General News.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20563, 3 June 1932, Page 10

General News.

A St, Albans man was advised yesterday morning that he had won £IOO in the Irish Hospitals Sweep on the Derby. His ticket was 'numbered NL 25616. The level of Lake Coleridge was reported yesterday to be at 1667.775 ft, or about six inches lower than last week's reading. The lake at present is 4.225 ft below the overflow level, 1672 ft. ' A tablet to the memory of Mr H. D. Smith, who was one of the victims of the Harman Pass tragedy in January last, is to be unveiled shortly in the main corridor of the Opawa school. The actual date of the ceremony has not ; 't been fixed. Mr Smith was on the leaching staff of the school for five years. The committee set up somo weeks ago to investigate matters relating to the proposed establishment of a Metropolitan Board of Works for Christcliurch and surrounding districts has received a fair amount of information from local bodies throughout the Dominion and in Australia, when the collection of this information has been completed a meeting of the committee will be called to consider it. . •

A blind poultry-farmer, Mr 0. M. Johnson, of 184 Fitzgerald street, was robbed of £3 10s on, "Wednesday afternoon, when a man for whom he was changing a £lO note absconded with the note and part of the change. The thief called to make some purchases from Mr Johnson, representing that he was connected with a City firnt. He asked if a £lO note could be chanced, apd was given a receipt and £3 10s in silver, but disappeared while Mr JohnFop was rinsing up a store in the neighbourhood for the remainder of the chanqe. "The Committee, while recognising certain objections which have been given prominence in the Press, considers that the advantages outweigh these considerations and therefore agrees with the Employment Board's proposal to subsidise wages expended on repair and construction work on private property, and recommends members of the Chamber to give the schemo encouragement." tjie report of the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce's Unemployment Committee, which was adopted by the Council of the Chamber last sight.

Every month _ the patients at the Cashmere Sanatorium publish a magazine recording their activities while undergoing treatment. Cheerfulness is the keynote of the June number, humorous poems and paragraphs practically filling the issue. Another of Dr. I. C. Macintyre's articles on the treatment of tuberculosis is included. "The cost of putting men on small farms will be about £4OO each, and the returns will be totally inadequate. As it is, a great deal of relief work is being held up because the local bodies cannot afford the materials. The money would be more wisely spent on materials (such as concrete), which would absorb far more men and give a genuine return in productive work."—Mr H. W. Harris, at last night's meeting of the Metropolitan Relief Works Committeo.

Foi*"consideratioii by the Metropolitan Relief Works Committee, the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce's Unemployment Committee suggested last night that the road on the bank of tho Avon river, from Bickcrton's corner to the New Brighton bridge, might be widened and cleared, preparatory to completion of formation work similar to that already carried out nearer to the City. When the committee's report was before tho Council, Mr V. E. Hamilton said regretted to see advocated riverbank work, which was not productive. The report was adopted.

Expert investigation of alleged fluctuations in the electrie power supply from Arapuni during the daytime, leadiug to a slowing down of the speed ot machinery, has revealed--that the slackening is due to causes other than power supply. The fact that the (rouble with the plant has become noticeable only since Arapuni resumed and lhat the slowing down coincides with peak power loading convinced those in charge of the machinery that thp fault was dues to the power supply.

The Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) acknowledges the following donations to tlio Coal and Blanket Fund:—Selvvyn Plantations Board. 3 cords of firewood; Mr V. Baverstock £1; Anonymous, 6d; Anonymous, ss; Misses S. and A. Ballantyne, £3; Heathcote County Council, £5; "Inasmuch," ss; "A.8.", £1; "W.G.J.," £5 ss; Christehurch Gas Co.'s collection box, £4 8s 2fl; Fletcher, Humphreys, and Co., £10; Money found in pu:ne left at All Nations Fair, 5s 6d; "D.C.8.," £5; "J.J.T.," £10; "Leicester," £10; "Old Woman," 10s; New Brighton Borough Council, £5.

