General News

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 21034, 9 December 1933, Page 14

General News

The Fishing Rivers. Reports upon the condition of the following rivers have been received by the secretary of the North Canterbury Acclimatisation Society:— Waimakariri, low and clear; Hurunui, clear and fishable; Rakaia, clear and fishable. Delivery of Telegrams. "Enquiries are already being made in this connexion," said Mr F. W. Furby, Chief Postmaster, yesterday, commenting on the letter received by the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce on Thursday evening, stating that inconvenience had been caused through inability to obtain the text of telegrams late on Saturday nights. "The telegraph office closes at 9 p.m. on Saturdays," said Mr Furby, "and the staff gets away between 9 and 10. The text of telegrams not delivered by then could not be given over the telephone, as no one is in the dispatch office to [give them. The usual practice in I cases where a second notice has to be sent out on Saturday evenings is that a copy of the telegram is included in the second notification | and left with it at the recipient's I address." Wilding Park Praised. The tennis courts at Wilding Park were highly praised by an English visitor who ended a brief stay in Christchurch yesterday. He had rarely seen courts in such good condition, while the provision of a great number of courts under the control of the central tennis authority for competition purposes seemed to him to be an excellent idea, and one that could be adopted to advantage overseas. The turf in New Zealand was coarser than English turf, but in playing on it he could detect no disadvantage. A Street Mis-Named. The annual reports of the officers of the Christchurch City Council contain a list of 98 streets in the city that have been renamed at different periods. According to the experience of one citizen it must be an easier matter to have a street renamed than to have the spelling of a street corrected. lie drew attention to the fact that Buccleugh street, Linwood, should be Buccleuch. Sir Walter Scott, who claimed descent from the Scotts of Buccleuch, wrote, in the Lay of the Last Minstrel, "They were all knights of mettle true, kinsmen of the bold Buccleuch." He quotes in a note to the peom, Satchells, who wrote a history of the Scott family, and who in some doggerel poetry spelled the name Buckleugh, which is about the nearest approach to the Christchurch spelling. On referring to the New Zealand post office directorv, it will be found that Christchurch is not singular in its spelling of the name. In Dunedin, where better things might have been expected, there is a Buccleugh street in NorthEast Valley, and a Buccleugh terrace in the city itself. Greymouth also possesses a Buccleugh street.

Afforestation Methods Criticised. While on a tour of the West Coast from which he returned on Thursday night, Mr A. C, Bretherton, of Christchurch, looked into the timber industry among other things. He informed a representative of "The Press" yesterday that a successful sawmiller had said that unless trees grew in dense forests they could not reach anything like perfection for milling purposes. Afforestation, as practised in New Zealand, this man explained, was of little value for the future of the industry. His reasoning was that pine trees required heavy snow in winter, the weight being necessary to break off the lower branches before they grew into and damaged the trunk of the tree. City's Housing: Scheme. Arrears owing by the owners of the Christchurch City Council's workers' dwellings have reached such a total that, according to the annual report of the Town Clerk, a special rate will be necessary to meet the deficiency. The amount raised for 146 workers' dwellings was £IIO,OOO, and there are cases where owners are in arrears to considerably more' than £ 100, only about £3O having been paid off the principal. A special housing subcommittee is dealing with these cases and although reluctant to do so it lias had to exercise the council's rights under the mortgages and put the properties up for sale. In many cases the owners are on relief work, or are only employed part time. Appreciation of Publicity. Complimentary references to reports on commercial matters appearing in the Christchurch newspapers, and to the value of publicity, were made at a meeting of the shareholders in Bell Hooper Cromwell Gold, Ltd., last night, by Mr H. M. Haycock, of Wellington. "The Press" was the only newspaper represented at the meeting. Mr Haycock added that, the reports in Christchurch were'much better than those in Wellington, and he had repeatedly asked the Wellington journals to copy Christchurch re* ports. The chairman (Mr Alan G. Familton) said that the Christchurch newspapers always gave full space to mining reports supplied. Cricket Match To day. In the Canterbury Cricket Association's championship West Christchurch has won all its matches to date, and many competent judges think it unlikely that the side will be beaten this season, so strong is it in both batting and bowling. It will, however, meet one of the strongest sides to-day, when it will be pitted against Lancaster Park on the latter's ground. If I. B. Cromb strikes his best bowling form the Westerners may be fully extended. In any case the game should be a very interesting one. Order of Pages. Shipping News appears to-day on page 8. Mowers are wanted r.ow. The BAMLETT is ihe best and cheapest. They have worked for 40 years on Longbeach. ANDREWS and BEAVEN. —6 At the recent trials held at the Lincoln Agricultural College the Duncan was the winner in every test against all makes, both imported and local. Farmers are invited to view our newly-designed drill, fitted with the latest spring pressure and adjustable coulters, and compare our machines and their prices with all others. P. and D. Duncan, Limited, 196 Tuam street, Christchurch, and at Ashburton. 3 Who brought the taxi fares down, so that the workers could ride in taxis? "Why," the Gold Band Taxis did, and who is it that wants to raise the fares so that the workers cannot use taxis? "Not" the Gold Band Taxis. Then give the Gold Band Taxis your full support and help them to keep them down. Lowest fare Is for 5 passengers and luggage. Thank you. —3