General News.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20412, 5 December 1931, Page 14

General News.

Two gifts were accepted with thanks by tho ChristchureU Domains Board vestcrday. Ono was an invalid chair from Miss Meredith Kaye, to bo available for invalids wishing to see the Gardens, and the other was a collection of maples from Mr It. Nairn. An inspection of Lyttelton Harbour is to bo made bv members of tlio Lyttelton Harbour Board on Tuesday. Olid. if time permits, the meeting ot the Board will be held after tho inspection. Despite the fact that the He-atbcote County Council was authorised to offer interest at the rate of 5i per cent, in respect of the Cashmere sewerage loan, applications for debentures hare been very few. The monthly meetings of the Christchurch branch of tho Town .Planning Institute have been suspended till February next. It is intended to discuss regional planning at the first mooting of tho branch in the New Year, and tho subject will be introduced in a short paper by Mr A. 11. Galbraith, City Engineer. At tho meeting of the Christchurch Public Utilities Committee early in the present week, when the repiort on tits steps to be taken in tho event of big disasters was presented, a subcommittee was set up to draw up and submit a supplementary report to the meeting of the committee, to be hold early in February next. The- warning issued some weeks ago by the municipal authorities regarding tho use of water for watering gardens unless a meter is installed lias proved effective to the extent that not many complaints have been received from the inspectors. 'lt is not commonly known that it is an offence under the traffic regulations to be found in possession of a bicycle not equipped with a light after dark, even if. it is not being ridden," stated Senior-Sergeant J. Fox, in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, when a defendant charged with riding without a light pleaded that when accosted by a constable lie had not been riding the bicycle, but had been crossing the road. Arrangements aje well forward for the Workers' Educational Association's summer school, and according to a report submitted to the latest meeting of the Canterbury District Council of the Association over 50 students already have enrolled, a number coming from the North Island as far north as Napier. The school will be opened on Saturday, December 26th, at 6.30 p.m. with a lecture on modern drama by Mr W. J. Scott, of Timaru. Mr Frank Milner, rector of the Waitaki Boys' High School, will give the following two lectures.

"Te Kura Ngahere," a New Zealand Forestry journal, published annually by tTie School of Forestry, Canterbury (College, commences volume three just to hand, with an explanation or the necessity for changing the size and omitting illustrations, owing to economic conditions. It pays a tribute, editorially, to the generosity of Canterbury College in bearing a largo share of the cost of production, and states that this fear only a small subsidy can be provided by the college, and the authorities are > constrained td produce an issue more nearly within their means. "It is of prime importance to the State,_ the timber growers, and the sawmillers, ihat the standards of mensuration of forests in New Zealand should be co-ordinated, improved, and extended. It should be possible for these interests to arrive at a common ground of understanding which will make it possible to have this work carried out as a special full-time project by a competent staff."—Volume three of "Te Kura Ngahere," the forestry journal published annually by the Canterbury College School of Forestry. An Auckland business man had the truth of the aphorism that time is money impressed on him'thiq week. He had occasion to make a small remit--fcance of funds to New York, and enquiry at his bank brought him a quotation of 3 dollars 45 cents to tho £ for a draft. Before he had time to give the order or the bank clerk to note his requirements a telegram «' a s handed to the clerk intimating that the rate had been altered to 3 dollars 29 cents, a drop of 10 cents in the pound. A spectacular appeal to - the electors was made bv the Labour Party in Rotorua the day before the elections, when Mr A. F. Moneur, the Party candidate, travelled by aeroplane throughout the electorate, dropping 8000 pamphlets. He left the Rotorua aerodrome at four o'clock, circled over the town, and dropped the first instalment of pamphlets. Then he headed for Matamata, Putaruru, Arapuni, Taupo, and other districts, returning to Rotorua about 6.45 p.m. Owirw? to a high wind, most of the first lot of pamphlets, were blown out into the lake, but in the evening's calm the distribution wins very effective.

Although the Heathcote County Council has mado arrangements for the payment of outstanding rates by instalments, very little advantage has been taken to date of the facilities provided. It is probable that as the date for tho imposition of the penalty draws nearer, instalments of rates will bo received. Fourth i-ound matches in tho Canterbury Cricket Association's Championship will be continued to-day as follows :—Lancaster Park 370 v. West Christchurch, 5 runs for no wickets; No. 1, Hagley Park, Old Boys 233 v. East Christchurch 28, and 14 for 0; No. '2 Hagley Park, Old Collegians 302 v. Riccarton, 12 for 0; No. 3, Hagley Park, and Sydenham 327 v. St. Albans 2o for 0, Sydenham Park. Interest in to-night's community singing at tho Civic Theatre has been manifested by many who have written asking that certain songs should be sung. As far as possible an endeavour will bo made to comply with these requests. To-night's community singing will mark the close of this year's series of these entertainments heild for the purpose of augmenting the Mayor's Relief of Distress Fund. As tho fund is still having heavy demands made on it. a big attendance, it is hoped, will lill the theatre to-night. From time immemorial oatmeal porridge has been a popular food, and as such is used in largo quantities at the Auckland Hospital. For some time past tho largo boilers used in connexion with the steam heating plant havo been badly corroded, and the task was to try to got them cleaned. Tho engineer at, tho institution, who' is known as one of the most versatile of his profession, hit upon the idea of collectinj.!; all tho spare porridge from the kitchen and putting it into the hoilers, to see what effect it would have on tho corrosions. Tho result was magical. Groat flakes of solid matter, like tho petrified objects found in some of the pools at ltotorua, were removed from the walls of tho boilers. Members of the Board inspected the slabs, and were told that the experiment of tho iK)rridgo had proved highly successful, because the gluten in St had acted as a cleansing element

