose?" "Like a shot if the chance comes my way,' was the enthusiastic reply. Mr Stannage says that Smith is. a great fellow, and he would fol low hiro gny where.—Press Association

Presenting itself before readers for the first time with the dual purpose of filling "the need of united counsel and a united voice," and developing the movement through the Press, "Tho Ventilator," a publication coming from the Toe K Society, has recently been issued. The announced policy of the booklet is that each issue wil] be devoted to one special branch or group, with the history and plana of the several branches recounted as their turn comes round. Articles in the flr3t issue are devoted to the appeal of Toe H to the average man, to descriptions of various branches of the movement, and to the duties of its officers. It is hoped to continue the publication, the next number to deal mainly with the Wellington group.

Every bride, who has engaged « Told Band Car has met with good fortune, and is living; a happy life, no separations or divorces, so if you are superstitious, book up with us and enjoy the rest of vour life, Phones 34-075 and 35-572.

The second issue of the "Weekender," the new Christehureh weekly, which is published to-day. contains many interesting features, A speci" l article deals with the amassing wealth of Great Britain and another with the position of agriculture there. Birth control and other matters which were discussed at the Lambeth Conference are dealt with in the report of that hr»dv Th» paper cont.-iins interesting reading for the week-end and include* notes for the Inst day at Riecnrton and two fine cartoons of popular trot ting drivers. The women's section is a special fe-tture. It is on sale at all news acentfl. price threepence. _(] a< 'J? *? e «-«tlled last week at the Railway Station to control our large fleet of taxi*, which has been in great demand since we started in our branch garago, opposite the station, where you enn got a Gold R.md Taxi