General News.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20630, 20 August 1932, Page 14

General News.

The annual meeting of the Canterbury Employers' Association, which, usually, is held in August, is to held in September this year, the president, Mr S. G. Holland, being out of town, and other arrangements not permitting the meeting to be held before the end of the present month. The work of cutting an outlet from Lake Ellesmere to the sea has progressed favourably during the week, and there is a possibility that the cut will be opened either late to-day or to-morrow. The outlet has been blocked up for over seven months, and it has taken two tractors, working all the wook, to scoop an outlet through the bank of sand and stones which closed it up. "The general understanding is that by-laws are made to be Droken," jocularly remarked a member of the Allied Building Interests' deputation which waited on the Mayor (Mr D. 6. Sullivan, M.P.) yesterday, when a question of unlicensed motor-lorries taking part in a procession was under discussion. "Welly the Mayor is not §oing to commit himself to that," Mr 'ullivan rejoined. He added that the matter would have to l>e dealt with by the Bay-Laws Committee. The activities of the "Lily Circle" of the Canterbury Horticultural Society m connexion with lily bulbs will bo confined for the present only to those varieties which are growing in New Zealand. Of these there are approximately 40 varieties. It was pointed out at Jnst night's meeting that it was dangerous to import foreign varieties, owing to the prevalence of disease among them. For example, the importation of bulbs from California is at present barred by reason of regulations concerning foot-and-mouth disease.

With the intention of stimulating public interest in local body matters, tho Christehurch Citizens' Association has decided to hold monthly general meetings. These will bo held on the fourth Thursday in each month in tho Chamber of Commerce Building, and arrangements have been made for local body representatives to explain various matters of interest to citizens. A general discussion will follow each address. At the first of these meetings, which will be held on Thursday, August ?oth, Cr. M. E. Lyons will speak on "City Council Rating."

The building trades'in Christehurch, according to a statement made by a member' of tho deputation representing the Allied Building Interests, whiQh waited on the Mayor yesterday, are in a parlous state, but if figures relating to membcrshop of builders' associations in Christehurch and Auckland are any indication of the state of trade things are rather worse in Auckland. According to information received by Christehurch builders the membership of the Auckland Builders' Association has dropped from about 300 to eleven, and tho association's office has been closed. Although there has been a decrease in the membership of tho Canterbury Builders' Association, the financial members still number over one hundred.

"New Zealand will get on its feet pretty quickly" was the opinion expressed by Mr John Fuller to a reporter last night. The reason was, he added, that the pepole of New Zealand were sensible and had made up their minds that half a loaf was better than no bread. So impressed is Mr Fuller with the way New Zealanders have faced unfavourable economic conditions that he said that ho had invited members of various chambers of commerce in Australia to visit the Dominion and take a leaf out of its book. "Tho modernising of the Arbitration Court," Mr Fuller added, "is going to be the salvation of New Zealand."

There was a stir in the Supreme Court yesterday when an accused man was not to be found when he was called to answer a charge of negligently driving a motor-vehicle so as to cause the death of a person. Prisoner had been out on bail. Counsel said that his client had been waiting in the Court all the morning, but apparently had thought his Honour had adjourned the Court and left. A diligent search was commenced and the Court further adjourned while it continued. Ten minutes had elapsed when prisoner returned, and was immediately put in the dock. Questioned as to where he had been, the aoculsed said that he had gone to have a cup of tea and did not know that it was Time he should answer the charge in Court. His Honour made no comment, but allowed the trial to proceed. So far there have been no developments from calling tenders for the old Uerman Church at the corner of Montreal and Worcester strents, no satisfactory offers having been made. Some time ago it was decided to sell the church which is conducted bv the | Evangelical Lutheran Concordia of Ivew Zealand, because of its unsuitability on account of age, and because it is desired to continue the work of the church in a part of the City where there is better scopo for missionary activities. Unless a sale is effected very soon it is certain that the Concordia will have either to carry out extensive repair work or rebuild entirely, acoording to the Rev. H. Treager, the present pastor of the church, and to rebuild is a matter which the financial position may nob permit. Following the tlicft of valuable casts of seals and cameos at the Alexander Museum a few weeks ago, a thief has turned his or her attention to the Sar.ieant Art Gallery, Wanganui. A small framed picture on ivory was taken from the walls. The picture Was presented to the gallery by the Walker Galleries in London, through Mr and Mrs Neame, and represented three young women bathing. It wns painted by Muriel Walker, an artist of note, who has pictures in the South Kensington Gallery. As the picture was very small, it was quite possible for the thief to hide it under a top coat. On Wednesday a slight clue to the missing picture was found, for a small boy and his mother brought the frame to the Alexander Museum, savin*? that it was a vcrv trood one. and the date and inon it the™ think it Tn'Vht ><e o'f vpiti«. Thev hsd not hea r d that f picture had been stolen from the Art Gallery. The boy had found the frame under the trees in Cook's Gardens. It must have been picked up shortly after it was left there, for it showed no signs of having been out m the "sveathez,

It was repotted at the last meeting of the Wellington Manufacturers' Association that at least one girls' college in New Zealand has considered it impossible to obtain stockings made in New Zealand suitable for its pupils. The Manufacturers' Association ia taking up the matter in an endeavour to have the imported stockings which were being used replaced by New Zea-land-made stockings.