Although she will never go to sea again—for tho very good reason that most of her engines have been removed— TT.M.S. Philomel, the training ship of the "New Zealand Division, has nothing to bo ashamed of, for she has a proud record of service. The standard compass of tho warship is among tho exhibits at the naval base at Devon port, and visitors are informed that her record is as follows: —1894, Bohenio Creek Expedition; 1896, Bombardment of Zanzibar; 1897, Benin Expedition; 1899-1900. South African Naval Brigade; 191-1. transferred to the Now Zealand station; 1914, capture of Samoa; 1914-18. convoy of troops to Europe during the Great War. Classed as a light cruiser, with 1G guns, the Philomel (257.1 tons> was Innnchecl at Devonport. Enpland v in 1890. Among tho men of the Navy cii,> js fmnilinrlv referred to as "old fighting Philly." Incidentally she is the fifth British warship of her name. Exceptionally rapid progress is reported to have been made with the reconstruction of the Arapuni hydroelectric works. Every item of the work is up to or ahead of tho programme date. The concreting of tho head raco and tho portion below the falls is well ahead, and tho Public Works Department officer under whose direction tho job is being done can see nothing that is likely to provido difficulties. All tho anticipated difficulties have been disposed of successfully, and it is expected that the constructional alterations will bo completed comfortably before tho schedule date—June of next year. Tho work to date is reported to have been done Well within the estirrlate of £500,001). "Of course, wc cannot tell until the new work has been thoroughly tested.'' an officer of the Department said. "Tuo daiu will bo filled and'tho test mado, and if alterations are found to lie desirable some time will necessarily be lost before Arapuni can operate regularly again. But at the rato of progress wo aro now making wo see no reason why tho work should not be completed before .June, and well within the estimated price.'' "It is very gratifying to observe the prominence given to New Zealand butter in a very large number of the best shops in England," said Mr J. Heaton Barker, who returned to Auckland by tho Maunganui after seven months in Britain. Mr Barker said tliat on one occasion, when enquiring about the origin of some butter he purchased at the Devonshire village of Babbacombe, tho shopkeeper produced a well-known Auckland brand. In a large number of stores throughout Britain notices vyere displayed informing customers that Soviet butter was not on sale. During his stay in Britain, Mr Barker addressed tho annual conference of the Scottish Grocers' Federation on thesubject of tho New Zealand dairying industry. He was also accorded the privilege of attending a meeting of the Grocers' Advisory Committee in connexion with the Empire Marketing "League, held in the "Royal Agricultural Hall. Islington, during tho progress of the Grocers' Exhibition. Evidence of the League's <rood work was to bo seen on every hand. The Railway Department advertises particulars of train alterations on the Little River branch on Friday, December 11th. The usual Wednesday trains are being run in connexion with the Little River branch schools' annual excursion. A Wellington medical man writes: 1 have had most excellent results with Restar Disinfectant as an inhalant for Whooping Cough. One of my family has been suffering from an attack, and the early use of Restar Disinfectant mixed with.half water and allowed to v aporise on a spirit lamp has been most beneficial. In fact I think it is superior also much cheaper than many of the much vaunted specifics for Whooping Cough. . . . M.R.C'.S. Eng., L.R.C.P. Lon. i —1 Visitors to. Sanatorium on Sundays please note that you can get a Gold Band Taxi right opposite the tram terminus by tho petrol bowser at cheap rates and 6d a head right into town after closing time, 4 p.m., so why pay more, and make sure it's a Gold Band Taxi. Thank you. —6 Johnston's N.C. Motor Co., Ltd., representatives: W. C. Wilson and F Meyer; manager, A G. Prestney, authorised Ford ' dealers. Travelling Llangiora. 'Phones 8" and 88. —2 Twelve Steffano Webb Photographs make Xmas Gifts that aro bqth economical and individualistic. Studio, 252 High street (Petersen's Buildings). 'Phone 35-457. —2 The drill tests, held at Lincoln Uollege, 1930-31, showed that tho two • and D. Duncan Drills (one force feed and the other spoon feed) were both superior to the other four entries in evenness of discharge, the coulter percentage of variation in both drills being '.7 only against 3.3. 3.6, 4.3. and 3.4. The yield per acre also showing the effect of even discharge being by our spoon., drill 24.8 bushels ner acre, and by our force feed 23.4. the othsrs beinc 17.7, 21.8. 21.7. 22.9—P. and D. Duncan. Ltd.. Box 124, Cnristchurch. and at Ashburton. —6 Maternity cases are specially catered for by the Gold Band Taxis. We are at vour service dav and night, our lowest fare is only Is, so save your money and buy something for baby, and always remember that it was the Gold Band Taxis that bronsiht the fares down, and that you should always ride in them and help to keep the fares down. Thank you. —*