Fourpencc for a pint of beer has been dodared "iiup«s&ible" by the Welhngron Licensed Victuallers' Association, and that organisation has recommended its members to revert to the 6d rate. Tho fourpouny beer never found favour with most Wellington hotelkeepers, but vhen one licensee announced this cut price about a year ago, others followed. Some licensed houses took a firm stand agqinst the reduction, and l mer for fourpenc*? was 6aid to be impiacticablo with existing taxation and 'educed fconsumption.

Preparations are now being made for the celebration of the 60th anniversary of the Opawa School. The details have not yet been decided, but it is expected that the ceremonies will extend over three days. Tho anniversary dato falls in the present month, l/ut tho committeo in charge of tho arrangements lias decided that it would be advisable to hold the celebrations in November, during Carnival Week, and in the meantime efforts are bQing made to get into touch with old pupils and teachers all over the Dominion. There will be the main reunion ceremony, a sports gathering, and a church parade, and the committee is endeavouring to obtain funds for the erection of commemorative gates at tho school. Tho laying down of tennis courts is also included in the programme.

Citing tho case of a relief worker at tho Wairnakariri camp who walked all tho way into the City in order to enter somo birds in the Christehurch Poultry, Pigeon, Canary, and Cat Club's annual exhibition, tho Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.), who spoko at the opening of tho show last evening, said that interest such as that explained the success achieved by tho club through its life of 65 years. . This unemployed man had found difficulty in finding entry fees, besides undergoing great difficulties in taking his birds to tho Barracks.

'riio autumn number of tlio "New Zealand Magazine" contains several interesting articles concerning life in the Dominion. A story on the history of the flax industry is written by Mr W. Potrie, chief Government hemp grader; travel topics include a short history of Ottawa, described as the meeting-place of Empire, and another informative article deals with Mr Joseph Chamberlain, called "the father of Imperial preference." The merits, or otherwise,, of tho Wellington carillon are also discussed at length, and it is contended that the bell music cannot bo properly appreciated until city trpfEc noises in the vicinity of tho campanile are eliminated. Tlio Unemployment Committee of the j Canterbury Chamber of Commerce has been favourably impressed with information supplied regarding the working of the scheme for the employment of single men on farms, draining swamps, grubbing gorse, and clearing stones. It recommended the Chamber last night to draw the attention of stock and station agency firms to the advantages of the scheme, whereby the City is relieved of providing employment for single men and tho cost to the Government for wages and keep is reduced \py 15s per man per week. "The advantage of employing men in directly productive work is obvious, and %vhile certain individuals may reap some advantage, the benefit to the community as a whole is a more important consideration," stated the report, «which was adopted by the Council. , An extraordinary motoring accident happened recently to a farmer living in the Raetihi district. He was driving I his car Into that town, and, as the (weather was cold, he put on a heavy coat. When some distance along the road, a rat suddenly jumped out of tho top of the coat and on to the driver's ne«k. The surprise and shoek caused him immediately to throw up both hands in an effort to catch tho rat. The car swerved, and, going over a step bank on the roadside, was wrecked. Tho driver and a member of his family, who was also in the car, were fortunate enough to escape serious injury. The collection of names of Maori tribes in the Auckland Province, commenced some months ago by the Akarann Maori Association, has grown steadily. It is the intention of the organisation to compile as complete a map as possible, showing the tribes in their districts of residence, with the view of making the collection a gift to the Auckland War Memorial Museum. There are indications that the subject has created interest among other people in Auckland. After research work during the past three months, one resident of Grafton has collected nearly 300 names of Maori tribes and sub-tribes throughout New Zealand. The list includes mythical peoples mentioned in Polynesian legend, and tribes which have vanished As well as those existing to-Lay. Parcels for the railway should be delijpred by the Gold Band Taxis' fans at their contract price, which is very low. 'Phone Gold Band Taxis if you have any to go by rail, as we havethe parcel delivery contract with the Railways and a fleet of vans. Thank you. —4