An election of five members of the Senate of the University of New Zealand by the General Court of Convocation will be held on Wednesday, October sth, 1932. Nominations will close on September 10th. Five members arc to be elected by- the court, which consists of the Ejraduatcs whose names are on the roll. The Chancellor, Professor J. Macinillan Brown, one of tho sitting members, who has been on the Senate since 1877, has indicated that he will again be a candidate. One result of the change of Government in New South ales, Mr John Fuller told a reporter last night, •vis that greater confidence was manifested by' tho people. "Mr Stevens, the Premier," Mr Fuller added, "has made an excellent show in tackling the many problems that confront his administration, _ and probabliv will prove one of the most capable Premiers New South Wales has had for many years. But Australia is handicapped through having too many Governments, and by the overlapping of taxation and the multiplicity of Arbitration Courts." To see a blue heron gambolling about the Westshoro beach in the vicinity of the slipway was tho unusual experience of two Napier men recently. The bird was described as being of a dark, slategrey colour, and appeared to be in good condition. After the two Napier men had watched the bird for some moments it took fright and flew away. Some time ago a white heron was seen in the vicinity of Clive, and it is considered somewhat remarkable that two such rare birds should be seen in this locality within such a comparatively short period of time. " The cuckoo's silvery whistle is quite distinctive, and the recording of the hearing of it would bo appreciated," writes Mr Johannes Andersen in the "Tararua Tramper." He adds: "I had a report on the Bth of this month (August) of its having been heard by an observer who has heard it about tho sth of this month for several years in succession. This means that some of the birds almost certainly winter here." Tie invitos trampers to search for evidence bearing on this question of cuckoo migration, particularly evidence of tho presence of cuckoos between March and September. Trampers should, he adds, observe all bird life. Their eyes need not always bo on the track at their feet. "The putting of the egg of tho cuckoo into the nest of the riroriro has been observed only twice; it is worth watching for; so whenever you rest, don't let your eyes rest—only your legs and your tongues."

"Wo havo to shift this depression ourselves," the president of the Southland and Otago Herd-Testing Association (Mr G. R. Herron) told the annual meeting of the association this week. Farmers had beon looking to all sorts of things for relief, he said. They had thought tho elimination of the Labour Government at Home would help them, then they had looked to the change of Government in New Zealand and the change of Government in New South Wales, and now they were looking to Ottawa, but the plain facts of the case were that they would have to help themselves. "We have been grasping at straws," ho said, "and while I am not prepared to say that Ottawa is a straw i:, may prove that jet. Wo have to shift the depression ourselves and we can do it by increasing production, and one way to increase production is by improving our herds through herd-test-ing."

A recommendation by the Ccmotory Committeo of the I'apatootoo Town Board that unemployed ratepayers be given one day's work each fortnight to liquidate their arrears of rates was considered at a meeting of the Board this week. Mr J. Franklin, chairman of the committee, said that out of consideration for unemployed ratepayers, who had requested they be given nn opportunity to work off their rates, it was suggested that tho formation of the entrance drive and paths bo commenced, and the men given one day's work every fortnight. "We realise that unless we do something many of the unemployed ratepayers will be unable to pay any rates, and, in our opinion, the suggested work could be arranged without harming our finances," added Mr Franklin. The recommendation was adopted and referred to the Finance Committee for a report as to the number of ratepayers concerned and the financial limit to which employment could be granted.

Speaking to a reporter yesterday evening Mr John Fuller, of Sydney, emphasised tho remarkable possibilities that would bo presented by the introduction of Dunedin as an itinerary port in tourist traffic from Melbourne to Suva. Mr Fuller pointed out that it would be very easy to divert the Aorangi or the Niagara from Sydney u> Melbourne and then on to Dunedin, in the course of trios to Suva, and that these fast vessefs rould make up any time thus lost without difficulty. There seemed to be a great tourist traffic between Melbourne aiid Suva, and it was a pity that some of it at least could not be directed through southern New Zealand. Such an innovation would also open the tourist resorts in this part of the Dominion to wider exploitation. At the present time an overseas concern had everything practically its own way in the Melbourne-Suva tourist facilities. Tn this issue the Railway Department advertises particulars of tlio running of a special train leaving Ashburton for Cliristchurch at 12.15 p.m. on Saturday, August 20th, in connexion with tho Ranfurly Shield match, Auckland v. Canterbury. Round the Bays in a Gold Band Taxi will only cost, you 15b for a party of five, this is half the price of others and a beautiful trip to take your friends, but be sure you 'phone for a Gold Band Taxi, which is everybody's favourite. Thank you. 2 Johnston's N.G. Motor Co., Ltd., Rangiora, representatives: W. C. Wilson and H. Clark; manager, A. U. Prestney, authorised Ford dealers. 'Phones 87 and 88. ' —'J By the deinolition of the old shoeing forge opposite the Wellington Hotel in Tuam street, P. and D. Duncan, Limited, are enabled to offer their farmer friends free car garaging during working hours. P.' and D. Duncan, Limited, 196 Tuam street, Christ- i church, and at Ashburton. —6

Have you anything to sell —Do you wish to buy? If so a small advertisement in the classified section of The Press will be all you need. 12 words Is, three insertions 2s 6d. —6